DEPARTMENT

Fort Worth City Code ch. 27, art. II

in effect

Fort Worth City Code § 27-21 through 27-23 RESERVED.

§ 27-21—27-23 RESERVED. Editor’s note: Section 20 of Ord. 24030-02-2020, adopted February 4, 2020, repealed §§ 27-21 through 27-23, which pertained to Established; Duties Generally, Office of the Chief, and Executive Assistant Chief. See also the Code Comparative Table.

Fort Worth City Code § 27-24 POLICE APPOINTEES.

§ 27-24 POLICE APPOINTEES. (a) Classification immediately below that of department head (assistant chiefs). (1) The police chief shall have the authority to select and appoint persons to the classification immediately below that of police chief, to be referred to as the classification of assistant chief. (2) Each person appointed under this subsection (a) shall serve at the pleasure of the police chief and without civil service protection. Eligibility for appointment and the rights of appointees hereunder shall be in accordance with Tex. Local Government Code § 143.014. (b) Deputy chiefs. (1) The police chief shall have the authority to select and appoint persons to the classification immediately below that of assistant chief, to be referred to as the classification of deputy chief. (2) Each person appointed under subsection (b)(1) above shall serve at the pleasure of the police chief and without civil service protection. Eligibility for appointment and the rights of appointees hereunder shall be in accordance with the then-current meet and confer agreement between the City of Fort Worth and the police officers association, as allowed by Tex. Local Government Code § 143.307. (c) Commanders. (1) The police chief shall have the authority to select and appoint persons to the classification immediately below that of deputy chief, to be referred to as the classification of commander. (2) Each person appointed under Section 27-24(c)(1) above shall serve at the pleasure of the police chief and without civil service protection. Eligibility for appointment and the rights of appointees hereunder shall be in accordance with the then-current meet and confer agreement between the City of Fort Worth and the Police Officers Association, as allowed by Texas Local Government Code § 143.307. (d) Number of appointed positions. The city council can authorize, and the police chief can appoint, up to a total of 16 appointed positions, including up to ten appointed positions as between the ranks of assistant chief and deputy chief and up to six appointed positions in the rank of commander. (Ord. 20678-03-2013, § 4, passed 3-26-2013; Ord. 22998-11-2017, § 1, passed 11-14-2017)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-25 POLICE OFFICER SELECTION PROCEDURE; OATH.

§ 27-25 POLICE OFFICER SELECTION PROCEDURE; OATH. The members of the police department, other than the chief of police, shall be selected from a list of eligibles prepared by the civil service commission, and in accordance with such rules and regulations as the civil service commission may prescribe; provided, that in case of riot or emergency the city manager or the chief of police may appoint additional patrol officers and officers for temporary service, who need not be in the classified service. Each member of the department of police, both rank and file, shall have issued to him or her a warrant of appointment, signed by the city manager and the police chief, in which the date of his or her appointment shall be stated, and such shall be his commission. Each member of the department of police shall, before entering upon his or her duties, subscribe to an oath that he or she will faithfully, without fear or favor, perform the duties of his or her office, and such oath shall be filed and preserved with the records of the department. (1964 Code, § 29A-3) (Ord. 8433, § 2, passed 9-19-1981; Ord. 21710-04-2015, § 1, passed 4-7-2015)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-26 APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL OFFICERS.

§ 27-26 APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL OFFICERS. No person, except as otherwise provided by general law or ordinance, shall act as special police or special detective, except upon written authority from the city manager. Such authority, when conferred, shall be exercised only under the direction and control of the chief of police and for the time specified in the appointment. (1964 Code, § 29A-3.1) (Ord. 8433, § 2, passed 9-19-1981)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-27 POWERS AND DUTIES GENERALLY; CITY JAIL.

§ 27-27 POWERS AND DUTIES GENERALLY; CITY JAIL. (a) The officers constituting the department of police of the city shall be and they are hereby invested with all the power and authority given to them as peace officers under the laws of the state in taking cognizance of, and in enforcing the criminal laws of the state and the ordinances and regulations of the city within the limits of the city, and it shall be the duty of each such officer to use his or her best endeavors to prevent the commission within the city of offenses against the laws of the state, and against the ordinances and regulations of the city; to observe and enforce all such laws, ordinances and regulations; to detect and arrest offenders against the same; to preserve the good order of the city, and to secure the inhabitants thereof from violence, and the property therein from injury. Such police officers shall have no power or authority in civil matters, but shall execute any criminal warrant or warrant of arrest that may be placed in their hands by the duly constituted authorities of the city. Such police officer shall receive only such compensation as is determined by the city council in accordance with all state and local enactments controlling the same. However, this provision shall not prevent a member of the police department from accepting an award from a nonprofit police award foundation. (b) Subject to the direction of the city manager, the chief of police shall have control and management of the city jail so long as the city operates a jail. (1964 Code, § 29A-3.2) (Ord. 8433, § 2, passed 9-19-1981)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-28 ASSIGNMENT PAY; BILINGUAL PERSONNEL.

§ 27-28 ASSIGNMENT PAY; BILINGUAL PERSONNEL. (a) The chief of police may designate certain police officers in the police department as bilingual personnel who, in addition to their regular duties, will perform certain specialized functions. Bilingual personnel so assigned will comply with the following for the department: (1) BILINGUAL PERSONNEL means a police officer who, in the performance of the officer's duties, is capable of effectively translating a language used by the residents of Fort Worth into English and English into the same language, orally and/or in writing. (2) To be eligible for bilingual skills pay, the officer must take and pass a language proficiency test administered by the human resources department. If a language proficiency test is not available through human resources, employees must provide an appropriate certification from an accredited agency or institution to be eligible for bilingual skills pay. (3) Upon request, employees receiving bilingual pay are expected to assist other departments with translation. Refusal to assist may result in the loss of bilingual pay. Bilingual pay can be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the chief of police or designee as long as the employee no longer uses bilingual skills in the performance of their essential job functions. (b) A Bilingual personnel who has been designated by the chief of police will be compensated the sum of $100 per month for the use of verbal skills and an additional $25 per month for the use of writing skills for a total of $125 per month as assignment pay, in addition to that individual's regular pay. (Ord. 9865, § 1, passed 4-27-1987; Ord. 21708-03-2015, § 1, passed 3-24-2015)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-29 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS.

§ 27-29 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS. (a) The police chief may designate officers from the classification of police officer, who, in addition to their regular duties, will be assigned the duties of community relations officers, and who will perform the following functions with the department: (1) Conduct or participate in citizen meetings for the purpose of providing information, answering questions and explaining department procedures or actions; (2) Provide for citizens’ expertise and guidance in crime prevention techniques; (3) Represent the police department at public functions; and (4) Perform other specialized duties as assigned by the police chief. (b) Police officers who perform the above specialized functions shall each receive pay in addition to their regular pay the sum of $120 per month as assignment pay. (Ord. 9972, § 1, passed 9-29-1987) Editor’s note: Ord. 9972, § 1, adopted Sept. 29, 1987, added provisions designated as § 27-28. Said provisions have been redesignated as § 27-29 in order to avoid duplication of section numbers, at the editor’s discretion.

Fort Worth City Code § 27-30 RESERVED.

§ 27-30 RESERVED. Editor’s note: Ord. 19712-06-2011, § 1, adopted June 7, 2011, effective June 25, 2011, repealed § 27-30, which pertained to assignment pay for captains of field operations divisions. See also the Code Comparative Table.

Fort Worth City Code § 27-31 ASSIGNMENT PAY; TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION UNIT.

