A Dallas pastor called Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers sent to help stop a wave of violent crime an “occupying force.” Earlier this month, Governor Greg Abbott responded to a request for help from the Dallas Police Department by sending additional manpower and resources.
“We don’t need occupying forces here in the city of Dallas in order to combat crime,” Dr. Fredrick Haynes D. Haynes of Friendship West Baptist Church told a reporter from CBSDFW.
Mothers Against Police Brutality spokesman John Fullinwider added, “Writing tickets in West Texas speed traps is not the same as policing neighborhoods in South Dallas and Oak Cliff.”
Just over a week ago, Governor Abbott responded to a request from the Dallas Police Department (DPD) for help in cutting the spike in violent crime, Breitbart Texas reported. The call for help came after the city leaders cut $7 million from the DPD overtime budget.
“The rise in violent crime in the city of Dallas is unacceptable, and the Texas Department of Public Safety will assist the Dallas Police Department in their efforts to protect the community and reduce this surge in crime,” Governor Abbott said in a written statement. “Every Texan deserves to feel safe in their own community, and the State of Texas will continue to provide the city of Dallas with the resources they need to crack down on this heinous activity and protect Dallas residents.”
Haynes told NBCDFW, “These troopers only add to the danger in the darkness.”
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson responded in a written statement, saying, “My focus is on the people affected by the unacceptable increases in violent crime in our city. Victims of violence in Dallas are disproportionately people of color who live in historically underserved neighborhoods like the ones where I grew up. All of our residents deserve to live in safe communities, and I welcome any help we can get on their behalf.”
Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata told the local NBC affiliate, “That is not a police presence to in any way take rights away from the community it is a police presence to help the community feel safer.”
Dallas has experienced more nearly 230 homicides this year, local media outlets report. Johnson says the city is set to surpass a 16-year high and has already exceeded the total for all of 2019, NBCDFW 5 reported.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, Parler @BobPrice, and Facebook.