Crime is Down in South Dallas/Fair Park But Local Police Aren’t Backing a D7 City Council Candidate

When the Dallas Police Association Political Action Committee released its sought-after city council candidate endorsements last week, there were a few blank spaces, notably, no endorsements were made in Districts 3 and 7.

DPA officials have said they would soon have a recommendation in the District 11 race, which includes CandysDirt.com founder and publisher Candace Evans. 

District 7 Has Potential

District 7 covers a swath of South Dallas and Fair Park. It had the fourth-highest crime rate of the 14 Dallas City Council districts in 2022, but residents are hopeful that a multimillion-dollar makeover at Fair Park could revitalize the area and instill pride among those who live there. 

Overall crime in Dallas is down, as CandysDirt.com has reported in an ongoing series on crime by council district. 

District 7 crime has decreased by about 9 percent since this time last year. 

About 795 crimes against persons have been reported in District 7 so far this year, a 5.36 percent decrease over year-to-date last year. There have been 11 homicides in the district so far this year, 765 assaults, and 344 reports of larceny or theft. Thefts and assaults are down; the murder rate has gone up slightly, according to the Dallas Police Department Crime Dashboard. 

Public Safety on The Campaign Trail

The Dallas Police Association Political Action Committee released a list of city council candidates that it’s endorsing in the upcoming May election, and a few races didn’t get a nod. 

No endorsement was made in the District 7 race, although four candidates are seeking the seat.  

Candidates Okema Thomas, Tracy Dotie Hill, and Marvin Crenshaw are challenging Councilman Adam Bazaldua, who has held the seat since 2019.

Bazaldua announced last week a public safety platform for his campaign, promising to “ensure responsive code compliance, tackle blighted properties, make streets safer for walking and biking, and enhance lighting throughout [the] district.” 

“As you know, public safety is one of my top priorities and I look forward to continuing to make D7 a safe place for families to grow and businesses to flourish,” Bazaldua said. 

Dallas Police Sgt. Mike Mata, chairman of the Dallas Police Association Political Action Committee, said the PAC didn’t make an endorsement in some of the races with several candidates because a runoff is expected. The PAC will sit on the sidelines until it’s determined who goes forward to the June 10 runoff, he said. 

Mata did, however, point out that Bazaldua has actively “gone against our police budget.” 

“The No. 1 thing we’re looking at is if they’re educated in the position they’re trying to fill,” Mata said. “Believe it or not, sometimes we have folks who throw their hat in the hopper and don’t actually have any idea of the role of a city council member or how city government works. We ask about policy, their goals, how they expect to achieve those goals, the city budget, and what their priorities would be. We ask about their feelings toward public safety.”

Law enforcement hiring, retention, pay, benefits, and pension also are part of the discussion, Mata said. 

“Everybody who’s running for public office says their No. 1 thing is public safety,” he said. “Then when they get into office, that’s where they try to take money from. You’ve got to be careful. That’s why I go to every single council meeting. I call them out on certain things.”

The police officer pension fund is a massive hindrance limiting the Dallas Police Department from hiring officers and keeping them, Mata added. Public servants were told in November that the pension — which covers retirement, disability, and other benefits — is facing a $3 billion unfunded liability.

“Obviously, we have a serious pension problem,” Mata said. “Outside of the pension, I think the No. 1 concern needs to be our hiring. We’re already over 600 officers short. We’re still not beating attrition. Last year, we lost a little over 225 officers and were only able to hire just over 170. Lastly, we have got to keep this chief in the city of Dallas. This council has to be in support of this department, this police chief, and the exceptional job that he and his command staff are doing.” 

Chief Eddie Garcia was appointed in 2021 and, based in part on the recent news of the city lowering its violent crime rate for two consecutive years under his leadership, Garcia is already in demand by other large cities across the U.S., Mata explained. 

The Dallas Fire Fighters Association also has not backed a candidate in the District 7 race. 

Fair Park First

District 7’s crown jewel is the historic Fair Park — home of the Texas State Fair and the landmark Cotton Bowl Stadium — which is poised to receive $300 million in upgrades from an increase in hotel occupancy taxes approved by voters in November. 

Fair Park First board member Jason Brown, a Realtor who lives in South Dallas, told CandysDirt.com in September, ahead of the Proposition A vote, that the park upgrades would do good for instilling pride in the surrounding neighborhoods. 

“People get excited about what’s happening with Fair Park,” Brown said. “It gives people in the area a sense of hope. It reaffirms that Fair Park is a great area. The overall perspective of positive growth and revitalization in the park gives people some pride in Fair Park. It reassures buyers and stakeholders.” 

We followed up with Brown on Saturday and he said Fair Park residents are proud of the crime reduction and continue to have an “all-hands-on-deck approach to keep the momentum going.”

“We credit the City with putting dollars toward public safety efforts in the South Dallas/Fair Park area and beyond,” he said.

The Niche data collection website gives South Dallas-Fair Park an A rating in diversity and nightlife, a B rating in cost of living and outdoor activities, and a C rating in crime and safety and public schools. 

Most people in the area rent their homes, and the median home value is $148,285, well below the national average of $244,900. 

Bazaldua has called for more housing options throughout the city, saying in a March 1 Dallas City Council meeting that demand exists to double the local housing capacity.

“If we’re not doubling our capacity every year and investing in addressing that issue in an aggressive manner, then we are not as serious as we are saying we are on this piece of paper in addressing displacement,” he said, referencing Dallas Housing Policy 2033, slated for adoption April 12. 

Brown said neighbors in the area have expressed ongoing concerns about loitering and panhandling, which are often seen in metropolitan areas. The planned investment in Fair Park is expected to translate to safer neighborhoods, he explained.

“I believe this will happen organically,” Brown said. “Crime tends to occur in areas where criminals don’t think officers are looking. As Fair Park is further activated, it’ll bring more eyes and ears into the neighborhood, which would deter some of the crime occurring. Additionally, the city has already begun to enhance public safety efforts.”

Those efforts include Mayor Eric Johnson’s Safe Communities Initiative Fund, which included the installation of LED lighting and beautification projects, Brown said.

“Efforts are ongoing for quality-of-life measures including blight remediation and the expansion of social and emotional learning programs in public schools,” he said.

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Editor’s Note: This is the fourth 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].