The City of Irving’s Police and Code Enforcement Departments have partnered with the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) to initiate the Irving Crime Hot Spot Project. This evidence-based initiative aims to reduce crime and disorder while enhancing the city's aesthetics.
The project leverages the Broken Windows Theory, which posits that minor disorders like vandalism and graffiti can escalate to more serious crimes. Additionally, focusing on enforcement and prevention efforts in crime hot spots has been shown to decrease crime rates.
City staff identified 100 areas with high crime concentrations and divided them into two groups. Fifty areas will receive elevated code enforcement through more frequent patrols, while the other fifty will continue with standard service levels. The project will compare violent and property crime data from 2023 to 2024 to assess the impact of these interventions.
The study's findings will guide future collaborations between the Irving Police and Code Enforcement Departments and UTA, influencing resource allocation and code enforcement strategies.
