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DOWNTOWN’S multi-faceted safety strategy
features a 75-member Downtown unit of the Dallas Police Department,
a proactive security directors association, strong emphasis
on citizen involvement and effective programming by the Improvement District. The
results have been remarkable – a 21% decrease in daytime crime since the inception of the DSP in 2004.
THE DOWNTOWN SAFETY PATROL
Introduced by the Improvement District in 2004, the Downtown Safety Patrol serves
as "extra eyes and ears" for the Dallas Police Department.
With goals designed to improve the perception of safety in
Downtown, the new program will address Downtown's public
safety needs and provide a proactive approach to nuisance
or quality of life issues. Safety Patrol officers completed
an extensive 3 week training program that included workshops
with the Dallas Police Department, DART, Dallas Convention
& Visitors Bureau, the city's Crisis Intervention Team and
federal officers. Operating on a flexible seven day schedule,
Safety Patrol officers are deployed on foot and on bicycles.
Primary duties include approaching and requesting compliance
from individuals posing a negative impact to quality of life and
maintaining an authoritative presence to deter crime. An Improvement District
grant to the City of Dallas Environmental and Health Services
has provided a team of caseworkers dedicated to homeless outreach
in Downtown. Working closely with the Downtown Safety Patrol,
this team focused on outreach to service-resistant individuals,
monitoring needs of homeless individuals who are mentally
ill or substance abusers and offering services and assistance
on a daily basis.
To contact the Downtown Safety Patrol for assistance, call
214-741-1151 or email safetypatrol@downtowndallas.org.
OTHER IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SAFETY PROGRAMS…
- A message system for Downtown security directors and a
Downtown Emergency Response Plan, which includes two communications
tools: the dallasalert.org website and AM 1680 radio station.
- Personal safety tools for the Downtown community include
the Dallas Police Department’s free on-site seminars
and safety tips in "Blow the Whistle" brochures
and the monthly DownTown Dallas flyer.
- Equipment purchases such as paddy wagons, custom bicycles
and computers assist operations of the Dallas Police Department.
- Now citywide, the LOCK Your Car, TAKE Your Keys and HIDE
Your Belongings campaign was created to reduce auto-related
crimes in Downtown.
DOWNTOWNDALLAS
1412 Main, Suite 2500
Dallas, TX 75202
info@downtowndallas.org
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