FORT WORTH -- Donning cowboy hats, a new class of Fort Worth police officers was sworn in Friday afternoon. But don't mistake them for first-timers.
Together the class of 11 has more than 65 years of experience in the force. Nine of the officers are transfers from the Dallas Police Department.
"We will expect a lot from them," said Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald. "But we will take good care of them."
Lateral transfers like these have become common between the region's two largest cities. It was described as a "mass exodus" by one anonymous former Dallas officer earlier this year. He joined more than 40 officers who quit in the month of May alone.
New transfer Sean Renfro comes to Fort Worth after five-and-a-half years in Dallas.
"The training we received in Fort Worth has been, by far, more than we could have expected," said Renfro.
But it's the salary increase that Officer Damon Cole attributes to the bulk of the transfers. He left Dallas a year ago and hasn't looked back.
"I was in Dallas for eight years," said Officer Cole. "I only received two pay raises, if that tells you anything."
Cole received a $12,000 raise by transferring to Fort Worth. On average, an officer typically makes $10,000 to $15,000 more by leaving the City of Dallas.
"They aren't asking to be rich," said Cole. "But they want to know there is light at the end of the tunnel."
Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald made it clear at Friday's graduation, however. Wherever the officers choose to work, he explained, their allegiance is never confined to one city.
"We set the stage for how people will accept us and other police officers," said Fitzgerald. "Whether it be in Fort Worth or elsewhere."
