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.
But this info doesn't linger. ESC Region 11, the service organization and educational liaison at the helm of this operation, ditches the data after five days, ensuring that a child's brush with trauma doesn't outstay its welcome as a record. Teachers, school resource officers, and the like get to offer that gentle nudge of support that can make all the difference because knowledge, in this case, might just be the power they need to turn a page for these kids. That's the heart of the program—giving those at the front lines of education the sight beyond the bad to help mend the unseen wounds, as "children’s emotional well-being is reinforced, creating a harmonious learning environment where students can thrive," reiterated Williams in the statement issued by the City of Fort Worth.
