About Fort Worth Police Department

Fort Worth is the 4th largest metropolitan area in the United States of America, and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Spanning an area of 910 square kilometers, Fort Worth, according to the 2018 U.S. Census, is home to around 900,000 people. It is also an educational hub, with several highly reputable and world-renowned universities.

Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) was established in 1873 – then, the FWPD had a meager strength of 4 officers. The Police Department was soon revitalized in the year 1887, with the recruitment of another 2 officers. To meet the ever-growing need of more staff to patrol the large population, the early 20th century saw an increase in manpower, equipment, and facilities, including incorporating motorcycles and stop lights in the patrolling process. With more than 1,700 full-time sworn police officers and 500 civilian officers, Fort Worth has a healthy ratio of officers to residents, with 1 officer for every 410 residents. The Fort Worth Police Department comprises several specialized divisions. Some specialized units are SWAT and a unit of K-9, in which dogs are trained to assist in policing and tracking down violators of the law.

Headquartered in 505 W. Felix Street, the FWPD has 11 police stations under its jurisdiction, each of which is accountable to the Chief of Police. He is the elected head of the Fort Worth Police Department. The FWPD also controls 2 correction centers in the city (LaSalle Corrections Center and Tarrant County Corrections Center). For more systematic policing, the city is divided into 6 Patrol Divisions, namely: Central, North, South, East, Northwest, and West, each covering a particular area of the city. Officers are clad with navy blue shirts and pants and wear tactical boots. They also wear cowboy hats, which is an approved part of the Department’s uniform (as in many other police agencies of Texas). Ever since its inception, Fort Worth has lost 56 officers in the line of duty. They are given public recognition at the Fort Worth Police and Firefighters’ Memorial, situated on 7th street. Their unwavering service and unparalleled valor keep the city of Fort Worth safe.