Texas has been ranked number two for human trafficking crimes in the country, with Dallas and Houston being the top two cities. More than 300,000 people are victims of human trafficking in Texas, including close to 79,000 minors and youth victims. Traffickers have exploited $600 million every year from labor and sex trafficking victims in Texas, and over $6 billion is spent providing lifetime care for victims and survivors. Sex trafficking in Dallas and the DFW area has been an ongoing issue since the Super Bowl in 2011 (big sporting events and gatherings are large hubs for sex traffickers); and WHEREAS, in an effort to create awareness and become proactive in eliminating human sex trafficking in Dallas County, different organizations and programs have created systems in which victims of this epideimic can be helped as well as offenders can be educated and effectively prosecuted; and WHEREAS, to include some of the local organizations that currently focus on combating this devastating epidemic are as follows: New Life Opportunities, Healthy Options for Personal Empowerment (H.O.P.E) Class, Solicitors, Traffickers, & Offenders of Prostitution (STOP) School, Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, Dallas County Sherriff’s Department, Dallas County Public Defenders Office, Dallas County STAR Court, Dallas County Health & Human Services, Dallas Police Department, City of Dallas Community Court Prostitution Diversion Initiative (PDI), Mosaic Family Services, New Friends New Life, Haven of Love, It’s Going To Be OK, Inc., Parkland Health & Hospital System and 24HourDallas.

UPDATE MAY 17, 2019 2:36 P.M.
The RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY for Northaven Trail scheduled for Saturday has been POSTPONED.

Due to the forecast of severe thunderstorms on Saturday morning, May 18, the ribbon-cutting for the Northaven Trail Phase 2B/2C has been postponed. Initially, the organizing committee had arranged for an inclement weather location at Harry C. Withers Elementary School, but ultimately decided against using it for the ribbon-cutting. We want to ensure all attendees’ safety, so rescheduling the event appeared to be the best option.

We have not selected an alternate date and time yet, but will send an update as soon as it has been chosen.

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Please join me this coming Saturday at 10:00 a.m. as we officially open the newest sections of the Northaven Trail in Northwest Dallas.

You will find below all the details of the ribbon cutting and the reception afterward, which will feature light refreshments.

This $5.7 million project creates a 3.3 mile multimodal trail connection in Northwest Dallas. A joint project between Dallas County and the City of Dallas, this is the first of several phases that will ultimately create a continuous trail from the east side of I-75 to the Elm Fork Soccer Complex on the west side of I-35.

Dallas County’s trail system is growing! Come enjoy our newest amenities!

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
• Saturday, May 18, 10:00 a.m. | Invitation
• Joe’s Creek Bridge, Rosser Road at Sleepy Lane | Location Map

To learn more, here is a fact sheet about the project.

In the event of inclement weather, the ribbon cutting ceremony will be rescheduled to a later date.

Dr. Elba Garcia
Dallas County Commissioner, District 4