DPD Chief Wants Less Officers, More Tech
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas Police Department has said that good policing, technology and community support have made a big difference in the fight against crime. The city's crime rate has decreased consecutively for the last 10 years.
The number of violent crime cases has dropped by more than 300 when compared to the same time last year. Nonviolent crimes, including theft and burglary, are also down. Because of all this, police officials said that the department is asking for funding for fewer officers in the upcoming fiscal year.
The Dallas Public Safety Committee met on Tuesday at Dallas City Hall, and there were concerns about the request made by Chief David Brown.
Officials said that, every year, the Dallas Police Department loses about 200 officers. Rather than replacing them all, Brown is asking the city for only 165 new officers over the next fiscal year, which begins in October. According to department officials, that would lead to a savings of nearly $752,000. The chief would like to spend a portion of that savings on more police technology.
Some of that technology includes things like additional license plate readers, overt cameras that can catch crimes while they are in progress, and more bait cars used to catch automobile thieves in the act.
The Dallas Police Association does not like this plan. "This is bad for the citizens of Dallas," said Ron Pinkston with the Dallas Police Association on Tuesday morning. "We lowered crime for 10 straight years because we've put the boots on the ground. The goal is to get to three officers per 1,000 citizens. By reducing that, we are not going to get there."
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