Ministers Against Crime (MAC) is a non-denomination faith-based program that serves the community in numerous ways. The ministers attend the Minister’s Police Academy at the Fort Worth Police/Fire Training Center. This is a special 12-week training for three hours a week, designed specifically to suit their needs. The classes include specialized training that will indoctrinate the ministers into the inner-workings of the police department and the Criminal Justice System. The original program enlisted ministerial volunteers from inner-city neighborhoods riddled with crime.
Ministers are provided identification cards, portable radios, vehicle placards, and distinctive clothing to identify their relationship with the program. Police officers are informed that MAC’s are a welcomed presence at any police scene within the parameters established by the program.
In its origins, the ministers were able to reveal to the police department the sensitivities of many within their congregation who might otherwise not wish to speak with an officer. Additionally, when any police-related incident of concern occurred within the community, the police department could have factual information relayed back to the neighborhoods within a matter of hours using the networks established by the ministers. In 2005, MAC ministers were at Wilkerson-Greines to greet the first bus of Katrina evacuees that arrived at Fort Worth.
The goals of the program include:
• Assist police in non-traditional roles
• Provide calm in crisis situations to prevent an escalation to violence
• Assist in domestic situations where a minister is requested or needed
• Patrol and report crime in areas the police cannot easily obtain information
• Offer support to victims
Ministers Against Crime is a life-affirming program within a vibrant community that continues to evolve. For more information, contact Officer Tamelia Carroll at 817-392-6225.