Fort Worth Police Department Strategic Plan
Workload Analysis section of the plan recommends an increase in the number of patrol officers to re-implement the concept, andmaintain a manageable supervisory span of control of 1 sergeant for every 7 officers. It also ensures officers spend 45% of their time responding to calls for service, and dedicate approximately 55% of their time on proactive activities (i.e., patrolling neighborhoods). This increase does not underestimate the proactive resources provided by Neighborhood Police Officers (NPOs), yet supports their efforts. Nor does it fail to factor, or recommend, a concurrent increase in the number of investigative, tactical, and administrative positions, who support citywide expectations, solve crimes, and help the police department achieve its mission. In addition to the need for increased staffing to provide optimal service to a growing city, it is also important to plan for future facility needs in specific and strategic geographic areas that project to expand each year through annexation and development. Call volumes and the demand for services are expected to increase exponentially as additional population swells, and development occurs. During the past decade, the northern portions of the city experienced rapid and extensive growth, which resulted in expanding the number of patrol divisions from five to six and necessitating the construction of a Sixth Patrol Division facility. In the next 5-7 years, the southern and western portions of Fort Worth project similar rates of urban sprawl. The FY17-FY21 Strategic Plan recommends acquiring land and constructing facilities in both areas and securing funding for other facility needs including the consolidation of similar uses to terminate high cost leases and improvements to existing facilities. Technological improvements also play a critical role in the ability of FWPD to provide quick responses to a growing city and emergent crime trends. Leveraging enhanced technology has the potential to revolutionize how FWPD engages in policing, by offering better information rapidly, which gives officers the ability to design their own plans to prevent or investigate crimes in their beats. In order to support current and future operational needs, technological improvements must be flexible, responsive, and adaptive to change. It will be critical for the FWPD to cultivate relationships with stakeholders and identify public/private partnership opportunities in support of future technological advancements. Expansion of the current infrastructure is necessary for the department to be prepared for the future. The FY17-FY21 Strategic Plan includes a Technology Development and Infrastructure Expansion section that prioritizes the technology and equipment needs for the next five years. The successful implementation of this plan will result in a strengthened relationship between FWPD and the community and the provision of targeted and effective services. A few of the aggressive outcomes of implementing the plan includes: reducing Fort Worth’s crime rate by up to 8% each year , reducing response times to under 9 minutes citywide , recruiting 5% more Code Blue Program volunteers annually , adding diversity to the department , financial and cultural commitment to the professional development of all staff, and reducing the department’s supervisory span of control . Over the next five years, the major priorities that require significant financial investment in the context of overall needs of the city includes adding 169 patrol officers, positioning for additional growth in the southern and western areas of Fort Worth, replacing the aging
Executive Summary
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