As the year draws to a close, a grim picture emerges in Dallas, where black and Hispanic males are facing the lion's share of the city's increasing murder rate, while over in Fort Worth, a partnership between police and private security has been keeping crime at bay in stark contrast. Data until December 22 indicates a 13.8% spike in murders compared to the same period in 2022, with 55.2% of the victims being black and 32.6% Hispanic or Latino, The Dallas Express notes.
The Dallas Police Department's data-driven efforts to curb violent crime have led to a decrease in certain types of violence, but murders continue on an upward trajectory, and local activist Antong Lucky points to fraught relations between law enforcement and communities of color, citing a mutual lack of trust, and officers witnessing their partners engage in misconduct yet maintaining silence then expecting civilians to report crime, undermining the ability of police to effectively serve, "that's a real thing, whether we accept it or not," Lucky said, per The Dallas Express.
Compounding the issue in Dallas is an ongoing police staff shortage with the force operating at approximately 3,000 officers despite analyses suggesting a need for nearly 4,000, a deficit leaving areas such as Downtown Dallas vulnerable to higher rates of crime compared to their Fort Worth counterpart, which enjoys the presence of a specialized police unit and private security. Meanwhile, downtown Fort Worth has become a beacon of safety, where Fort Worth police Sgt. Lorne Tracy states that there may be more private security guards on patrol at any given time than officers, a synergy between the two forces ensuring a secure environment, with Andy Taft of Downtown Fort Worth Inc. complimenting the effort, saying, "With this many eyes and ears on the street, people who are up to no good feel very uncomfortable," as recounted in a WFAA report.
The partnership in Fort Worth, which includes the security arm of XTO Energy and City Center Security patrolling the Bass family properties like Sundance Square, has led to situations where private security assists police during incidents.
