District 12 Has Lowest Crime Rate in Dallas, But is Plagued by Traffic Accidents

Dallas City Council District 12 in far North Dallas has some unique characteristics. It’s the only district with residents who live outside Dallas County. It has the second-most affordable housing units, and it’s tied for the highest diversity scores in racial and ethnic population makeup.

It also has the fewest crime incidents of any council district and has dropped almost 10 percent since last year.

District 12 Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn was re-elected last month, the only council member who didn’t draw an opponent. 

It sounds like District 12 is a pretty great place to live, but Mendelsohn isn’t resting on her laurels. She acknowledges that criminals don’t necessarily recognize geographical boundaries when they’re breaking into a vehicle or attacking someone after a night of partying. 

“The highest category of crime is assault, followed closely by car thefts, car burglary, and vandalism,” Mendelsohn said. 

The councilwoman has some “mom advice” for keeping the district in the No. 1 spot when it comes to public safety: “Resolve disagreements with words not fists, always lock your car and house, and don’t leave any valuables in your car, even in a ‘safe’ area or if you’ll only be gone for a few minutes,” she said. 

Crime in District 12

The latest statistics from the Dallas Police Department crime dashboard are about a month old, as some online access was halted when city servers were attacked by cyber terrorists last month. 

While more than 300 assaults and 127 car thefts have been reported in D12 thus far this year, assaults decreased 27 percent and vehicle theft went up just 4 percent since this time last year. 

Dallas Police Sgt. Ed Lujan has been in law enforcement for three decades and served as a Neighborhood Patrol Officer in District 12 for the past two years. 

Lujan was nearly killed when a motorist ran over him three times outside a Dallas nightclub in 2015. He now competes in triathlons to honor the first responders who saved his life. The driver who attacked Sgt. Lujan was sent to prison for aggravated assault on a public servant. 

Lujan told CandysDirt.com he believes community engagement and transparency are the reasons why District 12 has the lowest crime rate. 

“It’s just being honest and saying, ‘Hey, this is the situation,’” he said. “One of the main topics is homelessness. We tell them exactly what the police can do on our side. There’s a plan in motion. If the citizens can help us by not giving [the homeless] money and giving the money to an established nonprofit like the Red Cross, that helps us out. It helps us relocate them and get them jobs. That’s just one example.” 

The police sergeant emphasized that it’s important for residents to report any type of suspicious behavior, even if no violence is involved and a suspect is not in sight. 

“There are ‘no-leads’ reports that are assigned to a no-leads detective,” Lujan said. “If they request [Physical Evidence Section], they go out there and take prints. That’s where we identify most of our suspects, through physical evidence like fingerprints. I would suggest waiting for the police. Time is very important to people nowadays, but a lot of cases are closed because we can get a single fingerprint. It’s important to wait for those detectives to arrive and see if they can get fingerprints.” 

Lujan acknowledged that most crime prevention tips involve common sense — like being aware of surroundings and putting down the cell phone — but such small measures can go a long way.

“Crime is about opportunity,” he said. “If you leave your gym bag in the backseat, you know it’s just a gym bag, the suspect doesn’t know there’s no wallet in it. We suggest the ‘lock, take, and hide’ model. Use the apps on your cell phone to notify you if your house or your car is being messed with. Park in lighted areas. If the lights are down in your neighborhood, put in a 311 request to get the lights fixed.”

Transportation And Public Safety

Street conditions, pedestrian safety, homelessness, and crime around Dallas Area Rapid Transit stations are public safety matters high on Mendelsohn’s radar. 

She’s been embroiled in the city’s battle with DART over the distribution of excess sales tax revenue and the construction, excavation, and concrete pours occurring this summer at every rail crossing in the district. 

Mendelsohn notified her constituents when a Garland teen was struck and killed by a DART train in mid-May.

“Our community took a deep breath as we prayed for … comfort and peace, knowing dangerous at-grade crossings will pose a life-threatening risk for our children,” she said.  

DART is suffering from the same staff shortages that other police agencies are experiencing, Lujan said. 

“They’re putting the manpower in areas where they see higher crime,” he said. “They’re doing the best they can.” 

Lujan often hears residents complain about drivers speeding and not following traffic laws. Again, the officer suggested downloading a smartphone application that monitors speeding or prevents drivers from texting while the car is in motion. He uses one provided by his insurance company. 

“Just be cautious about the kids,” Lujan said. “Kids have no perception of how far away a car is. Be conscious once school is back in session and even now when you’re driving near a rec center or something. It’s very important to be mindful of that.”

Redistricting

As of May 6, new redistricting boundaries were approved for all 14 council districts in an effort to balance the population and consider connected communities. 

“District 12 had too many people and some were moved to District 11,” Mendelsohn said. “A few homes from District 11 that were moved out of District 12 ten years ago were rejoined with District 12. We know all areas north of LBJ are very connected.”

Under the new boundaries, about 10 percent of the district comprises residents who live in Dallas County and the City of Dallas. New Dallas County neighborhoods that have moved to District 12 include several Bent Tree communities, Preston Trails, Windsor Place, Glen Abbey, Saddlebrook, and Kensington Square.

Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia’s Violent Crime Reduction Plan calls for “hot spot” policing in high crime areas, but Lujan said it’s important for his team to be visible throughout the district. Crime can occur in wealthy, well-lit areas or dark, abandoned buildings, he said. 

“Everybody knows that Allen is safe, but it took one event with mass casualties and now everyone is scared of going around there,” he said. “What if it happened to us? I wouldn’t say there’s one particular area [in District 12] that the police department focuses on. We try to be as visible as possible. We use our crime-fighting techniques every day in different locations. We’re hands-on and that is what makes the police department a great place to work. Every day is a different day.” 

Lujan said residents can reach out to him by email to talk about concerns or set up a neighborhood crime watch meeting.

Mendelsohn’s District 12 newsletter is also a good resource for information about traffic issues, public meetings, and city council matters. Sign up here. 

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This is the 13th installment in our series on neighborhood crime by Dallas City Council district. Have you been the victim of a crime in a Dallas neighborhood or shopping center? Let us know about your experience at [email protected].