City News Roundup

Dallas creates new police committee to reduce violent crime

The new office will be led by David Pughes.

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The city of Dallas has created a new office within the Dallas Police Department to help reduce crime.

Called the Office of Integrated Public Safety Solutions (OIPSS), it will work with various city departments and outside agencies to mitigate circumstances that promote, encourage, or contribute to violent criminal activity within identified high risk areas of the city, says a release.

The goal of the OIPSS is to not only reduce crime, but also improve quality of life and create a sense of order.

OIPSS will be led by David Pughes, currently serving as Executive Assistant Chief of Police. Pughes is a 29-year veteran of DPD and previously served as the Interim Chief of Police in Dallas from October 2016 to September 2017.

Pughes will oversee the efforts in a new position called the Integrated Public Safety Solutions Officer. His appointment is effective April 29.

"This new office will support our police department's efforts with essential crime reduction strategies," says Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax. "This is a critical step as we work to move forward as a safer city for all residents."

The office will support the Dallas Police Department through in-depth crime analysis and Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM).

RTM uses Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to explore the relationship between crime and the spatial features that influence and encourage criminal activity.

OIPSS will conduct field assessments in high-risk areas to develop strategic intervention. This may include:

Law Enforcement
Administrative Inspections and Enforcement
Infrastructure Enhancement or Repair
Evaluation of current zoning, permits or business licenses
Programming

The success of OIPSS will be conveyed through progress tracking tools and dashboards.

"Truly this is an exciting time for our former Executive Assistant Chief of Police, David Pughes, who is embarking on a new journey within the City of Dallas," says Dallas Chief of Police Reneé Hall, in a statement. "I am grateful for his decades of service to the Dallas Police Department and I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue working with him in a pivotal role as we make Dallas one of the safest cities in America."

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Sobering statistic

Texas ranks No. 9 among deadliest states for New Year’s crashes

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At more than 314,000 miles, Texas boasts the largest system of public roads among the 50 states. It also holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the deadliest states for New Year’s car accidents.

An analysis of 2014-2023 traffic data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows Texas is the ninth worst state for traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

During the 10-year period covered by the analysis, commissioned by AutoAccident.com, Texas tallied 280 traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day — the highest total of any state. The 280-person toll in Texas works out to 9.61 deaths per one million residents, a rate that’s 37 percent above the national average of 6.99 deaths per one million residents.

The analysis reveals that nearly three-fourths (64 percent) of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traffic deaths in Texas were drivers, nearly one-fifth (19 percent) were pedestrians, and 16 percent were passengers.

“New Year’s Eve is one of the most dangerous nights on American roads,” says Edward Smith, managing attorney at AutoAccident.com, a personal injury law firm.

“With impaired driving incidents spiking during holiday celebrations, every driver has a responsibility to make smart choices that protect themselves and others sharing the road,” Smith adds. “Even in states with strong safety records, one preventable death is too many.”

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), more than 2,000 drunk driving-related crashes happened during the 2024 holiday season. Last year, December ranked as the No. 1 month in Texas for wrecks caused by drunk drivers.

“The holidays are a wonderful time to be with family, and yet they can also be a painful reminder for those who have lost loved ones to preventable crashes,” says Marc Williams, executive director of TxDOT. “Let’s make a new holiday tradition to drive like a Texan: kind, courteous, and safe. That means always getting a sober ride.”

TxDOT offers these four tips for staying safe on the roads as the calendar switches from 2025 to 2026:

Designate a sober driver before the celebrations start.
Ask a sober relative or friend to pick you up if you’re too tipsy to drive.
Use public transit or rideshare services.
Stay off the roads until you’ve sobered up.

Several organizations in Dallas-Fort Worth are offering ways to get home safely around New Year’s if you’re too drunk to drive:

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has teamed up with Coors Light to provide free rides on New Year’s Eve. To get a free ride, enter the promo code COORSNYE25 in the GoPass app. The offer is available to the first 10,500 riders who enter the code in the GoPass app.
Trinity Metro will offer free Trinity Railway Express rides in Tarrant County from 6 pm-midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Various bars and entertainment venues in Dallas County are supplying QR codes for one free Lyft ride worth up to $35. The EpicCentral entertainment district in Grand Prairie is among the participants.
In collaboration with TxDOT and the Frisco Police Department, Uber is offering $30-per-ride vouchers for people in Frisco who aren’t sober enough to drive. Frisco ranks first on Allstate’s 2025 list of the Texas cities with the best drivers.
Fort Worth Limousines provides designated-driver services in Dallas-Fort Worth via limo, luxury sedan, SUV, and bus.
Pro-Tow Wrecker Service is offering free tows to tipsy motorists in Denton County who need a ride on New Year’s Eve.

traffic fatalities crime holidays new year's day new years eve traffic