HomeMy WebLinkAbout26-0034 - 2026-02-24 - Informal ReportINFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 26-0034
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council February 24, 2026
Page 1 of 2
i
i7 Y
SUBJECT: FORT WORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO DWI
r6 rn
Yg7'3
The purpose of this Informal Report is to provide an update regarding the Fort Worth Police
Department's efforts to enforce DWI laws.
Policy
Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a serious offense that puts the general public as well as the
involved driver at risk of serious injury or death. The Fort Worth Police Department proactively
and aggressively enforces DWI offenses. DWI enforcement saves lives. All sworn members of
the Department share responsibility for identifying and removing intoxicated or impaired drivers
from the roadway. Officers most often encounter impaired drivers during traffic stops or crash
investigations. Probable cause for a DWI arrest shall be based on a comprehensive investigation
that includes the officer's observations, interviews, field sobriety testing, training and experience.
The totality of the circumstances shall be used to determine whether the elements of an offense
under Chapter 49 of the Texas Penal Code are present.
Traininq
Fort Worth Police Officers are trained in accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing guidelines. They
receive both classroom and practical training at the police academy and gain additional
experience with these types of arrests during their field training. The primary purpose of their
training is to teach them how to recognize indicators that a person is driving with a Blood Alcohol
Content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. These include problems maintaining proper lane position,
improper speed and braking, poor vigilance while driving, and poor judgment while operating a
vehicle. Examples include weaving and drifting, driving well below the speed limit, failing to pay
attention to surroundings and vehicle movement, and poor judgment when operating a motor
vehicle. These examples are not sufficient to establish probable cause for arrest; however, they
do create reasonable suspicion for a traffic stop. Once the vehicle has been stopped and a
thorough investigation has been conducted, officers will make an arrest when the totality of the
circumstances lead them to believe probable cause exists.
Duties and Structure of DWI Unit
The primary responsibility of officers assigned to the DWI enforcement unit is to investigate
suspected driving while intoxicated offenses, initiated by a DWI Officer or upon receipt of
information from any other source. Officers shall respond to requests for assistance from other
officers conducting DWI investigations and, when feasible, shall report to the scene to conduct
Field Sobriety Evaluations in accordance with department policy and training. Currently, the unit
consists of two sergeants and nine officers. The unit is split into two teams, and their days off are
scheduled so that both teams work on Saturday. This is done intentionally as the highest number
of DWIs is seen Saturday evening into Sunday morning.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 26-0034
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council February 24, 2026
Page 2 of 2
i
i7 Y
SUBJECT: FORT WORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO DWI
r6 rn
Yg7'3
Productivitv
In 2024, the Fort Worth Police Department reported 789 DWI -related arrests. In 2025, the
department reported 1,040 arrests (32% increase) for DWI -related offenses. Of those arrests, the
DWI unit accounted for 532 (67.4% of total) in 2024 and 632 (60.7% of total) in 2025. In total, the
DWI unit is responsible for approximately 63.6% of all DWI -related arrests over the past two
years.
2024
789
532
67.4
2025
1040
632
60.7
Totals
1829
1164
63.6
The above data refers only to stops or actions in which a DWI arrest was made. The DWI unit is
also responsible for approximately 3,069 traffic stops over the two-year period. These traffic stops
resulted in warnings, citations, and/or arrests for various non -DWI offenses.
Additional Steps Taken
The Fort Worth Police Department routinely conducts social media campaigns during the holidays
to educate the community about the consequences of drinking and driving. These consequences
include up to 180 days in jail and a fine not to exceed $2,000.00 for a DWI, and get more severe
when injuries or deaths are involved. Penalties are also increased when a child is in the vehicle or
when the driver has been previously convicted of DWI offenses.
Additional questions or information requests should be directed to Lieutenant Matthew Medders
at 817-392-4858
Jesus "Jay" Chapa
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS