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DALLAS — A skyrocketing murder rate is wearing on the citizens of Dallas.

“It’s getting a little trying, to see all these young men dying over stuff that is really not important,” said Jordan Hart, a resident of the Las Brisas Apartment Complex.

And it’s also leading to a civil war in the Dallas Police Department.

Chief David Brown announced new sweeping plans to fight the rising tide of murders in the city, which are up 86% from this time last year. “We are bringing the full force of the police department to bear on this spike in crime,” said Chief Brown, “And we are determined to keep the citizens of Dallas safe.”

But critics call his plan to increase cops on foot patrol, and moving more men to the evening shift, a Band-Aid fix.

“Violent crimes are up, murders are up, and it’s all because of bad management in the police department,” said Ron Pinkston, president of the Dallas Police Association.

Now, two major police associations are calling for the chief’s removal from office.

“We emphatically stated that we were no longer supporting him as chief of police,” said Thomas Glover, president of the Dallas Black Police Association. “Very difficult decision; it took us a long time to come to it.”

Mayor Rawlings says he is standing by Chief Brown, but is also listening to those concerns.

All this happens on the same day that two young men were killed in what police suspect was a drug deal gone wrong.

“I’m sitting here sleeping with my pregnant girlfriend. All I hear are eight shots ring out, go outside, and there’s a dead body just laying under the steps,” Jordan Hart said.

The residents in these neighborhoods hit hardest by the crime wave are ready for the city to step up.

“I honestly do not think the city is doing enough at all, period.” Hart said.

But only time will tell if anyone has the answers to make the streets of Big D feel safe again.

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