FORT WORTH, Texas — The city of Fort Worth will hire a private firm to patrol the West 7th Street entertainment district, a popular nightlife destination that's become harder for authorities to manage.
City council Tuesday agreed to pay $315,000 to Block by Block, a company with experience in security and event management, for the work. Those employees will monitor the area boxed in by West 7th Street, University Drive, Lancaster Street and Foch Street.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck, who represents the area, told WFAA move is the "first big step in adding additional safety and security measures to the area."
"We're looking for them to be a second set of eyes and ears for our Fort Worth Police Department that's down there currently, holding down the fort on their own," she added.
The so-called "ambassadors" will watch for dangerous behavior, greet visitors and help them navigate the district and direct people who are homeless to resources and nearby shelters.
"We know that people feel a little safer when they see that," Beck said. "They know there's someone they can go to for an assist."
Fort Worth already pays Block by Block for nearly identical ambassador work downtown.
Patrols around West 7th Street could start as early as late spring, likely beginning on weekends during peak hours and around bar closing time. The workers will not carry weapons.
Crowds in the entertainment district sometimes exceed 5,000 people and require significant police attention. In recent years, patrons' rowdy behavior has created chaos.
City leaders have long discussed safety improvements for West 7th, but they vowed to take action after a September tragedy. Tuesday's vote came nearly five months after a stranger shot and killed TCU student Wes Smith outside a bar in the area.
"We are confident that any steps to increase security and safety from either private firms or additional police enforcement would be welcomed by both the patrons and the businesses in the area," Smith's parents, Philip and Dorree Jane, wrote in a statement to WFAA. "We support those and other actions that serve those purposes and are thankful to the city of Fort Worth and the participating businesses for honoring the legacy of Wes through greater public safety."
The ambassador program is funded as a pilot project, meaning it's not yet a long-term solution for crowd management on West 7th Street. Area property owners will likely need to raise their own taxes by designating the region as a Public Improvement District to make permanent the ambassador program.
Beck has pushed for the creation of such a Public Improvement District, though area business owners do not universally support the idea. Still, many have welcomed the city's efforts to improve lighting, train bar employees, and boost police patrols.
In the coming months, Fort Worth will also install bollards in the area to help with traffic control.
If the ambassadors successfully quiet chaos on West 7th, Beck hopes to implement the strategy in all of Fort Worth's entertainment districts.
The city has already contributed thousands to a safety study for those regions, including West 7th, the Stockyards, near-Southside, and downtown, according to WFAA's partners at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
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