City of Fort Worth
Police Oversight Monitor​
Mackenzie Eason & Associates has been retained by the City of Fort Worth to help recruit their Police Oversight Monitor.  The Police Oversight Monitor will be responsible for leading the activities and operations of the Police Oversight Office, provide civilian oversight over the Fort Worth Police Department and offer highly responsible feedback and guidance to the Assistant City Manager.

Recent incidents involving minority residents and law enforcement have highlighted the importance of building trust as a means to improve police-community relations.  As of October 1, 2019, the City is proactively forming a Police Oversight Office with a mission to listen, learn, build, and bridge in order to create an inclusive Fort Worth for all residents.  The Police Oversight Office, under the leadership of the Police Oversight ​Monitor, will establish the framework and processes for police accountability and oversight and provide a venue to listen to citizens’ input and complaints as to specific events or strategic issues within the Police Department.  Being proactive to implement internal and external accountability measures will help to build public trust and reduce the likelihood of similar issues occurring in the future.  As a result of greater transparency and accountability, Fort Worth will become a city that is inclusive, equitable, respectful, communal, and compassionate.  

The Opportunity
The Police Oversight Monitor will serve as an impartial, unbiased representative of the Police Oversight Office, furnishing information to and interacting with government officials and community representatives that will support their advocacy of oversight.  This position will be a third-party principal adviser who is outside the department but understands how it functions and can look at it from an independent standpoint.  They will advise the City Manager and Assistant City Manager on strategic policy matters, will track the internal investigations and community complaints and produce reports to them and the police chief.  The Police Oversight Monitor will also lead the long-term operational planning for the Office. 

Upon approval of the City Council, the Police Oversight Monitor will lead efforts to empanel a Community Oversight Board and define the processes associated with independent oversight of the police department.  They will also assist the Board in carrying out policy directives and the mission, as well as advance and direct the City’s commitment to gaining the community’s trust after recent incidents have created a gap between law enforcement and the community.

Duties & Responsibilities of the Police Oversight ​Monitor include:
  • Establishing and implementing the independent investigative process to receive and review formal citizen complaints of the Police Department or its staff separate from Internal Affairs while maintaining communication with the Fort Worth Police Department and the Internal Affairs Division.
  • Providing ongoing assurance that internal investigations by law enforcement are thorough, fair, and unbiased and that police practices in this regard are transparent.
  • Review of the strategic planning/ long-range policy, practices and training of the Police Department to provide feedback and advice.
  • Demonstrating a proactive approach when interacting with the community, keeping the community informed about the work of the Police Oversight Office, the City’s role and oversight of the Police Department and Police-related activities impacting the community.
  • Increasing communication from geographic locations in the city made up of majority-minority populations to listen to their issues and receive input directly from Fort Worth citizens.
  • Review formal complaints that have been made against officers and monitors or participates in internal investigations which may include an independent investigative component.
  • Examines broad patterns in investigations and recommends policy changes.
  • Request and initiate professional review of individual or systemic issues concerning race, culture and diversity within the Police Department or of Police Department practices.

City of Fort Worth Executive Team

David Cooke- City Manager
David Cooke- City Manager

2019 Initiatives & City Manager Focus

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EXPECTATIONS AND PHILOSOPHY OF CITY
  • We have a shared responsibility for managing the city/corporation.  We establish organization-wide principles, priorities, and values.  Department heads run departments as long as they don’t violate the previous statements. 
  • We represent the customer; we represent and protect the taxpayer; we represent our employees.  In all our decisions, we must balance these groups.
  • There’s always a plan.  Nothing just shows up.  Surprises are the exception.
  • For a plan to be successful, process and inclusion are important.  Having the right process and including the right people will save time (in the end).  Include others that do not think like you.
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  • We can question and challenge each other; we support each other.
  • We are accountable to each other for our commitments.
  • Our responsibility is to provide the best service at the lowest cost . . . regardless of who provides it.  Cost equals total costs.
  • Our responsibility is to recommend the best “business decision for the city.”  These recommendations are supported by thorough evaluation of options using data and objective criteria.
  
WHAT DO WE WANT CITIZENS, CUSTOMERS, VISITORS, TAXPAYERS TO SAY ABOUT THE CITY OF FORT WORTH?
  •  ​Great customer service:  responsive, respectful, attentive, friendly
  • Business-like, professionally managed
  • Creative problem solvers; solutions-oriented
  • Tight; fiscally conservative
  • Open and transparent:  nothing to hide and everything to share
  • Optimistic and future oriented

Employees at the City of Fort Worth provide municipal services to over 850,000 residents. Each day, these employees are moving about the city, doing work that helps make Fort Worth a strong community and a great place to live. There are six values that guide our employees as they go about this work. They are:
As Fort Worth continues to grow and change, these principles help keep employees on point, providing the best service to citizens, businesses and fellow employees.

The Ideal Candidate
The Police Oversight ​Monitor must have a passion for community relations and outreach and the ability to build strong, yet independent working relationships with a wide array of constituents and community representatives, particularly with multicultural/ ethnic communities.  They must possess and maintain the highest degree of integrity, objectivity, and independence to ensure against any perception of bias.  The successful candidate must also possess intellectual curiosity, pragmatism, equanimity and credibility.

The ideal candidate will have policing expertise, experience, or exposure and a knowledge of laws, principles, practice and procedures related to conducting investigations and administrative hearings.  He/ she must be highly proficient with facilitation, negotiation and diplomacy skills with an ability to bridge community and institutional concerns around fairness and justice issues.  Additionally, this role requires someone with the ability to interact and operate effectively with various stakeholders, e.g., elected and appointed officials, law enforcement officers and administrators, community groups, and others. 

The ideal candidate will possess knowledge, experience and skills including:
  • Knowledge of social problems, community attitudes, organization and subcultures
  • Effective framework of governmental and judicial structures and procedures
  • Exceptional analytical, verbal and written communication skills
  • Leadership and the ability to manage people, programs development and administration.
  • Proficiency of organization and management practices and methods, including goal setting, program development and implementation, employee supervision, personnel management, employee relations, team building, budget development and financial management
  • High level of resiliency and the ability not to personalize adversity
  • The ability to work independently, fairly and objectively
  • Knowledge of police administration and organization, and the rules, laws and regulations thereof
  • Extensive experience in municipal law enforcement
  • State, federal, and local laws including criminal law and employment law.
  • State Civil Service Law (Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code) and Civil Rights Law.
  • Operations, services and activities of an oversight program.
  • Methods and techniques of investigation, training, counseling and conflict resolution.
  • Principles and practices of municipal budget preparation and administration.
  • Principles and practices of staying current with recent developments in the Police community.

​JOB REQUIREMENTS
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​Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in labor/employment law, mediation, human resources management, business or public administration, or a related field.   Master’s degree, Juris Doctorate, or PhD is highly desirable.  At least four (4) years of experience in the field of public or private administration and supervisory responsibility or in the practice of law.
No prior experience with or other representation of the Fort Worth Police Department or individual Fort Worth Police Officers.  Experience in all phases of Police monitoring, civilian oversight administration, and procedural justice is desired.