Few Dallas Police Live in Dallas, and That's Not Changing Anytime Soon

"It's a constant battle," Pinkston said. "We want the best police officers, but we don't pay to get the best."

But we have a string thingy bridge, a decky park, an artsy centre, a symphony thingy, a horsey parky, and a won't ever die floodway tollway.  Priorities sir, priorities.

Stonewall Jackson Elementary has long been a haven for city-dwelling middle-class parents. But in the school's zip code, 75206, the price per square foot is about $60 more than the average Dallas home and about $100 more than the average for the metroplex, according to Zillow.

There's a simple solution to this problem.  Untie education from geography.  The difference in price is directly related to the schools.  If you want to give poor people access to good schools, tie acceptance to achievement, not to geography.  Put the kids in a school that meets their academic level, and allow parents to transfer their kids out of a school that fails their child, regardless of how the school thinks it is doing.

Low pay is traded off on a Cadillac retirement plan however, due to poor management, that ladder's being pulled up behind the vested officers.

It's a thin blue line and, like Miles, it is best to evacuate your family if the threat assessment dictates it.

Bump the starting and base pay if the new hires aren't going to get the same retirement plan.

But you can't expect the officers to put their families in the high crime areas where they patrol due to a) retribution, and b) they need to drop their pack for a few hours, not be on duty 24/7.  You wear a uniform in some parts of this town, and you might as well wear a bullseye.

@Candy Evans wondered about that, I long since left the RE biz, but MLS listings aren't great, but they seem to be the best we get.

@roo_ster I sure seen plenty of cracker cops in a circle kicking a restrained perp in Houston.  My old teammate was the one who actually jumped on his back to properly contain him. 

@everlastingphelps There's something to what you're saying, though on the other hand, Preston Hollow, Oak Lawn and other niches in the DISD enjoy both the highest home values in the area and DISD.  I live in LH, which sorta affirms your point.  As I consider it, there seems to be a hurdle in value; where incomes/values jump to a point where private school is a given.  I guess we have the gays to thank for carrying the water through that transition.  But then again, that's pretty much all well established.

@holmantx Your comment misses a vital point.  Dallas trains all the cops in the area.  So, like a smart NFL team, we run em young and cheap.  We get the new trainees, they're obligated to work here for a certain stint before they can go off as free agents; it's akin to the rookie contract.  I like Dallas cops over the cops in any of the suburbs, they're cooler, understand their job better and actually have real issues to tend to.  Too many suburban and small town cops are predators on the public. 

@becoolerifyoudid @ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul but the gov't gets to privatize public land, that way the profits get shared with the council--equity don't cha know.  Once they realize the implications, the destruction of 345 is a done deal.  As for me, I'm undecided, though keenly interested.

@becoolerifyoudid @everlastingphelps Sounds like they need to figure out how to get their kids to the school they want.  You should be allowed to enroll in any school you want -- that doesn't mean that you have to coddled the whole way.

@CraigT42 @holmantx

How many clipped on the side of the road?  How many fights, resisting arrest? How many assaulted?  Stabbed?  How many wounded?  How many suicides?  How many threatened on arrest?  How many threatened when they testify against some very bad maniacs?

Put on a uniform and jump your ass into one of the real high crime neighborhoods by yourself, my man.

@realtalk214 @holmantx

Not in the high crime areas.  It ain't Mayberry out there.  And the point has already been made - the urban core that most would like to live in, they are priced out.

@oak_clifftownie @holmantx

If the Fund goes tits up, then it comes out of current taxation.

That's the knock on public pension plans - nobody is stting at the collective bargaining table representing the taxpayer.

The politicians take money off the unions to get (and remain) elected, and the Pension Funds are backed by the taxpayer if they become under or unfunded (insolvent).

It's like this all across the nation, and it is collapsing towns and cities.

@holmantx @CraigT42 shit, you should play rugby, we do/did that voluntarily.  Or, you should come do real work, the kind of work that would enjoy depreciation should cap gains rise.  We go that everyday, and the numbers don't lie you sophist piece of intellectual garbage, your trash man is doing far more dangerous work.  Fuck you!

@holmantx @oak_clifftownie you know there are some substantial checks, but they're against that very temptation you described very well

@oak_clifftownie @Tim.Covington @holmantx Those in charge ponied up to build Sauron's Eye right off Woodall Rogers.  Please tell me you're smart enough not to think they're smart enough.

@oak_clifftownie @Tim.Covington @holmantx