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Home My WebLink AboutIR 014 (4) INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-014 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2023 Page 1 of 5 i i7 Y SUBJECT: STRATEGY FOR RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTION OF DIVERSE rrn POLICE OFFICERS The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the Fort Worth Police Department's strategy for recruiting a diverse workforce and to provide an overview of the civil service process for promotions and appointments. The Fort Worth Police Department's goal is to identify and implement innovative ideas for recruiting, hiring, developing, and promoting a diverse workforce. In order to accomplish our goal, the Fort Worth Police Department must continue to seek out and connect with diverse candidates as well as work with the Human Resources Department, community-based organizations, professional networks, community colleges, and other resources. Recruitment Strategies Social media and print advertising have been the Fort Worth Police Department's main avenues for recruiting. Recruiting material is used to attract the City of Fort Worth's diverse communities, and the Fort Worth Police Department has established relationships with internal and external stakeholders to assist with recruiting efforts. Below are some of the community organizations with which FWPD has interacted: • NAACP— National Association for the Advancement of Colored People • HWNT— Hispanic Women's Network of Texas, Fort Worth Chapter • Faith-based leaders • Other community leaders In fiscal year 2022, the Fort Worth Police Department focused on recruitment efforts by participating in local community events. Below are some of the events in which FWPD participated: • Crowley Independent School District • Fort Worth Independent School District • Tarleton State University • Tarrant County College • Texas A&M University-Commerce • University of Texas at Arlington • Weatherford College • Fort Hood military community event • Event with 105.3 FM at Panther City BBQ • Tarleton State University: Criminal Justice Department senior classes in Stephenville • Tarrant County Sheriff's Office and other agency events. In September of 2022, Corporal Tamarrowa Dixson along with Deputy Chief Roy Hudson established a preliminary partnership with Paul Quinn College as part of the department's recruitment efforts. Through this partnership, we have been invited to participate in planned "Fort Worth Police Department Partnership Days." This relationship has offered networking opportunities for college students. As this partnership continues, the Fort Worth Police Department will be included in all future career fairs, job fairs, and campus events. Building from the partnership with Paul Quinn College, the Fort Worth Police Department will be establishing relationships with other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which will include Southern University and Prairie View A&M College. We are are also working with Councilmember Williams to be introduced to Fort Valley State University in Georgia to participate in a tour or conference call in the near future. Additionally, through Councilmember ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-014 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2023 Page 2 of 5 i i7 Y SUBJECT: STRATEGY FOR RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTION OF DIVERSE rrn POLICE OFFICERS Williams' connections, we will have an opportunity to connect to several other HBCUs, which could include Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Albany State University. Recruitment Initiatives #BeTheChange #BeTheChange is a strategy that focuses on recruiting minority and female candidates with outreach efforts in diverse communities. This recruiting strategy aims to have the Fort Worth Police Department mirror the city we serve and challenges community residents to apply to the Police Department and "be the change" in their communities. This strategy would not only recruit diverse demographics, but diverse perspectives, experiences, opinions, and upbringing. This strategy also strengthens police-community relations in our city. Home-Grown Series The "Home-Grown" series works with current Fort Worth police officers who were born or raised in Fort Worth. Police officers are interviewed about their experience growing up in the city and why they chose to work for the Fort Worth Police Department. To improve recruitment efforts, short-form videos were pushed on Fort Worth Police Department's social media sites to engage and target audiences' interest from our diverse communities. Posting for Police Trainee Positions Between October 1 and 31, 2022, we opened applications for Police Trainees. We received over 1,100 interested applicants for the civil service exam to be administered this month. To date, 965 have confirmed and are scheduled to test. Below is a demographic breakdown of the applicants we have received. Race Total Anerican Indian or Alaskan Native 9 Asian 4 Slack or African American 21_ Decline To Self Identify i Hispanic cr Latino »39 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Two or More Races White =" Grand Total 1127 Gender Total Decline To Self Identify 2- Female Male �! Grand Total 1127 ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-014 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2023 Page 3 of 5 i i7 Y SUBJECT: STRATEGY FOR RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTION OF DIVERSE rrn POLICE OFFICERS Promotions All police officers from the ranks of Officer through Captain achieve promotion through a competitive written examination process as outlined in the Texas Local Government Code and the Meet-and-Confer Labor Agreement between the City of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Police Officers Association. Although Fort Worth Police Department's goal is to provide a supportive environment to retain our diverse staff and create an attainable career pathway for promotion, promotion is a personal choice and goal of the employee to promote in rank. Sworn Promotional Tested Ranks' Ethnicity- 12113/2022 WHITE=72% WHITE HISPf LAT=16% BLKfAFR AMER=B°lo led ■NAT HI/PAC ISL ASIAN =2 ° HISP/LAT AMER IND/AK NAT=1.5`i`o NAT HI/PAC ISL=0.2% 192 ■BLK/AFR AM R 136 m ASIAN ■AMER IN/AK NAT � 36 43 Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Corporal ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-014 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2023 Page 4 of 5 i i7 Y SUBJECT: STRATEGY FOR RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTION OF DIVERSE rrn POLICE OFFICERS Sworn Promotional Tested Ranks' Gender- 12/13/2022 ■Male ■Female 216 MALE =SS tg� FEMALE= 12% dW44 Captain Lieutenant Sergeant fiorporal *Several of our leaders on the department mentor and encourage our employees to promote and offer one on one mentorship. Selection of Appointed Ranks All promotions to the rank of Commander, Deputy Chief, and Assistant Chief are exempt from competitive examinations and are selected and appointed at the discretion of the Chief of Police. Currently, the Fort Worth Police Department's appointed positions are the most diverse in the department's history. Diversity within our ranks is paramount in the Police Department's ability to serve Fort Worth communities. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 23-014 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council January 24, 2023 Page 5 of 5 i i7 Y - SUBJECT: STRATEGY FOR RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTION OF DIVERSE rrn POLICE OFFICERS Appointed Ranks' Race/Ethnicity- 12/13/2022 WHITE WHITE=47% HI SP/LAT BLK/AFR AMER=27% HIS P/LAT=20% ■BLK/AFR AMER ASIAN=7% ,ASIAN 3 3 1 d 2 1 1 Assistant Chief deputy Chief Commander Sworn Appointed Ranks' Gender - 12/13/2022 ■male ■Female 5 MALE=80% FEMALE=20% Assistant C Deputy Chief Commander If you have any questions about this information, please contact Assistant Police Chief Julie Swearingin at Julie.Swearingin(d-)fortworthtexas.gov or 817-392-4247. David Cooke City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS