The Dallas Police Department will open a new downtown command center weeks before the FIFA World Cup comes to North Texas.
The nonprofit Downtown Dallas Inc. and Dallas Police Chief David Comeaux announced the plans Wednesday morning as part of a broader security update ahead of the tournament.
鈥淥ver the past year, we've built a stronger downtown, safety strategies with more visibility, proactive policing, and a dedicated downtown division focused on this area every day,鈥� Comeaux said.
鈥淭hat work also prepares us for FIFA. The coordination and infrastructure we built now are exactly what we'll need for the world stage.鈥�
Dallas is preparing to be one of the 16 World Cup host cities. There will be nine matches at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, a FIFA fan festival in Fair Park, and Dallas will host the FIFA World Cup 2026 International Broadcast Centre at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The new safety plan includes approximately 120 officers patrolling downtown 鈥� an increase from 93. A neighborhood police officer unit and two crime reduction task forces for daytime and evenings have been added. The Central Business District will be home to anew patrol division located at Radiance Plaza, where Downtown Dallas Inc. has its headquarters.
The announcement of the command center comes a year after DDI announced the Safe in the City initiative, a public-private partnership with businesses, law enforcement and the city.
鈥淲e did not build this infrastructure and these partnerships only for FIFA,鈥� DDI President and CEO Jennifer Scripps said at the news conference. 鈥淭hat has given us a great deadline and motivation to bring us here today. We built this for downtown's long-term, for the people who live here, work here, and own businesses here.鈥�
Dallas Police have reported a 16% reduction in violent crime and a 7% reduction in nonviolent crime over the past year.
Scripps also said every homeless encampment downtown has been removed. She said the number of people experiencing homelessness downtown has gone down 87%.
鈥淲e know that more people have been connected to the resources and the housing services that they need,鈥� Scripps told 四虎影院. She said a year and a half ago there were encampments around the public library and City Hall--and today there are none.
Sarah Kahn, CEO of the nonprofit Housing Forward, which works to end homelessness, said the goal isn鈥檛 just to move people out of town but to help them find stable housing and 鈥渆xit homelessness permanently.鈥�
She said her organization has secured $24 million to expand its work across Dallas County.
鈥淭hat's also helping us prepare...to welcome millions of visitors during the FIFA World Cup, where we will be able to really, instead of investing in temporary solutions during that period, we are continuing to fuel a long-term response that brings lasting outcomes,鈥� she said.
Other updates DDI announced included the completion of 20 art projects by 12 local artists across downtown, park projects to improve lighting, approximately 500newtrees, and art to cover up vacant storefronts.
Monica Paul, the executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission, said the downtown safety and aesthetic improvements will add to the experience for visitors.
鈥淎ll of these improvements weren't done just for the World Cup,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is also to expand for our city, region, for our residents, for future events in tourism that we're able to attract here within the city.
鈥淵ou know, a safe, clean, vibrant downtown is not a 鈥榥ice to have for FIFA,鈥� it's a prerequisite.鈥�
Priscilla Rice is 四虎影院鈥檚 communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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