Bed Bug News
Dallas Police Department fights insidious criminals: bed bugs
The Dallas Police Department has been hit by bed bugs. The vicious pests have shown up at two patrol stations: in the Northeast Station at 9915 Northwest Hwy., and in the Southeast Station at 725 N. Jim Miller Rd., according to WFAA.
Officers first reported seeing them in the Southeast Patrol Division in late January, in the front office. A pest extermination company was brought in on February 6 to fumigate the area.
But they were seen in the same office a few days later. You can't just do one application! They propagate like crazy. You gotta blow up the place.
They evacuated the building and treated the entire station one week later.
Too late though: Officers have reported finding bed bugs in squad cars assigned to both the Northeast and Southeast Patrol Divisions. There is some cross-over, with officers working at both divisions.
Bed bugs will jump a ride on your shoe. They'll hide in the cuff of your pants. They'll do whatever it takes to find a new place to roost. One creepy fact: They usually attach themselves to one person. They like a host.
WFAA says that up to a dozen squad cars may have been impacted. Yet only one car was treated. You can't just do one car! You gotta blast the fleet.
There are two ways to kill off bed bugs: chemicals or heat. Some say that heat is the most effective method, IE by exposing the structure to temperatures of 113 degrees or above, for 90 minutes or more. And if you want to kill off the eggs — because if there are bed bugs, there are definitely going to be eggs — you have to hit 118 degrees for 90 minutes.
Basically, you have to make it so hot that the walls melt.
Dallas Police Association Mike Mata issued a statement, as follows:
"It has come to our attention that our Southeast patrol division has had an occurrence of bed bugs, that has now carried over on a smaller scale to the Northeast division. We appreciate that the Dallas Police Department has taken this event seriously and has hired professionals to prevent any further occurrences. Hopefully, this quick action will limit the reduction in the availability of patrol vehicles being affected."
Dallas was ranked No. 3 on a 2019 list by Terminix for top 50 cities in the U.S. with bedbugs, based on the number of service calls it received in 2018. According to a national poll, approximately one-fifth, or 22 percent, of Americans have had a bed bug encounter.
