The Department of Justice is bringing Northwest Dallas into “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” citing an increase in violent crime, such as drug and human trafficking.
Officials with federal and local law enforcement announced the mission’s expansion at Marcus Park Recreation Center on February 3. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould called the area a “corridor for organized criminal activity.”
“We’ve seen networks that exploit people, harm victims, traffic narcotics, and illegally move firearms,” Raybould said. “Traffickers rely on firearms for intimidation, control, and protection of their criminal proceeds. They rely on drugs to entrap and manipulate victims. They launder criminal proceeds, commit various tax crimes, and engage in racketeering.”
This expansion of Project Safe Neighborhoods will focus on the blocks surrounding Harry Hines Boulevard.
This is a human trafficking hotspot, as The Dallas Express previously reported.
“This is an area that’s been suffering from violent crime, drug dealing, firearms trafficking, and human trafficking,” Raybould said. “This expansion is not symbolic. It is strategic.”
The Dallas Express asked Raybould to identify specific crimes that have been persistent.
“It’s gang activity, which is violent. It’s drug dealing, also very violent. It’s firearms trafficking, illegally moving firearms around our area. It’s also human trafficking, in addition to other types of crimes,” explained Raybould to DX.
Raybould also said many of these crimes are linked to Mexico.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux stood with Raybould and federal officials, expressed concerns about crime in the area, and committed to ongoing crime-reduction efforts.
“It’s my job to crush it. It’s going to get crushed,” Comeaux said. “If you’re committing crimes and you’re doing criminal activity in Dallas, we’re going to come after you, we’re going to get you, and we’re going to put you in jail.”
The Dallas Express asked Comeaux if the expanded operation would change Dallas police patrols in the area, and he said it would not, adding, “We’re doing everything to make sure that response times continue to go down like they’ve been going down the last nine months.”
Joseph Tucker, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA-Dallas, highlighted the issues of drug and human trafficking and expressed his agency’s support for the operation.
“Today isn’t about one agency. It’s about a united front against crime,” Tucker said. “DEA will continue to bring all its resources to bear to support this vital mission, along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”
FBI-Dallas Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Jeremy Wright, expressed pride in standing alongside leaders from various law enforcement agencies. He urged residents to report any suspicious activity by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
“We are leveraging these partnerships to share the intelligence and identify and target the most prolific violent and dangerous offenders across the country, but particularly here in North Dallas,” Wright said. “We all live in the same communities. We all share the same role in fighting violent crime.”
Raybould said the operation aims to “build neighborhoods where families do not live in fear.”
“We sit at the same table, we work from the same intelligence,” Raybould said. “We want to encourage residents to speak up if they see something, know who to call, and feel comfortable if they’re asked to serve as a witness in a federal or state prosecution.”
Project Safe Neighborhoods is already in place in Northeast Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, and Lubbock, according to a map at the press conference. The mission was launched in 2001 to identify and address violent crime, according to the DOJ. It brings together all levels of law enforcement through four key strategies: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement, and accountability.
