The City of Dallas, Texas, operates under a council-manager form of government, combining political leadership from elected officials with the managerial experience of a professionally trained city manager. The government oversees a wide range of services, including public safety, infrastructure, economic development, and municipal courts.
Eric L. Johnson is the 60th and current Mayor of Dallas.
First elected in June 2019 and re-elected in May 2023 with a historic 98.7% of the vote.
Formerly a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
Serves as the city’s highest-profile elected official, setting vision and priorities and working with city, regional, and state leaders.
The Dallas City Council includes 14 members, each representing one of the city’s council districts.
Council members are responsible for policy-making, approving the budget, and representing residents’ interests.
Together with the mayor, they form a 15-member legislative body.
Kimberly Bizor Tolbert serves as the City Manager, the top administrative official.
Oversees day-to-day operations of city departments and implements policies set by the Mayor and City Council.
Provides executive leadership to departments such as Dallas Water Utilities, Aviation, Human Resources, and the Office of Homeless Solutions.
Dallas voters recently rejected a proposal to adopt a “strong-mayor” form of government, choosing to maintain the current council-manager system.
Headed by Chief Edgardo “Eddie” Garcia since February 2021.
Comprised of approximately 3,100 officers.
Headquarters located in the Cedars neighborhood of South Dallas.
Led by Chief Dominique Artis.
Employs 1,670 full-time firefighters.
Operates 57 fire stations across the city, organized into 2 divisions and 9 battalions.
Services include fire suppression, EMS, hazardous materials response, swift water and urban search and rescue.
Trains all paramedics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Home to the Dallas Firefighter’s Museum, located at the city’s oldest remaining fire station near Fair Park.
The Chief Dodd Miller Training Academy serves as a regional training hub for fire recruits from across the Metroplex.
The Dallas Municipal Court System handles Class C misdemeanors, such as traffic violations and city ordinance offenses.
Plays a vital role in the local justice system and ensures city laws are upheld.
The city’s budget continues to grow alongside Dallas’s population and infrastructure needs:
2002–2003: $1.72 billion
2005–2006: $2.22 billion
2006–2007: $2.34 billion
Funds support essential services including public safety, street maintenance, housing, and neighborhood revitalization.
From 1998–2005, Dallas had the highest overall crime rate among U.S. cities with populations over 1 million.
The city saw a peak in homicides in 1991 (500 murders), with a steady decline in the early 2000s.
In 2005, Dallas was ranked the most dangerous among the ten largest U.S. cities, though overall crime has trended downward in recent years.
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