Dallas has become a model for policing
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Sen. John Cornyn says Dallas is doing policing right. Photo: Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Dallas has become a model for funding police departments, de-escalation training and offering a medical response to mental health 911 calls.
Driving the news: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn introduced a bill last year — shaped at least in part by Dallas' methods — to offer federal grants to pay for de-escalation and mental health response training at law enforcement agencies.
- President Joe Biden signed the act into law in December, and the Texas senator recently discussed the funding during a visit to the training academy at the Dallas Police Department, which he has called a "role model" for other cities.
Why it matters: Despite widespread calls for nationwide police reform after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, many federal efforts have failed to pass.
- The Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, which received bipartisan support, is one of the few exceptions.
State of play: Unlike other large, mostly Democratic cities that heeded calls to defund police and cut the budgets of law enforcement agencies, Dallas has continued to increase funding to its police department.
- And, the city has put police funding toward mental health response programs, like RIGHT Care, which pairs officers with paramedics and behavioral health clinicians.
Of note: Violent crime has dropped two years in a row in Dallas. Chief Eddie Garcia says the declines are a result of his violent crime reduction plan and support from city leadership.
- Yes, but: Violent crime is up nearly 7% in the first two months of this year compared to last.
Details: The federal law authorizes $124 million in grant funding over four years to give urban, suburban and rural agencies "access to the same training that is available here in Dallas," Cornyn said during his recent visit.
- "I know Dallas has been a leader for de-escalation training for a long time, but not everybody else has had the benefit of that expertise," the senator said.