Northwest Dallas businessmen received promises of increased police protection from Dallas Police Chief U. Rene Hall on Thursday, and in return, police have asked the businessmen to help them tackle prostitution and other problems.
Rolando Rosales owns Wild Turkey, a restaurant and bar that has been a landmark on Walnut Hill Lane for 40 years, but he says the neighborhood around his establishment has seen rapid decline in recent years.
Nearby offices and warehouses that once filled with lunchtime customers now stand empty, and prostitutes are a common sight along the street at any time, but there isn’t much police presence, Rosales said.
“There aren’t enough police officers,” he said. “A lot of our customers say, ‘This neighborhood is getting worse, I’m not going to bring my kids here anymore.'”
His concerns were among those shared with Chief Hall at a Northwest Dallas Business Association meeting Thursday.
“Law enforcement plays a vital role in economic growth, development and everything else,” Hall said.
Hall said the police discipline unit, which had been disbanded for a year, would be reactivated and work with patrol officers to address problems in northwest Dallas.
“We know this isn’t going to be an overnight fix,” Hall said.
Hall acknowledged that the police department has about 600 fewer officers than it had a few years ago, but he called on business officials to stop blaming them for the police department’s lack of performance.
“We’re not understaffed and we can’t do the job, so please don’t say that. We can do the job. We just have to do it differently. We might have to ask our partners to help us do some things, but it doesn’t mean we can’t do the job,” Hall said.
Earlier this month, federal authorities shut down the Hangil Hotel on Dennis Road in northwest Dallas, a hotel notorious for prostitution and murder.
Hall also said an ongoing efficiency study will help Dallas make better use of its officers.
Northwest Dallas Deputy Police Chief Rick Watson has asked businesses to file trespass affidavits with Dallas police, which give officers the authority to remove trespassers from businesses even if the owner is not there. Watson told association members to help report problems by calling 911.
“Please call,” Watson said. “I’m not going to use that call against you.”
Some business owners fear retaliation from police or city code enforcement if their establishment experiences a high crime rate.
Rosales said businessmen also fear retaliation from criminals if they are identified for calling the police.
“This is a big risk for us,” he said.
After Thursday’s meeting, Rosales said he’s heard similar promises from police in the past.
“The reality is, this has happened before, so it might attract a little more attention this time,” he said.
The longtime northwest Dallas businessman said he hopes the new dialogue with police will lead to a turnaround for the neighborhood.
