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 FWPD West Division Newsletter
May 2026
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Texas Health at Clearfork Hosts Super Safety Saturday Fair
Despite the warm temperatures and high humidity, several families attended Texas Health’s Super Saturday Safety Fair. The Fort Worth Police Department West Division joined more than 30 agencies and community partners to provide valuable health and safety information to attendees. Neighborhood Police Officer Janzen (K17), King District NPO Sgt. Stary, and Deputy Chief Kenjura were on hand to greet visitors, share safety information, and answer questions related to child and personal safety.
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Learning and Inspiration: Vietnam Veteran and FWPD CIT Officers Visit Founders Classical Academy
On April 1, 2026, Vietnam War Dustoff (Medivac) Pilot Douglas Petersen visited Founders Classical Academy to share his experiences as a medical evacuation pilot. Mr. Petersen became a medivac pilot at just 20 years old and bravely flew numerous missions to rescue wounded service members during the war. Following his inspiring presentation, Sgt. Hopson, Cpl. Matheny, and Officers French and Branham from the FWPD CIT Unit introduced students to their K9 partners, Wookie and Echo. The students were delighted to learn that both dogs are trained emotional support companions who help comfort people experiencing anxiety or stress.
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West Fort Worth Rotary Club Hosts Presentation by West Division NPO and Crime Prevention Unit
West Division Lincoln District NPO Haddad (L13), Lincoln NPO Sergeant Owen, Overton South COP Captain Vicki Coss, and Crime Prevention Specialist Steve Mitsuhashi attended the West Fort Worth Rotary Club’s bi-monthly meeting to discuss scams and fraud prevention. CPS Mitsuhashi delivered a presentation titled “The Top 10 Scams and the Red Flags to Identify Them,” providing valuable insights into common fraud schemes and how to recognize them. Following the presentation, attendees engaged in a question-and-answer session covering crime prevention strategies and law enforcement topics.
West Division Officers Certified to Help Families with Child Safety Seat Installations
Officers Alshouse and Southern recently completed a four-day National Child Safety Seat Installation Certification course, joining the effort to keep Fort Worth’s youngest passengers safe. With their new certifications, they can help families choose the right car seat for each child and ensure it’s installed correctly. They join Officers Musquiz and Snyder—who earned their certifications last year—as the only West Division officers specially trained to assist families with child safety seat installations.
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Jefferson Ridglea Village Hosts Grand Opening
On April 16, 2026, Jefferson Ridglea Village marked its grand opening with lively festivities featuring a spirited performance by a Mariachi Band. The event drew support from numerous local businesses and a nearby church, all gathered to extend a warm welcome to prospective residents. Neighborhood Patrol Officer Kuzenka (L12) and Crime Prevention Specialist Mitsuhashi were also in attendance, sharing crime prevention tips and answering community questions.
Origin Bank Host Hometown Heroes
On April 23, 2026, Origin Bank proudly hosted its third annual Hometown Heroes event, honoring first responders from across the community. Guests enjoyed a delicious lunch and had the chance to win a variety of exciting door prizes, making it a fun and memorable afternoon for all who attended.
Fort Worth Country Day School Hosts Bike to School Day
Fort Worth Country Day students took part in a strong show of community partnership, joined by the TCU Triathlon Team, the Fort Worth Fire Department Bike Team, FWPD Sgt. Reinhardt, West Division NPOs Janzen and Vasquez, Central Bike Unit Officer Sylva, and TCU’s SuperFrog. Together, participants rode from the bike bus on Overton Park Drive West, traveling along the Trinity Trails to the school, highlighting collaboration between local schools, public safety agencies, and community organizations.
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Education
Evergreen at Hulen Bend
On April 9, 2026, residents of Evergreen at Hulen Bend participated in the community’s second monthly Crime Prevention presentation, focusing on the topic “Scams Affecting Senior Citizens and How to Avoid Them.” In addition to the presentation, representatives from Guardianship Services of Tarrant County discussed the free support and resources their organization offers to local residents. Following the presentations, attendees were encouraged to ask questions and share personal experiences related to scams or fraudulent activities.