§ 27-31 ASSIGNMENT PAY; TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION UNIT. (a) The police chief may designate individuals in the department for assignment to the specialized duties of the traffic investigation unit. Police officers so assigned will perform the following additional and specialized functions within the unit: (1) Plan, direct, supervise and manage the daily operations of the traffic investigation unit; (2) Acquire and demonstrate a significant amount of specialized expertise in automobile accident reconstruction, investigation of fatality accidents, DWI’s involving fatalities, hit and run accidents, auto-pedestrian accidents, reckless driving offenses, failure to stop and render aid accidents and driving with license suspended accidents; (3) Investigation of motor vehicle accidents involving city vehicles or city property; (4) Assist the district attorney’s office in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of motor vehicle offenses; and (5) Perform other specialized duties as assigned by the police chief. (b) Police officers who perform the above specialized functions in the traffic investigation unit shall receive in addition to their regular base salary an additional sum of $120 per month. BASE SALARY shall be the amount as shown in the city’s salary schedule for the current fiscal year. (Ord. 11342, § 1, passed 6-22-1993)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-32 ASSIGNMENT PAY - RANGEMASTER OF POLICE DEPARTMENT WEAPONS RANGE.

§ 27-32 ASSIGNMENT PAY - RANGEMASTER OF POLICE DEPARTMENT WEAPONS RANGE. (a) The police chief may designate individuals in the police department for assignment to the specialized duties as the rangemaster of the police weapons range. A police officer so assigned will perform the following additional and specialized functions: (1) Plan, direct, supervise and participate in the daily operations of the weapons range and the department’s overall program of firearms training and qualification; (2) Acquire and demonstrate a significant amount of specialized technical expertise relating to firearms, the training of new personnel in the use of firearms, as well as the subsequent in-service qualification of police officers; and (3) Perform other specialized duties relating to the operation of the weapons range as assigned by the police chief. (b) A police officer who performs the above specialized functions as the rangemaster shall receive in addition to their regular base salary an additional sum of $120 per month. BASE SALARY shall be the amount as shown in the city’s salary schedule for the current fiscal year. (Ord. 12458, § 1, passed 4-2-1996)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-33 ASSIGNMENT PAY - FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS.

§ 27-33 ASSIGNMENT PAY - FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS. (a) The police chief or his or her designee may expressly designate individuals from the classification of officer who have attained at least D-step (third year) for assignment to the duties of a field training officer of the department. Officers so assigned will perform the following functions with the department: (1) Provide on a one-to-one basis on-the-job training to probationary police officers; (2) Monitor, evaluate and document the performance of probationary officers; and (3) Correct and counsel performance deficiencies during the training of probationary officers and report their progress to the appropriate superior officer. (b) Officers who are assigned the duties of a field training officer shall receive, for each day they are so assigned and perform those functions, in addition to their regular pay an additional sum equal to 10% of the assigned officer’s base pay and applicable step pay as shown in the city’s salary schedule for the current fiscal year (“assignment pay”). Assignment pay shall not accrue or be payable to an individual once that person is no longer assigned to perform the specialized duties of field training officer. (Ord. 16191, § 1, passed 11-2-2004)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-34 SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL PAY.

§ 27-34 SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL PAY. (a) All full-time police civil service employees up through the rank of lieutenant are eligible for shift differential pay. (b) Only eligible police employees working approved, assigned shifts will be paid shift differential pay. (c) Only eligible police employees who work a defined shift in which more than 50% of its time worked is between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (midnight) shall receive shift differential pay of 3% of their hourly step rate of pay in addition to their hourly step rate of pay. (d) Only eligible police employees who work a defined shift in which more than 50% of its time worked is between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall receive shift differential pay of 5% of their hourly step rate of pay in addition to their hourly step rate of pay. (e) Police employees who work a shift in which more than 50% of its time worked is between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. are not eligible for shift differential pay. (f) Employees working pursuant to an emergency call back order will not receive shift differential pay. (g) Shift differential pay will be paid only for time worked. Shift differential pay will not be paid to an employee for holiday pay or any type of leave pay. (Ord. 19504-01-2011, § 1, passed 1-4-2011)

Fort Worth City Code § 27-35 RESERVED.

§ 27-35 RESERVED. Editor’s note: Ord. 20724-05-2013, § 1, adopted May 7, 2013, repealed § 27-35 (adopted by Ord. 19713-06-2011, § 1, passed June 7, 2011), which pertained to assignment pay for overnight duty captains. See also the Code Comparative Table.

Fort Worth City Code § 27-36 through 27-40 RESERVED.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Zoning Ordinance (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ftworth/latest/ftworth_tx/0-0-0-27176Fetched: 10/26/2026