North Fort Worth is easily the fastest growing part of the city. Along with the job and population growth comes the needed for added police presence.
The Fort Worth Police Department is opening a new patrol division facility in the booming northern area on North Riverside Drive.[[478661793,C]]
The $14 million, 23,000 square foot facility located near Alliance Town Center will house 110 officers and 13 administrative staff.
Those who live and work in the area say they’ve already seen a difference. Officers are using mobile signage to remind residents to lock their doors to help in crime prevention.
“It definitely says that they are being proactive and letting us know that there is a presence around,” nearby Love Sweet Things Bakery owner Amy Meza said. “[Also] for the thieves. It puts them on high alert that they better be careful – we’re watching.”
Meza has owned Love Sweet Things Bakery for four years in the area and is excited for the added layer of protection.
“We’ve got a lot of new schools that are opening and I think it is fantastic, because a lot of the kids ride their bikes to school and walk to school,” Meza said.
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Residents believe this will make response times even faster. Meza remembers an incident in her second year of business.
“The T-Mobile got robbed next door and my employee was walking out the back door for the evening and she came face to face with the gunman – luckily he jumped in the car and zoomed off,” Meza said. “That was a very scary situation. The response time on that situation – it did take a little while.”
At 777 Barbershop, not far from the location of the new station, patrons and barbers wondered what changes they would see.
“More patrols, more tickets,” Johnny Temsisouvanh laughed when plans for the new station were announced. “But hey, it will keep the streets safe.”
Many residents say they welcome the extra police presence.
“I think it’s a good idea. In my last apartment, I had a lot of break-ins in my car. So, I think it’s a good idea,” Temsisouvanh said. “This community is expanding. So, I think it would be nice to have more police officers."
