Dallas Police Department

Nuisance Abastement Team

4230 W Illinois ave.
Dallas, Texas 75211
Ivan.gunter@dpd.dallascityhall.com

Dallas Police Headquarters

The  Nuisance  Abatement Team  was  created to  be  as
supplemental  community based policing strategy to abate
historical  criminal activity on  properties. The use  of real
property  as  bases  of operation  for  criminal  enterprise
adversely impacts the  quality of  life of  the s urrounding
neighborhoods.  Properties that  have become havens for
illegal drug trafficking,  prostitution,  illegal  gambling  and
organized criminal gang activity prevent communities from
 enjoying  a  collective  sense of  security and  well  being.
Citizens'  perceptions that criminal  activity  is  allowed to
occur, without  being challenged  by  the  police, leads to
diminished  confidence  in  the law enforcement authority.
Economic  development and  revitalization plans  for com-
 munities  become  problematic  because of  the crime and
the fears associated with crime.                                  

The Nuisance Abatement Team forges vested partnerships
with cooperative property owners to combat common and 
public nuisances.  The utilization of criminal / civil statutes
as  well  as  local  enforcement  authority  to  compel  un-
cooperative property owners to assist in the abatement of
these  nuisances is designed to rehabilitate these propert-
ies and revitalize the affected community. S.A.F.E. requires
property  owners,  after  notification of the existence of a
nuisance, to demonstrate  proactive  management of their
properties  in  the  abatement  effort. Uncooperative prop-
erty owners face criminal / civil actions to repair, demolish,
close  or  forfeit  their  interest  in the  property  when the
nuisance goes unabated.  The ultimate goal  is to eliminate
criminal  nuisances.  The aggregate benefits are  revitalized
 neighborhoods  that  are safer and cleaner places in which
 to live, work and visit.