Fort Worth police chief backs bill allowing legal permanent residents to be officers
Fort Worth Police Department Chief Neil Noakes on Friday announced his support of a state bill that would make legal permanent residents of the United States eligible to be peace officers in Texas.
Noakes said the legislation would increase the number of otherwise qualified applicants to his department and to others and not affect recruiting standards. He spoke at a press conference at Dallas Police Department headquarters.
The bill, which would expand peace officer license eligibility in Texas beyond its current limit to United States citizens, also may fortify trust in population segments in which it is most fractured, Noakes said.
“We say frequently as chiefs that we want to more accurately reflect the communities that we serve,” Noakes said. “What better way to become more engaged, more connected with every community we serve than to invite those members of the community into our department?”
House Bill 1076 has advanced to the calendars committee that determines which bills go to a full House vote. The bill was filed by Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas.
Neave Criado said the bill had support from some Republicans, including its joint author, Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth.
“Legal permanent residents can serve in the United State military and protect and serve and die for our country. They also should have the right to protect and serve our neighborhoods,” Neave Criado said.
Noe Barrera, a TCU criminology major, said he has long wanted to be a police officer. Barrera is a legal permanent resident and currently ineligible for a license.
If the bill is successful, it could result in an increased chance that when a person requests the police in Fort Worth, “when someone responds to their call, there’s someone that looks like them,” Barrera said.
Dallas Police Department Chief Eddie Garcia said recruitment efforts have been frustrated by the citizenship limits of current law. Each month, Dallas police turn away 50 to 100 people at career fairs because they are unqualified as legal permanent residents, Garcia said.
“Texas is losing the recruiting war when it comes to police officers to other states,” Garcia said.
Eleven other states, including bordering Oklahoma and Louisiana, allow legal permanent residents to be police officers.
This story was originally published March 31, 2023 at 6:20 PM.
