Town of Flower Mound, Texas

2121 Cross Timbers Road
Flower Mound, Texas 75028
972.874.6000

For service requests or questions, email
townhall@flower-mound.com
or call 972.539.SERV. After hours, please call 972.539.0525.

Police Department

Emergency Line: 9 - 1 - 1
Anonymous Crime Tip Line: 972.874.3307

Non-Emergency Line: 972.539.0525
Fax: 972.874.3362

The Flower Mound Police Department provides the community with the best customer service available in a timely manner. In cooperation with the Town Council, the Police Department has developed a progressive approach to community policing and has provided professional, well-trained officers to address concerns and requests from our citizens.

The Department is responsible for the protection of lives and property and the preservation of social order and public peace. It is the hope of the Flower Mound Police Department that, through a spirit of cooperation, the Town’s citizens and the Police Department can make our community a safer place to live and work.

FMPD gears up for Medication Disposal Day April 28

The Flower Mound Police Department, along with the Lewisville Independent School District and the Drug Enforcement Agency, will participate in another Medication Disposal Day April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Flower Mound and Marcus High Schools. This event provides an important opportunity for residents to safely dispose of unwanted and unused prescription or over-the-counter drugs. The Medication Disposal Day is part of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day campaign. Studies show a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family, friends, and the home medicine cabinet. For more information, please visit www.lisd.net/choices or call 469.948.8680.

FMPD to Host Junior Police Academy This Summer

Students entering eighth-grade in the fall are invited to be a part of the exciting Flower Mound Police Department Junior Police Academy this summer. While attending, participants will hear a variety of presentations on drug enforcement, criminal investigation, the K-9 unit, traffic stops, and will receive a special behind-the-scenes tour of the police department. In addition, the SWAT team will conduct an exercise with academy students. The overall purpose of the program is to motivate young people while enhancing leadership skills and encouraging community participation.

The FMPD will host two JPA sessions from 8 a.m. to noon at the Police Department, 4150 Kirkpatrick Lane, for students who live in Flower Mound. The first session is June 25 – 29 and the second will be held July 23 - 27. Space is limited and the police department requests parents complete a registration form and return it to the police department between April 30 and May 31 at 5 p.m. Registration forms are available in the front office of all Flower Mound middle schools, in the lobby of the Police Department, and online here. Once a student has been accepted into the academy, a $20 registration fee is due on the first day of class. For more information, please contact Officer Justin Buck at justin.buck@flower-mound.com or at 972.874.3357.

Flower Mound Police Department Joins Select Group of Law Enforcement Organizations to Receive CALEA Certification

CALEA The Flower Mound Police Department (FMPD) was awarded one of law enforcement’s most prestigious certifications on March 26, 2011 when the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) honored the agency with Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation.

“The fact that less than ten percent of police departments across the country have received accreditation is a testament to the hard work Captain Richard Brooks, the FMPD command staff, and the entire department put into bringing this honor home to Flower Mound,” said Kenneth Brooker, Flower Mound Police Chief.

Flower Mound is one of only 22 municipal law enforcement agencies in Texas to be honored with theAdvanced Law Enforcement Accreditation. The accreditation of the FMPD follows almost three years worth of work completed by FMPD personnel to ensure the department’s standard operating procedures, policies, and actions are consistent with CALEA standards. The FMPD notified CALEA in June 2008 of its intent to seek accreditation and immediately conducted the initial phase of self-assessment.

CALEA’s standards address nine major law enforcement subjects including role, responsibilities, and relationships with other agencies; organization, management, and administration; personnel structure; personnel process; law enforcement operations; operations support; traffic operations; detainee and court-related services; and auxiliary and technical services.

In unanimously awarding accreditation to the FMPD, CALEA officials cited well-defined policies and procedures, the community policing program, the Citizen Public Safety Patrol, and the strength of the department’s employees and their commitment to the community as outstanding attributes.

During the self-assessment phase of the accreditation process, the department reviewed all applicable CALEA standards and adjusted its own policies and procedures as necessary. In total, the FMPD complied with 464 CALEA standards. A team of CALEA assessors visited Flower Mound in December 2010 to conduct an on-site assessment of all FMPD procedures and policies, and review regulation compliance.

The assessors also toured all Flower Mound law enforcement facilities, inspected equipment currently in use by the department, and accompanied officers who were patrolling the Town to observe public interaction. In addition, the FMPD hosted a public forum that was attended by the CALEA representatives and members of the community including a local pastor, the director of Youth and Family Counseling of Denton County, and the City of Lewisville Police Chief.

Flower Mound’s Chief of Police and several FMPD captains testified regarding the agency’s compliance to applicable standardsin a committee hearing before the CALEA accreditation committee on March 26 in Bethesda, Maryland. After a recommendation of approval by the committee and a vote of affirmation by the entire CALEA commission, the Flower Mound Police Department was awarded a three-year advanced accreditation during a formal ceremony on March 26.

