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March 2025
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Cable theft— including theft of video, internet and telephone cables—"is impacting everyone in the city,” Northwest Division Sgt. Anthony White told Fort Worth City Council last month. Thieves are cutting large communications cables and selling the copper wire that’s inside. The metal wire doesn’t bring much per pound, but the crime wreaks havoc on vital communications. “Hospitals, neighborhoods, businesses—everyone” is harmed by these thefts, said Sgt. White.
Police are asking the public to help them catch cable thieves. If you see someone climbing a utility pole and cutting wire, call 911. If you see large sections of black cable in a truck bed, call 911. If you see piles of copper wire that’s been burned to remove plastic casings, call 911. Police have made several arrests but believe they’re just the tip of the iceberg.
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Warrant / failure to show in court. You get a voicemail, supposedly from the Tarrant County Sheriff’s office, that says “I’m looking for your name. This is not an emergency but an urgent legal matter. Please call my division line station 817-xxx-xxxx.” When you call back, they say you failed to show up for court as a witness and have citations for failure to appear and contempt of court. You’re instructed to go to your bank, then to a bail bond machine at a local gas station. Someone in Northwest Fort Worth lost more than $21,000 before realizing it’s a scam.
Notice of toll evasion. You get a text saying you have an unpaid toll bill on your account. To avoid late fees, pay within 12 hours or late fees will be increased and reported to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). The rest of the text contains odd instructions that are a big red flag: “Please reply Y, then exit the text message and open it again to activate the link, or copy the link to your Safari browser and open it. The Toll Roads team wishes you a great day!” The State of Texas confirms this is a scam.
Remember: calling the source directly-- in this case Tarrant County or Texas Toll Tag-- would have confirmed these are scams.
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Check Out New FWPD Website
The Fort Worth Police Department launched a new website last month, with fresh photos and easy-to-find buttons for filing a police report, applying for jobs and searching police reports. You’ll also find news releases about recent investigations. Be sure and bookmark the new link.
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Save the Date for Family Fun: Saturday, April 5
Mark your calendar now for our annual Northwest Police Division community celebration! This year we’re partnering with North Tri-Ethnic Community Center to bring you a Spring Egg-Stravaganza! Plan to spend the day with us hunting eggs, taking pictures with the Easter Bunny, playing games for prizes, eating pizza, peeking inside police and emergency vehicles and checking out cool lowrider cars. Meet your neighborhood police officers and visit with more than 20 exhibitors with info and services to benefit you and your family. We can’t wait! See you 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at 2950 Roosevelt Ave.
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Spring Break Child Care
Need a safe place for your child during spring break from school? Your local community center has a solution: Spring Break Camp. Camp hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 10-14, for children ages 5-13. Parents may select which days to register their child. City of Fort Worth community centers offer a variety of fun recreational, educational and cultural programs. Parents are encouraged to send a lunch with their child each day. Early registration is $15 per day which includes a free membership. Registration is required and can be paid by credit card or electronic check. To learn more, contact a local community center.
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NPO Ralph Salazar (center) was named one of two 2024 Neighborhood Patrol Officers of the Year at the Mayor’s Neighborhood Awards Luncheon on March 1. Three Northwest Division NPOs were among eight nominated citywide. NPO Oscar Moncada (left) was nominated by Northside Neighborhood Association; Salazar was nominated by Fort Worth Stockyards Inc. and NPO Kirk Massey (right) was nominated by Far Greater Northside Historical NA. Salazar shares the top award with NPO Percy Holland of South Division. It's the first time the award has gone to two officers in the same year.
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It started with a few safety instructions at Northside Community Center and ended three miles later with lots of smiles at Rufino Mendoza Elementary School. Despite cold weather Feb. 15, our first ever Kidical Mass family bike ride was awesome! This organized bicycle ride was an opportunity for children to practice riding on public streets and cycling paths in a family friendly atmosphere. Our Northwest Division NPOs, patrol officers and Stockyards Bike Unit members rode along to help keep things safe. Participants learned rules of the road and how to stay aware and safe in traffic. The monthly ride will move to other community centers to give all Fort Worth families a chance to participate.
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Artes Academy
NPO Ralph Salazar helped welcome kids to Artes Academy parent orientation night at Artes de la Rosa. Artes Academy is a three-month program each spring and fall for children in grades 3-12. The program offers classes in everything from dance and theater to painting and digital art, while building students’ social skills and confidence. For more information, email artes.academy@artesdelarosa.org or call 817-624-8333.
