The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) is stepping up its efforts to cushion the fall for kids who witness the nightmares that are domestic violence and other traumatic crimes. The Handle with Care program, which discreetly notifies schools when a child has been present at a potentially traumatic scene, has now amped its reach citywide. According to the City of Fort Worth, this initiative keeps details quiet, passing only essential cues to school staff, including the child’s identity and case number—sans the dirty laundry of the incident itself.
This model of care seems to be doing something right. Having tested the waters with a pilot in early 2022, the FWPD’s program went full steam ahead after signs pointed to thumbs up in terms of support for the kiddos. It’s a year-round conduit for aid, with FWPD officers trained to flag any incident involving children for Handle with Care notifications. Fort Worth Police Commander Antione Williams summed it succinctly: “Hurt people, hurt people. The experiences children are exposed to at home can carry over to the classroom,” Williams told the City of Fort Worth.
Call takers now ask if children are on site. If the answer’s yes, that’s when the Handle with Care tag gets slapped on. Before officers split the scene, they punch in a code into their portal, ensuring that the whispered heads-up reaches the school’s ears. And that’s about it—no gruesome tale, no tainting the innocence. Just the name, age, school, and case number…