As homicides spike in Dallas, some neighbors are asking police for more help.
The good news is that at the end of 2023, overall violent crime is down 8%, led by a nearly 19% drop in aggravated assaults.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia spoke at a Dec. 11 rally about the focus on deterrence trends and ongoing violent crime reduction plans.th City council public safety committee meeting.
“The way to reduce homicides is to reduce the number of aggravated assaults that lead to homicides, and the men and women of this police department are doing a great job,” Garcia said.
Murder cases in Dallas increased by 15% in 2023 statistics, with an increase of 32 cases compared to 214 cases the previous year, for a total of 246 cases.
One example of the increase is at the corner of Bonny View Road at Simpson Stuart Road.
There was a heavy Dallas police presence in the neighborhood Tuesday.
Officers stopped vehicles randomly in the middle of Bonny View to carry out road safety checks. They also disrupted gatherings of homeless people.
“We need to make sure we have a police presence. And it has been a hotspot for many years. But the important thing is that even though it goes away, it comes back again,” said Neighborhood Councilor Tennell Atkins. he said.
Last year, murders that occurred just around the corner included one at a corner store, one at a 100-yen store, and another at an old apartment complex where children walk to school.
But around the corner there's also a brand new apartment complex and a recently reopened grocery store that the city supported to help the neighborhood thrive.
At a crime meeting in December, Atkins received assurances from Chief Garcia that police would be present.
“From a presence standpoint, we're really going where the data tells us to go. And we certainly try to be as present as possible,” Garcia said. Ta.
Compared to the previous year, there were eight more homicides in the South Central Police Department, which includes Simpson-Stuart's Bonnie View, in 2023.
However, the North West and South East each saw a further increase in homicides, with an increase of 13.
Residents in these areas also want to increase the presence of police departments, which have about 600 fewer officers than in 2011.
“Residents are saying that too. 'Hey, we don't see a presence.' We're understaffed, we know we're understaffed. But we need more presence to ensure safe neighborhoods,” Atkins said.
One of the crimes in the southeast last month was the murder of four relatives. Police said the suspect, who committed suicide after the murder, had a history of blackmail and still lives right next door to the victim.
“Unfortunately, there are decisions that are beyond our control that allow people like the person who committed these heinous murders to be on the streets,” Garcia said. “We are not alone in demanding transparency within the criminal justice system.”
Public Safety Committee Chair Carla Mendelsohn held up a graph showing a decline in both violent crime and the number of crime victims.
“And both are trending down, which is great. And I hope this makes the headlines, because we certainly still have more crime than anyone would like. There are a lot of bad headlines, but that's decreasing,” Mendelsohn said.
Returning to Bonny View Road, homelessness and unemployment are also major challenges facing police.
“And I've also heard a lot of cops say, 'Nothing stops bullets like their job.' So I think the answer is right in front of us. That's why we solve the puzzle. It’s the way it’s put together,” City Councilman Gay Donnell Willis said.
Dallas city leaders are pursuing many solutions beyond police presence to reduce homicide numbers in 2024.
The 2023 numbers also show an increase in property and social crimes, with overall crime in Dallas increasing by less than 1%.
