Fort Worth SAFE gets 100-plus arrests, dozens of firearms off streets

FORT WORTH, Texas - Dozens of weapons and criminals are out of Fort Worth neighborhoods.

9 mm handguns, AR-15s and GLOCK 19s are among the arsenal of illegally owned guns recovered from the streets of Fort Worth in recent weeks. 

Fort Worth police are targeting identified hot spots to hopefully end a surge in violent crime.

"We've had well over 100 arrests already and we’ve got more than 100 high-powered weapons off the street. These aren’t just something somebody buys in a pawnshop these are high-quality, high grade weapons," said FWPD Chief Neil Noakes.

The initiative, Fort Worth SAFE, began in mid-May and is a multifaceted approach that Noakes says combines technology, intelligence and data to bolster police work and identify hot spots.

"We have no problem arresting people who need to be taken out of neighborhoods," Noakes said.

Police said it’s a crackdown on shootings, killing and criminal activity.

Underscoring the chief’s frustration was an incident on the Fourth of July in the Como community. A shooting there after a celebration left eight people seriously injured. 

"What you saw that night, is not representative of the Como community," he said.

Noakes himself was at the scene.

"If people in Fort Worth aren’t upset about what they’re seeing with violent crime, about people who should not have guns and have guns on the street shooting at one another, hitting innocent victims, children sometimes – if they’re not mad about that I don’t know what would make a person mad," Noakes said.

The chief believes the Fort Worth safe initiative can make a difference.

"We are specifically going after the people who are causing the crime. It’s not like we are arresting 10 people and hope one of them is a violent predator. We’re going specifically after the people that are causing violent crime," Noakes said. "You hear tough on crime, soft on crime. We are smart on crime."

Noakes, with less than six months under his belt leading the department, says this is not the result of pressure from city hall. He said it’s about the greater good of Fort Worth. 

"We are receiving complete, unwavering support from our mayor and city leaders," the chief said. "This is not maybe or we’ll try. This is something we absolutely have to do."

The measuring stick for progress, says the chief, will be improved statistics and an overall better relationship between police and citizens.