Fort Worth's Race and Culture Task Force: Progress has been made but still room for improvement

FORT WORTH, Texas - A racially charged arrest in 2016 led to calls for change at the Fort Worth Police Department.

The result was a task force that seven years later still sees room for much improvement.

A briefing was held Tuesday before city leaders from Fort Worth’s Race and Culture Task Force, a group given the task in 2016 to engage the public and make recommendations to improve race relations within the city. 

The formation of the task force followed a viral video involving Jacquelyn Craig, a mother whose incident with a Wort Worth police officer triggered backlash regarding police brutality. Craig passed away last week She was acknowledged during the meeting. 

Task force co-chairs Bob Ray Sanders and Lillie Biggins pointed out areas where they’d like to see more progress, including more minorities in the police department ranks.

"I still think we’re still in need of an independent police review board regardless of what we have now," Sanders said. "Based upon the averages for the past six recruit classes, only 13% of the recruits to the police academy were African American."

Chief Neil Noakes responded.

"We’ve seen a very diverse group of young people interested in law enforcement who’ve joined those programs, many of whom are in our police academy now or already are police officers," he said.

"The city of Fort Worth has come a long way, but we still have a long way to go," said Councilman Chris Nettles.

"Stay focused on being prepared. Because if you’re prepared for the next Jacquelyn Craig, you’re better prepared now as this community than you ever were," Biggins said.

"We can disagree. We can walk away angry, but always come back together," said Mayor Mattie Parker. "Because I think to lead by example especially on some of the most difficult topics facing our country today. For Fort Worth to be a city that is successful and growing and thriving that’s what we have to do is have these tough conversations."

The task force has since been disbanded.