DALLAS — The Dallas Police Department hosted a town hall event to have an open discussion about recent violence in the city and provide potential positive outlets for community members.
On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered at the Juanita Craft Recreation Center for the event, "Enough Is Enough: Stop the Violence Community Town Hall."
The primary goal was to establish and maintain a positive working relationship between the Dallas Police Department and the residents of Dallas through open discussions and new opportunities, according to Lieutenant Leroy Quigg.
"We're here to talk about the violence that's occurring with all the drivebys, all the shootings and how the community and the police department come together to help resolve these issues," Quigg said.
The Dallas Police Department Office of Community Affairs and Employee Communications organized the event, with manager Robert Munoz saying younger people in the community getting into the workplace as a part of the solution.
"A lot of these kids that are in the streets don't have an outlet," Munoz said. "They need some sort of workforce component."
That's why the department brought more than 50 vendors to the center, all offering job opportunities for Dallas residents. There were dozens of tables set up with applications and pens readily available at each station.
Some of the opportunities came from Amazon, police recruiting and dental agencies. Event organizers said there was also an emphasis on trade job opportunities, as well.
"We want to empower people to be a part of the city," Munoz said.
Saturday's events also included free haircuts, games, COVID-19 vaccine shots and a discussion forum towards the end.
"We're changing the narrative within the Dallas Police Department to help foster relationships and enhance the quality of life," Munoz said.