FORT WORTH, Texas — Community members and Fort Worth police officers have been working hand in hand trying to get crime down.
The chief said crime is down and the department couldn’t have done it without the communities help.
Local pastors from high-crime areas rallied to end gun violence through education.
“You’re seen, take up space,” said Dr. Javar Godfrey in a Facebook Live video.
“I’m beautiful, I’m loved. I don’t need to be like them, I just need to be like me,” said Godfrey.
An educator and motivational speaker, Godfrey traveled from Florida to Morningside Middle School in Fort Worth, talking about putting an end to violence.
“The name of the program is 'Triple Threat.' It stands for thoughts triggers and trauma,” said Godfrey.
Pastor Kyev Tatum said they’re expecting about 500 children. The goal is to have games, food, a DJ, and anything that’s interactive, so they can have that one-on-one time with the children.
“This middle school is rated F. We need to teach these kids. We cannot survive by letting gun violence continue,” said Tatum, with New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes said the community can turn it around by working together.
“We’re down in homicides, down in aggravated assaults, major crimes are on a downward trend, and the credit goes to the people doing the work out there,” said Noakes.
Noakes said officers are working tirelessly to bring crime down.
In the last three months, Noakes said more than 750 people have been arrested and 200 guns are off the streets.
“Behind every number is a person, someone’s son, daughter,” said Noakes.
Noakes said they want to make it easier for people to submit an anonymous tip, by displaying QR codes across the city.
“We’re trying to conform to the way people want to communicate, rather than trying to make people communicate the way we’ve done things,” said Noakes.
In the end, Noakes says, they can’t do it alone. The difference they’re seeing is a community effort and they can bring down the violence.