Heart Work Interview with Deputy Chief Michael Shedd

The Heart Worth Team interviewed Deputy Chief Michael Shedd about law enforcement and race in Tarrant County. We compiled a list of questions for Deputy Chief Shedd. Below are his replies.

Heart Worth Team: What do you want people of color to know about FWPD?

Deputy Chief Shedd: First, the entire law enforcement community was disgusted by the inhumanity displayed by those officers in Minneapolis during their encounter with George Floyd. It was heartbreaking to members of law enforcement, just as it was heartbreaking to the nation. Although the Fort Worth Police Department had no hand in George Floyd’s murder, we recognize we have had our own failures in this community and George Floyd only served to remind our community members of those failures. That being said, the Fort Worth Police Department does not tolerate racially motivated behavior or excessive force against any of our citizens. Furthermore, our department is committed to working with community members, City Council, and the Office of Police Oversight and Monitoring to regain trust in our community.

HW: What steps is FWPD actively taking to mend relationships–specifically in communities of color?

Deputy Chief Shedd: I believe our department has always strived to maintain positive relationships in communities of color. We have a constant presence in those communities through our Neighborhood Police Officers, the Ministers Against Crime program, our Police Athletic League as well as through other partnerships that have been formed over the years. Furthermore, we have liaisons to those communities assigned to the Public Relations Office that provide direct access to the Deputy Chief of Police. Unfortunately, when tragedy strikes our nation, or our City, the trust built through those long-standing relationships becomes immediately strained and the mutual benefit of those relationships is quickly undermined.

Following several recent high-profile incidents in Fort Worth, we started a program called Beyond the Badge. That group is made up of officers and minority community members that meet monthly to discuss various topics that are impacting law enforcement. Through their open discussions they are able to plan community forums that are most relevant to the current climate. The idea is to increase transparency and allow community members to have a voice in how our department operates.

HW: Do you believe systemic racism exists within the FWPD?

Deputy Chief Shedd: I believe systemic racism exists in America and therefore exists in the law enforcement community.

HW: What are some of the actionable steps that FWPD will take in the near future to re-establish trust with communities of color?

Deputy Chief Shedd: Apart from the many programs we are already involved with to maintain relationships in communities of color, our department has already met with members of the various protests in Fort Worth, listened to their demands and started those conversations. We recognize that policing is the will of the community made kinetic. If the community changes their expectations of the law enforcement profession, then our department is prepared to go along with those changes.

HW: What ways can FW communities of color support the FWPD?

Deputy Chief Shedd: Our department cannot change overnight. I would ask for their patience as we work together to develop a realistic plan, with realistic goals and timelines, and allow us time to set that plan into motion. Furthermore, communities of color should encourage their children to consider law enforcement as a profession so they might change the culture of law enforcement from within her walls.

HW: What have you seen presented by the protestors that have made the most impact on you?

Deputy Chief Shedd: The vast majority of protestors in Fort Worth have been peaceful. Even the most vocal adversaries lashing out against officers, are completely rational when engaged in one-on-one conversation. Through those one-on-one interactions, I found hope that we can have meaningful conversations once the anger subsides.

HW: Why is there so much distrust between PD and communities of color?

Deputy Chief Shedd: For years we have tried to recruit a diverse workforce by targeting Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as Hispanic Serving Institutes. Unfortunately, we have had difficulty convincing members of those communities that law enforcement is a viable profession worthy of their inclusion. We recognize that by modeling the diversity of our community we will inherently gain some level of trust. We have significant gaps to close in our diversity, and our agency does not look like the community we serve. When those gaps are closed, that will be a significant step in the right direction.

HW: What steps did the FWPD take immediately after the killing of Atatiana Jefferson?

Deputy Chief Shedd: On the Monday morning following the murder of Atatiana Jefferson, we held an emergency meeting with the Beyond the Badge group to discuss that shooting. During the meeting, we discussed the termination of the involved officer and the charges he would inevitably face. We made it clear, that the Department did not condone the actions of that officer and that he would be held accountable. Less than an hour later, the Executive Staff of the Fort Worth Police Department met and gave advice to Deputy Chief Kraus. Following that meeting, Deputy Chief Kraus was prepared to immediately terminate the involved officer, and he also vowed to move forward with criminal charges. The involved officer resigned before he could be terminated, but true to his word, Deputy Chief Kraus ensured that the officer was charged with the appropriate crime.

The actions of that officer were so grossly deviant from policy, training or accepted practice that it was an easy decision to make.

Following that shooting, a panel of experts was appointed by City leadership to examine our policies and procedures, our training and our accountability processes. That initial report is due to City Council very soon.

HW: Are FWPD officers in continual racial education and training?

Deputy Chief Shedd: Every new recruit receives an 8-hour block of training on multi-culturalism and human relations.  In addition, they receive 11.5 hours on de-escalation strategies. Following graduation, new recruits and every officer on our department receives training that was developed in conjunction with The National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice. That training includes discussions on procedural justice, implicit bias and reconciliation.

In January of 2021, through funding from the North Texas Community Foundation’s Fund to Advance Racial Equity, The National Training Institute on Race and Equity will be providing implicit bias training to our entire department.

HW: What missteps have you identified on the part of FWPD that may have contributed to the tense relations between FWPD and communities of color and how can those be resolved/corrected moving forward?

Deputy Chief Shedd: The greatest misstep that may have contributed to the tense relations between our department and communities of color would have to be a lack of communication. I don’t think our department has done an adequate job of communicating the steps we take on a daily basis to improve those relationships, and hold our officers accountable for violating that trust. The average citizen doesn’t realize the level of scrutiny an officer faces anytime they use force in dealing with a citizen. There are numerous examples of officers being held accountable, that never come to the attention of the public because it is deemed not newsworthy.

In addition, our department constantly strives to keep our policies in tune with national standards and best practices in policing. Those policies are readily available to view on our website, and citizens are always welcome to come ride along with an officer to get a firsthand look at what it’s like to police in Fort Worth. Furthermore, citizens are welcome to participate in inter-active use of force training in order to gain a better understanding of the training our officers receive.

HW: What percentage of FWPD officers live in the city of Fort Worth?

Deputy Chief Shedd: For sworn – it’s 40%

Total Sworn = 1704

Total Sworn Living in FW = 688

HW: Do you feel it’s important to have officers that reside in Fort Worth to be the ones keeping Fort Worth safe?

Deputy Chief Shedd: I personally choose to live in Fort Worth because of that very reason, and because I like to vote on matters that concern me. However, I don’t think there is any evidence to suggest that you have to live in a community to understand that communities’ needs. I believe it’s more important to recruit a diverse workforce and then train them to be police officers. If you are a mature, empathetic, socially, and emotionally intelligent human being, you can be a police officer in Fort Worth regardless of your zip code.  That being said, officers are required to live within 30 minutes of their primary duty assignment.