Lake Worth police cut crashes, crime with simple strategy
A small police department in Tarrant County says it's seeing big results from a simple shift in strategy: more patrolling.
Lake Worth officers, like Christian Myers, are spending more time on the streets, targeting long-standing issues such as red-light running and speeding.
"All our intersections are pretty, hot spots," Myers said. "When you hear a city that's 2.5mi², you wouldn't think that there's over 250,000 cars a day going through it. But that's exactly what Lake Worth is."
Dozens of stops each week
Myers said he averages between 50 and 60 traffic stops a week.
The department's renewed focus on traffic enforcement came in response to community complaints. Chief J.T. Manoushagian said the approach may seem obvious, but it's not common across the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
"There are some communities in the metroplex that say -- Traffic enforcement is not our top priority. We want the police focusing on violent crime or gang…," Manoushagian said. "And I'm not saying that that approach is wrong. I'm just saying it's not needed here because we do have the community's support and trust."
Citations up, crashes down
The department says the strategy is working. In just six months, officers issued 500% more citations compared to the previous year. That led to a 24% drop in crashes and a 50% decrease in traffic incidents compared to a decade ago.
Patrolling helps stop other crimes
Manoushagian said the increased patrols have also helped officers respond more quickly to other crimes. In one case, officers apprehended two armed robbery suspects within minutes.
"In the area. So, from the time the panic button was pressed, until we had two suspects in custody was seven minutes. And that doesn't happen if officers are not out in the community actively patrolling," he said.
Focus remains on public safety
For Myers and others in the department, the goal isn't just writing tickets — it's keeping people safe.
"And so just that aspect of it is what I take pride in, in trying to limit those accidents," Myers said.
