James Burgess spent years climbing the ranks in the Dallas Police Department in Gaston County. Now the former sergeant is leaving with a full retirement package after cutting a deal that ends his federal racial-discrimination lawsuit. Court records show he formally withdrew the complaint once the settlement was filed, and Burgess says he is trying to move on while hoping the outcome gives others facing discrimination a little more leverage.
As the Charlotte Observer reported, both sides quietly agreed to the settlement last month. The deal grants Burgess full retirement plus additional incentives and includes a final certification filed with the court. According to the Observer, Burgess withdrew his federal lawsuit in order to accept the agreement. Reporters reached out to the town manager for details on the settlement and any possible policy changes, but those questions had not been answered at the time of publication.
Background: how the dispute began
In 2025 Burgess sued the town of Dallas and Police Chief Robert Walls, alleging a racially hostile and retaliatory work environment and claiming he was denied a captain’s promotion in favor of a white officer with about a third of his experience, WBTV reported. The lawsuit says a newly formed promotion board voted unanimously to promote Burgess, a recommendation the complaint says Walls then sidestepped. It also alleges Burgess was denied degree-based bonuses, additional training and other pay that white officers received.
Credentials Burgess said were overlooked
Burgess's lawyers pointed to his credentials as the clearest sign he should have been promoted, the Charlotte Observer reported. They cited his associate’s degree and bachelor’s in criminal justice, years of supervisory work in both investigations and patrol, and his service as the department’s internal affairs sergeant. According to the filings, he was also one of only two department hostage negotiators and the only officer who completed the FBI hostage negotiator course.
What this means locally
The settlement closes a high-profile personnel dispute for the small Gaston County department and puts new attention on whether town leaders will revisit how promotions and pay incentives are handled going forward. Municipal settlements that bundle retirement and extra incentives can raise budget and transparency questions for local taxpayers, and activists or officers in the region may look to this case as a reference point. For now, Burgess says he is focused on the next chapter of his life and on the hope that his fight will help others confronting workplace discrimination.
