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Dallas police Chief Eddie García is urging caution from residents this Fourth of July, during what he says is one of the busiest weekends for the department all year.
García encouraged all residents to call 911 for any illegal fireworks or gunshots. He spoke during a news conference Thursday. Fireworks are illegal in Dallas and 5,000 feet outside the city limits. They also come with a fine of up to $2,000.
The approach the police department is taking differs from other municipalities, such as Arlington, which have set up separate phone lines or websites for reporting illegal fireworks.
The fastest the Dallas department is averaging on highest priority 911 calls this year is eight minutes. On Priority 2 calls, the response time drops to about 28 minutes.
“We took some crisis precautions,” García said. “We dramatically improved the response times on those calls. So we’re hopeful that we’re not going to be getting those issues.”
García said each patrol division will use hotspot policing to target areas that have had high call volumes during previous Fourth of July weekends.
Crime response teams and overtime officers will work from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and each patrol division will have two fire marshals helping with fireworks calls.
García said the Fourth of July holiday is second only to New Year’s Day with regards to the number of calls for service. He said the team will still be prioritizing violent crime but will also respond to calls about fireworks.
City Council members echoed the message of individual responsibility.
“We’ve had reports of seniors who simply lay down on the floor in the living room because they don’t know where the bullets or the firecrackers might go,” council member Carolyn King Arnold said. “We have individuals who call because they’re afraid of the fact that their children can’t go out in the yard to enjoy the Fourth of July.”
City officials encouraged everyone to report concerns in order for officers to properly investigate and pinpoint the source of noise.
“You might just assume your neighbors are reporting this,” Mayor Pro Tem Chad West said. “But every single person that hears it, if you report it to DPD, that will help them identify where the problem is happening.”