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Northwest Division Newsletter June 2024
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Commander Randy Molina has been with the Fort Worth Police Department since 2007 and is now assigned to the Northwest Division, where he was born and raised. As an officer, Molina worked in Northwest. As a detective, he served in the Property Crimes Unit and was the sole Animal Cruelty Investigator for the City of Fort Worth. Upon promotion to Sergeant, Molina returned to Northwest Division as a Patrol Supervisor and Neighborhood Patrol Supervisor. After promotion to Lieutenant, Molina went to the Backgrounds and Recruiting Unit at the Police Academy. After a year at the Academy, he served in North Division as a District Lieutenant.
“I'm happy to finally return home to the Northwest Division as its Commander,” Molina said. Commander Molina holds a Master Peace Officer license and a Police Instructor license from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
“As your new Commander, I am committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community,” Molina said. “I aim to foster a strong relationship between our department and the community, based on trust, transparency and mutual respect. Together, we will work towards creating a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone. I look forward to meeting you all and hearing your concerns and suggestions. I appreciate your support as we embark on this journey together.”
You're invited to give Commander Molina your input at our June 6 Community Forum.
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Kids are out of school. Days are longer. Warmer weather makes folks hot and bothered. There are many reasons crime generally goes up in summer. We especially need your help this time of year. If there’s a problem police need to respond to-- report it.
Call 911 to report a fire, traffic or medical emergency. But also call 911 to report suspicious activity as it’s happening. For example: someone pulling on car door handles and looking inside parked vehicles, an unfamiliar person entering a neighbor’s house when they’re not home or entering/leaving a business when it’s closed.
Call 817-392-4222, the police non-emergency number, to report a crime or incident that’s already happened. For example: vehicle break-in, theft, burglary, vandalism or suspected scam.
Call 817-392-1234 or use the MyFW app to report other issues to the City of Fort Worth. For example: traffic light out, damaged street sign, graffiti, pothole, high grass and weeds, illegal dumping, homeless camp, stray animal.
Reminder: Police do not monitor your Facebook comments and cannot see your Nextdoor posts. If there’s a problem police need to respond to—report it.
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In neighborhoods with an active Crime Watch, criminal activity has decreased and, in some cases, stopped altogether. Apartment complexes, businesses, schools and faith-based groups can participate in Crime Watch. If you’d like to get started, contact your Neighborhood Patrol Officer. Their phone numbers and emails are listed at the end of this newsletter. Or email Crime Prevention Specialist Dot Kent: dot.kent@fortworthtexas.gov
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Several HOAs, including Marine Creek Meadows (right) and Villages of Marine Creek reached out last month to start or re-energize their Neighborhood Crime Watch programs. We'd be happy to visit your next meeting to explain the benefits of Crime Watch and how it works.
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Thanks to District 7 Councilmember Macy Hill and her staff for reaching out to us when Parkview Hills HOA and nearby neighborhoods expressed concerns about recent crimes. After meeting with residents to hear concerns, officers set up traffic details to ticket speeders and drivers running stop signs in the neighborhood.
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Crime Watch is for Businesses, Too!
NPO Sergio Martinez met with TownePlace Suites Lake Worth General Manager Sophia Rodriquez and TGC Group Vice President Cameron Caine to discuss crime trends and prevention tips. Businesses that would like a safety survey of their property and suggestions for keeping employees and customers safe should contact their Neighborhood Patrol Officer.
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All businesses on NW 25th Street are invited to meet with police at noon Monday, June 10 to get the latest area crime stats, prepare for summer crime trends, learn what, when and how to report concerns. The meeting will be at Texas Forge Taekwondo, 1511 NW 25th St. Meet nearby business owners and managers, as well as Neighborhood Patrol Officers, to strengthen the area's Crime Watch program. The meeting will be in Spanish and English.
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On Saturday afternoon May 18, Northwest patrol officers responded to a 911 call about a child standing in the roadway. The caller said the 6-to-7-year old boy was non-verbal, possibly autistic, and apparently lost. Officers J. Gonzalez and J. Starrett began going door-to-door in search of the parents, while the caller posted a photo of the child on Facebook and Nextdoor to make neighbors aware. Northwest Division Code Blue member Tina Wallen saw the post and took the initiative to contact more Code Blue members. She and members Chris Williams and Josh Troup joined officers in canvassing the area. They were able to locate the child’s father! The boy was reunited safely with the rest of the family at their home. “It's a great example of how resourceful and vital our Code Blue program is to our department,” said Sgt. Sandra Baldivia. Officer Gonzalez added, “We always appreciate the help we receive from our Code Blue members, but, on this particular day, I want to give a special ‘Thank You’ to Tina for a job well done!”
