Fort Worth's $2.79B budget proposal makes police, fire equipment a priority

FORT WORTH, Texas - Fort Worth City Council held the first of several workshops on its $2.79 billion budget proposal.

Residents and first responders want city leaders to take action to help tackle violent crime and help to keep officers and firefighters safe.

Public safety is a top priority, with emboldened criminals not afraid to shoot at police officers.

One budget proposal calls for ballistic glass to be installed on patrol cruisers routinely responding to potentially violent encounters.

The glass would not be able to be retrofit to current police cruisers.

Some of the proposals consider adding six police officers and a sergeant, originally funded through a COPS grant, add a sergeant for the SWAT team and funding for a Fusion Center Crime Analyst.

The proposal also includes adding three school resource officers and a sergeant for Fort Worth ISD, plus two neighborhood patrol officers and dedicated bike patrols for the Magnolia district and the Stockyards, which is considered the number one tourist destination in DFW.

When it comes to fire rescue, the proposed budget includes funding to create an Emergency Medical Services division to absorb MedStar. It also includes money for firefighter gear replacement that allows firefighters to replace carcinogen-contaminated gear and continued focus on overtime management.

Each council member plans to hold at least one neighborhood meeting, so residents can express their priorities or any concerns.

The current budget proposal is considered a starting point and things could change prior to the budget being adopted.