Downtown Dallas, Inc. Boosts Safety Measures For Summer, Plans For Stronger Police Presence – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

By Editor On Jul 1, 2021

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – After a year of closure, downtown Dallas is preparing for its first big summer vacation and previewing its new police and security plan.

The multi-pronged initiative is known as the Summer Public Safety Plan and is being carried out in partnership with the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police, and other government and community partners.

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“Public safety is and will remain our number one priority,” said Kourtny Garrett, President and CEO of DDI. “Downtown has been one of the safest areas in our city in the past and we are determined to keep it that way through the good work of our sales force including Downtown Security, Clean Team, Homeless Outreach and our new DDI ambassadors.”

According to a press release, the main tenets of the plan include:

Improved coordination and information sharing with Dallas Police, including DDI hot spot locations based on patrols and complaints.
DDI will fund additional uniformed police patrols in Dallas during peak hours.
Ongoing activations and events throughout the summer in DDI-managed parks in downtown, including Main Street Garden, Pegasus Plaza, West End Square, and Pacific Plaza.
Improved communication and marketing to promote the DDI SEE SAY NOW app and shipping number (214.741.1151) for reporting non-urgent quality of life concerns that do not require immediate police action.
Increased controls in Dallas Police Park and enforcement of park rules.
DDI employees conduct “code walks” to identify violations of the code and report them to the city of Dallas.
Hiring staff for the homeless outreach team to promote DDI’s successful “Relate and Refer” strategy to engage vulnerable and mentally ill people in the city center.
The initiative is led by DDI Vice President for Public Safety and Field Operations Albert Sanchez, a former 10-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department who joined DDI in 2019.

“It’s no secret that Dallas and other major cities across the country often expect crime rates to rise in the warmer summer months. This doesn’t have to be taken for granted, ”said Sanchez. “That is why it is so important for us to deal proactively and consciously with questions of quality of life.”

The operation is being conducted in the Downtown Improvement District (DID) bounded by I-345 to the east, I-30 to the south, North Stemmons Freeway to the west, and Woodall Rodgers Freeway to the north.

Newly elected Dallas City Council members, Paul E. Ridley and Jesse Moreno, represent Districts 14 and 2, respectively, which cover downtown.

“Ensuring public safety for all is a team effort,” said Councilor Ridley. “This collaborative approach is encouraging and I am confident that there will be a lot of liveliness in the city center over the July 4th holiday weekend and in the months ahead.”

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“One of the keys to our downtown renaissance over the past few decades has been creating beautiful new parks and green spaces that everyone can enjoy,” said Moreno, a former board member of Dallas Park. “I’m particularly excited about DDI’s continued focus on keeping our parks clean, safe, and full of fun activities.”

DDI works closely with the City of Dallas, including the Dallas Police Department. DDI employees exchange information with DPD officials and superiors and often provide important information for the investigation of criminal offenses. The executives of both organizations also meet regularly to coordinate strategies.

“The men and women of the Dallas Police Department cannot tackle the challenges facing our city alone – we must work with the people of Dallas and the organizations that work to strengthen our city,” said the deputy chief of the Central Patrol Division, Israel Herrera. “Our ongoing collaboration with DDI is exactly the kind of partnership that allows us to address public safety concerns before they become a major problem.”

The operation was conducted in coordination with DDI’s Public Safety & Homeless Outreach Committee, co-chaired by Larry Daniels, Vice President of Operations at HRI Properties, LLC, and Ted Hamilton, Shareholder, President & CFO of Hamilton Properties Corporation, both DDI Board of, planned directors members.

“With the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, downtown businesses of all sizes have found innovative ways to continue serving our customers,” Daniels said. “Now that Dallas is a leader in a robust return to business, we must all work together to ensure that our urban core stays clean and safe for all people.”

“More than $ 11 billion in investments over the past 20 years has driven the historic turning point in downtown Dallas, and we are determined to keep the momentum going,” said Hamilton. “This is a neighborhood that has grown from just 200 residents in the 1990s to more than 12,000 today, and we have a responsibility to work together to keep it safe.”

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