The fourth stage in CALEA’s accreditation process includes the maintaining of compliance, and reaccreditation. The FMPD will maintain compliance with applicable standards, operate by the letter and spirit of those standards during the accreditation period, and seek reaccreditation in three years. Reaccreditation requires an additional on-site assessment and a subsequent hearing before the Commission.

CALEA was created in 1979 to strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities, improve law enforcement service delivery, and increase community and staff confidence in local police departments. The organization does this by maintaining a body of standards developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives, and recognizing professional excellence.

Flower Mound Modifies Alarm Permit Ordinance to Reduce False Alarm Calls and Improve Response Capabilities

False alarms cost the Town of Flower Mound and its citizens thousands of dollars per year and can take police officers away from actual emergencies. The Flower Mound Town Council adopted an updated alarm ordinance in 2010 to help prevent Flower Mound’s Emergency Services from needlessly responding to an excessive number of false alarms. Effective January 1, 2011, the new ordinance is designed to reduce the number of false alarms, and encourage alarm users to provide updated occupant information, maintain the mechanical reliability of their alarms, and properly use their alarm equipment.

Approximately nine percent of all Flower Mound Police Department calls for service in 2010 were for monitored alarm response. Of the dispatched alarms calls, 99 percent were false alarms. False alarms are costly to every resident as they require the Town’s emergency response personnel to respond and hamper their ability to address true emergencies. A false alarm during the daytime takes one officer out of service for a significant amount of time. At night, two officers are required to respond, which further dilutes police coverage for the entire town.

The new ordinance establishes requirements for monitored commercial and residential alarms to be renewed annually. Flower Mound residents and businesses are required to annually register their alarm systems with the Flower Mound Police Department. The annual registration fee is $35 for monitored residential alarm permits and $50 for monitored commercial alarm permits. The fee is also applicable to residential and commercial alarms that are not monitored, but are audible outside of the structure which is being protected.

Flower Mound has contracted with ATB Services to administer the program based on their experience and expertise in operating false alarm reduction programs across the country. Residents and businesses that have already been identified as having alarm systems will receive registration and/or renewal invoices in March 2011. Residents and businesses that have an externally audible or monitored alarm system can also register on-line at www.atbservices.com/flowermound by completing the User Registration Form. Inquiries and questions can be directed to ATB by calling 877.356.7875 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Updated alarm permits provide current contact information for residents, document which alarms are monitored or actively used, and ensure monitoring services maintain updated occupant information. The overall goals of the program are to reduce the large number of false alarms received annually, and allow Flower Mound’s Emergency Services resources to be utilized for urgent public safety purposes.

Town of Flower Mound
Residential and Commercial Alarm Permit Program Summary

Alarm Permit Registration Fee

Permits are required for all monitored alarms and those with an externally audible siren. Use of an alarm system without a permit as required under this ordinance may result in a citation for operating an alarm system without a permit.

Residential Alarm- $35
Commercial Alarm - $50

False Alarm Service Fees

Definition of a false alarm: Activation of an alarm system through mistake, mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation, lack of prudent maintenance or through the negligence of the occupant of the residence and/or building in which the alarm system is located, including their employees or agents. False Alarm shall also mean any activation of an alarm system which indicates a crime or situation other than that which it was designated to indicate. An intruder alarm triggered by an animal from the outside of the building where the alarm is located shall constitute a false alarm. False alarm service fees are calculated on a rolling twelve-month basis:

1st – 3rd false alarm                   –          No Fee
4th – 6th false alarm                   –          $50 each
7 or more false alarms               –          $75 each

Additional Information

All registration fees, renewal registration fees, or false alarm fines assessed under this ordinance are due within thirty days of written notice unless otherwise noted. Do not call 9-1-1 or Flower Mound’s Police Department to cancel your alarm response. Only your monitoring service can cancel the alarm dispatch request once made. Information on your right to appeal shall be provided with each notice of a false alarm.

What Can You Do To Prevent False Alarms?

Instruct all alarm users on the proper operation of your alarm system.

Secure all windows and doors before activation.

Keep pets, balloons, fans, heaters, plants, curtains, seasonal decorations, etc. away from motion sensor areas.

Know and rehearse the process to cancel an accidental alarm. Notify your alarm company of any changes in responsible parties or problems with your system immediately.

Have your alarm system checked annually by your alarm company. Battery backup should be checked annually or after a storm-related false alarm.