If you’re interested in learning more about Code Blue and Citizens on Patrol, email coordinator Sandra Jones: Sandra.jones@fortworthtexas.gov
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It was all hands on deck for the last week of classes before summer vacation. Northwest Division officers were joined by Code Blue and Citizens on Patrol volunteers to show their presence on some 35 campuses. We’re happy to report there were no major end-of-year issues at schools in Northwest Division.
Left to right: NPO Velasquez and School Resource Officer Espinoza with students at North Side HS. Citizens on Patrol assist students at Marine Creek MS.
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Sports for Good Causes
Left to right: The 30th Annual Code Blue Charity Golf Tournament raised funds for the Citizens On Patrol program. Officers Cherry, Backlas, Kujawski and Lamb at the MedStar Annual Clay Shoot. Officers watched and played in the Police vs. Fire Battle of the Badges soccer match at Lake Country Christian School.
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The free My Fort Worth app is now available in Spanish! Please tell your Spanish-speaking family, friends and neighbors. For mobile users: Switch the MyFW app to Spanish by opening your device “Settings.” For iPhone, select “General.” For Android users, select “General Management.” Then choose Spanish as your preferred language. The update provides Spanish-speaking users with easy access to information about city services and a speedy way to report traffic, code and neighborhood concerns. Use the QR code below to download the MyFW app for your iPhone or Android device.
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The Fort Worth Police Department joined law enforcement agencies from around the nation during National Police Week in May to honor the sacrifice of those who have protected and served. Fort Worth officers traveled to Washington, D.C. to honor and be with the family of Sgt. Jon A. Jenson, a North Division officer who passed away in October. Jenson’s name was added to the memorial wall this year.
Northwest NPO Joshua Vanbrunt, far right, also participated in National Police Week events, performing with the department’s Pipes & Drums unit. The unit was awarded 3rd place in a good-natured competition among units nationwide.
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For NPO Lamb, “to protect and to serve” also means serving after-school snacks to kids at Providence Marine Creek Apartments. Resident Services Coordinator Roxana De Blanco and her husband (center) greet children every week as they get off school buses. She invited Northwest Police Division to share safety tips once a month. We’ve talked with kids about how to call 911, traffic safety and more while sharing crime prevention tips with parents, too.
Managers who'd like to plan a summer safety visit should contact their NPO or email crime prevention specialist Dot Kent dot.kent@fortworthtexas.gov
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Nearly every week, Fort Worth Police take reports of people being scammed when using PayPal, Venmo, Zelle and similar online platforms. Here are two typical ways scammers operate.
Selling goods that never arrive. You purchase a dryer or other large appliance posted on Facebook Marketplace (or similar) that requires scheduling a delivery. The scammer requires payment up front. You send money, but the goods are never delivered.
Renting property they don’t own. You see a rental property listed online and contact the “owner” to arrange a viewing. When the “owner” doesn’t show, you call or text and they give you a code to enter the property. You like what you see, accept the deal and arrange payment online. When you return for move-in, the property is locked or someone else has moved in because the person you sent money to doesn’t really own the property.
Tips to avoid a scam
-The safest way to purchase online is to pay with a credit card. It’s disputable, so you’re more likely to get your money back if something goes wrong.
-If you do pay with Zelle, PayPal, Venmo or similar platforms, understand their policies for business transactions. For example: scammers may instruct you to use PayPal’s Friends & Family function, which doesn’t have the same protections as the business function.
-Be wary of sellers or renters you never meet in person. That’s a red flag!
-Anyone can claim anything online and post generic photos. Purchase from reputable online retailers or from actual stores where you can see what you’re buying.
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If you don’t know your NPO’s name, visit OneAddress. Type in your street address, click search, then click the "+" sign in front of the word “Neighborhoods.” Your NPO’s name and number are listed.
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This newsletter is published by Northwest Police Division Crime Prevention Office. |
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