Fort Worth police chief, council member become heated during "take-home vehicle" discussion
FORT WORTH – Since December 2023, Fort Worth city leaders have been working to revise its policy for "take-home vehicles" for city employees, including Fort Worth police officers.
On Tuesday, the conversation sparked a heated debate, especially between a council member and Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes.
The conversation took place during a presentation by Noakes, who was updating the council on new "take-home vehicle policy" revisions. The city's policy, before December 2023, did not restrict how far employees could drive home in city-owned cars.
Elizabeth Beck, District 9 council member, said it contributed to the police department going over budget last year.
"So we have been over budget and fuel by $2 million," Beck said during the meeting.
Noakes replied, "Which was attributed to the increase in gas prices."
Noakes' revisions included changing the police to have a 20-mile buffer for how far employees and officers are allowed to drive outside city limits. However, Beck said the buffer needs to be limited to 10 miles.
"Twenty miles to me seems pretty far," Beck said. "Twenty miles is on the other side of Weatherford – it's on the other side of Denton."
Noakes replied, "Within a 20-mile buffer, you're talking about a 30-minute commute. If someone lived in south Fort Worth, they could make it to north Fort Worth in 30 minutes, and that's possibly because the city has grown so much. So, yes, I do believe the 20-mile buffer is us being good stewards."
Mayor Mattie Parker also agreed with Noakes.
"I think at the end of the day, if someone lives within the 20-mile buffer and if a homicide detective gets called in and they can get there in 30 minutes, it's reasonable," Parker said.
Beck said police vehicles are being used as "recruiting tools."
Noakes replied, "I did not say that we use vehicles as recruitment and retention tools. We don't have any posters. They [our officers] join for PD. Some officers may see that [the cars] as something that gives them a reason to stay."
In the map Noakes presented to the council, it indicated that a few officers were driving take-home vehicles to homes as far as Pilot Point, Hillsboro and Possum Kingdom Lake.
Beck said those officers could be costing thousands of dollars of unnecessary fuel costs from taxpayer dollars without proper restrictions.
Chris Nettles, District 8 council member, said the debate on Tuesday should be separated into two different conversations.
"It's about taxpayer dollars and is about accountability," Nettles told CBS Ness Texas. "But it's also this notion that we want to, in the officer's point of view, continue morale. We want to give them [the officers] all the tools that's necessary to do their jobs."
However, Tuesday's conversation turned into an argument, when a council member made the statement that "officers put their lives on the line every day."
In response, Beck said "no officers have died while she has been in office," but she knows of two city employees who have died during her time in office.
"Thankfully, we have not lost police officers, women and firefighters, but we have lost two employees," Beck said.
"For your information, we lost an officer in the line of duty since you've been here – Sgt. John Jensen died of COVID in the line of duty," Noakes said sternly. "I was in Washington, D.C. with many other members of the Fort Worth Police Department recently for police week to see his name etched on the wall there. Maybe you should write that down."
"Watch your tone with me," Beck responded.
"Council member, you give respect, you get respect," the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Nettles said he hopes they can put Tuesday's argument in the past and work to save taxpayer dollars and also support officers.
"I think we have to come to the table and let bygones be bygones and really talk about why it is important – all to make sure that every dollar is spent supporting our communities," Nettles said.
Ultimately, the entire take-home vehicle policy Is not up for a vote by the council but will be decided by City Manager David Cooke. However, Cooke has time to review the policy and take feedback from the council before the new policy takes effect in September.