New crime figures presented to the Dallas City Council this week showed crime in the city continues to rise.
Year to date through Sept. 30, the overall increase was 4.1%, with crimes against persons up 6.5%. Homicide was up 21.6% over the same time in 2018.
Society crimes, including prostitution and gambling, were up much higher with the return of the Dallas police vice squad. The vice squad was disbanded for a year of retraining and reorganization. This year prostitution offenses were up 300% and gambling was up 400%. But those large percentage increases represent just 20 gambling arrests and 524 prostitution cases.
Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall will discuss the crime figures and several crime fighting suggestions with Dallas City Council members Tuesday. It will be the first meeting of the Dallas City Council Public Safety Committee since June after new Mayor Eric Johnson canceled three months of city council committee meetings while appointing new members.
Crime fighting measures from police include a holiday crime initiative and a cease fire program that's been used in other cities to reduce gang violence.
