The Texas Rangers have filed criminal charges against former Cedar Hill Police Officer, 33-year-old Donald Najee Mercer, stemming from alleged misconduct during a DWI arrest in August 2024. Mercer has been charged with Official Oppression, a Class A Misdemeanor, and turned himself in to the Ellis County Jail on Monday morning, December 16th.
Mercer was under investigation for a separate incident when a complaint regarding his conduct during the August arrest surfaced. Four days later, Mercer resigned from the Cedar Hill Police Department to avoid facing termination proceedings. An internal investigation by the department found four policy violations, including dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming an officer.
"The Cedar Hill Police Department prides itself on a culture of accountability," said Cedar Hill Chief of Police Ely Reyes. "In the initial case, the victim did not bring the complaint, but the conduct was uncovered during the interview process which prompted CHPD officers to investigate proactively. We empower our people to report misconduct when they see it and that is exactly what happened in this case."
"We want to be clear that we hold our officers and department to a high standard of public service and professional conduct that is appropriate, honorable, and ethical," Chief Reyes added. "Maintaining the public's trust and respect is of the utmost importance, as is being publicly transparent to the full extent possible without compromising any ongoing investigations or legal processes."
