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Dallas chiefs urge residents to avoid celebratory gunfire, illegal fireworks and impaired driving on New Year’s Eve
Summary
Dallas public-safety officials warned residents to avoid celebratory gunfire and illegal fireworks, to use designated drivers, and said extra officers will patrol the city after officials cited last year’s surge in gunfire-related calls and high seasonal 311/911 volumes.
Chief Como and Police Chief Justin Ball told residents ahead of New Year’s Eve that celebratory gunfire, illegal fireworks and driving while impaired risk injuring or killing bystanders and place heavy strain on emergency services.
"Always know if a bullet goes up, it has to come down," Chief Como said, urging people to avoid celebratory gunfire and calling such shooting a crime that can "hurt someone" or "kill someone." He said the department responded to about 865 calls involving gunfire on New Year’s Eve last year and said preventing those incidents would free emergency lines for other critical calls.
Chief Como also cautioned against impaired driving, saying there have been 485 DWI-related incidents so far this season and urging people to plan for a designated driver. He highlighted a year-to-date decline in traffic fatalities, saying the city is "47 deaths down by vehicle accidents this year," and asked residents to continue safe driving to maintain that improvement.
Police Chief Justin Ball reiterated that fireworks are illegal inside Dallas city limits, saying officers will confiscate illegal fireworks and issue citations. "They are a fire hazard," Ball said, noting fireworks can cause grass and property fires and pose risks to people and animals. Ball encouraged residents to attend organized fireworks displays rather than set off their own devices.
Ball also gave fire-safety reminders: supervise cooking, discard or water live Christmas trees, and avoid grilling or using fire pits on apartment porches because embers can smolder and ignite nearby materials. He urged residents to "see something, say something" and to call 311 for nonemergency concerns so emergency lines remain available for life‑threatening incidents.
Officials said there will be extra officers on duty and that the city is coordinating closely with the Dallas Fire Department. Chief Como noted last year the city received more than 3,000 calls on New Year’s Eve, calling it the busiest night of the year, and said the extra staffing is intended to protect residents and keep emergency lines free for critical incidents.
The briefing closed with an introduction to Chief Monica Igo, who was announced to lead the Spanish-language portion of the press remarks. Officials again urged residents to celebrate safely and avoid actions that could harm others or overwhelm emergency services.
