Fort Worth police officer Lupita Maria Bayona-Miller is making a difference in the community where she grew up.
The East Division Neighborhood Patrol officer spent her teenage years in Polytechnic Heights, a historically Black community that has seen a significant increase in Latino residents in recent decades. Her Spanish skills, she said, help her bridge the divide between police and the community.
Her efforts are paying off: She has an army of 175 volunteers she can call on for public safety community events.
“We come together as a team,” she said. “I truly love it.”
A native of Mexico, Bayona-Miller’s family moved to Fort Worth when she was a teenager. Those years were tough, she said, because safety was a factor prior to redevelopment efforts that transformed the East Rosedale Street corridor from its blighted state.
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“It was a rough walk to school as a 14-year-old,” the Polytechnic High graduate said.
Now, the area is cleaner and getting better, she said.
Growing up in Polytechnic Heights provided an instant connection to area residents, she said. She understands the neighborhood, its residents and their concerns.
The community has overwhelmingly responded to Bayona-Miller’s outreach.
“It takes a village to make it work,” she said. “The residents around here are mostly 30 to 50 years old. They appreciate us. They see police officers more as a person who cares.”
Brian Builta, former assistant vice president for university advancement at Texas Wesleyan University, said he was impressed with Bayona-Miller’s community building.
“She’s been able to increase community engagement across the area,” he told the Fort Worth Report. “She’s been able to get close to 1,500 people to some public events.”
For example, a recent back-to-school backpack giveaway Bayona-Miller helped organize drew more than 1,200 people.
Bayona-Miller is instrumental in increasing Fort Worth’s Citizens Police Academy enrollment among Spanish speakers. That police education program, which lasts eight to 12 weeks, now attracts between 80 to 100 Spanish speakers, more than those who sign up for the program in English.
Her neighborhood efforts are also helping to deter crime and ease concerns about immigration enforcement.
“There’s a lot of fear, so I try to ease those concerns. I’m just doing my job,” said Bayona-Miller, now a U.S. citizen and married to Fort Worth officer Curtis Miller, who works in the police chief’s office.
She’s been able to increase community engagement across the area. She’s been able to get close to 1,500 people to some public events.
Brian Builta, nominator
Aside from her neighborhood patrol work, Bayona-Miller handles typical police duties, including responding to emergency calls, complaints, homeless concerns and parking violations.
“A lot of times residents call me directly,” she said of nonemergency calls.
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The officer also works to dispel perceptions that the east side of Fort Worth is crime ridden.
“There’s a lot of work going on to dispel those myths.
Bayona-Miller said she appreciates the connections she’s made.
Working with residents, she said, “that’s my happy place.”
“It lets me take ownership and be more active and involved,” she said. “It takes work, but once residents trust you, they have your back.”
“It’s my reward for helping people and changing lives,” Bayona-Miller said. “That brings me satisfaction.”
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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