on March 23, 2020 / by Downtown Dallas Inc. / in Blog Posts, COVID 19

Downtown Dallas, Inc.’s first priority is always to do our part to ensure Downtown remains “Clean and Safe.”  As such, we are committed to continuing to deliver our critical public health and safety services during this unprecedented crisis, thanks to the dedication of our Downtown Clean Team and Downtown Safety Patrol.

In light of yesterday’s Dallas County ‘Safer at Home’ Order that will take effect at 11:59 p.m. tonight, we will be implementing a modified Field Operations schedule beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23, 2020, until Saturday, May 2, 2020, or until such time that conditions change. We are in full support of the Order, requiring Dallas County residents to stay in their homes, except for work and personal errands that are deemed essential, as we play our role in the community-wide effort to stop the spread.

During our modified field operations period, the Clean Team and Safety Patrol will continue to provide services from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and the dedicated off-duty Dallas Police officer funded by DDI will remain in patrol Downtown until 11:00 p.m. daily. Visibility and response will be increased through greater utilization of our fleet of “gem cars” (carts), T3s, and vehicles. Focus will continue to be on litter removal and sanitization in parks and higher-traffic areas and we will remain diligent, providing a safety presence as we request compliance with County orders and educate homeless individuals about resources and self-care. Our teams will sanitize high-touch surfaces, such as handrails, trash receptacles, non-removable public furniture, and door handles repeatedly throughout each day.

We will continually monitor these hours according to data from activity logs, See Say Now app reports, and field observations, and we will maintain the ability to adjust as needed to best serve you, our Downtown community.

If you need to report an issue related to cleanliness or safety, please call dispatch at 214.741.1151 or use the See Say Now app during these modified hours. If an urgent issue arises outside of our operating hours, please direct needs to 911 or 311, as appropriate, otherwise we will prioritize response to overnight logs at the beginning of each shift.

If you need to reach someone in the management office, please call 214.741.1270.

We urge everyone to take the County Order to heart. We understand the essential needs of walking dogs, giving families fresh air, getting groceries, and for some, going to work. That is why we are committed to taking care of the spaces we all share. Yet in the best interest of our community, please maintain safe distances between each other and our staff if you see them out in the field. They are working for all of us.

We have also compiled a list of valuable and informative resources for our stakeholders. You can find them here.  With regard to the most recent County Order, details can be found here. This Order requires all individuals anywhere in Dallas County to shelter in place – that is, stay at home – except for certain essential activities and work to provide essential business and government services or perform essential public infrastructure construction, including housing. Commercial office building management, operations, and security staff are exempt from the Order (critical infrastructure exception information can be found here) and in its current form, hotels are allowed to continue to operate. If you have questions about your industry or business, please refer to the County website. We will also do our best to help find answers.

These are uncertain times, but even in the face of adversity, we have watched the Downtown community come together. Please continue to safely support our businesses, encourage each other to follow guidelines in place, and look forward to recovery.

tags: See More Posts