Even though Dallas law enforcement and City authorities have been happy about the recent decrease in violent crime, the number of stolen cars and drug-related crimes has increased.
The stealing of motor vehicles has significantly risen in various areas of the country, according to a study by the Council of Criminal Justice. logging There has been a huge increase in motor vehicle theft from 2019 to 2023 in a sample of U.S. cities. Rochester, New York, had the largest year-over-year rise in motor vehicle theft between 2022 and 2023, with a substantial 248% increase. In comparison, the 40.6% rise in motor vehicle theft in Dallas during the same period may seem small, but the sheer number of stolen vehicle reports — 18,854 — was unprecedented for the city. unprecedented for the city.
Currently, the number of vehicles reported stolen in 2024 is exceeding last year's by 3.4%, with certain parts of Dallas — like DPD Sector 130, which includes the Central Business District and Victory Park — experiencing steady increases, according to data from the City’s crime analytics. dashboard. Sector 130 leads the City with 291 reports of motor vehicle theft this year as of May 5 — a 7% increase year over year. Sector 410 comes in second with 277 reports filed for a 17.9% increase.
The Dallas Express‘ Crime Boss for the month of April, Council Member Chad West (District 1), has seen a 31.5% increase in motor vehicle theft in his council district so far this year.
Drug crimes are also on the rise, up by 2.4% citywide compared to the same period last year. While drug crimes in most council districts are trending downwards, Council Member Adam Bazaldua’s District 7 has seen a 58.7% increase compared to 2023. District 7 places second with 481 drug offenses clocked, behind only Council Member Omar Narvaez’s District 6, which leads with 483 reports.
Despite attempts to curb the traffic of drugs — especially the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl — the number of drug offenses and overdoses across the region indicate that the crisis rages on.
The Dallas Police Department has been suffering from a longstanding officer shortage, which may be contributing to the rise in certain categories of crime. A City report previously recommended a force of roughly 4,000 officers to adequately ensure public safety and respond to service needs. However, the department fields only around 3,000 officers.
City leaders opted to budget just $654 million to DPD this fiscal year, far less than the spending approved for police in other high-crime jurisdictions of similar-sized cities nationwide.
How did your area stack up on crime? Check out our interactive Crime Map to compare all Dallas City Council Districts. Curious how we got our numbers? Check out our methodology page here.
