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Sep 24, 2009 9:14 pm US/Central
Fort Worth Voters Will Go To Polls To Curb Crime
Melissa Newton
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
A taxpayer funded program credited with greatly reducing crime in Fort Worth will once again go before voters on November 3.
The Crime Control and Prevention District is funded by a half cent city sales tax, and must be approved every five years.
The CCPD pays to maintain police vehicles, train new police recruits, and helps fund security officers at Fort Worth schools.
It also pays the salaries of close to 100 Neighborhood Police Officers, and is responsible for the Citizens on Patrol, or C.O.P. program.
"There's only so many police officers and they can't be in every neighborhood, on every street, every hour of the day," said Jim Doherty, a C.O.P. volunteer. Doherty is one of nearly 1,200 members involved in the Citizens on Patrol Program.
"When you get a C.O.P. member in a neighborhood, patrolling, that's all you have to do," said Lupe Silva, a volunteer for the past 16 years. "The people will come to you."
"I'm out there and I'm driving around and saying 'what's wrong with this picture? Is there something wrong?'" said C.O.P. volunteer Mike Cohen, "If there is, I call a police officer to come investigate."
Although the C.O.P. members work strictly on a volunteer basis, everything from the signs on their cars, to their radios, shirts and mileage are paid for through the Crime Control and Prevention District.
"This is an example of the citizens of Fort Worth stepping up and taking ownership of public safety," said District 6 Councilman, Jungus Jordan.
Jordan credits the CCPD for dramatically reducing crime in the city.
"Late 80's early 90's, Fort Worth had the sad distinction of having one of the highest crime rates in the nation," Jordan said. "Today we're one of the safest cities in the nation."
This year, Jordan fears the current economic situation puts the program at risk of getting cut.
"This is critical to the continued safety of our city." He said.
Without the funding from the C.C.P.D. Citizens on Patrol and many other crime prevention projects, could be curbed.
"If you take that much money away from this department everything is going to be cut back." Cohen said.
"It does make a difference, it really does." Doherty said.
The city council met with various police officials Friday to come up with ways to raise awareness of the program.
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