In Dallas, there has been more than one murder for every day of the month of May.
As of Friday at noon, there have been 41 homicides in Dallas this month. Eight detectives have been added to the homicide unit, bringing the total to 22 from a previous 14, Assistant Chief Avery Moore announced in a noon press conference.
Moore called on the community and community leaders to help solve crimes.
"When it comes to fighting crime, it takes everybody and everybody has to be a participant... in solving these crimes," Moore said. "The DPD has some of the best detectives in the country. They work tirelessly to solve homicides."
Moore said the homicides are singular, not serial.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Police Department remains understaffed, according to the Dallas Police Association. The officers' union told NBC 5 there were only 13 homicide detectives working in mid-May. There were 28 in 2008.
Sources inside the department also told NBC 5 investigators from the Cold Case Unit are now being used on other cases because of the rising case volume.
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The Dallas Police Association confirmed investigators are being used to help on other cases as numbers increase, but said the Cold Case Unit is not being disbanded.
"The command staff has made adjustments to some investigative units to allow several detectives to be added and to supplement the homicide unit. These are experienced detectives who are very capable of investigating these cases," The Dallas Police Association said in a statement to NBC 5.
A Dallas police spokesman, however, declined to confirm any changes have taken place and told NBC 5 the Cold Case Unit remains focused on cold cases.
