The Dallas Police Department's Gang Unit briefed city council members during the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee meeting today.
According to the department's latest numbers, there are almost 400 documented gangs within the city of Dallas. Law enforcement agencies have been trying to tackle the issue of gang violence for years.
Data from the briefing revealed, in one year, gang related aggravated assaults have increased 40 percent, while robberies have increased 56 percent. The number of murders have remained the same, but the number drug cases surrounding gang activity has gone down. The department's gang unit has partnered with local, state, and federal agencies to target "high crime neighborhoods."
The gang unit has also focused on mentoring programs and job fairs to engage the community.
In the future, the department would like to implement basic gang 101 training throughout the entire department. Suggested criminal just classes and life skills training for students was also proposed.
