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

Crime Control Dedicated Sales Tax

PD Group Flower Mound Voters approved a quarter-cent dedicated sales tax in November 2007 for the creation of a crime control and prevention district. Since that time, the Town Council, administration, and the Flower Mound Police Department (FMPD) have utilized revenue created by the sales tax to increase police presence on the streets, improve service levels, and purchase updated equipment, all without an increase to the ad valorem property tax rate.

Reduced Crime Rates and Improved Response Times

The FMPD realized a five-percent reduction in the overall crime rate in 2009, marking the third consecutive year the Town has experienced a decrease in crime. In addition to a reduction in the overall crime rate, total thefts decreased by 11 percent and "other offenses" decreased by eight percent. As road improvements also remained a priority, it is important to note that auto accidents decreased by two percent during this same period. As the expansion of FM 3040 and FM 2499 greatly improved local drives and regional commutes, pending improvements to FM 1171, FM 407, US 377 and numerous other roads are projected to continue the trend of increasing commute safety and efficiency.

Crime Rate FMPD response times have also continued to improve since passage of the dedicated sales tax. Prior to 2007, response times averaged four minutes and 28 seconds for priority one calls and five minutes and five seconds for priority two calls. Preliminary estimates for 2010 indicate response times for priority one calls are averaging three minutes and 17 seconds and response times for priority two calls are averaging three minutes and 25 seconds, illustrating a 26 percent decrease in response times to priority one calls and a thirty three percent improvement in response times to priority two calls. Additional personnel, an improved thoroughfare system with new connectors, reduced patrol areas, and the implementation of two new police beats, all funded through the dedicated sales tax, have allowed officers to respond faster in emergency situations. Implemented in 2008, Police Beat Seven covers southeastern Flower Mound, and Police Beat Eight, implemented in 2009, encompasses the western sector of the community. In creating the new beats, the department redefined and reduced the geographical area of all existing beats, allowing officers to patrol more concentrated areas.

More Officers on the Streets and Community Partnerships

Through proactive recruitment, thorough testing, and aggressive training, the police department has been able to hire many new officers and fill vacant positions with assistance from the crime control and prevention district dedicated sales tax. Since 2007, the department has hired 14 new patrol officers, two detectives, two community services officers, and an administrator who allows commissioned officers to spend more time on the streets addressing community needs utilizing dedicated sales tax funding. In addition, the funding also assisted the department in pursuit of its goal to obtain accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) recognition through policy updates, training, education, and new equipment. Volunteers with the Flower Mound Police Department's Citizen Public Safety Patrol are also credited with assisting in the response to crime by serving numerous roles in the field, freeing officers to respond to emergencies. These volunteers respond to non-criminal calls for service, special event management, inclement weather mitigation, and automobile accident scene traffic control. The department credits the burgeoning resident volunteer program with supplementing neighborhood patrols, allowing officers to spend more time on the streets responding to calls. Volunteer patrols answered 214 service calls last year. In addition, the FMPD's Chaplain Corps program provides volunteers to assist families during emergencies and the alcohol and tobacco awareness program was recently recognized for having the highest percentage of retailer compliance inspections and enforcement operations in the state. The program partners with local retail and restaurant business owners in working to keep alcohol and tobacco out of the hands of the community's youth.

New Technologies and Equipment

Beats In combination with monies raised through the crime control district dedicated sales tax, the department also utilizes other non-taxpayer-funded sources including grants and seized criminal assets to purchase additional equipment and improve services. Technology enhancements funded through these sources include upgrades to the emergency services radio system, enhanced mobile data computers in all patrol vehicles, surveillance equipment, new crime analysis and investigative case management software, and Automatic Vehicle Locator software. The new software and mobile computers allow patrol officers to maintain real-time contact with local, state, and national databases, receive intelligence bulletins, and immediately file offense and incident reports. The external funding sources have also helped place numerous new vehicles and crime watch tools into service including four new patrol cars, two new detective cars, two electric-powered utility vehicles, two citizen patrol vehicles, a crime prevention vehicle, a recruiting vehicle, a seized utility truck, a radar trailer, and a Sky Watch Tower. A security structure that provides officers with a bird's eye view, the tower is used in parking lots, festivals, and large crowds. In addition, the department has obtained tactical operations equipment and incident management software that allows officers to better respond during a crisis or emergency situation.

The Crime Control Dedicated Sales Tax

Decreasing crime and traffic accident rates, reduced response times, and increased community involvement all contribute to ensuring Flower Mound remains one of the safest, family-oriented communities in North Texas. The Flower Mound Police Department will continue working toward the positive trend of decreasing crime rates and reducing response times in 2010. Additional staffing and operational improvements will include continued training and educational opportunities such as a newly implemented quarterly training cycle for all officers, and the pursuit of grant funding for new technologies that will make officers more efficient and effective in responding to service calls and reporting crimes. The police department maintains an on-going performance evaluation process to address future needs and enhance services.

This is the first story in a series focusing on the Town of Flower Mound's four dedicated sales taxes and the benefits they provide the community. The Town's total sales tax of 8.25 percent, including the four one-quarter cent dedicated sales taxes, is consistent with that of other municipalities in North Texas.