Dallas city leaders gathered on Tuesday for the monthly Public Safety Committee meeting to review how the police department is addressing crime, improving emergency response times, and strengthening recruitment.

One of the key updates came from the Dallas Police Department, which announced it had hired 330 new officers — 30 more than its target. That’s a notable increase from the 253 officers hired during the 2023–24 cycle. Department leaders credited a referral incentive program among current officers as one of the most effective recruitment tools.

“This is the second-largest class in the department’s history,” said Police Chief Daniel Comeaux. Committee members, including Council Member Cara Mendelsohn, praised the department’s progress.

“We just want to see more of this, but great job,” Mendelsohn said. “You’ve made some really fundamental changes in how you do recruiting, and it’s paying off.”

Violent crime reduction plan delayed

Although the committee was scheduled to discuss the city’s violent crime reduction plan, that item was postponed until next month. Still, Comeaux shared encouraging data: Dallas has seen 40 fewer homicides this year compared to last, and vehicle-related deaths are also down.

Comeaux emphasized that most violent crimes are not random, but occur between people who know each other.

“There’s so much crime going on amongst people that know each other,” he said. “We need to get education awareness out there to stop the violence amongst people who know each other.”

Response times show slight improvement

The department also presented updated data on emergency response times. While there has been a slight improvement since last year, the average response time for immediate emergencies remains around 10 minutes. Outdated systems continue to pose a challenge.

“We’re putting so many officers to make sure that our violent crime is down, and because of that, it’s hurting response times just a tad bit,” Comeaux said. “But the violent crime is down, and we’re going to join both of those together and keep everyone safe.”

New helicopter proposal advances

The committee also reviewed a proposal to purchase a new $3.9 million police helicopter. That item was approved to move forward for consideration by the full City Council.