Crime is Comparatively High in Dallas’ District 2, But Many Residents Say Neighborhoods Are Safe

More crimes occurred in Dallas City Council District 2 last year than any other geographical area in Dallas — but those numbers should not be an indictment on the safety of local neighborhoods, some residents say. 

Dallas saw an increase in violent crime at the first of the year, but overall violent crime has trended downward since January, according to Dallas Police Department Public Information Officer Kristin Lowman.

“While we have seen the lowest number of incidents in the last five years so far this year, we have had several incidents with multiple victims — something we cannot control,” Lowman said.

Statistics from the city’s Crime Dashboard show District 2 had 13,901 reported crimes last year, followed by District 6 with 11,846. The council district with the lowest number of reported crimes in 2022 was District 12, with 4,061 offenses. 

But when it comes to data, there are all kinds of factors that come into play. 

District 2 covers a wide swath of land and is home to the lower end of downtown Dallas and the Deep Ellum entertainment district — areas with a high concentration of people. In the case of Deep Ellum, some of those people patronize more than 100 bars and live music venues and may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 

Crimes are reported by where they occur, not where the perpetrators live. 

Several District 2 residents talked to CandysDirt.com for this story, and we heard some differing viewpoints. 

‘Love, Harmony And Peace’ In District 2 

Allegations of deep-seated racism came to the forefront during Elm Thicket/Northpark’s battle last year for “downzoning” to protect their neighborhood from gentrification and displacement. The “legacy residents” of the historically Black neighborhood got the zoning changes they requested, but they’re still plagued by daily phone calls from investors who want to buy their homes, said resident Kemeshia Richardson. 

ETNP residents were told at a recent neighborhood crime watch meeting that the crime in their neighborhood is lower than anywhere else in the district. 

Jonathan Maples grew up in ETNP and is now the president of the neighborhood association. 

Maples, who serves on the city’s Community Police Oversight Board told CandysDirt.com on Friday that he “absolutely” thinks the crime in District 2 can be attributed to the nightlife rather than unsafe neighborhoods. 

“The crime that we’re seeing in District 2 is because we have a larger mass of land,” Maples said. “We have more nightlife, especially in Deep Ellum. You get a bunch of people who are bad actors hanging out and things escalate, and unfortunately for us, it shows up on our crime report.” 

Maples said his neighborhood has a rich history and a diverse group of residents. 

“I don’t have a bunch of concerns for the neighborhood,” he said. “We welcome everyone. What I want for the neighborhood is everyone to get along in love, harmony, and peace. I think we’ve got that.”

Crimes of opportunity, such as vehicle break-ins and catalytic converter theft, happen everywhere, he added. 

“People aren’t being mindful,” he said. “We have to create awareness. People aren’t locking the doors and they leave their laptop on the seat and their gun in the car. I’ve got three daughters and as soon as they were old enough to carry a purse, I told them, ‘When you get out of the car, make sure you have your purse with you. Someone looking to do wrong will look into our vehicle and see your purse that has no money in it. Then they’re going to break our window for it.’ Hide your valuables. If you don’t lock your door and someone robs you, you’re responsible for that. It’s not right, but don’t give them a free pass.” 

Crime has spiked in shopping centers like Inwood Village and at NorthPark Center, Maples said, because “bad actors” talk to each other and know that the likelihood of a Dallas police officer responding quickly is low. 

“Theft is high because they know that a lot of the stores already have loss prevention rolled into their costs,” Maples said.

He added that he’s an advocate for neighborhood policing. In a close-knit neighborhood, the likelihood of someone ripping off a neighbor decreases, he said. 

District 2 has several neighborhoods with older homes built in the early 1900s to the 1950s. Arlington Park has about 2,000 residents with an average age of 52 years old, according to Nextdoor.com. The Peak’s Addition subdivision participates in Expanded Neighborhood Patrol, through which fees from homeowners’ association members are used to hire off-duty police officers for neighborhood patrol.  

“Through [Expanded Neighborhood Patrol] we are able to increase police presence, reduce crime, improve communication with the police, and educate residents,” the neighborhood website states. 

An Opposing Viewpoint

District 2 resident Sukhbir Kaur, who is running against incumbent Jesse Moreno for the District 2 City Council seat, said she heard from D2 residents on John West Road and Buckner Boulevard that their concerns include “crime, gunshots, homeless encampments, poor police response, no police visibility, and group homes.” 

Kaur told CandysDirt.com she bought her home in District 2 in 2019. She’s called 311 and Dallas police more than 100 times over the past three years to complain about drug activity in an alley and corner store parking lot behind her home near UT Southwestern Medical Center. 

“People are terrified,” she said. “Public awareness is needed. People do not even know they can call 311 or Code Compliance.”

When Kaur has reported homeless encampments and parking-lot parties, she said it can take several days to get a response. 

“They never show up in the underserved and minority communities,” she said. 

Several candidates seeking office in the May 6 council election have called for more police officers, salary increases, and a better retention plan. 

A Dallas Police Officer Retention Incentive proposal was sent to the council by Deputy City Manager Jon Fortune on March 17. 

Kaur said she doesn’t buy into the assessment that District 2 has a high crime rate because of the bars and nightlife. 

“It’s happening in the neighborhoods,” she said, adding that there have been 15 car break-ins on her street in recent weeks. “Deep Ellum has business. It has its own dedicated police [force]. Neighborhoods like ours have no chance. Methamphetamine and other drugs are rampant.” 

Public Safety in Deep Ellum

A March 15 shooting at Deep Ellum’s Bitter End bar left two dead and one injured. The shooter, accused of capital murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is still at large. 

A heavily-redacted incident report obtained by CandysDirt.com shows that the shooting is not believed to be related to gang activity or domestic violence. It was unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved. 

While such crimes tick up the District 2 homicide count to nine so far this year, it’s not really a reflection on the safety of residential neighborhoods, Maples reiterated. There were seven homicides reported in District 2 at this time last year. 

When comparing year-to-date stats in District 2, crimes against persons have increased by about 9 percent, but property crimes have decreased by 9 percent.  

The Deep Ellum Foundation addressed public safety concerns about a year ago after rapper T-Pain canceled a concert in the area, drawing attention to whether it was a safe area to patronize. 

“We are one of the safest areas in the whole city of Dallas,” said Deep Ellum Foundation Director of Public Safety Adam Holden last year.

A command center opened on Main Street in 2022, where security officers are dedicated to the district and can watch live cameras in different zones of Deep Ellum. The Foundation also released a public safety plan, featuring a letter to residents from Councilman Moreno.

Moreno could not be reached to comment on this story. The councilman was endorsed in his re-election campaign Monday by the Dallas Police Association Political Action Committee.

DPD Public Information Officer Lowman said police work closely with the Deep Ellum Foundation, business owners, and stakeholders. 

The city has “seen success with the Violent Crime Reduction Plan in the first two years,” Lowman said. 

“While one life is too many, we remain focused on the areas where violent crime is occurring and the men and women of the department are doing great work to reduce the number of incidents, and therefore the number of victims, in those crimes,” she said. “We continue to monitor data and crime trends and work with our community and city leaders to reduce crime in the city. We will use all of the information gathered and make adjustments to the plan and patrol as needed to make Dallas a safer city for those who live, work, and visit our great city.”

---

Editor’s Note: This is the second installment in our series on neighborhood crime by Dallas City Council district. Have you been the victim of a crime in a Dallas neighborhood or shopping center? Let us know about your experience at [email protected].