Mayor Johnson: My message to the men and women of the Dallas Police Department

The work never stops, but I am grateful for two straight years of violent crime reduction.

The following is the transcript of the video posted above.

Hi, I’m Eric Johnson, the mayor of Dallas.

As we begin 2023, I just wanted to take a moment to say to all of our Dallas police officers and police department staff: Happy New Year, and thank you.

When I took office three and a half years ago, crime was rising and our police department was shrinking.

Now, we’ve committed to increased hiring and competitive compensation, and we can proudly say that we’ve achieved two consecutive years of violent crime reduction in our city.

That means so much for Dallas. It means we’ve saved lives. It means we’ve kept families together. And it means we’ve allowed people to have a stronger sense of safety as they strive to achieve their dreams.

Two-straight years of violent crime reduction is an extraordinary achievement, especially as national trends have moved in the other direction.

Of course, you know as well as I do that we still have work to do. Any victim of violence in our city is always one too many.

But we’ve come a long way, and for that, I’m grateful to you. We truly couldn’t have done this without your hard work, your dedication, and your sacrifice.

You’ve taken on an extremely difficult job. And I know we ask a lot from you — because we have to. The stakes are high, and we need all of you at your very best.

So thank you again. Thank you for your professionalism and for your willingness to serve the City of Dallas. Thank you for adapting to new strategies and a changing world — and for striving for excellence. And thank you for your dedication to ensuring that all of our residents can live in safe communities.

Together, I know that we can continue to make strides toward our shared goal of making Dallas the safest major city in the United States.

Have a great 2023. And I’ll see you soon.