Dallas City Councilman Adam McGough, head of the council’s Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, has called for a special briefing Monday by Renee Hall, Dallas Police Chief. McGough wants an explanation for the recent spike in Dallas’ homicide rate, which reached a record 40 murders in the month of May.
“Please address strategies and actions being taken to prevent acts of violence both in the short and long term,” wrote McGough in a letter he shared on his Facebook page and sent to Hall, a Lake Highlands resident, “inclusive of the evaluation of current police department resources, crime hot spots, and detective staffing pipelines.”
McGough expressed appreciation for the May 31 press conference hosted by Deputy Chief Avery Moore, recently promoted from leader of the Northeast substation in Lake Highlands. Moore explained DPD’s plan to increase the homicide unit to 22 detectives by shifting manpower from cold case to homicide.
“Over the past month,” explained McGough, “total violent crime rose by 9.9% while murder and manslaughter reports rose by over 100%. From slayings to drive-by shootings, these staggering numbers require a coordinated effort to remediate the alarming increases. The families of the victims deserve justice, and our community deserves to feel safe.”
