HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 61466CSC No. 61466
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN FORT WORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
ADVOCATES FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION
THIS AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made by and entered into by and between the Fort Worth
Police Department (FWPD), a department of the City of Fort Worth, a home rule municipal
corporation of the State of Texas and Advocates for Community Transformation (ACT), a
nonprofit 501(3)(c). FWPD and Act are each herein individually referred to a s "party" and
collectively as the "parties."
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, FWPD, as part of its plan to reduce violent crime, identifies problem
properties, evaluates their compliance with applicable criminal laws, and applies enforcement
measures; and
WHEREAS, ACT is a nonprofit organization that exists to make safe neighborhoods a
normal reality for everyone by representing residents in the civil justice system to eliminate
nuisance properties; and
WHEREAS, FWPD and ACT have successfully worked together since 2021 to address
crime and other nuisance activity occurring on properties within the City of Fort Worth; and
WHEREAS, FWPD and ACT wish to continue to work collaboratively in an effort to
pursue the common goal of enhancing residents' quality of life.
NOW THEREFORE, for the mutual consideration herein stated, FWPD and ACT agree
as follows:
FWPD and ACT agree to the following terms and conditions of this Agreement to the extent
permissible under FWPD policy and applicable state and federal laws and to the extent
information shared by ACT is not privileged:
Section 1
ACT Responsibilities
Act will:
1.1 Notify all enumerated departments on a minimum quarterly basis concerning active,
ongoing litigation and its casework target areas.
1.2 Notify the FWPD when it sends a demand letter or files a lawsuit against the owner of
a nuisance property.
OFFICIAL RECORD
CITY SECRETARY
FT. WORTH, TX
ACT/FWPD MOA 1
1.3 Maintain regular communication with FWPD Neighborhood Police Officers (NPOs)
in neighborhoods where Act has casework and agrees to provide NPOs with
information learned by its program staff related to high -crime properties on a regular
(quarterly at minimum) basis.
1.4 Periodically schedule engagement activities with divisional FWPD officers to
facilitate collaboration and open communication. Act agrees to provide officers with
information learned by its program staff related to high -crime properties. This includes
the addresses of high -crime properties, persons associated with the properties, vehicles
associated with the properties, and details of the criminal activities associated with the
properties, to the extent known.
1.5 Request FWPD records through the proper mechanisms via email as directed by
FWPD.
1.6 Educate residents that it engages with to call 911 to alert FWPD to criminal activity
and to utilize 311 for reporting ordinance violations.
1.7 Encourage residents that it engages with to participate in neighborhood associations
and crime -watch groups.
1.8 Treat data and information received by ACT from FWPD that is outside the open
records process as private, confidential information. All data provided to ACT outside
the open records process shall be maintained securely and shall not be furnished to
any other organization or entity unless Act receives permission from FWPD or is
compelled to provide such information by subpoena or court order. Act agrees to
notify FWPD before involuntarily sharing such information with outside entities.
1.9 Not use any private, confidential information provided by FWPD outside the open
records process to contact residents, witnesses, or other individuals involved in an
active investigation without obtaining permission from DECONFLICTING.
NUISANCE ABATEMENT OFFICER OR CHAIN OF COMMAND
Section 2
FWPD Responsibilities
FWPD will:
2.1 Provide ACT access to Neighborhood Police Officers (NPOs), in each Division
where ACT has casework, in order to educate NPOs on ACT's work, ensuring that
officers can make residents aware of ACT as a resource.
2.2 Provide ACT access to Narcotics Officers in order to educate the Narcotics Unit on
ACT's model and on how to refer concerned residents to ACT.
ACT/FWPD MOA 2
2.3 Refer concerned residents to ACT where appropriate.
2.4 Provide a Nuisance Abatement Officer and a Narcotics Officer to consult with ACT
on a regular basis (quarterly at a minimum) to refer high -crime and nuisance
properties.
2.5 Assign a FWPD representative to respond to ACT's weekly email request for the
following Narcotics information for the purpose of determining whether to submit
an open records request: (a) if records are available (and, if so, for which years), (b)
if there are no records, or (c) if records are currently unavailable due to the property
being the subject of an active investigation.
2.6 Assign a FWPD officer to provide on a quarterly basis a list of drug houses recently
busted, subject to the need to protect an active investigation.
2.7 Assign a Crime Analyst to provide on a quarterly basis a geocoded shapefile
containing all calls for service and incident reports and including for each call or
incident, where available: a unique case/incident number, specific street address,
specific date and time, and category/description (e.g., drug house), subject to the
need to protect an active investigation or records confidential by law (i.e. juvenile
records).
2.8 Assign a FWPD representative to compile the information requested in ACT's open
records requests. ACT will specifically state in the open records request submitted
through the Legal Liaison Unit that the request should be routed to the designated
department.
2.9 FWPD will provide Act with requested open records documents within a 14-day
deadline as allowed by law.
2.10 Assign a FWPD representative to provide a weekly spreadsheet summary of the
offenses and calls for service by Act for the purpose of evaluating Act casework.
Act will submit its weekly request to a designated email address.
2.11 Designate a nuisance abatement officer or chain of command for retention on any
RTCC camera footage.
Section 3
Misc. & Conclusion:
3.1 Term Period for Agreement: A party may rescind their participation in this
Agreement by providing written notice to all parties to the Agreement.
ACT/FWPD MOA 3
3.2 Litigation Participation: Occasionally, a lawsuit filed by Act attorneys on behalf of
residents against the owner of a high -crime property will require a trial or other
testimonial proceeding. In those instances, FWPD agrees to provide at least one
officer from each relevant department to testify about the authenticity of records
offered as evidence and to provide testimony about activity at the property.
3.3 Spirit of Cooperation: All parties agree to work together in a spirit of cooperation to
reduce crime and increase the quality of life for Fort Worth residents. FWPD agrees
that any departments not enumerated in this document will partner with Act in the
same spirit of cooperation for the same purposes.
(signature page follows)
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ACT/FWPD MOA 4
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
CITY OF FORT WORTH
By: William Johnson ( y 28, 202410:53 CDT)
Name: William Johnson
Title: Assistant City Manager
Date: May 28, 2024
APPROVAL RECOMMENDED
By:
RobertRobert Alay 23, 2024 08:07 CDT)
Name: Robert A. Alldredge, Jr.
Title: Executive Assistant Chief
ATTEST:
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By: C
Name: Jannette Goodall
Title: City Secretary
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ACT (Advocates for Community
Transformation)
By:
ReidReid P 22, 202407:57 CDT)
Name: J. Reid Porter
Title: CEO, ACT
Date: May 22, 2024
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE MANAGER:
By signing I acknowledge that I am the
person responsible for the monitoring and
administration of this contract, including
ensuring all performance and reporting
requirements.
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By:
Name: Loraine Coleman
Title: Administrative Services Manager
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND
LEGALITY:
By: J s Mapes (May 237 CDT)
Name: Jerris Penrod Mapes
Title: Assistant City Attorney
CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION:
M&C: (None Required)
Date Approved:
Form 1295 Certification No.: N/A
OFFICIAL RECORD
CITY SECRETARY
FT. WORTH, TX
ACT/FWPD MOA 5