Dallas Police Department Improvements and Reforms

September 2017-September 2020

Toward 21st Century Policing

1. Reduction in Crime and Prevention

• 2017 – 5.7 percent decrease in overall crime
• 2018 – 5.97 percent decrease in violent crime
• 2020 – Developed targeted Violent Crime Plan in 2020, overall crime down 3.98 percent
• Implemented Project Safe Neighborhood in collaboration with U.S. Attorney’s Office for crime reduction in District 10.
  • The Dallas Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Team was awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement. Dallas PSN was also awarded a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI, Dallas Division.
• Re-established the Vice Unit – A new Vice Unit was assembled with a focus on reducing prostitution and human trafficking, assisting victims through community courts and private partners to access services. Incarceration proved ineffective in reducing prostitution and is utilized as a last resort. The new Vice Unit works diligently to ensure the safety of the residents of Dallas while maintaining the core values of empathy, ethics, excellence, and equity in Vice operations and tactics.
• Increased case closure rates. For example, the Homicide closure rate is now 80 percent. The national average is 60 percent.
• Risk Terrain Modeling
  • Partnered with the Child Poverty Action Lab and Rutgers University for Public Safety to build Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) capabilities that can be utilized by the department. Using this technology, a statistical model is run that isolates the top 5% of surface area in each division where a particular crime is likely to occur. These small areas accounted for 22 to 52 percent of all crime in 2019; this led to the creation of Office of Integrated Public Safety Solutions by the City Manager.
• Implemented K2 Initiative to eradicate synthetic marijuana use and overdose deaths in the Central Business District and West End.

2. Standard Operating Procedure Changes

• 64 separate general order revisions and clarifications made during pursuit of Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Closed out Year 2 of our 3-year process with a 97 percent compliance rate
• In 2018, reviewed and updated DPD’s Use of Force Policies. At request of City Manager, Use of Force Policies were again reviewed and overhauled in 2020 to be consistent with 21st Century Policing
• Created quick response protocol for Critical Incident video release
• Instituted mandate to Warn Before Using Deadly Force
• Mandated Duty to Intervene
• Changed General Orders for use of Less than Lethal force in peaceful protests
• Ordered production of first-ever After-Action Report following May and June protests

3. Technology and Innovation Improvements

• Created Intelligence-Led Policing Division/Real Time Crime Center, centralizing Crime Analysis, Fusion Center and Criminal Intelligence Units for improved data collection, coordinated analysis, and information sharing. Through ILPD the department is better equipped to increase accuracy in forecasting crime trends. In addition, ILPD is charged with the identification of patterns and global intelligence that is provided to division commanders as they develop crime reduction strategies.
• Launched Project Starlight, a public/private crime suppression program which allows DPD’s Fusion/Real Time Crime Center to access live video both inside and outside of convenience stores in areas with historically high crime. Project Starlight provides “virtual patrol” of these locations and delivers real-time information to officers about crimes in progress. Video camera activities at these locations are streamed directly to the Dallas Fusion/Real Time Crime Center.   Three locations were chosen for a pilot program with Motorola in November 2019. On September 22, 2020 four additional locations will be established.  In the initial Pilot DPD saw calls for service drop by 60 percent and offenses reduced by 50 percent.
• Increased the number of Body-Worn Cameras deployed within the Department to ensure transparency and provide all units who interface with the community, such as Narcotics, SWAT, Gang, Fugitive, Traffic, etc., with a camera. The Department went from 1,000 in 2017 to 1,500 in 2019. By November 2020, there will be 2,000 cameras deployed among 3,150 officers. Additional network drops and electrical infrastructure were installed in order to support the increased number of body-worn cameras.
• Established an emergency back-up 911 Communications Site. This capability provides a fully-functioning back-up system for Call Center and Dispatch operations in the event of complications at the main site. This site is capable of running both call centers concurrently. That makes an emergency transition seamless in the case of a critical emergency service delay.
• Implemented the Dallas Online Reporting System (DORS), an online reporting program designed to enable residents to make property-related offense reports online for the first time ever. This replaces an outdated system that required a patrol officer to handle reports individually. DORS, the first if its kind, receives offense reports directly into the Dallas Police Reporting Management System (RMS) for review and approval. This allows patrol officers to focus their efforts on violent crimes and higher calls for police service. Seven percent of all calls are currently handled by DORS/Expediters.
• Established Text to 9-1-1 in the City of Dallas. Text to 9-1-1 allows individuals who are unable to speak due to a physical impairment, or someone in a situation where talking could put them in danger to now contact 9-1-1 for emergency situations via text message.
• Haystax and Intrepid Cell Phone Deployment of two-hundred cell phones to officers allowing sharing of crime data and information between officers. The phones give supervisors the ability to track the location of officers in order to assign calls and provide additional safety.
• Launched a new version of the iWatch Dallas App in October 2019. The app is designed to facilitate anonymous crime tip reporting from citizens and features an updated interface for citizens to submit pictures and video.
• Installed Helicopter Video Downlink – new hardware, cameras, and downlinking equipment on both DPD aircrafts. The equipment upgrade allows users to login to a website and view helicopter video feed in real-time. This allows commanders in the field to make better informed decisions.

4. Recruitment and Retention

• Requested and worked alongside the City Manager’s office, City Council and Police Associations for increased starting pay and compatible market wages.
• Established along with Civil Service Board the acceptance of TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) in lieu of 45 credit hours to include those applicants who are financially unable to attend college.
• Requested and worked with Civil Service on the restructuring of Civil Service to accommodate 21st Century Policing.
• Created off-site testing in New York and Chicago. New York has become our Number One recruiting location for out-of-state applicants.
• Increased the number of Latino/Hispanic police officers within the Department from 19 percent to 24 percent in order to improve the department’s reflection of the entire Dallas community.
• Established Pipeline/Pathways, securing $300,000 for 25 officer positions beginning in October of 2020. In addition, the law enforcement Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) was expanded to Dallas ISD’s Bryan Adams High School and Sunset High School. The Standard Operating Procedure and the Position Classification were also created. Marketing materials have been created pending the signing of an Intra-Local Agreement (ILA). Meetings with the Department of Labor to create a registered apprenticeship continue.
• The Dallas Police Department (DPD) Recruiting Team exceeded its hiring goal for FY18-19. It also increased the overall sworn applicant pool from 1,217 applicants to 1,778 in just one year. This was the first time the hiring goal had been reached in five years.
• In 2020, the attrition rate is lower than it has been since 2014.
• Completely overhauled DPD’s marketing materials. Created and procured new recruiter cards, recruiting banners, table cloths, and promotional items. Translated recruiting flyers into Spanish.

5. Advanced Officer Development

• Health and Wellness Programming
  • Re-opened HQ gym in partnership with Planet Fitnes
  • Mindfulness training through the Center for Brain Health
  • Created the Health & Wellness Fitness Fair
• Established Critical Incident Days, consisting of three days of authorized leave for officers who experience traumatic incidents.
• Career Enrichment Program – Officers rotate through various bureaus for six weeks to garner investigative experience to assist them while working in patrol.
• Established simulator training for both recruits and existing officers to provide training and enhance split second decision making.
• Increased leadership and training opportunities for both command staff and officers. Command staff members attended Senior Management Institute of Policing, FBI National Academy and Leadership Command College.

6. Improved Organizational Effectiveness

• KPMG Staffing/Efficiency Study (as of 9-01-2020). Investigation Division recommendations have been implemented and completed. A Patrol pilot is underway at South Central. The second Patrol station will begin on September 16, 2020 with the third scheduled for November 2020.  In addition, civilianization continues to be reviewed for the department.
• Decreased Internal Affairs investigation completion timelines from multiple years to between 90 and 120 days.
• Partnered with the Caruth Police Institute to create a robust Implicit Bias Training and Curriculum for officers and Command Staff
• Updated the 453-page Patrol Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manual. It was last updated in 2010. Throughout the course of 2019, the SOP was rewritten. Every investigative unit was consulted in order to provide the most accurate policies, while simultaneously ensuring buy-in for the new SOP. The updated SOP saw the introduction of RMS, NIBRS, and the results of four Texas legislative sessions. The Patrol Bureau is systematically and strategically released the revised SOP to the Department in an effort to relieve pressures on the Personnel Division.
• The Property Crimes Investigative SOP manual was last updated in 2003. Every divisional investigative unit was consulted, and all professional opinions and suggestions were considered in the update process. The new manual reflects new procedures regarding RMS, workflow requirements, and the upload of case management information. The Legal Services Unit was consulted to ensure the procedures for filing, as well as auditing, were correctly described.
• RIGHT Care – The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Dallas Fire-Rescue Department, Dallas Police Department, and Parkland Health & Hospital System and Metrocare Services launched the Rapid Integrated Group Healthcare Team (RIGHT) Care pilot program, which provides a comprehensive emergency response to 911 calls involving behavioral health emergencies in January 2018.

7. Improved Community Relationships

• Created Community Advisory Boards with residents serving for six months reviewing Department operations and General Orders. Members assist the chief in crafting new Orders and making modifications to existing Orders and operations.
• Established a simplified complaint process for the Department. Created an Online Complaint Process
• Worked alongside the Coalition, City Manager’s Office and multiple stakeholders to establish an Office of Community Police Oversight, the first-ever for Dallas
• Created a Full time LGBTQ+ Liaison to ensure collaboration and improve relationships.
• Increased UNIDOS Liaisons to 16 officers to enhance and foster greater partnerships within the Latino/Hispanic community.
• Created DPD Summer Jobs Program to employ youth in our high crime areas. This effort provides underserved youth with opportunities and exposure for future success.

 Additional Accomplishments

1. Annual Reports Implemented

• Internal Affairs statistics and use of force report
• Recruiting plan and analysis
• Grievance analysis
• Review and inspection of youth processing area
• Pursuit analysis
• Departmental goals and objectives
• Early warning system evaluation
• Power backup capabilities and associated tests

2. Yearly/Bi-Yearly Training Added

• Mental health awareness
• Biased policing training
• Use of force and less lethal recertification
• Tabletop scenarios with Office of Emergency Management
• Ethics
• Incident Command System
• Remedial training procedures improved for firearms, driving, and less lethal qualifications
• Skill development training given upon promotion

3. Random Inspections Implemented

• Property storage evidence handling
• Auto Pound
• Cash accounts and transactions
• Body worn camera and in-car camera videos