Q. What is Code: Blue?
Code: Blue is a cooperative effort between the city of Fort Worth, the federal government and interested citizens who wish to help control crime in their neighborhood. Fort Worth’s former Mayor Kay Granger and the late Chief of Police Thomas Windham developed this new program to fight increasing crime in our city, after attending a Crime Symposium in Washington D.C. This Code: Blue package or Citizens on Patrol (COP) program now stands as a benchmark for all police departments around the world. The largest portion of the Code: Blue/COP neighborhood program is funded through government grants.
Q. What is Citizens on Patrol (COP)?Citizens on Patrol act as the “eyes and ears” for the police department in the neighborhood. Private citizens volunteer time to actively patrol their communities to observe, and/or report suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities. The COP program's prime purpose is to help reduce crime in the neighborhood through cooperation with the police department.
Q. How does the COP program benefit the neighborhood?Increased security of homes and property, code enforcement, and neighborhood involvement deter crime in your neighborhood. These patrols provide a visible presence of police authority, which help prohibit criminal activities. COPs also develop a relationship between police officers and the community, which aids in prompt police response. Safety and security from crime helps make your neighborhood a quality place to live.
Q. Does COPs reduce crime?The Neighborhood Police Officer (NPO) routinely patrols with the COP, which greatly reduces police response time in the neighborhood from minutes to seconds. The NPO also monitors all crime in the community to help target specific areas of concern for the individual neighborhoods. As a result, COPs know the best times to patrol and which types of behaviors to look for. COPs can then educate residents to better prevent crime in their communities.
Q. How can I join the COP program?Simply notify your area COP Captain or Neighborhood Patrol Officer, attend a training session and complete 2 ride-ins. One ride-in involves riding as a passenger with a Police Officer and the other with your neighborhood COP Captain or representative. COP participants are not Police Officers, but are trained for observation purposes only.
Q. How much time do I need to commit to the COP program?Only the time you want to! Citizens are needed to patrol the neighborhood for a 2-hour shift if you can spare 2 hours a month, COP needs you. However, if you’re interested in donating more time, COP will gladly keep you busy.
Patrols are conducted in personal vehicles with appropriate COP identification on magnetic signs attached to the car. Hats, shirts and jackets are supplied to each volunteer. State-of-the-art radios will be provided for patrollers to maintain contact with the base operator at all times.
Base operators simply record any observations and make appropriate calls for police assistance when necessary.
Q. Are their any other benefits from such an organization?All COP members, once trained and have actively patrolled, are invited 1-2 times a year to a seminar to recognize special patrollers of the year. Catered or specially prepared food is available for all COP members and their family. Seminars are special times for all COP members to meet with other COP organizations and city representatives.
COP Objectives- To assist the police department through observation
- To help reduce crime in our neighborhoods
- To increase cooperation between citizens and police officers
- To educate citizens on crime prevention
- To increase the public presence in the neighborhood
- To unite residents for a dedicated reason
- To increase crime awareness among the citizens of the neighborhoods
- To improve the quality of life in the neighborhood
- To provide a safe, secure environment for all neighborhood residents
- To make a difference in your neighborhood
- Would you or your spouse be interested in joining our COP group?
Patrols cover Fox Run, Garden Springs and Hulen Estates. To be a COP, you are required to complete a classroom training session, a ride with a police officer and another ride with the COP captain. - #1 problem in our neighborhoods involve open garage doors. Closed garage doors could have prevented most crime incidents. Would you be interested in being on our garage door list? This list is strictly confidential and protects you when your garage door is left open after the sun goes down. If this condition is observed while a patroller is out, they will notify you of the door being open.
