DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Joyce Brown’s concerns are not hers alone. “I would have peace if I didn’t worry about my home being burglarized,” she said. “I would have peace if I didn’t have to worry about stray bullets coming from random gunfire coming into my home.”
Brown used her voice today to take a city beyond the images and headlines of police lights, ambulance sirens, and crime states. She simply wants to feel safe.
On Saturday, April 2, 16 people were shot at a non-sanctioned public gathering. And on March 20, drive-by shooters opened fire outside of a Dallas party venue, hitting 10.
This afternoon, Brown stood with a coalition led by Dallas City Councilmember Carolyn King Arnold. They urged everyone to not simply stem the recent tide of high profile violent crimes, but to work with police to stamp out acts of violence being seen nightly in their East and South Oak Cliff residential areas.
“If we’re going to require value to where we live, it’s also going to take us getting involved, not giving up hope. Pick up the phone, call 911,” said Arnold.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia agreed. “As you heard from Ms Arnold, it’s never enough, we need the help from everybody, violence interruptors, pastors to families and parents, we need to collectively work together to drive down crime.”
Citywide violent crime may be down, but the voices here today said their southern Dallas neighborhoods don’t feel that way.
They want that to change now.