November election ahead for the 5-year renewal of Fort Worth’s Crime Control and Prevention District

For Immediate Release Oct. 1, 2009

Media Contact:
Jason Lamers
817-392-6248

Fort Worth’s crime rate has been reduced 32 percent since the Crime Control and Prevention District's (CCPD) passage in 1995. Popular CCPD-funded programs include Neighborhood Patrol Officers, Citizens on Patrol and School Security Police Officers.

In less than five weeks, citizens will be asked to decide the fate of Fort Worth’s Crime Control and Prevention District (CCPD) for another five years. The renewal election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2009. Early voting begins Oct. 19.

To better inform residents about the CCPD and how it affects their neighborhood, a series of six community meetings will be held in October presented by the Crime Control District Board, the Fort Worth City Council and the Fort Worth Police Department. The first CCPD community meeting will be at 6 p.m. tonight at the TCC Opportunity Building in East Fort Worth.

After experiencing the highest crime rate for a major city in the United States, Fort Worth voters went to the polls in 1995 and became the first city in Texas to create a sales-tax-funded Crime Control and Prevention District. Today, Fort Worth is recognized as one of the safest large cities in the nation.

The first CCPD election passed with 58 percent of the vote and was renewed in 2000 with 79 percent voter support and again in 2005 with 90 percent voter approval.

According to Police Chief Jeff Halstead, “Since CCPD’s inception, Fort Worth has reduced its Part 1 crime rate by 32 percent.” Halstead also noted that part of the CCPD’s sales tax revenue comes from those who don’t live in Fort Worth, but who visit, shop, or work in the city.

In fiscal year 2009, the CCPD raised more than $50 million—which was all administered through the Fort Worth Police Department supporting countless public safety initiatives across the city such as the very popular citizen participation Code Blue programs like “Citizens on Patrol” and neighborhood policing provided by the city’s “Neighborhood Patrol Officer” program.

The CCPD also partially funds school security police officers for middle schools and high schools in the seven public school districts that overlap Fort Worth (Crowley ISD, Eagle Mountain/Saginaw ISD, Everman ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Keller ISD, Lake Worth ISD and Northwest ISD).

"It’s our goal to become the safest major city in the United States,” said Mayor Mike Moncrief. “I’m talking about safe neighborhoods, safe schools and a police department equipped and trained with the latest technologies to stay one step ahead of criminals. This is a very important election, and we encourage residents to take the time to vote.”

The following is a brief listing of some of the initiatives, staff and equipment supported with Crime Control and Prevention District funds:

Fighting neighborhood crime:

• Neighborhood Patrol Officers assigned to Neighborhood Policing Districts
• Police Storefronts to provide a neighborhood presence
• Citizens on Patrol, Clergy and Police Alliance and Ministers Against Crime programs
• Parks community policing

Reducing violent crimes and gang activity:

• Zero Tolerance teams, providing faster response to changing crime trends and more drug investigations
• Additional officers to support short-term crime prevention saturation operations
• Specialized Gang & Narcotics police units
• Gang graffiti abatement
• Comin’ Up program

Protecting and nurturing youth:

• After-school programs
• Partnerships with Safe Haven and the Boys and Girls Club
• School security initiative, including police officers in middle schools and high schools

Improving response and enforcement through better equipment and training:

• Comprehensive and state-of-the-art police recruit training
• High-mileage police patrol car replacements
• Special Operations Division police cars
• Technology infrastructure, including mobile data computers for police cars
• Police helicopter
• Video cameras in marked police patrol cars
• Police Crime Lab

The CCPD is governed by a nine-member board of directors that is appointed by the City Council. The board members are responsible for establishing the annual budget, setting policies, overseeing expenditures and evaluating programs funded by the district. CCPD budgets must also be approved by the Fort Worth City Council and are administered by the Fort Worth Police Department.

For more information about the CCPD and related announcements, visit: FortWorthPD.com/CCPD. Additionally, residents interested in learning more about the CCPD and how it affects their neighborhood are encouraged to attend any of the several public meetings scheduled through the month of October.

Oct. 1, 6 p.m. – District 5: TCC Opportunity Center, Building A, Room 1330, 5901 Fitzhugh Ave.

Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m. – District 6: Christ church, Student Ministry Center (new building, east side of property), 5301 Alta Mesa Blvd.

Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m. – District 7: Arlington Heights United Methodist Church, 4200 Camp Bowie Blvd.

Oct. 21, 6 p.m. – Districts 8 and 9: JPS Skills Lab, third floor, Outpatient Building, 1500 S. Main St. (Tell parking attendant you are there for a town hall meeting, and parking will be free.)

Oct. 22, 7 p.m. – District 4: Pantego Bible Church, 8001 Anderson Blvd.

Oct. 29, 7 p.m. – District 2: North Fort Worth Women's Club, 1522 Rockwood Lane

Posted by Timothy Tune at 10/01/2009 11:52:45 AM