By Susan Tallant/managing editor
Ron Trevino was used to seeing Fort Worth Police Department car 403 parked in his neighborhood for more than five years.
Although he never met the officer who drove that car, he learned Dec.5 how much this officer meant to his community.
Officer Henry “Hank” Nava was the Fort Worth Police officer who drove car 403.
The car no longer sits in its usual spot in the driveway.
It has been transformed into a memorial with a story to tell about a fallen officer killed in the line of duty.
Trevino, TCC student majoring in radio and television broadcasting, captured that story through a video tribute.
“ When I was informed that motorcar N403 was parked at the north sector as a memorial, I wanted to secure a film compilation to arrange a tribute for his wife,” he said.
On Dec. 5, the same day Officer Nava was buried, Trevino drove to the Fort Worth Police Department North Sector and began filming.
Trevino learned about Nava’s career and personal triumphs through the barrage of media coverage.
But he learned how much Nava meant to his community through the writings and drawings on his car.
“ The most touching clips were the drawings and messages from children, with many leaving small angels and toys next to the car,” he said.
Trevino assembled a four-minute composition symbolizing what Nava represented in life.
“ This video project symbolizes the officer who sat behind the wheel and drove car 403,” he said.
Trevino said that each film clip used in the project illustrates Nava’s character as a police officer, a peer and a father.
The music Trevino used for the film is a version of “Amazing Grace” played by Esteban.
Each verse of the song is played with a different instrument to symbolize the different contexts of spirit that Nava represented.
Trevino said the classical guitar acknowledges Nava’s Hispanic heritage, the brass horn represents his authority as an officer of the law and the piano gives the presence of home or family.
Toward the end of the video, a shadow of an unknown officer can be seen paying tribute to a colleague.
This video project, titled “403,” began as a final project for Trevino’s NE Campus film survey class.
“ I was working on another film for my final grade but changed my mind at the last minute,” he said.
Trevino has been a volunteer for the Fort Worth Police Department for four years, so the project had a special meaning for the student from the start.
Trevino also is a volunteer with the Community Emergency Response Team and Citizens on Patrol Code Blue.
The CERT program helps train citizens to be better prepared to respond to any emergency situations in their neighborhoods and community.
Citizens on Patrol volunteers act as “eyes and ears” for the police department and patrol the neighborhood to observe and report suspicious and criminal activity.
“ We used to see Nava’s car during our neighborhood patrols,” he said.
Trevino is a graduate of the TCC criminal justice program, so he considered it an honor to pay tribute to a fallen Fort Worth Police officer.
“ I hope to sincerely reflect the commitment and dedication of fallen Officer Henry “Hank” Nava, FWPD,” he said.
Project “403” was presented to the Fort Worth City Council and will be displayed at the national mayors conference next month.
