Dallas Police Employee Fired and Charged for Fabricating College Degree Claims

Dallas Police Department Employee Fired for Allegedly Falsifying College Degree to Gain Promotion

A Dallas Police Department employee, Gina Fowler-Strickland, was fired after allegations surfaced that she lied about having a college degree to receive a promotion.

Fowler-Strickland, who worked as a police report representative, was officially terminated on Thursday after a disciplinary hearing with the police chief, Fox 4 reported.

According to the police department, Fowler-Strickland was dismissed for “engaging in adverse conduct” related to her arrest for possessing a fraudulent, substandard, or fictitious degree. In September, she failed to appear for a court hearing, prompting the issuance of a warrant for her arrest. However, the warrant was later recalled for reasons that remain unclear.

Court records indicate that Fowler-Strickland was charged in June 2023 with fraud/fictitious degree. The charges stemmed from allegations that she lied about holding a postsecondary degree to obtain a promotion the year prior.

Fowler-Strickland was fired after a disciplinary hearing with the police chief. AP

Fox 4 reports that these charges were eventually dismissed in November 2023 after she completed a pre-trial intervention program.

In Texas, falsifying educational qualifications to secure a job or promotion is classified as a class B misdemeanor. This offense is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

The incident highlights the serious consequences of fraudulent claims in the workplace and raises concerns over credential verification processes within law enforcement agencies.