Common Problems That Cause False Alarms:

Weak alarm system backup batteries

Open, unlocked, or loose fitting doors and windows

Helium-filled balloons

Wandering pets

Improper application or installation of motion detectors

Failure to properly train other users

ATB Services Duties

Flower Mound has contracted with Alarm Tracking and Billing Services (ATB Services) of Colorado Springs, Colorado to administer the False Alarm Reduction Program. ATB Services will track and bill for an estimated 2,500 yearly false alarms; coordinate with approximately 50 alarm companies and monitoring centers in and out of state; process several thousand annual permits; provide all the computer software and upgrades required; create online sites for Police Department officials, alarm users and alarm companies to review their respective alarm information; record remittances; assist with appeal filing; provide for online payments; accommodate alarm users with toll-free customer service support; and develop an educational online alarm school to help reduce the number of false alarms that require law enforcement response. When you purchase a private security alarm system or contract to have a private security system monitored by a security alarm business licensed by the Town you are entering into a private contract with that business only. Your alarm purchase and monitoring contract are not contracts with the Town of Flower Mound, its Police Department, or any law enforcement agency.

Traffic Enforcement Program Provides Flower Mound Residents With an Array of Safety Benefits

Traffic enforcement is one of the most visible and beneficial services a police department provides to a community. In addition to making the streets safer for motorists, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians, a proactive traffic enforcement program contributes to the overall safety of a community on a variety of levels.

The average American is more likely to be involved in a traffic crash than be a victim of a crime. According to national statistics, there is one fatality crash every 12 minutes, one injury crash every 11 seconds, one reported crash every 5 seconds, and one property damage crash every 7 seconds. Everyone pays for traffic crashes and the economic costs are significantly more than crime. Crashes cost Americans $164.2 billion annually, while violent crimes and property crimes cost Americans $16.1 billion annually.

The Flower Mound Police Department operates a fulltime traffic enforcement unit comprised of six officers and a sergeant. The group is responsible for traffic enforcement and accident investigation. There were 746 reported crashes in Flower Mound in 2009, 146 of them involved injuries and six involved fatalities.

A common misconception about traffic enforcement is that police officers excessively enforce speeding laws. It is accurate that one of the most common and dangerous infractions the unit must address on a daily basis is vehicular speeding. The offense contributes to an estimated 21 percent of all fatal car crashes nationally, and 88 percent of all speeding-related fatalities in 2008 occurred on local roads.

While speeding is a serious violation that warrants enforcement, recently released statistics indicate that it does not receive a disproportionate amount of resource allocation when compared to other traffic offenses. The Flower Mound Police Department issued approximately 26,000 traffic citations between January 2009 and August 2010. Of those citations issued, only 42 percent were for speeding. In addition, the average speeding citation in Flower Mound was issued for 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, well above the threshold that officers can legally enforce.

Two additional myths about traffic enforcement are that officers are encouraged to write tickets as a revenue generator for the town and they unfairly target the community’s youth. The Flower Mound Police Department conducted 49,055 traffic stops between January 2009 and August 2010. Of those stops, only 37 percent resulted in citations being issued, and approximately 3 percent resulted in citations issued to juveniles.

In addition to enforcement, traffic officers perform a myriad of safety-related services, including addressing drivers who operate vehicles in an erratic, reckless, careless, or negligent manner and removing impaired drivers from the road. National Alcohol-Related Fatal and Injury Crash statistics indicate that 41% of all fatal crashes and 9% of all injury crashes are alcohol related. In 2009, Flower Mound police officers made 216 DWI arrests and 40 DUI minor arrests.

In addition, traffic enforcement also regularly identifies criminals who are in the process of other crimes or have outstanding warrants. Traffic stops in Flower Mound resulted in the apprehension of 617 criminals in 2009 and another 535 arrests between January and August 2010. Drugs, weapons, contraband, fugitives, and criminals are frequently found in vehicles and removed from the community during “routine” traffic stops.

A Flower Mound officer recently initiated a traffic stop due to observing an expired inspection sticker. The subject had in his vehicle several driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, books of checks, and invoices which belonged to various individuals. The individual also had a laminator, a printer, a computer, and the means to steal more than 40 different individual’s identities. He was arrested for fraudulent use of identifying information.

Unfortunately, that was not an isolated case. In one recent incident, a Flower Mound officer stopped a vehicle in which the occupant possessed more than six grams of heroin. Another traffic stop resulted in the arrest of both occupants for possession of marijuana and a suitcase full of drug paraphernalia, and a different incident resulted in a burglary arrest after officers located stolen goods in the vehicle.

While a proactive traffic enforcement program may be inconvenient for some motorists, the overall safety benefits provided to the entire community far outweigh the unintended minor nuisances some motorists may experience. Reducing vehicular accidents, identifying serious criminals, removing illegal substances and contraband from the community, and saving lives are all rewards of an organized traffic enforcement program.

For more information, download the Traffic Enforcement Handout.

Employment Opportunities with
The Flower Mound Police Department