Tales of a Poker Raid

Radley Balko | April 20, 2007

Over at TheAgitator.com, I've posted the firsthand account of a man who was arrested at one of those SWAT raids on Dallas poker rooms.

MORE:  There were apparently more busts last weekend, including two at VFW posts.  And a Dallas vice cop wrote in to the Pokerati blog with this warning :

...the Vice Unit will soon start the process of conducting operations that will lead us to the filing of more serious charges against the operators, businesses and players. Gambling is illegal and the citizens of Dallas expect us to enforce those laws as long as they are in place. The Vice Unit will soon consider the filing of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, IRS violations, drug charges and violations of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. The owners and operators of these criminal enterprises need to also understand that ultimately, we will come after them, their businesses and their assets.

FWIW, Dallas ranks 11th of the nation's 15 largest cities in violent crime, and ranks dead last in property crime.

Comments

|4.20.07 @ 12:06PM|#

"There are only certain types of charities that can benefit," Lt. Smith said. "Usually raffles are the only legal form of gambling."

So, the only legal form of gambling is one that stacks the odds greatly against the players? I don't get the logic behind this.

Also, it's customary at poker night with my friends that the person hosting the game keeps any additional funds from rebuys - for the hassle of having to clean up, set up snacks, buy the liquor, etc. That means the house is taking a cut from the pot, right? That would be illegal in Dallas? WTF.

Don't these cops have any real crime to go after?

|4.20.07 @ 12:13PM|#

"Don't these cops have any real crime to go after?"

That could be dangerous. Pot smokers and poker players don't shoot back.

|4.20.07 @ 12:14PM|#

Don't these cops have any real crime to go after?

Apparently not
Dallas ranks 11th of the nation's 15 largest cities in violent crime, and ranks dead last in property crime.

This surprises me actually. In most cities violent crime is highly correlated with temperature. Perhaps to Dallasites anything bellow body temperature is considered on the cool side.

|4.20.07 @ 12:14PM|#

Gambling is illegal and the citizens of Dallas expect us to enforce those laws as long as they are in place.

But poker is legal as long as the house doesn't take a cut.

|4.20.07 @ 12:15PM|#

And, as a Dallas resident, I can assure you there are a hell of a lot of better uses for the cop's time in this town. Parts of Dallas look like somebody dropped Beirut on Somalia. Or Mexico City. Take your pick.

|4.20.07 @ 1:05PM|#

OOPS,
I posted my comment at 12:14pm thinking that ranking 11'th and dead last meant having the lowest number of crimes. Seems that Dallas has one of the highest crime rates.

BTW Radley:

Meanwhile, Dallas ranks near the bottom in crimes per capita among 15 peer cities: 11th in violent crime and next to last in property crime.

Thomas Paine\'s Goiter|4.20.07 @ 1:05PM|#

So, the only legal form of gambling is one that stacks the odds greatly against the players? I don't get the logic behind this.

Same with state lottery and church bingo. There isn't a casino game spread with odds as long as either. Keno doesn't count.

I'm pretty sure that 60ish officers is a legitimate force to stop a poker game. Right?

Jorgen|4.20.07 @ 1:15PM|#

If the cops wanted to get the laws changed, the best way to go about doing that would be to enforce them zealously. Enough people shot dead at poker nights and the issue gets some attention.

Thomas Paine\'s Goiter|4.20.07 @ 2:19PM|#

Enough cops arrested at poker games and the issue gets some attention.

|4.20.07 @ 2:22PM|#

Enough people shot dead at poker nights and the issue gets some attention.

Yeah, it sure as heck worked for the Drug War!

|4.20.07 @ 2:24PM|#

Hey, at least there's no talking cameras scolding you in Texas (or worse, giving the other guys clues about your hand).

|4.20.07 @ 3:07PM|#

But remember folks, the law is the law and it's for our own good!

Bastards.

|4.20.07 @ 3:19PM|#

FWIW, Dallas ranks 11th of the nation's 15 largest cities in violent crime, and ranks dead last in property crime.

Does that mean 10 cities have more crime than Dallas, or 10 cities have less?

dan michalski|4.20.07 @ 4:28PM|#

I'll be honest, I thought Dallas was still #1 in violent crime. Very disappointing to no longer be at the top.

|4.20.07 @ 4:28PM|#

The "11th out of 15" and "dead last" statistics are confusing. I'm a Dallas resident, and it's commonly said we're the number one crime city in America.

I know we're not the murder capital, and property crime is very high, so I'm guessing 11th is toward the "worse" side of the scale.

Thomas Paine\'s Goiter|4.20.07 @ 4:31PM|#

property crime is very high, so I'm guessing 11th is toward the "worse" side of the scale.

You'll be right back up at the top when they start counting poker games as property crime.

Robert|4.20.07 @ 5:16PM|#

So why are they operating this way? Why doesn't the VFW or whoever just exact a cover charge, or charge them for refreshments, or some other way of making money while they host poker games? Seems silly to charge according to the pot anyway, when the house's time & space & utilities are taken up the same regardless of the amount of money gambled, while the size of pot can vary a great deal. That's almost like tipping would be if you based it on the amount of the check instead of how much service the waiters gave.

Mike Laursen|4.20.07 @ 8:09PM|#

What kind of crazy-ass, politically-suicidal police chief orders raids on the VFW hall?