Board reviews arrest-data memo showing year-over-year shifts in Deep Ellum arrests

The Community Police Oversight Board heard a presentation Sept. 9 from Sierra Obasuji, policy analyst for the Office of Community Police Oversight, on arrest activity in the Deep Ellum area from January 2025 through July 31, 2025.

Obasuji said the analysis uses the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and compares raw count differences and percent changes between comparable time periods in 2024 and 2025. "This report outlines trends in year-over-year comparisons," she said.

Key figures presented by Obasuji include large month-to-month percent changes and mixed year-to-date shifts across offense categories: NIBRS recorded a percent change greater than 100% in violent crimes between July 2024 and July 2025 and a 22% year-over-year increase for violent crimes. Nonviolent crimes showed an 82.05% increase between July 2024 and July 2025 but a 6.92% decrease when comparing year-to-date 2024 to year-to-date 2025. Combined violent and nonviolent crimes reflected an 88.89% increase for July-to-July and a 3.84% year-over-year decrease. Crimes against property were reported as a 66.67% increase July-to-July and a 4.55% year-over-year decrease. Crimes against persons showed a 100% increase July-to-July and a 10% year-over-year increase.

Obasuji noted that the NIBRS data as presented are representative of the type of arrest made in Deep Ellum, not necessarily of where the underlying offense occurred. The detailed data tables were included as an attachment to the memo supplied to board members.

Board member Jonathan Maples, who requested the analysis, said the report "shines a light on some of the data I requested" and that the memo confirmed things he already suspected. The chair opened the item for questions; no additional analysis was requested at the meeting, and Obasuji referred interested board members to the attached, detailed tables.

The item was informational; no board action was taken.