Police Double Security Detail For North Texas Mayor
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 NEWS) - Fort Worth police are doubling up on their security detail for Mayor Betsy Price.
Two officers will now accompany her to all public events. The civil servants will be part of a dignitary protection unit, that will now have a total of five officers and a sergeant.
The additions come after the I-Team reported criticism of the existing unit by the Fort Worth Police Officers Association. The union questioned the need for the unit, at the same time that dozens of vacant positions were cut from the department for the 2014 city budget.
One officer currently accompanies Price to public events, and even on international travel. The decision to strengthen the unit came after months of discussions between the mayor's office and the police department.
Price's active public schedule resulted in more work for the officers on the unit. Increasing the unit's size may also allow for security sweeps prior to some public appearances.
In a statement, Price's chief of staff, Jason Lamers, said, "Being an active and accessible mayor of any large city comes with its own inherent risks. Although we wish there wasn't a need for police protection, recent events have shown that's not the world we live in."
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