Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says he heard the call of voters for more public safety and more accountability at Dallas City Hall.
Among his first public remarks on the election, Dallas’ mayor also presented what’s ahead for a city now required to hire 900 more police officers.
“I hear you and I understand what’s important to you,” Johnson said in council chambers.
Johnson praised the work of the Dallas Police Department for entering a fourth year of lowering violent crime figures but acknowledged even with additional public safety investment from city hall, voters sent a far different message one month ago.
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“Our residents told us loud and clear, that they want more police officers on their streets and a city government that is more responsive, more accountable and more transparent,” Johnson said.
At his required State of the City address Johnson, now in his sixth year as mayor, said he’ll start working to develop the city’s first-ever “comprehensive public safety policy”, but didn’t provide further details beyond naming Public Safety Committee Chair Cara Mendelsohn to lead up the endeavor.
It comes after voter passage of Proposition U, which requires the city to set aside 50% of future new revenue to shore up the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System and set a staffing minimum of 4,000 sworn officers.
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“These calls from our residents, for greater public safety and stronger government accountability, could not be more clear,” Johnson said.
What’s less clear now, is the timeline for how fast the city would have to hire 900 officers to avoid being sued for failing to follow the will of the voters and who will lead the department long term.
The city council is expected to make a decision on hiring one of the current four semifinalists for city manager by the middle of January.
The new city manager would then hire a permanent police chief.
Interim city manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert is among the four named semifinalists for the position.
The Dallas Police Department is under the leadership of interim Chief of Police Michael Igo, after Eddie Garcia retired from policing for an Austin city administration job in November.
Beyond public safety Johnson lauded voter passage of a $1.2 billion bond package in May that has opened investment for street repairs and parks.
Johnson reiterated a theme present in prior city addresses of an emphasis on the 4 P’s: public safety, parks, potholes and property tax relief.
