Fort Worth police sharpen work at Intelligence Exchange Facility after 6th Street shooting

“For right now, we don’t have any current threats in the United States based on the Iran conflict…but it doesn’t mean it can’t happen,” Captain Jeff Keck said.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Work inside the Fort Worth Police Department Intelligence Exchange never stops, even while most people are sleeping. 

It is a 24-hour operation for the men and women whose work stretches far beyond North Texas.

Inside a secure Fort Worth facility sits the Real Time Crime Center, a key part of FWPD’s Intelligence Exchange, where analysts and officers monitor activity and share intelligence around the clock.

“We are a multi-jurisdictional collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies to share intelligence and information with regard to crimes or terrorism or anything like that,”  FWPD Captain Jeff Keck said.

Keck oversees a team responsible for tracking potential threats and coordinating with partners across multiple agencies, all working side by side inside what is known as the Fusion Center.

“Agencies like DHS and the FBI on a regular basis to better understand the threat picture that’s out there,” Captain Jeff Keck said.

The Fort Worth Police Department Intelligence Exchange is one of about 80 fusion centers nationwide. It covers parts of ten counties, including Parker, Erath and Stephens counties, and stretches as far west as Eastland and Comanche counties.

The 24 hour operation is designed to identify potential problems early and help law enforcement agencies across the region determine what poses a real threat.

“We have different puzzle pieces scattered all throughout the region, and unless you put those puzzle pieces together, you don’t realize what the big picture is,” Keck said.

That mission has taken on added urgency following the recent deadly mass shooting outside a bar on Sixth Street in Downtown Austin. Three people were killed, including the suspect, and more than a dozen others were injured as nightlife patrons ran for safety. Investigators are examining whether the shooting could be connected to terrorism.

At the same time, analysts at the Intelligence Exchange are also closely watching global developments, including rising tensions involving Iran.

“For right now, we don’t have any current threats in the United States based on the Iran conflict that’s going on, but it doesn’t mean it can’t happen,” Keck said.

Keck says that uncertainty is why public awareness remains critical to keeping communities safe.

“Getting suspicious reports from the public is probably the most important thing the Fusion Center can get,” Keck said.

Even with advanced technology and constant monitoring, Fort Worth police stress that public safety is a shared responsibility. Officials urge residents and visitors to report anything suspicious and help keep North Texas safe.

“The public is our biggest eyes and ears,” Keck said.