DPD’s LGBT Liaison Officer Laura Martin
Dallas Police Department’s LGBT Liaison Officer Laura Martin has just provided Dallas Voice with a statement detailing the department’s plan for increasing patrols to improve safety in Oak Lawn, following a rash of violent robberies in the gayborhood over the last three months. The most recent attack, which happened shortly before midnight last night (Thursday, Nov.19), sent Geoffrey Hubbard to the hospital with head injuries.
The attack on Hubbard came just hours after the most recent meeting between DPD officials and area residents and business owners, and the community reacted this morning (Friday, Nov. 20), with anger and frustration. Some people even announced their intentions to arm themselves with guns and patrol the area themselves this weekend — an idea Martin warned against.
The statement from Dallas Police reads:
“With a series of violent crimes occurring in the Oak Lawn area, the Dallas Police Department has stepped up its efforts to prevent any more individuals from being victimized. In addition to increased community collaboration with citizens, crime watch groups and businesses, the department has increased police presence in the area. The department is utilizing the intelligence unit and increased staffing in the area, which includes four bicycle officers, 15 police officers (some working in an undercover capacity) and two sergeants who report to the major at the Northwest Division.
“While working to prevent any further violent offenses in the Oak Lawn area, the officers have made seven arrests, but none are related to the violent offenses that have occurred. The department has put together a task force that includes investigators from assault and robbery units along with detectives from intelligence, patrol officers and undercover officers that will be assigned to the Oak Lawn area.”
