The City of Dallas says to keep crime numbers down and reduce response times, they need more police officers. But interim Police Chief Michael Igo says only a certain number will do.
The city budgeted for the addition of 250 new officers this year. But Igo says he could do better and get that number to 300. However, during a public safety committee hearing, the council urged him to make that number around 325 which Igo says is too many right now.
To accommodate for the requested number, they will have to take 40 officers off patrol to staff the hiring process.
Councilwoman Gay Donnell Willis worries that may not be doable and Councilwoman Kathy Stewart agrees. "Knowing that that's 40 officers that would be taken off the patrol, that clarifies for me the decision."
Igo says he wants 3,500 officers in the department in the next four years and believes they can get there. If they do, that would be a level they haven't seen in over a decade.
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