DALLAS — The Dallas Police Department is disbanding their cold case squad, according to multiple police sources.
WFAA has learned that the cold case unit was dissolved this week, and the four detectives dedicated to solving old homicides have been reassigned.
Department officials have not yet responded to a request for comment.
Phoebe Paine is upset the department is disbanding the unit that could help solve her brother's murder. Clarence Davis, who relatives called "Dickie," was shot three years ago while walking out of his South Dallas house.
“It’s hard because all of my family members want closure. Dickie is not resting in his grave,” said Paine.
The department is reeling with a rising violent crime rate, including 33 homicides in May. Detectives are scrambling to get from one investigation to the next.
Currently, there are only 13 homicide detectives. Some have been assigned three new cases this month. Nationally, the average homicide detective investigates about three or four cases a year.
The Dallas Police Department resurrected the cold case unit in 2016, and officials have boasted the unit's success.
The department wrote about the unit on its blog in February. The blog listed 14 cases the unit has solved, including the 1987 murder of Fay Brown, a 76-year-old woman found beaten to death in her Dallas home.
Families whose cases have gone cold say they are upset they may never get justice.
Paine says she wants closure for her brother's death.
“It needs to be solved," Paine said. "They need to worry about what happened to Clarence because he died for no reason and we just need closure."
Police officials say they are trying to bring the violent crime numbers under control before the summer months.
Dallas police Chief Reneé Hall has said violent crime — including homicides, robberies and aggravated assaults — is up 13 percent compared to last year.
Eboni Davis says she wants answers from the chief about her nephew's death.
“I just want to know chief what are you going to do? We need some type of help in Dallas," Davis said.
Dallas police did a warrant roundup recently and arrested 50 people who had outstanding arrest warrants for violent crimes. But Davis says she wants to see more cops in neighborhoods.
“I want my kids to be protected. I want my kids to be able to go to the grocery store and feel safe," Davis said. "I want to go run my errands and not worry about somebody robbing me or somebody shooting me.”
Clarence Davis' family believes they will have to wait longer for justice now that the cold case squad has been disbanded.