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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2021

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Dallas Police Oversight to address inequities found in arrest data

DALLAS - The City of Dallas Office of Community Police Oversight, in partnership with Leadership Conference Education Fund’s New Era of Public Safety Initiative, released a report outlining an analysis of arrest data from the Dallas Police Department Open Portal.

The analysis was conducted to develop insight into the effect of misdemeanor, low-level enforcement on Black, Latino and marginalized communities.

According to the findings, misdemeanor enforcement creates unnecessary and negative interactions between police and civilians and contributes to racial disparities in the criminal justice system. The Dallas Police Department (DPD) makes nearly 6,000 arrests for low-level offenses every year.

“Black people in Dallas disproportionately bear the brunt of the enforcement and arrests,” said Director of the Office of Community Police Oversight Tonya McClary. “Changes to City ordinances and DPD’s General Orders can aid in Dallas’ efforts to decriminalize people of color and other marginalized communities for low-level offenses.”

The call for action to addressing inequities within police departments has been an ongoing conversation for decades in the United States. This demand was amplified in 2020, when the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless others sparked more than 100 days of historic protests calling for an end to police violence in the city of Dallas.

“We are seeing the importance of how data analysis can be used to tell the story of what is happening in Black, Latino and marginalized communities regarding policing. That same data can be used the change that narrative,” said Campaign Manager for the New Era Public Safety Initiative Changa Higgins. “Chief Garcia’s recent decision to stop arrest for possession of 2 ounces or less of marijuana is proof of that”.

The report supported be several partner organizations including: 
• American Civil Liberties Union of Texas
• Dallas Community Police Oversight Coalition
• Faith Forward Dallas at Thanksgiving Square
• For Oak Cliff
• Mi Familia Vota
• Mothers Against Police Brutality
• North Texas Immigration Coalition
• Our City Our Future
• Texas Organizing Project

To read the full report and recommendations, visit Dallascityhall.com/OCPO.

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