Homeland Security Now Considers Dallas One of the "Nation's Highest Risk Urban Areas"

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday that it's giving Dallas $25 million in grant money -- more than in previous years. Why the bump? Says here that's because Dallas, along with Boston and Philadelphia, has been promoted to a "Tier 1" city -- "the highest-risk tier for terrorist...

By Robert Wilonsky

December 9, 2009

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced yesterday that it's giving Dallas $25 million in grant money -- more than in previous years. Why the bump? Says here that's because Dallas, along with Boston and Philadelphia, has been promoted to a "Tier 1" city -- "the highest-risk tier for terrorist attacks." Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says Dallas's move to Tier 1 was due to a number of factors: "What it represents is an assessment of risk versus looking at some other factors, such as population densities and other things of that sort." Well said. And there's always this guy. Then there's this addendum:

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, who represents Dallas, said drug and gang activity in the city adds to its risk profile. "Of course nobody likes that but I'm glad to have the attention given to it," she said of Dallas being moved to the top tier.

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