Three years after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas hosted a law enforcement town hall at Levine Academy. Police chiefs from Dallas, Richardson, Grand Prairie and Plano took questions on safety and security, and according to the American Jewish Committee, this is the first year all living or deceased hostages have returned home.

Attendees described the security presence inside and outside the building as visible and reassuring. Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux told the room his department is tracking everything possible to keep people safe, and department leaders emphasized intelligence sharing and collaboration between agencies. One attendee, Scott Butnick, summed it up watching the officers on site, saying they were not messing around.

The town hall echoed a similar gathering after the 2022 hostage standoff at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, an event that changed how North Texas law enforcement approaches protection at houses of worship. For communities across Ellis County and the southern metroplex, that same coordination now shows up at churches, temples and school campuses. Where are you seeing it in your neighborhood?