Crime and COVID-19 in Dallas
The numbers are heading in the wrong direction.
And I’m talking about both the violent crime statistics and COVID-19 numbers.
The recent increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are deeply concerning. Dallas is on pace to hit new peaks in the coming weeks. The second wave is here, even though the first wave never truly subsided.
Please, for your community, stay on guard. Wear a mask, get a flu shot, avoid gatherings, and practice social distancing. This pandemic is not disappearing on its own. Lives of loved ones are still on the line. Healthcare workers are dealing with the toll of this virus, and it’s imperative to do everything possible to avoid burdening them further.
The fatigue is understandable. Everyone is tired of this pandemic. It’s exhausting. But a vaccine is on the horizon. Now is not the time to give up and give in. Hang on and keep taking precautions so people can enjoy the holidays next year and for many years to come.
Crime also continues to disrupt lives in Dallas neighborhoods.
Aggravated assaults are now up 26 percent this year. Through Thursday, Dallas had also surpassed its 2019 total of homicides with about seven weeks still left in the year.
The next police chief must be ready to fight crime and turn these numbers around.
Dallas cannot reduce violent crime by shrugging off the numbers or pointing toward increases in other cities. The next police chief must be committed to doing his or her part to help make Dallas the safest large city in the country. This city’s residents and businesses deserve that kind of focus and dedication going forward from its police leadership.
The hiring process is underway. Unlike in most big cities, the city manager alone — not the mayor or anyone who is elected by the city’s voters — will make this all-important hiring decision, as the Dallas City Charter dictates.
But you deserve a role in the process. The people of Dallas should have the opportunity to tell the city manager what they want from their next police chief and their police department.
The “top cop” job is critically important. Click here to read one take, written by columnist Sharon Grigsby of The Dallas Morning News, on what Dallas needs and the importance of finding the right person to lead the police department.
You can give your thoughts on leadership qualities, departmental priorities and professional qualifications by taking a survey at this link or by calling 214–671–5190. And question 11 is an open-ended question in which you can write anything you’d like. Take advantage of that opportunity, and after completing the survey, you can reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share about what kind of police chief Dallas needs.
Your city government should be responsive to your needs. It should also be transparent and honest about the challenges facing the city.
That is why I will be asking the city manager this week for a monthly report, one that can be disseminated to you, that will provide clear information on the city’s most important public safety efforts, such as the implementation of the Task Force on Safe Communities recommendations and the civilianization of some police positions to put more officers on the street.
Just like with COVID-19, the data and information should be clear and understandable. The people of Dallas can only be part of a solution when they understand the problem.
I will work hard to keep you informed. Stay safe out there, and continue to help your community and your city.
And thanks for all that you do.
