Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia Shares Plan To Cut Violent Crime: 'This Is Intelligence-Based, Laser-Focused Policing'

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia shared his extensive plan on Wednesday, May 5, to cut violent crime in the city.

The key strategy is zeroing in on areas with the highest rate of violent crime.

Hotspot policing is an idea the city has heard before, but Chief Garcia said there's a key difference in his plan.

He wants to narrow the focus down to areas smaller than a football field.

He's said 1% of the city is responsible for 10% of violent crime.

But instead of targeting just anyone who might walking or driving through these area, the department plans to employ a couple specific tactics.

One is parking police cars in the area with their lights on for 15 minutes at a time during hours crime typically takes place.

The other is targeting for arrest repeat violent offenders in that area.

"This is intelligence-based, laser-focus policing, these aren't dragnet procedures, this is not stop and frisk," said Chief Garcia. "And again for all the areas that we're going to be employing our public safety law enforcement efforts we're also going to be doing using outreach to employ the seeding part of it."

The chief said police cannot do this alone.

The seeding - he mentioned there - is an investment in these same areas he's calling on the city, nonprofits and the local business community to make.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said he was happy with Chief Garcia's violent crime reduction plan.

"This plan is the single most important document coming out of City Hall this year — bar none," Mayor Johnson said. "Public safety is our top priority, and if people don't feel safe in our city, nothing else we do as a council or try to accomplish here at City Hall will matter. Period.

"And while we need everyone to play a part in making our communities safer, law enforcement plays a major role in deterring and disrupting criminal activity."