The Dallas Police Department memo rescinded a memo about diverting low-priority 911 calls hours after it was leaked on social media.
Per the memo, calls concerning a number of crimes, including car thefts, would be diverted. Instead of dispatching officers to the scene, 911 operators would redirect callers to an online reporting system, which would then forward information to detectives for follow-up. In a statement, the department stated that “although conversations have been held on this topic, the memorandum was sent prematurely.”
The head of the city council’s public safety committee said that such measures were intended to improve response times, but called for public discussion before further action.