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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