DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – Downtown Dallas, Inc. on Tuesday announced the launch of its 2022 comprehensive Public Safety Summer Operations Plan.
The initiative addresses both quality of life and public safety challenges as thousands more workers return to the urban core and the convention and tourism industry reports a return to pre-pandemic levels.
“Our city center remains one of the safest Downtowns in the country and we intend to keep it that way,” said Jennifer Scripps, DDI President & CEO. “The majority of our $10 million annual budget is dedicated to our clean and safe initiatives, but we do not do it alone. It takes strong partnerships with the Dallas Police Department, the DART Police Department, and the eyes and ears of our residents, workers, and visitors.”
The multifaceted initiative is being conducted in partnership with the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Area Rapid Transit police, and other government and community partners. It formally kicks off as DDI enters its summer programming stretch, with numerous free public events at Downtown parks every week, including movie nights, salsa lessons, yoga, art exhibits, and more.
The expansion of DDI’s innovative “relate and refer” homeless outreach program will include partnership with the DART Police Department. According to DDI, DART officers are now embedded with two Homeless Outreach teams to engage and aid people experiencing homelessness Downtown. Dallas police officers will continue to be embedded with separate DDI Homeless Outreach teams, as they have been for more than 18 months.
Ongoing collaboration with the City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions will continue rehousing people experiencing homelessness Downtown. In 2021, DDI contributed $500,000 to support the Dallas Real Time Rapid Rehousing Initiative, which began housing people experiencing homelessness Downtown earlier this year.
The relaunch of the DDI Ambassador position, public-facing customer-service focused employees charged with engaging visitors and residents of Downtown about the best restaurants, retail, entertainment spots, etc., while also focusing on keeping Downtown clean and safe.
This summer will be the first full summer of operations out of DDI’s new headquarters on the ground floor of The National building adjacent to the DART Akard Station, a more central location for strategic deployment.
Additionally, DDI has launched a communications and marketing campaign pushing the DDI “SEE SAY NOW” iPhone and Android app and dispatch number (214.741.1151) for reporting non-emergency quality of life concerns that do not require an immediate police response.
The summer program will also include increased on-duty Dallas police park checks and reminders of City of Dallas Park rules. DDI staff will continue conducting“code walks” to identify and communicate code violations to City of Dallas.
The initiative is being led by DDI Vice President of Public Safety & Field Operations Albert Sanchez, a former 10-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department who joined DDI in 2019 and continues to serve as a Dallas police reserve officer.
“We now have the best overall DDI Field Operations leadership team in the history of this organization, including decades of experience in security, homeless outreach, and customer service,” Sanchez said. “We are constantly meeting and assessing intelligence to better inform our strategies to keep the people of Downtown safe and our parks, streets, and sidewalks clean and welcoming. That intelligence comes in part from the people who live, work, and visit Downtown making sure to call us at 214-741-1151 or download and use our See Say Now app to report non-emergency quality of life concerns.”
DDI’s Field Operations team members most frequently respond to calls and app requests concerning sleeping in public, smoking in parks, panhandling, and litter, graffiti, and sticker removal.
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