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City reports continued drop in violent crime; homicides down about 30% year over year
Summary
Major Nathan Swires and Dallas Police leaders updated the Public Safety Committee on the violent crime reduction plan, reporting a 14.26% decline in violent crime year-to-date and a 30% drop in homicides compared with the previous year.
Major Nathan Swires, Deputy Chief Stephen Williams and Chief of Police Daniel Cuomo briefed the Public Safety Committee on the city’s violent crime reduction plan and recent trends.
"Here's the great thing about the crime plan. We've experienced 3 years of downward in violent crime here. We're into our fourth year, and we still have a reduction," Chief Cuomo said, and credited department programs and outreach.
The presentation said the city is down 14.26% in violent crime year-to-date, driven by a 13.21% decrease in aggravated assaults and a roughly 30% decline in homicides. Major Swires said that, as of April 30, 2025, the department recorded 409 fewer victims of violent crime compared with the previous year and that the homicide clearance rate was 64.15%.
The report highlighted reductions in business robberies (79 fewer incidents) and overall robberies (79 fewer individuals, 101 fewer victims of robbery total). Swires described specialized units — an apartment communities team and a focused-deterrent program — as part of the strategy. The apartment team, he said, includes a sergeant and seven officers who work with apartment managers to develop intelligence and provide security advice; the department is also training some staff in crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED).
Committee members raised enforcement and legal questions about private-property compliance in problem apartment complexes, including whether monitoring cameras or private security requirements could be added to settlement terms with property owners. Swires said the department is coordinating with the city attorney’s community-prosecution unit to pursue available offenses and injunctions when voluntary compliance is not achieved.
Council members also asked about summer strategies for youth-related crimes and street takeovers; Major Swires said patrol divisions customize summer initiatives with outreach partners, and Assistant Chief Mark Villarreal described proactive intelligence work and recent enforcement actions. Villarreal recounted a May 3 enforcement action that led to 17 transports to jail, numerous citations, weapons recovered and 35 vehicles towed.
The committee asked for continued monthly updates and for the department to provide location- and district-level outreach schedules for apartment-community engagement.
