12 Feb 2002
District Security Chief Says There Is Still Room For Improvement
DALLAS—Crime statistics kept by the Dallas Independent School District's safety and security department indicate significant statistical drops in the number of assaults, burglaries and robberies year-to-date, however, they do show a rise in the number of auto thefts, the chief of the district's security force reported Tuesday.
As of Dec. 31, 2001, Chief Manny Vasquez reported to the DISD Board of Trustee's business committee that offenses reported to Dallas police were down by 4 percent.
"School administrators and safety personnel have created an effective safety team evidenced by the fact that there have been almost no major incidents on campuses and that no fall athletic events were interrupted," Chief Vasquez said. "Student-to-student assaults are down by 8 percent, student-to-administrator assaults are down by 2 percent, and student drug incidents are down by 24 percent."
Chief Vasquez also noted that gun incidents on campuses by the end of the year were down by one from seven to six over the previous year-ending tally. The chief noted that an armed robbery on the Skyline High School campus on Feb. 1 involving three students concluded at the end of the day with all three students in custody and all the money retrieved.
Aggravated assaults dropped from 35 to 23; burglaries from 106 to 68; burglaries in vehicles dropped from 72 to 68; robberies from 14 to 6; but thefts increased from 147 to 172; and auto thefts on the district's campuses increased from 37 to 62.
The chief reminded the board that there are more than 164,000 students and almost 20,000 teachers and support personnel working in the district.
"With almost 185,000 people interacting on a daily basis, there will always be some element of crime involved. We have benefited from our hard work, but there is always more to do. I would also add that our efforts to recognize potentially threatening situations and curb criminal activity are clearly having an impact," Chief Vasquez said. "We're not ever going to claim victory because to do so is tempting fate, but we know there are certain things we are doing that are producing positive results."
During his presentation to the committee, the chief said his officers believe that when it comes to weapons in the district's schools, students who have brought them had not done so to deal with a situation while they are at school. "It appears that weapons are being carried for protection while students are between their homes and schools."
The chief said the issue is something that needs the input of members of the community as it exists "beyond the borders of the schoolyard."
"What we've found in most of the cases involving guns this year is that the weapons, most of them unloaded, were found in the bushes or hidden somewhere just off campus," Vasquez said. "This suggests that kids are carrying them as they go to school and when they head back home in the afternoon. They don't feel like they need the protection from the weapon while they are at school—it's a matter of protection on the way to school and on the way back home. While we can be instrumental in addressing this problem, it truly must involve those beyond the borders of the schoolyard."
To combat the rise in auto thefts, the chief said the district security department and Dallas Police are kicking off an auto theft prevention initiative for campuses this semester to curb the detected increases.