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Showing up for Nathan
Patrol officer Rachel Warren and staff member Nadia Licón delivered a goody bag last month to Nathan, a 10-year-old Northside boy who’s fighting cancer. Northwest police were honored to play a small part in the big community celebration for Nathan at Marine Park.
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Red Cross Ready to Serve
American Red Cross Community Program Manager David Burke and Executive Director Adolph Aguirre joined Officers Zenteno, Briseño and Moncada, as well as Sgt. Josh Bohlin at Casa Azul Coffee for a meaningful conversation on understanding and addressing needs of the Northside community. Officers Zenteno and Briseño grew up in the neighborhood and Officer Moncada is the Neighborhood Patrol Officer.
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Lake Country HOA
We thank Lake Country HOA for inviting us to their 2025 annual meeting. We always appreciate being able to share crime trends, news of the latest scams and just meet residents face-to-face. If your group has an upcoming annual or quarterly meeting, please contact your NPO or Crime Prevention Specialist Dot Kent.
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Camila Turns Three
Officers and firefighters wished three-year-old Camila a belated birthday in front of her house in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood. Northwest Officer Pam Rodriguez and firefighters from Fire Station 25 were among those who answered a call two years ago, when Camila was seriously injured by an off-leash dog. After multiple surgeries, the little girl is doing well, still loves pink and wants to be a ballerina!
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Rodeo: It’s a Wrap
The 2025 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is history, but not before NPO Salazar rode in the grand entry parade as part of Military and First Responders Appreciation Day. This year's 23-day event drew 1.26 million visitors from all over the world, many of them also making a visit to the Fort Worth Stockyards while in town. Mark your calendars for January 16 through February 7 next year, and we'll see you there!
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Hot Chocolate Cookies With a Cop
When the weather went from the 30s to the 70s, Sabine Place Apartments traded Hot Chocolate with a Cop for Cookies with a Cop. Officers enjoyed meeting kids after school and talking with them about all the gear they carry. We also enjoyed sharing info with parents and grandparents about what, when and how to call police when needed.
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After School Program
Students in the after-school program at The Reserve at Quebec apartments learned that women can be officers, too! Officer Pam Rodriguez (far right) handed out information and answered teens’ questions at our February monthly visit.
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Message for Kids
At Mercantile Square apartments we talked about how to stay safe around strangers. Children in Miss Loren’s after-school program decoded the safety rule: "I will always check first with my parent, guardian or other trusted adult before going anywhere or helping anyone!"
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New Assignments
We welcome two new lieutenants to Northwest Division. Lt. John Donaldson has been a police officer for 33 years—30 of those years with the Fort Worth Police Department. He says police work runs in the family. “My uncle was a motor sergeant in FWPD in the 1950s and 60s. There is a black-and-white photo of him in the academy lobby standing with other FWPD in front of Will Rogers.” Lt. Luis Medrano has been with Fort Worth Police since 1999. Both lieutenants previously served in the Force Analysis section, which tracks and analyzes the department’s use of force.
Heart Month Workout
Northwest Division officers sweated it out during a February Heart Month workout that was dedicated to one of our own. Officer L. Wolfe led officers in a challenging workout in honor of Officer Robert Guerrero, who died of heart disease in 2023. The event is an annual reminder of the importance of exercise for a healthy heart.
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Our Northwest Citizens on Patrol (COPs) keep an eye out for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods, assist officers with back-to-school patrols, attend community events and are always learning something new. If you’d like to know more about this dedicated group of volunteers, contact COP Coordinator Sandra Jones-Hunley and read on about February COP activities.
Human Trafficking
Unbound Now is a national nonprofit that works to identify and protect vulnerable people who fall victim to human trafficking. Fort Worth outreach and training program director Paola Chavez spoke to COPs last month about recognizing signs of human trafficking and services the agency offers.
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Hockey Fundraiser
Citizens on Patrol turned out in force to help with merch sales at a benefit hockey game last month. Fort Worth Panthers Police Hockey Team played a match honoring the life of Sgt. Billy Randolph to raise funds for his family. We thank all who took part and attended.
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Don’t Miss March 6 Grant Training
The city’s Crime Control and Prevention District (CCPD) has funding available for non-profit programs that help improve safety and reduce crime. Examples include after-school programs that keep kids engaged and out of trouble, gang intervention or risk reduction, victims’ services and more. Agencies must apply, but a free training will show you how to submit a strong application. Trainings are held just once a quarter. The next one is March 6 and will be virtual. To register, please complete the form or visit the CCPD webpage for more information.
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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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