The Crime Control and Prevention District is a special purpose tax district created by Texas Code 363 for Texas tax law purposes. According to the Trophy Club CCPD, “The Crime Control and Prevention District (CCPD) is composed of seven residents who assist the Town in developing and maintaining a crime control plan and a budget for programs designed to help with policing and safety for the community of Trophy Club. Chapter 363 of the Texas Local Government Code allows for the creation of a Crime Control and Prevention District. An allocation of 0.25% of the total sales tax generated within the Town of Trophy Club funds the District. The CCPD was approved by the voters of the Town of Trophy Club on May 11, 2013.”
According to Section 363.152(b) The district shall fund an annual evaluation program to study the impact, efficiency, and effectiveness of new or expanded crime control and crime prevention programs. Trophy Club Voice has been unsuccessful identifying any CCPD crime control programs in Trophy Club.
On February 22, 2022 the Town Secretary presented re-authorizing the CCPD’s authority for another 20 years. Twenty years is two generations from now. What would be in the Town’s interest to jump from the introductory 6 years of CCPD’s authorization to 20 years? The CCPD and police department hasn’t been transparent about their massive spending of sax tax dollars over the last 6 years, so Trophy Club Voice began researching.
Trophy Club’s CCPD 2013 Plan included strategies to enhance the police departments efficiency, implement a new policy facility, enhance crime-fighting through acquisition of equipment and technology and increased staffing. Well, we have checked all those boxes by year 2022. As a small town police department, we are equipped with first class equipment, vehicles, a Tesla motorcycle, and a brand new police facility.
The CCPD will soon be introducing plans to build a $500,000 covered parking garage with fencing and gates for our police vehicles. Not to mention, the police department’s Tesla motorcycle has it’s own protective shed. The Trophy Club Police Department (TCPD) has two more officers this year than last. And, let’s not forget the April 2022 Dallas Morning News article about the Trophy Club surveillance cameras at every possible entrance and exit in the Town.
Trophy Club police routinely dismiss property crime and blame property owners for not securing their belongings. This variable is completely out of the police’s control, unless the police implement a crime fighting program to educate home owners to “Lock, Take and Hide”. We see this marketing strategy often in parking lots, but no campaign in the Town of Trophy Club can be seen on social media, websites or in the streets.
The City of Corpus Christi addressed auto crimes by creating an Auto Theft Task Force. The Insurance Council of Texas is teaming up with the City of Corpus Christi, along with State Farm, by putting up signs for public awareness. This suggestion was introduced to the Town Council by a Trophy Club resident last year, but never discussed by the Trophy Club CCPD or Trophy Club Town Council. KRIS Corpus Christi reported the Task Force recovered vehicles over $2.5 million and personal property approximately $3.3 million just last summer.
When evaluating the CCPD’s expenses, the Trophy Club Voice finds capital expenditures and contracts for surveillance, but no community programs or safety marketing campaigns. Other cities like Fort Worth use a portion of their CCPD funds to “educate the community and hold policymakers responsible.” Fort Worth is reporting a 63% decrease in violent crimes since the creation of their CCPD in 1995. Trophy Club has not reported the crime statistics through the Town’s webpage, or in CCPD’s recorded quarterly meetings.
On May 11, 2013, Trophy Club voters gave the CCPD authority to do what, reduce property crime? Residents in Trophy Club have a 1 in 10,000 chance to be a victim of a violent crime, while Texans have a 1 in 222 chance.
Trophy Club residents start early voting April 25, 2022 to re-authorize the CCPD another 20 years.
What is interesting is, The Town of Trophy Club hasn’t mentioned this addition to our ballot prior to the election. Why is that?