Kids are out of school. Economic times are tough for many. Warmer weather makes folks hot and bothered. There are many reasons crime generally goes up in summer. Here’s a sample of recent police reports in Northwest Fort Worth:

- Multiple thefts from motor vehicles that were not locked. Stolen items included handguns, semi-automatic rifles, a wallet, credit cards, debit cards, a Social Security card.

- Thefts of toolboxes, tools, a generator, ice chests from pickup and work trucks.

- Theft of parts and license plates from multiple vehicles.

- Package thefts from front porches.

Which of the above could have been prevented? Almost all of them! Preventing crime begins with you. Here are reminders for keeping you and your belongings safe.

Hide, Lock, Take: When parking, always remove your things or hide them in the trunk so they’re not visible to potential thieves. Lock your vehicle every time and take your keys. Many motor vehicles burglaries in Fort Worth happen because someone left items on the seat or console and didn’t lock up.

Garage doors: Whether you’re doing yard work or just venting heat from your home—don’t leave garage doors wide open and unattended. It’s an invitation to thieves. At the very least, close garage doors to within a foot or two of the floor, so thieves can’t see in or easily slip in.

Yard equipment: Lawnmowers and tools left in the yard or on a service truck are easy to steal. Keep lawn tools out of sight or locked up when you’re not using them. The same goes for children’s outdoor toys.

Summer vacations: Don’t post your vacay plans on social media—until you get back. Use inexpensive timers on lamps to make your home look lived in while you’re away. And either stop mail delivery or ask a trusted neighbor to collect it for you.

Package thefts: Track your packages and retrieve them a.s.a.p. 

Gun safety: Never leave a gun in your vehicle.

The City of Fort Worth launched a citywide illegal gunfire campaign with a news conference last month. The campaign focuses on firearm safety, responsible gun ownership and reducing illegal gunfire across the community. The initiative educates about the dangers of reckless gun use, urges all residents to report gunshots and reminds gun owners to practice firearm safety.

To watch the news conference, visit: Illegal Gunfire Education Campaign Press Conference | City of Fort Worth

Download flyers and social media graphics to share with your family, neighborhood association, faith group and at community events.

Get free gun locks Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at our Northwest Police Division office, 4651 N. Main St.

What we hear:

“I called 911 to report gunfire, but police didn’t do anything.”

What we want you to know:

When you call 911 because you hear gunshots, it helps—but we may not be able to pinpoint exactly where shots are coming from.  When you and your neighbors report the sound of gunfire, it helps more. Multiple reports help police focus the search on a few blocks, instead of an entire neighborhood, for example. Even if gunshots stop before we can make an arrest, your reports help us know when and where gunshots may occur in the future. And that lets us know when and where to increase patrols. Please call 911 to report gunfire—every time.

Walls & Windows

Councilmembers Carlos Flores and Macy Hill joined Commander Randy Molina last month to check progress on our new headquarters under construction at 3900 Angle Ave. Stone and brick are complete on the building’s exterior, and windows were being installed. 

Steel & Aluminum

While the building takes shape, artist Adam Buente has been working on History and Horizon, the public art piece specifically designed for the site with both police and public input. At left, cut pieces of Cor-Ten steel for the base structure were being assembled in the artist’s studio. Multi-color aluminum sculptural elements will be painted closer to installation time.

Scams often start with a text, call or social media message. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says scammers are contacting by text more than any other way. The texts often pretend to be a business or the  government, such as fake notices about package deliveries, loan applications or unpaid tolls. Scam texts may say “you’ve won a prize” or “you need to move your money to protect it.”

The highest reported losses last year  involved social media scammers, pushing things like fake job offers and investment opportunities — which sometimes started with a romantic connection. If you get an unexpected text, call or social media message, know that it could be a scam to steal your money or personal info.

- Report and delete unwanted texts. Use your phone’s “report junk” option or forward unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM). Then delete the message.

- Report unwanted calls. If you’ve lost money in a phone scam or have information about the scammer who called you, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

- Spot scammers on social media. If you get a job offer on social media or get promised “guaranteed” returns on investments, stop and check it out before giving any personal information or money.

