The Keller City Council agreed to join the Fort Worth Police Department’s TRIDENT Center, approved an economic development program agreement with HOPS Kitchen + Bar and discussed sculpture options for a roundabout at its Aug. 18 regular meeting.
TRIDENT
Keller will join several other municipalities across the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the Tactical Real-Time Intelligence, Detection and Enforcement of North Texas Center, or TRIDENT, a multi-agency real-time crime and data-sharing initiative run by the city of Fort Worth.
With the approval by Keller City Council, the Keller Police Department will join 14 police departments and the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office as part of TRIDENT.
Fort Worth Police Department operates its Real Time Crime Center from 505 W. Felix St. in Fort Worth. The new TRIDENT Center will be constructed at that same location, Keller Police Chief Brad Fortune said.
The city would provide:
- One employee, who will be a detective
- Technology data such as crash data, arrest documentation, video and automatic license plate reader information
- Access to the primary radio channel and one secondary talk channel
- An advisor to the rotating advisory committee
Fortune highlighted the real-time intelligence and an example of how the Real Time Crime Center led to an arrest of a road rage shooting in Fort Worth in cooperation with Haltom City and North Richland Hills. He said Fort Worth PD used Flock license plate readers from multiple towns to locate the vehicle within 15 minutes of the shooting and made an arrest within an hour.
“It just takes one [incident] and to have this type of resource back behind you to help with those command-level decisions and those tactical decisions are crucial,” Fortune said.
Economic development program agreement
The city approved a Chapter 380 economic development program agreement with HOPS Kitchen + Bar, a Chinese steakhouse that is under construction at 200 Keller Parkway.
Tommy Zheng and Donny Wu are the owners of the new restaurant, which will open in 2027, according to previous reporting. They also own HUSH, a sushi and Japanese restaurant in Keller.
The agreement includes a performance-based incentive structure that ranges from $23,857 to $39,762 during the first four years, according to the presentation.
Ana Erwin, Keller's assistant director of economic development, said the projected sales in the first year HOPS is open are $2.16 million. The owners had the same projections for HUSH and the actual sales for the opening year were $3.75 million.
“[HOPS is] bringing a new level of vibrancy to Old Town Keller,” Erwin said. “It's right up the alley of what our citizens want.”
Roundabout art
Council looked at options for a sculpture that is planned for a roundabout at Mt. Gilead Road and Bourland Road.
Three artists presented sculptures before the council, which ultimately asked Jordan Dawson, interim parks and recreation director, to go back and get more options.
Fred Rosett’s Wishful Thinking II is currently on display in Old Town Keller and would cost $8,000. The 14-foot sculpture is a series of dandelions. Pascale Pryor submitted three pieces, including a 12-foot red flowers piece that is also in Old Town Keller and would cost $6,750.
Jeffie Brewer, who was part of Keller’s rotating sculpture program, suggested a 20-foot piece. His Yves Klein Blue Heron would be $31,500 and would have to be built.
Dawson said the Keller Public Art Board recommended Rosett’s offering as its choice.
“It would be really cool to see something that has a little bit more of a Keller connection,” Mayor Ross McMullin said. “There are some things that you know tie into this town, whether it's the water tower, railroad or Samantha Springs.”
Councilman Jarrett “Doc” Armstrong questioned why this roundabout would be different than the roundabout at Johnson Road and Keller Smithfield Road, which is just plants and landscaping. Dawson said the Public Arts Board wanted to bring sculptures throughout the community. She said a portion of development fees within the city goes toward public art.
