Dallas PD reports drop in violent crime, despite increase in murders in 2023
DALLAS - Violent crime dropped for the third year in a row in Dallas, but the number of murders in 2023 was up by nearly 15%.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said Dallas PD is analyzing the homicide data to determine strategies that can better prevent them going forward.
Overall, violent crime in the city of Dallas is down nearly 14%, according to 2023 crime data released by Dallas PD. That’s 1,548 fewer victims compared to 2022.
There’s one violent crime category, however, that is on the rise, and it’s the most serious of crimes.
There were 32 more murders in the city of Dallas in 2023 compared with 2022, up to 246 from 214 last year.
"Obviously, what I’m not happy about is the fact that we had more murder victims this year than we’ve had the last two years," Garcia said. "After two years reduction in every single category, there was one category we didn’t reduce this year."
Chief Garcia said the majority of the murders were committed by people engaging in criminal activity, or high-risk behaviors, and more than 70% of murder victims were involved in criminal or high-risk activity.
"Over the majority of our victims and suspects knew each other. That’s telling," Garcia said.
An example of that is police are investigating a murder that happened off Whitehurst Drive in Northeast Dallas Thursday morning.
A source told FOX 4 it appears to be connected to the murder of 29-year-old Richard Pinckney off Arbor Park Drive in Lake Highlands Wednesday afternoon.
The source said those murders appear to be connected to a murder off Esperanza Road, off North Central Expressway back on December 13.
No arrests have been made in any of these cases.
All are investigated as having prior examples of criminal or high-risk activity.
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"When you talk about reduction in violent crime, if you are a victim of violent crime, it means nothing to you and I get that," Garcia said.
While there were 821 fewer victims of shootings in the city of Dallas last year, there was one gun crime that impacted so many who know and love East Dallas A/C repairman Jesse Simmons.
He was paralyzed after confronting a person trying to break into his work truck.
He told FOX 4 this when he finally returned home after spending three months in rehabilitation.
"They are trying to get me to be self-sufficient in a wheelchair," he said. "Community support is beyond anything I would have ever imagined."
No arrest has been made in the case.
"This is why we all raised our right hands at one point to do this job. I know I take this personally. My heart goes out to the victim and family, I know our detectives work extremely hard, and won't stop working on it," the police chief said.
Garcia said he is thankful that, overall, Dallas had a drop in violent crime, while many other large cities saw an increase.
Aggravated assaults dropped more than 17% and robberies were down by nearly 8%, but murders were up by nearly 15%.
Robberies of individuals, which is the majority of robberies, were down nearly 10% this year.
Robberies of businesses stayed the same. There were 441 in 2023 and 441 the year prior.
"We know we need to do more collectively as a community," Garcia said. "Work with our community and advocates, get individuals in this life of crime a better avenue and path because, as we look at the numbers, it is not a successful way of life."
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The overall violent crime rate was down by nearly 14%, and Garcia said gun crime went down more than 20% compared to last year.
Chief Garcia acknowledged there is always room for improvement, but he believes his violent crime reduction plan, which increases policing in hot-spot areas, is working.
"We had the least amount of violent crime incidents and violent crime victims than we’ve had in five years," he said. "I am happy and proud that, for the third year in a row, total violent crime reduced almost 14%. That equates to a little over 1,500 less victims of violent crime than the year before and the year prior, building on those successes."
The crime reduction plan is now in its second year.
Chief Garcia said the department will continue its focus on hot spot policing in areas where violent crime is concentrated, as well as a long-term plan that works to change the culture by providing resources like jobs and education.