The Dallas Police Department will require residents not to call 911 for low-priority issues, in an attempt to reduce officers' workloads amidst a staffing shortage.
Starting July 3, online reporting will become mandatory except for high-priority issues, such as medical emergencies or ongoing crimes, for which 911 can be called.
"We have to think about our men and women and the stress that they're under and the constant calls," said Chief Eddie García during a press conference on Tuesday, according to the Dallas Morning News. "We have to make the working conditions of our men and women better and, at the same time, not sacrifice the service for our community — and I think this achieves that."
In certain circumstances, such as cases of identity theft, graffiti, and lost property, officers will no longer physically respond to the address of the person reporting the crime.
"We know firsthand in an emergency every second counts," García said. "We want our officers to be available to respond quickly and efficiently to any high-priority call."
He added that the process for investigating crimes will remain the same, whether it is reported online or on the phone.
Dallas police 911 administrator Robert Uribe said that residents who lack internet access can still file reports over the phone or by using a kiosk located at Dallas police substations.
A department spokesperson said that there are currently 3,023 sworn officers employed by the Dallas police, down from about 3,500 in 2014.
"We need to grow and we're trying to grow as quickly as possible," García said. "Our recruiting unit is working as hard as it can. But certainly, when we look at the staffing numbers where the city is today as opposed [to] when it was a smaller city years ago, those are obvious."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.