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Ridgmar Place "Lunch & Learn"
On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, residents gathered for the third installment of the Lunch and Learn series focused on scams and fraud prevention. This month’s session highlighted how to recognize and avoid telephone scams. Attendees gained valuable insight into common scam tactics, warning signs to watch for, and practical steps to protect themselves from becoming victims.
Representatives from Guardianship Services, Inc. also attended the session to share information about the free services they offer to residents of Tarrant County, providing additional resources and support for the community.
New Detective Joins WCIU
The West Division Criminal Investigations Unit is pleased to introduce its newest member, Big Tuna, who has joined forces with his handler, Detective Dugan. Together, they form an effective partnership dedicated to supporting the Division’s efforts to reduce crime and enhance community safety. While his human counterparts focus on investigations and casework, Big Tuna contributes his enthusiasm—and gladly accepts compensation in the form of treats, attention, and playtime.
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Community Partnership Helps West Division NPOs Address Vehicle Break-Ins
Local hotels and multi-family housing communities are partnering with West Division Neighborhood Patrol Officers to help prevent vehicle break-ins. One effective strategy has been the use of visible signage that reminds residents and visitors to lock their vehicles, take their keys, and remove or conceal valuables—simple steps highlighted in the photos below that can make a big difference.
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Crime Prevention Tip of the Month
Secure Firearm Storage: A Responsibility That Saves Lives
Responsible firearm ownership includes more than knowing how to handle a gun—it means storing it safely to protect everyone in your household and community. Secure storage helps prevent theft, accidents, and unauthorized access, especially by children or individuals in crisis.
Safe Storage at Home
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Lock It Up: Keep firearms unloaded and locked in a gun safe, lockbox, or with a cable lock when not in use. Store ammunition separately.
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Keep Keys Secure: Only authorized adults should know where keys or combinations are kept. Never leave them accessible or written down in obvious places.
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Use Quick-Access Safes: For those who keep firearms for personal defense, consider safes designed for rapid access by authorized users while maintaining strong security.
Vehicle Storage Tips
Firearms should not remain unattended in vehicles, but if temporary storage is necessary:
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Use Vehicle Lockboxes: Install a secured lockbox or safe that attaches to your vehicle’s frame.
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Cover It Up: Keep firearms out of sight to avoid drawing attention from potential thieves.
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Park Smart: Lock your vehicle and park in well-lit, visible areas.
Why It Matters
Theft from vehicles continues to be a major source of stolen firearms nationwide. A stolen gun can quickly end up in a crime, making safe storage a simple but critical step in preventing violence and ensuring community safety.
Many local police departments and community partners offer free gun locks or safety kits. Check with your local Neighborhood Police Officer (NPO) or community center for upcoming safety events and resources.
Together, we can reduce preventable tragedies and keep Fort Worth neighborhoods safe.
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Scam Alerts
You might be interested in making money through investments. Who isn’t? So offers that promise big returns might draw your attention…and scammers know this. They use those promises and clever schemes to lure you in and, unfortunately, people are losing big money on investment scams. In fact, FTC data shows reports of more than $7.9 billion in losses to investment scams, with a median individual loss of more than $10,000 in 2025. Do you know how to spot and avoid investment scams?
Scammers might reach you through social media, WhatsApp, or through online ads, promising you’ll make a lot of money quickly. These messages might also come from a friend or love interest offering you “coaching” to learn how to make a fortune in stocks, forex, or cryptocurrency. After you invest, they’ll often say your investments are doing well, maybe even showing fake “proof” that you’re making money. The reality? The investment isn’t real and you end up losing all your money.
To avoid an investment scam:
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Remember that investments always involve risk. If anyone plays down the risk of an investment or acts like risk disclosures are just a formality you don’t need to worry about, keep your money. Those are scammers who want you to think their opportunity is risk-free when it’s not.
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Check out the reputation of the investment company, its officials, and its promoters. Search online with their name plus words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” Go through several pages of search results.
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Check for licenses and registrations. Many investment scams start with unlicensed people or unregistered firms, so use the free search tool on Investor.gov to check out anyone recommending or selling investments. For investments in precious metals or coins, check out the CFTC database.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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NPO Roster
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Community News
LVT Rise Community Center
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Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)
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