Dallas saw a significant decrease in violent crime in the past year, part of a larger downward trend, according to statistics from the Dallas Police Department.

Overall violent crime dropped by 13.79 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, including a decrease in the number of robberies and aggravated assaults.

• Aggravated Assaults were down by 17.3 percent from 2022.
• Robberies were down by 7.7 percent from 2022.

The only increase came in the murder rate, which rose by 14.95 percent. The department determined that nearly two-thirds of those murders happened inside a residence or at an apartment complex. More than 70 percent of the victims were involved in criminal activity or high-risk behavior, and in a majority of the cases, the suspects and victims were known to one another.

Violent Crime Reduction Strategic Plan
The decreases are the result of a Violent Crime Reduction Strategic Plan that the Dallas Police Department implemented in 2021, using short, mid, and long-term strategies to fight violent crime and the crime-related conditions that come with it.

The Crime Reduction Plan was developed by the Dallas Police Department, University of Texas-San Antonio criminology and criminal justice professors Drs. Michael Smith and Rob Tillyer, and the city of Dallas. It uses evidence-based strategies including hot spot policing, placed network investigations, and focused deterrence.

In hot spot policing, DPD increased police visibility at micro locations where data shows the most violent crime in the city is concentrated.

With placed network investigations, the police focus on eliminating the criminal element in grids, including gang and narcotics activity.

Focused deterrence is a long-term strategy to change culture and violent crime behavior, providing jobs, education, and assisting with social issues.

According to a release, the Crime Plan will continue with hot spot policing and implement more placed network investigations and increased focused deterrence.

"We must continue to do our best to take the criminal element off our streets but must also recognize we need to do more to invest in people and places, and work collectively with our community to offer a more positive path for individuals who otherwise would be involved in crime," the release says.

Other crimes on the decline include shooting (murder, aggravated assault, robbery, and discharge firearm), which went down 20.99 percent from 2022.There were also 1,548 fewer victims of violent crimes from 2022.

Compared to 2020, which was before the Crime Plan was initiated, violent crime is down by 23.78 percent.

"There are still challenges ahead and there is still work to be done, but a decrease in violent crime overall is positive step towards creating a safer Dallas," Police Chief Eddie Garcia said in a statement. "This decrease is the result of hard work by the men and women of the Dallas Police Department, and the amazing partnership we have with of our criminologists, the backing of our city leaders, the community, and businesses."