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Back in February, when the Greenville Avenue St. Patrick's Day Parade on was still on alleged life support, one of the rising costs cited by cash-strapped organizers was the police presence. A growing parade meant a growing need for cops on the streets, and that meant a parade budget that was nearing six figures, double what it had been just a few years prior.
Well, as we all know, Mark Cuban cleaned out his cup holder and the rest is history -- sloppy, drunken history. Because looking at this year's Dallas Police activity against last, Dallas kept all those cops a wee bit busier in 2012.
Here are the final numbers, with comparisons to the totals reported last year on Unfair Park.
DWI Arrests 2012: 37* 2011: 2
Public Intoxication Arrests 2012: 22 2011: 14
Felony Arrests 2012: 3 2011: None reported by police
Calls to police 2012: 27** 2011: 207
Parking Citations 2012: 215 2011: 339
Cars Towed 2012: 13 2011: 41
Food Trucks Not Up to Code 2012: 2 2011: Food trucks? In Dallas? In March 2011? What do you think this is, Portland?
*Police announced in advance that it would be a no-refusal weekend, but still, this is a mighty big gap. I've reached out to DPD for an explanation.
**This seems unlikely, unless DPD just said fuck it and didn't answer the phone all day. Checking on this, too.
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