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UH, THE TIME[Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee on April 28, 2022.]
IS 2:07 PM AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER.WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS, UH, BOTH FROM HPD TODAY, UH, THE FIRST FROM ASSISTANT CHIEF HARDIN ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PURSUIT POLICY, AND I SHOULD CLARIFY, PURSUIT WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE POLICY.
AND THE SECOND IS FROM COMMANDER ZIA, WHO WE HAVE VIRTUALLY WITH US ON THE PROPOSED MEASURES THAT COUNSEL WILL BE TAKING UP SOON, UH, TO DETER THE THEFT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE WE HAVE CHIEF PENA, UH, WITH US IN THE AUDIENCE CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING HERE.
I AM JOINED, UH, BY COLLEAGUES, UH, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN.
AND WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM VICE CHAIR KNOX'S OFFICE.
UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, UH, PLUMBERS ROBINSONS, AND VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE.
AND I ALSO SEE WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S OFFICE AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ IS TRYING TO LOG ON, UH, OVERSEAS.
SHE'S VERY INTERESTED, UH, ESPECIALLY IN OUR SECOND, UH, PRESENTATION.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET HER CONNECTED AS WELL.
A FEW QUICK HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL TAKE QUESTIONS AFTER EACH PRESENTATION.
UH, IF YOU'RE JOINING US, VIRTUALLY REMINDER TO, UH, TYPE IT INTO THE QUEUE, SO WE KNOW THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
UH, WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER SIGNED UP AS OF THIS POINT FOR THE MEETING.
UH, YOU WILL BE CALLED AT THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING, AND AT WHICH POINT WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS, UH, NATIONAL VICTIMS OF CRIME WEEK.
UH, THE DOJS THEME FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME WEEK IS RIGHTS, ACCESS AND EQUITY FOR ALL VICTIMS, AND EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING CRIME SURVIVORS FIND THEIR JUSTICE BY ENFORCING, ENFORCING VICTIMS' RIGHTS, EXPANDING ACCESS TO SERVICES, AND ENSURING EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR ALL.
I ALSO WANT TO FLAG FOR EVERYONE LISTENING AND COLLEAGUES, UH, THERE WILL BE NO MAY PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETING.
UH, THE CITY IS BEGINNING THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, AND THE, UH, FI BUSINESS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS SCHEDULED BUDGET WORKSHOPS DURING OUR NORMALLY SCHEDULED COMMITTEE TIME.
AND IT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT NOT ONLY FOR COUNCIL, BUT THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THOSE.
SO WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO SO.
UH, THE DATES FOR THOSE BUDGET WORKSHOPS ARE THE 11TH, 16TH, 17TH, AND 18TH OF MAY.
AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE INTERESTED TO ATTEND, UH, PARTICULARLY FOR THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE, UH, THOSE WOULD INCLUDE MUNICIPAL COURTS, UH, OEMH, F-D-H-P-D, AND OTHERS.
ALL WORKSHOPS THAT SHOULD BE NOTED THIS YEAR WILL BE HELD IN PERSON HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND A FULL SCHEDULE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE ON THE CITY COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE.
UH, SINCE WE WON'T BE MEETING UNTIL JUNE, AND I THINK WE GOT A LITTLE TASTE OF THE, UH, SIGNS TO COME IN TERMS OF HURRICANE SEASON, WE GOT THAT TASTE A FEW DAYS AGO.
UH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE REMEMBER, ONE, CHECK YOUR DRAINS, WALK YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR HURRICANE, UH, AND TROPICAL STORM PREPAREDNESS KITS, AND PLEASE SHARE INFORMATION WITH OTHERS AND REMIND THEM TO DO SO AS WELL.
UH, AGAIN, IT DOESN'T TAKE A MAJOR STORM, UH, TO START THE FLOODING.
UH, SO PLEASE, PLEASE BE WEATHER ALERT, UH, GOING INTO HURRICANE SEASON.
FIRST UP, UH, WE HAVE ASSISTANT CHIEF HARDEN WITH HPD, UH, WHO'S GONNA BE PRESENTING ON, UH, HP D'S POLICY WITH, UH, PURSUITS.
UH, CHIEF, I'M ABOUT TO HAND IT OVER TO YOU, BUT, UH, I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, UH, OFFICE IS ON AS WELL.
UH, CHAIR, PLEASE BEGIN WHEN YOU'RE READY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? HOW ABOUT THAT? EXCELLENT.
I'M ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER PATROL REGION ONE, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT ASKING FOR SOME INFORMATION ON OUR VEHICLE PURSUIT POLICY.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAVING US HERE TODAY.
WE ALWAYS WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER ANY OF COUNSEL'S QUESTIONS AND SHARE ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU FOLKS SEEK OUT.
COULD YOU ADVANCE FORWARD IN THE SLIDE, PLEASE?
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ASSISTANT CHIEF.WE MAY HAVE A SLIGHT DELAY REALLY QUICKLY ON THE SLIDE, SO JUST GIVE US ONE SECOND.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO WAIT OR CONTINUE? YEAH, JUST HOLD FOR ONE SECOND.
SO, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT I'M GONNA SHARE TODAY IS ALREADY KNOWN TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT SINCE, UH, THE HEARING IS, UH, ARE THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS PUBLIC? WE CAN'T HEAR YOU ONLINE.
SO SOME OF THE INFORMATION IS KNOWN TO YOU GUYS, BUT, UH, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH SOME OF WHERE YOU CAN FIND SOME OF OUR GENERAL ORDERS, UH, FOR THE, TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT MAY BE WATCHING OR LISTENING ONLINE OR, UH, THROUGH ZOOM.