Juneteenth Celebrations Plans

Neighborhood Patrol Officer (NPO) Dustin Lamb (in the foreground) listened as NPO Kirk Massey gave the monthly crime report at Far Greater Northside Historical Neighborhood Association’s monthly meeting. The group is planning its Juneteenth Celebration and will have two days of activities this year, June 19 and 20. If your group is interested in sponsoring, assisting or volunteering for the event, please email association president Sharon Warren. See Juneteenth activity details later in this newsletter.

Zumba on Cinco

We had a blast at Diamond Hill Community Center's Cinco de Mayo Zumba Fest. NPO Jennifer Starratt got in on the community Zumba demonstration, led by certified instructor Michael Williams. The center has both high-energy and low-impact classes set to music. Sign up online, drop by the center at 1700 NE 37th St. or call 817-392-5485.

Let’s Read Together

NPOs Maggie Skelton and Zach Briseño were guest readers at the Northside Inter-Community Agency’s Leamos Juntos/Let’s Read Together series. The English and Spanish book club is for all ages and meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Thursday of the month. You can bring your own book or choose one from NICA’s community library.

Bless the Blue

We thank Christ Chapel Bible Church for hosting officers and their families at Joe T. Garcia’s restaurant last month. Their Bless the Blue appreciation luncheon is an annual   event recognizing the courage and sacrifice officers and their families make for the community.

PBR in the Stockyards

Northwest officers kept things safe for crowds enjoying the Fort Worth Stockyards during the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals and the Premier Women’s Rodeo (PWR) at Cowtown Coliseum. Nightly, coordinated drone light shows were a popular feature after the rodeo action.

Stockyards Parking Plans

A proposed four-story parking garage, commercial and retail space at Ellis Avenue and NW 25th Street has received unanimous recommendation from the Fort Worth Zoning Commission. The project could reduce congestion and overflow parking on neighborhood streets near The Stockyards. The Franklin family — who owns the property and bootmaker M.L. Leddy’s — held an open house last month to let neighboring residents and businesses see the proposed design. The brick building would provide 246 parking spaces, replacing an existing small surface parking lot. Construction on the $14 million project could start in late summer, with City Council approval.

Cuts, Ink, Coffee

Northwest Division officers were invited to check out the opening of a new business last month at 4601 Boat Club Rd. Samuel Garcia is the owner of Santana & Co., which offers barbering, tattoos, scalp micropigmentation and more.

Buffet & Belly Dancing

Owner Marios Hedary hosted last month’s Corridor Cafecito at his Byblos Mediterranean Restaurant, 1406 N Main St. Members of the Historic Northside District were treated to Lebanese coffee and treats, while getting updates on development activities along the North Main corridor between downtown and The Stockyards. Guests learned they’d have to come back on a Saturday night for belly dancing! Residents, business owners and partners are invited to attend every first Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. Check the Historic Northside District Facebook page for meeting location.

COP Cinco de Mayo

Northwest Division’s monthly Citizens on Patrol (COP) meeting fell on Cinco de Mayo—the 5th of May—and Commander Molina and NPO Moncada got into the spirit with sombreros, while also thanking volunteers for their hard work! Thanks to COP Coordinator Jessica Vazquez for always keeping things fun, even as members do the serious work of patrolling Fort Worth neighborhoods and providing an extra set of eyes and ears for police.

Enroll Now for Police Explorers

FWPD Explorer Program open enrollment is July 1 through August 31. Explorers is an experience-based program that helps young people build character, train physically and achieve full career potential. Weekly post meetings teach about law enforcement techniques, crime scene investigations and other aspects of law enforcement. Learn more online, then fill out the online application. If you have questions, please contact Officer Rebecca Woodward at Rebecca.woodward@fortworthtexas.gov

Text to 911

If you’re unable to call 911 in an emergency, text 911 to describe your emergency and give your address or location. The Tarrant County 9-1-1 District launched text to 911 for those times when victims can’t call or speak. Just remember: no emojis, no photos, no videos—just simple text.