It
takes a team to optimize success in any endeavor. There’s a 3-team
process in town designed to keep crime at bay, not unlike corporate
team building processes in Dallas.
The Dallas
Police Department is keeps a strong team connection
in fighting crime with the Community Engagement Unit (CEU).
The
CEU is comprised of three teams bridging community members and police
officers efforts to fight crime and keep Dallas safe. The unit is a
prime example of how cross-functional
business teams in Dallas build relationships,
share information and accomplish goals. Venture Up, a team building
firm, has been working in Texas for three decades building
relationships between community, civic and business leaders. “When
it comes to keeping communities safe, nothing beats building
relationships among neighbors and the police who serve them,” says
David Lengyel, co-founder of Venture Up.
The
first team, the Neighborhood
Policing Team,
deals directly with the individuals making up the community. Officers
blend efforts locally by attending crime watch and community
meetings, absorbing first-hand information that can be dispersed
throughout police departments.
These
same officers work the street combatting crime with the knowledge and
resources augmented by the neighborhood crime-fighting partnership.
The
second team, the Nuisance
Abatement Team
deals with specific locations, “working with property owners to
eliminate conditions conducive to the criminal element,” according
to the DPD web site.
Police
are especially aware of neglected and abandoned properties that
create havens for criminals. This team employs its public relations
skills in procuring voluntary cooperation from a property owner to
improve conditions that may attract crime. Property owners who comply
often find their property values can increase, which adds to the
incentive to clean things up. As a last resort, the team relies on
legal channels to compel cooperation.
The
third team, the Deployment
Team,
goes underground, using covert operations to fight crime. Crime
statistics drive officers on this team to target specific areas and
trends in, and methods to identify suspects and criminal behavior.
Plain-clothes officers ride in unmarked vehicles scouting the area
for crime in progress and arresting criminals in the act.
The
Dallas
Police Reserve Battalion,
in service for 60 years, provides another major resource in keeping
Dallas safe. The Battalion is a crew of volunteers, state-certified
peace officers who work in conjunction with the DPD. Officers work at
least 16 hours monthly and may serve in many capacities, although
they are primarily engaged in patrol duties. For more in formation,
call 214-725-4000
