Dallas Area Rapid Transit police officers injured last month's fatal ambush on law enforcement haven't been getting their full salaries while recovering from their wounds because the transit agency doesn't yet have a policy in place to cover pay decreases that come with filing workers' compensation claims.
DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said that the agency is looking at putting a system in place to assist officers injured in the line of duty in the future. He also said DART is trying figure out a stop-gap measure to help the officers injured this month whose salaries are cut 30 percent while they are on leave.
"We're exploring some options that might help make up that difference," Lyons said.
DART officers Lee Cannon, Misty McBride and Jesus "Jesse" Retana were among those injured when a gunman opened fire during a Black Lives Matter protest July 7. Four Dallas police officers and one DART officer were killed in the deadly attack. Six Dallas officers and two civilians were also injured.
Cannon has already returned to work, but McBride and Retana remain on leave. The Dallas Voice first reported that according to the GoFundMe page for Retana, Dallas police already have a system in place that can cover the temporary salary decrease of officers on workers' compensation.
The city of Dallas pays the difference between what workers' compensation covers and the officer's salary, which is the average pay from the 13 weeks before the injury.
The city will pay that difference for up to a year. And any medical treatment related to the injury is covered for the officer's life, police officials said.
Lyons said that process is not automatic and that officers must apply for help. But, he said that policy is something DART is considering duplicating.
"I imagine it would be an administrative policy and that's one of the things we would look at," Lyons said.
He said DART officials have assured the injured officers and their families that the agency is trying to figure out a way to help in the short-term. Retana declined to comment Friday. Cannon and McBride could not be reached for comment.
But the three injured officers will be among those who receive some financial assistance from the Assist the Officer Foundation, which is run by the Dallas Police Association. Though it is not meant to cover salaries, the donations help the officers during their recovery.
"We're taking care of the DART family," said DPA President Ron Pinkston. "They're being treated just like our families."
In addition to the Assist the Officer funds, the DPA gives the families of slain officers money raised through the association's dues. The group did the same for slain DART officer Brent Thompson.
Lyons said DART has had officers file workers' compensation claims after being injured in the line of duty before, but none have ever asked the agency to help shore up a subsequent loss of pay.
"To my knowledge it has not come up before," Lyons said.
We'll continue to update this story throughout the day.
Reported and written by Brandon Formby and Tasha Tsiaperas.
Copyright 2016 The Dallas Morning News
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