DALLAS — More than two thirds of residents and business owners are satisfied with the safety of Downtown Dallas, a new survey from Downtown Dallas Inc. indicated, even as Dallas Police data showed the core of the city has surpassed 2023's violent crime total.
DDI President and CEO Jennifer Scripps announced the survey results at the group's annual "State of Downtown Dallas" event Wednesday. She said the Farmers Market and Arts District neighborhoods were considered to be the city's safest by those surveyed by the downtown business group.
"Most residents and business owners are satisfied with our efforts," Scripps said.
But she acknowledged 9 out of 10 surveyed believe homelessness to be downtown's most significant issue -- with nearly half believing the problem has gotten worse.
The perception of downtown is also influenced by DPD crime data -- which shows a 10% drop in violent crime citywide, but an increase in violence downtown.
225 violent crimes have been reported so far this year in the city's core downtown sector, compared to 222 in all of 2023. The number is still short of 2022's 248 violent crimes, according to DPD data.
Proponents of a controversial set of ballot propositions to increase police staffing have said more cops will help downtown.
"We cannot wait until Dallas looks like other degenerate cities that have made irreversible mistakes devaluing their police force and destroying their city center," said Dallas HERO executive director Pete Marocco at an August meeting of the Dallas City Council.
The HERO measures -- labeled S, T and U on the city's ballot -- would force the city to hire 900 more officers, make it easier to sue the city and tie the city manager's pay to a survey of city residents.
While the proponents say it will make Dallas safer, opponents of the measures -- including all of the City Council, now-former Police Chief Eddie Garcia and DDI's Scripps -- warn the city can't find nor train that many cops, and paying for them could mean "doomsday" for other city services.
"I believe to a point some of what people want around more police presence. It’s a little bit about the method and these charter amendments in many ways would have unintended consequences," Scripps explained.
Marocco argues the city needs more officers to keep Dallas safe -- and said opponents to the amendments do not have a plan of their own to recruit more cops.
"Dallas needs this, we need reform, we need accountability, we need more police, there’s no solutions there’s no alternatives out there except propositions S, T and U," he said at a Tuesday night event about the measures.
