Law enforcement officers in Houston have been working around the clock since Harvey hit.
Agencies from all over the state are sending their own officers for backup, but the Fort Worth Police Department has sent the most so far, nearly 100.
"I'm so proud to be a Fort Worth police officer," Chief Joel Fitzgerald told a crowd of his officers during roll call Monday afternoon.
They’re partnering up, one Fort Worth officer and one Houston officer to a squad car. Different uniforms but the same mission: protecting Houston while it fights its way back from Harvey.
"I just think of it as a no-brainer," Fitzgerald he said of joining the 100 officers who rode down from Fort Worth, to answer the call for backup. “We’ve been told over and over again about how professional we’ve been, how much of a hand we’ve given these guys that haven’t had days off and have just been stressed about not being with family and being home to see what kind of damage their homes had.”
They’re relieving Houston officers who've had to say goodbye to one of their own. Earlier on Monday, Fitzgerald joined Houston's Chief Art Acevedo to escort Sgt. Steve Perez's body to the funeral home. Perez drowned in flood waters last week while trying to get to work.
"Sgt. Perez sacrificed himself just to get himself to work and try to lend himself to what he was called to do and that's service and police work," Fitzgerald said.
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It's the same call that drove every Fort Worth officer serving in Houston to volunteer to leave home.
“We’re here just for them to assist whatever they need,” said Officer Paul Garcia.
"I came down in the first wave, volunteer," Officer Allen Speed added. "You know, the cowboy hat and the patrol car, they're like oh Fort Worth, OK. We know you guys take care of business!"
They partnered up with Houston police: two to a car, to help another community in need.
"The Houston police is only so many,” said Houston resident Danica Fuller. “So they all can't be in different places at one time."
They don't have to be. Fort Worth has their back.
"We'll do everything we can to make sure this department has the support that it needs to get through this tough time," said Fitzgerald.
The officers who came down to Houston were prepared for the worst, but they told NBC 5 that looting calls have dropped since the city enforced a nighttime curfew. There is no out date for the extra help. Fort Worth officers will be in Houston as long as they're needed.
