FWPD West Division Newsletter

June 2025

FWFD Swift Water Rescue Team visits Founders Classical Academy

The Swift Water Rescue Team from Station 32, including Lt. Latham and firefighters Cothran, Lane, and Huerta Silva, visited Founders Classical Academy on May 7, 2025. With summer approaching, their presentation emphasized the importance of water safety. Following their talk, the team showcased some of their rescue equipment and invited students to explore the inside of the fire truck's cab.

Students Meet Local Heroes at Rolling Hills Elementary Career Day

Approximately 260 students from kindergarten through fourth grade at Rolling Hills Elementary took part in the school’s annual Career Days event. First responders from the Benbrook Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, and the Fort Worth Police Department engaged with students, sharing insights about their roles in the community. Representing the FWPD were NPO McEwan (L16) and members of the Mounted Patrol. The event also featured McGruff the Crime Dog and his handler Mona, who met with both students and faculty.

Beat Happenings

West Division Officers Inspire Young Students at Primrose School

On May 15, 2025, NPO Vasquez (K19) and Officer Alshouse dedicated part of their afternoon to reading with children ages 3 to 5 at Primrose School. Officer Alshouse shared a story about the important role police officers play in the community. After storytime, the children enjoyed receiving junior police badge stickers and coloring sheets, along with crayons to spark their creativity.

Target Overton Ridge Hosts First-Ever Coffee with a Cop Event

Members of Target’s Asset Protection Team hosted their first-ever Coffee with a Cop event on May 1, 2025. Neighborhood Patrol Officers Janzen (K17) and Vasquez (K19) joined the gathering, spending time connecting with both customers and the Asset Protection Team. Attendees enjoyed coffee, juice, and pastries while engaging in conversations with the officers about topics that mattered most to them. The event provided a welcoming space for open dialogue and strengthened relationships between law enforcement, Target staff, and the community

Building Bridges: Law Enforcement and Pathfinders Foster Community Engagement at Rockwood Go-Karts & Mini-Golf

Pathfinders, a reentry program that supports individuals returning to the community after incarceration, recently spent an afternoon with Lincoln District NPO Sgt. Owen, NPO Janzen (K17), and NPO Park (L15). Together, they enjoyed activities such as Go-Kart racing and a round of Mini-Golf. These quarterly gatherings are designed to foster and strengthen relationships between Pathfinders participants and law enforcement, promoting positive engagement and community reintegration

Scam Alert!

BBB Scam Alert: Top tricks used to scam older adults

No matter your age, no one is immune to scams. In the most recent BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report, investment/cryptocurrency scams continued to be one of the riskiest scams for ages 55+. Online purchase scams were the second riskiest for consumers 55-64, along with romance scams for consumers 65+. The third riskiest for both groups were home improvement scams. Regardless of the type of scam, BBB recommends the following precautions to avoid becoming a victim.

What are the tips to spot a potential scam targeting older adults?

Watch out for phone fraud. The Federal Trade Commission reports that fraudulent telemarketers often direct their calls to older adults. Scammers will claim to be with a government agent or pose as a bank employee. They may sound friendly and courteous or aggressive and threatening. They may even have a caller ID to match their claims.

However, caller IDs can be easily spoofed and government agencies DON’T make unsolicited calls. It is vital to cultivate a healthy distrust for unsolicited callers and avoid sharing personal information. Never feel pressured to act. When in doubt, hang up the phone and call the official source to verify unexpected or unusual claims. You can also reduce the number of unsolicited calls by registering your phone number with the National Do-Not-Call registry at 1-888-382-1222 or Donotcall.gov.

Know the red flags. Most scammers use common tactics to get your money or personal information. Keep an eye out for the following too-good-to-be-true claims:

• “Free,” “low cost,” or “buy one, get one” deal

• Request for unusual payment types (i.e. prepaid debit cards or wired funds)

• Claims that you only pay postage or administrative fees

• Pressure to act now and/or aggressive tones

• Deals that must be secured with a credit card or bank account information

• Sure-fire investment opportunities

• Charities that send 100% of your donation directly to the victims

Only hire trustworthy, licensed contractors. Older adults often need extra help around the house and may hire someone to complete a renovation project and landscape work. However, never hire someone who just shows up at the door and don’t let them in or around your home for an inspection. Instead, if you need repair work, use BBB.org to search for accredited businesses and ask friends and family for recommendations. Then, research the companies, keeping a close eye on past reviews or complaints. Always make sure the contractor or company is properly licensed and never pay in full upfront. Read BBB's tips on hiring a contractor. 

Strange phone call? Might be an emergency scam: Older adults can be susceptible to emergency scams and other ploys because they aren’t familiar with the information about themselves and their families available online. This trick begins with a phone call from someone posing as a grandchild, niece or nephew, or other young family member. Scammers research victims using social media and often know family names, travel plans, and other details. The phony grandchild will claim to be out of town and in an emergency situation – anything from a car accident to wrongful arrest. The scam artist will urge you to send money ASAP and not tell Mom or Dad. Read more about emergency scams.

Watch out for Medicare fraud: Here is one scam typically directed towards older Americans: free medical equipment. Medicare fraud has cost the American public more than $6 billion, and a large part of that is fraud around “durable medical equipment,” such as knee braces or walkers. By making repeated calls, scammers badger Medicare recipients into taking “free” medical equipment. Then, they bill Medicare for it.  By law, no one is allowed to make unsolicited calls to consumers about durable medical equipment. If you get such a call, just hang up.

