Feds expand anti-crime crackdown to Southeast Fort Worth neighborhoods

The clampdown on violent crime and drug trafficking in North Texas includes a specialized campaign targeting specific neighborhoods.

Tuesday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency and others identified a plan to attack drugs, gangs and guns in southeast Fort Worth. 

In the mostly working-class "Poly" neighborhood of Fort Worth, many of the houses are close to 100 years old. Just blocks from Polytechnic High School, children play in parks by day, but dangers to family safety come at night.

Police and federal agents say the people trying to live safely in communities like Poly, the historic Southside, Stop 6 and Rosedale Park are inundated with illegal gun running, drug trafficking and violence taking lives.

Ryan Raybould, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, officially added the southeast Fort Worth area to the "Project Safe Neighborhood" initiative on Tuesday.

Raybould announced the plan to inject a network of police, drug agents and gang crime enforcement officers into a list of South Fort Worth neighborhoods connected to Tony Reed's Poly area community. 

"Our mission is to remove violent criminals from the streets and restore safety to our homes and businesses," said Raybould. "The newly expanded Fort Worth PSN zone is an area plagued with violence, gangs and firearm offenses ... So the message to the violent criminal out there is, 'Stop and we will hold you accountable for what you did to our community.'"

Project Safe Neighborhood is also in operation in two Dallas neighborhoods. Officials said crime data on communities helps determine who will get this extra level of attention.