From downtown crime to the debate over whether police officers should work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, there's renewed attention on the Dallas Police Department.

Nearly 10 months into the job, Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said he's feeling optimistic about the department's direction.

"I'm loving being the chief of Dallas," Comeaux said. "Dallas has been treating me extremely well, I'm enjoying myself."

In a one-on-one interview with CBS News Texas on Wednesday, the chief touted his department's accomplishments, saying officer morale and recruitment are up and overall violent crime is down 12%.

"We want to make sure that we get response times down, that's really important, and we want to make sure that we're embedded in the community," he said.

Responding to Abbott's criticism

Comeaux also addressed recent comments from Gov. Greg Abbott, who accused Dallas city leaders of driving AT&T out of downtown due to public safety and homelessness concerns.

"In every statistical area, it's down, and the homeless, man, our HIGH team is doing amazing work. There's so many less homeless in downtown, and we're working with nonprofit organizations and the police department to make this happen," Comeaux said.

CBS News Texas asked how residents should interpret continued violence in their neighborhoods despite the department's data showing crime is down.

"Look, you can say one thing, but the numbers are the facts," Comeaux said.

Debate over ICE data release

Last October, the department rejected a $25 million federal offer to help ICE with immigration enforcement. During a Community Police Oversight Board meeting Tuesday night, Comeaux said he would not release data detailing how often Dallas police encounter ICE or what those encounters involve, arguing that doing so could put officers at risk.

CBS News Texas asked whether withholding the data amounts to a lack of transparency.

"Well, the data that they want it, it makes no difference, right? It's and I'm not going to put any investigation in danger or any officer in danger," he said. "We can't stop the federal government from working their investigations. What I can do is control the Dallas Police Department and be fully transparent with the community about the Dallas Police Department, which, again, we're not working any immigration cases."

Chief says progress is measurable

Despite questions about transparency, Comeaux said the department is making measurable progress.

"We're doing what's necessary to keep everybody safe in Dallas, and I'm very proud of my officers in making crime go down five years in a row," he said.