Beware of government impostors: Similar to to Medicare fraud, older adults are susceptible to bad actors pretending to be from various government agencies, such as the IRS, the Social Security Administration, and even Veterans Affairs. They typically claim the victim owes money or is in danger of losing benefits unless they provide sensitive information or make immediate payments, often through suspicious methods like gift cards or wire transfers. Read more about government impostor scams. 

Do your research before making an investment: Investment cons often target older adults because of their greater financial resources. They frequently prey on longstanding group connections – such as through a religious organization or an ethnic group – where members trust each other. Even if you are a savvy investor, you can still fall victim to this scam. Con artists are masters of persuasion, and they often learn the weaknesses of their targets and tailor their pitches accordingly. Read more about investment cons.

Think before you click. Older adult may be less comfortable with technology making them more vulnerable to phishing schemes, fake tech support and hacking.  Links found in unsolicited emails or messages on social media can be especially dangerous. They may look like they lead to an official website, but they will download malware onto your computer that gives scammers access to your sensitive information. Protect yourself by only clicking on links that come from people you know and trust and by keeping your antivirus software up to date. Read more about tech support scams. 

Be on guard for “sweetheart” swindles. Older adults who are widowed or divorced are frequent targets of romance scams. If you meet someone online who shows romantic interest in you, don’t be too quick to trust them. These scams can often take months to develop to the point where money changes hands. Con artists create compelling backstories, and full-fledged identities, then trick you into falling for someone who doesn’t even exist.  A common romance scam involves charming the victim and then asking for money for medical expenses, family concerns, or other reasons that pull at the heartstrings. Once the con artist receives the funds, they disappear for good.  Read more about romance scams.

Reach out to someone you trust. Scammers want victims to feel isolated. Don’t hesitate to contact a friend, family member, or organization you trust for advice. A second opinion can greatly reduce your risk. Read more about phishing scams. 

Take time to research your purchases. Scammers often make unsolicited offers to older adults for medical supplies, anti-aging products, and vitamins and supplements. They might contact you over the phone, as a door-to-door salesperson, or via online messages. They make incredible offers with the goal of getting their hands on your personal information or money. Before you agree to purchase the next miracle product that comes your way, take a few minutes to research the company to make sure its products and offers are legitimate. Read about free trial offer scams.

Guard your personal information carefully.  Never share your personal information with a stranger on the phone, in an email, on a social media network, or otherwise. Keep careful records of your transactions by reviewing your bank and credit card statements regularly. Check them for accuracy and then shred any documents that include personal information before throwing them away.  Read more about data privacy. 

What are NPO's?

By having the Neighborhood Patrol Officers dedicated to specific geographic areas, the officers are not only able to become more familiar with the area than regular patrol officers, but they are also able to serve as a resource for and get to know area residents and business owners, learn about neighborhood concerns, and build working relationships with area Citizen on Patrol volunteers to work hand-in-hand in reducing neighborhood crime and promoting crime prevention tools. 

Primary Duties: 

• Work with crime analysts to identify crime trends within assigned neighborhoods, maintain open lines of communication with detectives, and assist the Information Management Section and supervisors in planning appropriate actions to address issues. 

• Foster positive community leadership as a means to empower citizens within their neighborhoods by encouraging involvement in Citizens on Patrol, Citizen Police Academy, and Crime Watch to work collaboratively to reduce crime and promote crime prevention tools. 

• Maintain open lines of communication between residents, business owners and the police department by attending community meetings and events, including neighborhood association and other community meetings. 

• Recruit Citizen on Patrol volunteers, schedule them for training, and provide on-going training and correspondence to encourage and retain active memberships. 

Enter your address on http://oneaddress.fortworthtexas.gov/ You will find your BEAT and NPO assigned as well as your nearest City Facilities, Services, and Crime Data. 

211 Texas

Connecting People and Services

No matter where you live in Texas, you can dial 2-1-1, or (877) 541-7905, and find information about resources in your local community. Whether you need help finding food or housing, child care, crisis counseling or substance abuse treatment, one number is all you need to know.

New NPO joins West Division Austen Cole has joined West Division as an NPO and will be assigned to beat King 18.  Prior to becoming an NPO, Officer Cole was an officer assigned to West 7th Street. In his most recent assignment NPO Cole served as a School Resource Officer.  Former K18 NPO Jason Back has been assigned as the NPO for beat King 11.

NPO Roster

Community News

Las Vegas Trail Rise Community Center

Fort Worth Police and Community Unite for Field Days Celebration

On May 17, 2025, residents of the Las Vegas Trail community gathered at the LVT Rise Community Center, braving the heat and humidity to celebrate the end of the school year and the start of summer with their annual field day events. West Division's Commander Heise, along with Lincoln NPO Sergeant Owen, NPO Park (L15), NPO Grinalds (L16), Officers Alshouse, Loud, and Rider, as well as Officers Darty and Yancey from the Community Engagement Unit, joined in the fun competing alongside children in activities like the balloon toss, three-legged race, hula hoop relay, ice cream cone relay and sack races. Attendees also enjoyed face painting, refreshing ice-cold watermelon, and hot dogs throughout the afternoon.