Deep Ellum Crime Bump Prompts Extra Police Patrols Around "Entertainment Districts"

Following two robberies and one sexual assault, the Dallas Police Department has stepped up patrols in and around Deep Ellum, Deputy Chief Lonzo Anderson said Wednesday.

All three crimes occurred over the last two weeks, Anderson said; the police suspect two males between the ages between 15 and 20 in the assault. Anderson could not say whether the crimes were committed by the same people.
"DPD is very concerned about the Deep Ellum area, along with other entertainment districts," Anderson said. "We want entertainment districts to feel safe." He added that all these areas will have extra patrols, especially through the State Fair and Texas/OU weekend. 

He also touted the fruits of the new patrols. "On the weekend of the 25th, we did detain five individuals that had an altercation with a vendor in the Deep Ellum area," he said.

The five teenagers arrested were picked up at DART's Deep Ellum Green Line Station at Good Latimer and Gaston for three curfew violations, one count of marijuana possession and one count of possessing an identifying document that belonged to someone else.

The DART platform could have a lot to do with the crimes happening in Deep Ellum, Anderson said.

"There's been some offenses to where, once the offense has occurred, they go straight to the DART platform," Anderson said, which makes it important for DPD to work with DART in Deep Ellum and other areas near train stations.