As blight and crime rise in Dallas, Downtown Dallas Inc. is finally acknowledging the need for more police help.
After an unsuspecting woman was attacked on a street corner downtown, the outfit’s president and CEO, Jennifer Scripps, admitted to the new challenges facing the city.
“Our partners at Dallas City Hall share in our outrage and we will work together to ensure Downtown remains a safe place for all residents, workers, and visitors,” she said in a mid-September statement about the attack to CBS Texas.
Downtown Dallas Inc. has been accused by some of spreading misinformation about the Dallas HERO initiative, such as saying ill-trained officer would soon be patrolling city streets.
The local nonprofit Dallas HERO initiative acquired the necessary signatures from citizens on three petitions that seek to amend the City charter. If the proposed amendments were enacted, they would require the Dallas police department to add 1,000 officers, create performance incentives for the City manager, and allow citizens to sue City leaders.
Pete Marocco, the executive director of Dallas HERO, told The Dallas Express that Downtown Dallas Inc. has fought against the pro-police initiative, and noted many of the leaders of the organization don’t even live downtown.
He also questioned the funding behind Downtown Dallas Inc., too, noting its “dark” funding, while assuring the money behind Dallas HERO is “transparent.”
Downtown Dallas Inc. did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Dallas Express.
Dallas HERO garnered the signatures of 169,000 Dallas citizens on their petitions, which were recently certified by City Secretary Bilierae Johnson. This means the proposed amendments will be on the ballot in November.
Marocco has said he is optimistic about the likelihood of HERO’s petitioned amendments passing.
“We’re confident, but I don’t want to be overconfident,” he told DX earlier this year. “We still have a major campaign ahead of us that’s going to require votes, an informed public, and support. It’s absolutely essential that we approach this with all seriousness and roll up our sleeves. We’ve got some long months ahead of us to ensure people have the right information.”
