Citizen patrols to provide security in Oak Lawn during the fair
DALLAS - People in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas are taking matters into their own hands because of concerns about police staffing for the State Fair of Texas.
Take Back Oak Lawn is deploying volunteer citizen patrols on food and vehicle patrols in the neighborhood until the fair is over.
The fair said there will be no shortage of officers for the city because it is hiring officers on their days off. But some argue that still isn’t good enough.
“I don't find any negative aspect of asking neighborhoods or residents of neighborhoods to stand up and help out during tough times. I don't see that as a negative for any neighborhood to do and I think it's something as residents of neighborhoods that we should be doing anyway,” Lee Daughterty with Take Back Oak Lawn said.
The Dallas Police Association said up to 300 officers will be working the fair this year. The State Fair of Texas will pay $1 million to cover the cost of hiring off-duty officers.
The total cost for security is $3 million. It is unclear how the remaining cost will be covered.