On December 4, 2008, the Dallas Police Department (DPD) began a unique crime-fighting partnership with two local universities whose resources are helping the department to develop more effective policing strategies. The University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Dallas, and DPD, with funding from the Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT), developed the W.W. Caruth Jr. Police Institute in Dallas. This institute, which opened July 23, 2009, provides training for officers at all stages of their careers and serves as the research and problem-solving arm of the DPD, providing solutions to complex policing problems and developing effective crime-fighting strategies.