After the shooting death of a 20-year-old man earlier this month, the fourth murder in Deep Ellum this year, Dallas officials announced plans to create a new unit dedicated specifically to the neighborhood due to the rampant crime.
The move has received the support of Dallas City Councilman Jesse Moreno (District 2) and the Deep Ellum Foundation. It is unclear when the unit will begin patrolling or how big the team will be.
“My hope is that we should’ve started this yesterday, but it takes planning and cooperation,” Moreno said.
Currently, Deep Ellum, composed largely of arts and entertainment venues, is patrolled by various officers from the Central Patrol Division of the DPD.
The new unit will consist of officers trained to deal with the specific issues common to the neighborhood, such as crowd control, pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and public intoxication.
The dedicated police patrol is a portion of a 14-part safety plan that the police and the Deep Ellum neighborhood association have been working to effectuate for over a year.
One safety measure that has already been implemented is the installation of surveillance cameras: 25 cameras have been installed around the neighborhood, and 35 more are in the works for installation by the end of the year.
A public safety officer monitors the cameras in a small office in the area.
Other measures listed in the plan include designating a specific area for transportation and ride-share pick-ups, implementing a curfew for minors, mandating street closures, and implementing a “no-cruising” ordinance.
Moreno claims that, so far, the plan is “working” when it comes to violent crime in the area. He did not offer any statistics to support that claim. He also said that overall, crime is down in the neighborhood.
Crime statistics pulled by The Dallas Express show that crime in Dallas City Council District 2, which includes Deep Ellum, has increased compared to last year’s figures.
Others in the neighborhood do not appear to share the same optimism as Moreno.
In an interview with The Dallas Express, the owner of Dope Street Shoes, Tom Ebbesen, said that some businesses are beginning to exit the community because of safety issues.
This conclusion was supported in a poll conducted by The Dallas Express that suggested Dallas’ population decline can be traced to crime.
The Deep Ellum Arts Festival is also calling it quits after 28 years. In a written statement, the festival’s founder and producer, Stephen Millard, cited security concerns, as well as economic conditions, as factors in his decision to discontinue the annual festival.