NOTE: FOR NEWS OUTLETS UNABLE TO ATTEND ON SATURDAY, PLEASE CALL CHARLIE HODGES TO ARRANGE FOR INTERVIEWS ON FRIDAY WITH FORT WORTH POLICE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OR FORT WORTH POLICE OFFICIALS.
Fort Worth, Texas - The Fort Worth Police Department will hold a formal pinning of the Centennial Panther Badge on the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse on Saturday, June 9. The ceremony will begin at approximately 8:15 a.m.
The event will culminate with the official pinning of the badge at 9 a.m., exactly 100 years to the hour that the original Fort Worth Police Panther Badge went into service on June 9, 1912.
MEDIA COVERAGE: Special provisions are in place for media coverage. Media parking will be on the south side of Weatherford Street near the intersection with Commerce. Live trucks will get priority on Weatherford Street, which will be closed for normal traffic, with additional media parking on Commerce. During the ceremony, cameras will have clear access to the speaker's podium at the intersection of Main and Weatherford. A mult box will be provided for audio.
Media can set up for the event as early as 5:30 a.m., and we can make arrangements for earlier set up by notifying Officer Sharron Neal, Lt. Ty Hadsell or Ofc. Kellie Whitehead from the Fort Worth Police Department's PRO Team, or contacting Charlie Hodges from Charlie Hodges Media.
PUBLIC IS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND: To prepare for the event, traffic will be diverted starting at midnight on Saturday morning. A future advisory will detail traffic closures. Members of the public attending the event will be allowed to bring lawn chairs. Special seating will be set aside for VIPS and sponsors
A dropoff location for visitors who have special needs and the elderly will be established at Commerce Street and Weatherford Sts.
WHO: Fort Worth Police Department
WHAT: Pinning of the Centennial Panther Badge. A ceremony that officially puts the badge into service.
WHEN: Saturday, June 9 at about 8:15 a.m.
WHERE: Tarrant County Courthouse Steps, intersection of Main and Weatherford Sts. in Downtown Fort Worth.
WHY: To mark the 100th anniversary of the Police Department's Panther Badge. This special Centennial Panther Badge will honor the 100th year of service for Fort Worth's current police badge, which went into service on June 9, 1912. The Fort Worth Police Historical Association obtained thousands of dollars in sponsorships from Fort Worth businesses and foundations to purchase the commemorative Centennial Badge.
Every active duty Fort Worth Police Officer, Reserve Officers and the families of fallen police officers will receive a badge, pin and coin set free of charge. Special pins and coins will be given to every civilian employee of the Fort Worth Police Department. All of the money raised for the badges, pins and coins was donated.
