Public safety is the single most important challenge facing the City and the people of Dallas, and Safer Dallas Better Dallas is a proven and effective force for fighting crime.

Over the past three years, this group of concerned volunteers has raised more than $18 million, every penny of which has gone directly to needed programs and equipment for the Dallas Police Department. This money has helped provide cameras and cages for our patrol cars, much needed AR-15 patrol rifles and training for the officers who use them, tower cams that are making our downtown streets safer and dozens of other necessary enhancements to public safety in Dallas.

As Mayor and as a member of the Safer Dallas Board, I strongly urge the Council and Staff of the City of Dallas to give full support to the efforts of Safer Dallas, and I urge our citizens to do the same.

Everyone can help bring our crime rate down:

• By visiting saferdallas.com often and keeping abreast of ways to keep your family and home safe;
• By joining a neighborhood watch group (information on a group in your neighborhood can be found at saferdallas.com);
• By volunteering through your church or school or directly through saferdallas.com.
• By donating what you can to Safer Dallas Better Dallas. It's tax deductible.

Crime affects every neighborhood, every ethnic group, every economic level. Together, and only together, we can make Dallas the safest city in America.