Deep Ellum Street Closures and Increased Police Presence
Dallas police will shut down several streets in Deep Ellum starting at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and increase the number of police officers in the area to address public safety and code enforcement concerns raised by business owners and residents, officials say.
Dallas City Council member Jesse Moreno, who represents Deep Ellum, told The Dallas Morning News on Thursday that while late-night road closures to all but pedestrian traffic in parts of the city’s main entertainment district have occurred periodically for years, the latest round began last week and will continue “for the foreseeable future.”
Reasons Behind the Street Closures
“Street closures will evolve depending on how we see traffic being moved,” said Moreno, the city’s mayor pro tem. “I want to ensure that we are working with the business owners to ensure that they’re getting deliveries in and out, and making sure that staff members are safely getting to and from work.”
Moreno said police presence in the area has increased since last week and citations have also risen. He said this came after he and Deep Ellum Foundation executive director Stephanie Keller Hudiburg met with Dallas police Chief Daniel Comeaux following a meeting last week with area residents, workers and business owners who demanded the city do more to focus on public safety improvements within 30 days.
Community Concerns and Efforts
Crime in The News
The Deep Ellum Foundation is a nonprofit that manages the area’s Public Improvement District and handles public and private funds to improve and support the downtown-area neighborhood.
Hudiburg said several efforts to address concerns in Deep Ellum were already in the works before events in recent months. She pointed to a planned update of the area’s community safety plan as an example.
Related:Dallas officials could rezone Deep Ellum to improve neighborhood’s nightlife
“I’m feeling confident and energized by the direction moving forward,” she said. “It’s been a hard summer, but I think we’re a community that rallies, and we’re looking forward to next steps and grateful to the police department for their recent steps in recent weeks.”
Recent Incidents and Demands for Action
A fight and shootings in the area during the July Fourth weekend that killed one person and wounded five others were among recent incidents that led to Deep Ellum business owners, residents and workers last week demanding city officials do more to come up with solutions within 30 days. Concerns have also been raised that Dallas isn’t doing enough to enforce city rules in the area, exacerbating safety issues.
The entertainment district near downtown is home to more than 3,000 people, over 600 businesses, and routinely draws thousands of people on the weekends to its bars, concert venues, restaurants and other stores.
City Task Force and Police Response
Moreno and Hudiburg told The News a city task force has been reformed to focus on addressing long-term safety and quality of life concerns.
Dallas police Officer Jonathan Maner, a department spokesman, declined to say which streets would be closed and would only say “that will be at the discretion of (the) operational commander.”
“The operational commander may also close the streets on other nights depending on whatever kind of situation in Deep Ellum dictates,” Maner said in a statement.
According to a Facebook post last week from the Deep Ellum Foundation, street closures that weekend covered Elm Street, Main Street, Monument Street and other connected roads. The post also said people should expect “increased DPD officer presence” with the closures in the city’s main entertainment district.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the city of Dallas is taking steps to address public safety and code enforcement concerns in the Deep Ellum area. The street closures and increased police presence are aimed at improving safety and reducing crime in the area. The city task force and police response are also working together to address long-term safety and quality of life concerns. While there have been recent incidents that have raised concerns, the community is coming together to find solutions and improve the area.
FAQs
Q: What streets will be closed in Deep Ellum?
A: The streets that will be closed have not been specified, but they will be closed at the discretion of the operational commander.
Q: Why are the streets being closed?
A: The streets are being closed to address public safety and code enforcement concerns raised by business owners and residents.
Q: How long will the street closures last?
A: The street closures will continue for the foreseeable future, with the possibility of being closed on other nights depending on the situation in Deep Ellum.
Q: What is being done to address safety concerns in Deep Ellum?
A: A city task force has been reformed to focus on addressing long-term safety and quality of life concerns, and the police presence in the area has been increased.
