The Dallas County Fire Marshal’s Office has morphed into an unofficial police force, operating well outside its legal mandate. Instead of focusing on fire safety and arson investigations, these marshals have been detaining and arresting citizens on flimsy, often baseless charges. Many of these arrests don’t hold up, and the District Attorney’s office has repeatedly declined to prosecute, signaling the weakness of the cases. Still, the pattern of harassment continues.

Backed by a ballooning budget—now over $12 million, with line items for ammunition and explosives—this rogue agency is building out a fully equipped, militarized enforcement arm with no clear authority or accountability. With drones, off-road vehicles, and a growing number of marshals acting like police, they’re using intimidation and force to restrict public access, suppress dissent, and keep the jail full.

This isn’t law enforcement. It’s government-sponsored overreach, and it has to end.