SO WE'LL GO OVER OUR GENERAL ORDERS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, OUR ACTUAL VEHICLE PURSUIT POLICY, UH, WHAT OFFICERS CAN AND CAN'T DO RESPONSIBILITIES AT VARIOUS RANKS, WHAT TRAINING OUR OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES RECEIVE OUR CHECKS AND BALANCES, AS WELL AS TECHNOLOGY BEING INVESTED, UH, TO LIMIT PURSUITS AND OUR DRIVING SKILLS.
AND OF COURSE, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS THAT ARE A COLLECTION OF, UH, WRITTEN ORDERS BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO ESTABLISH OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AT THE DEPARTMENT.
AND IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, UH, WE PROVIDE THESE GENERAL ORDERS ONLINE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING.
SO, 'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUR GENERAL ORDERS.
AND THAT TRANSPARENCY TAB WHEN YOU CLICK ON IT, UH, I'D LIKE TO MENTION HAS A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING INFORMATION THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC MAY FIND INTERESTING ABOUT CURRENT ACTIVE HPD INCIDENT INCIDENTS, CURRENT NEWS RELEASES, OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING INFORMATION OVER CERTAIN PERIODS OF TIME, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, AND OTHER REPORTS THAT, THAT PEOPLE MAY FIND INTERESTING.
SO WHILE MOST OF THOSE POLICIES ARE ONLINE, UH, IN THEIR ENTIRETY, SOME DO HAVE SOME SECTIONS REDACTED.
SO PEOPLE AND THE REDACTED, REDACTED SECTIONS WILL BE BLOCKED OUT AND BLACK ONLINE.
AND SO IF PEOPLE WONDER WHY THAT IS SO SENSE OF MATERIAL THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC, UH, CRIME VICTIMS OR MEMBERS OF OUR DEPARTMENT, OR THAT COULD IMPEDE OFFICER'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO CRITICAL INCIDENTS, THAT'S ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN REDACTED, UH, IN LINES WITH RULINGS FROM THE, UH, OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
SO OUR, OUR POLICY, SO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT PLACES THE HIGHEST VALUE OF LIFE, UH, AND SAFETY ON ITS OFFICERS IN THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.
SO THAT VALUE MUST BE ACCOMMODATED, UH, IN A POLICE OFFICER'S DUTY TO APPREHEND PERSONS WHO'VE COMMITTED AND OR, UH, COMMITTING A VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
SO THE METHODS, THE METHODS THAT WE ESTABLISH TO ENFORCE THE LAWS ARE OBVIOUSLY INTENDED TO MINIMIZE RISK OF INJURY TO NOT ONLY OFFICERS, BUT CITIZENS ALIKE.
SO OUR POLICY STATES THE DRIVER OF AN AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE SHALL DRIVE WITH DUE REGARD, UH, FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL PERSONS AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR POLICY IS, UH, COMES FROM STATE LAW AND, AND, UH, IT BA IT'S JUST BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE'LL CONTINUALLY ASSESS THE BENEFIT OF APPREHENDING A SUSPECT, UH, VERSUS THE RISK, UH, THAT THE PURSUIT, UH, MAY POSE.
SO OUR DEFINITION, UH, MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WHAT IS A MOTOR VEHICLE PURSUIT? RIGHT? WHAT IS OUR DEFINITION? SO OUR POLICY DEFINITION IS, A MOTOR VEHICLE PURSUIT OCCURS WHEN A POLICE OFFICER DRIVING AN AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE ATTEMPTS TO STOP OR APPREH SU APPREHEND A SUSPECT WHO REFUSES TO STOP WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE.
SO THE SUSPECT MUST EXHIBIT ONE OF THE TWO, THESE TWO TYPES OF CONDUCT, RIGHT, A WILLFUL DISREGARD FOR PERSONAL SAFETY ARE THE SAFETY OF OTHERS IN ATTEMPT TO AVOID ARREST AND THE REFUSAL TO OBEY AN OFFICER'S REPEATED SIGNAL TO STOP.
SO STATISTICALLY, MOST MOTOR VEHICLES PURSUITS INITIATE, UH, FROM A MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATION OR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATION, BUT VERY FEW END UP REVEALING THAT THE TRAFFIC VIOLATION IS THE ACTUAL REASON THEY EVADED.
AND WE'LL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE STATISTICS LATER.
BUT, AND OBVIOUSLY, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE MADE FOR THOSE SEEKING A SAFE LOCATION TO STOP SOMEONE
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WHO'S ROLLING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO LOOK FOR A WELL-LIT PARKING LOT, OBVIOUSLY IS NOT CONSIDERED A PURSUIT.SO THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE WERE ASKED IS, WHAT ARE THE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR EVADING IN A MOTOR VEHICLE? AND THEY ARE A STATE JAIL FELONY FOR EVADING IN A WATERCRAFT OR A VEHICLE.
IT CAN BE ENHANCED TO A THIRD DEGREE FELONY IF YOU'RE, UH, PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED FOR EVADING OR YOU CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY TO SOMEBODY.
AND IT CAN BE FURTHER ENHANCED TO A SECONDARY FELONY IF SOMEONE SUFFERS DEATH.
AND THE HARRIS COUNTY DA'S OFFICE DECIDES ON THE APPROPRIATE CHARGE WITH THE CONSULTATION WITH OUR OFFICERS AND OUR SUPERVISORS AND THEIR VEHICULAR CRIMES DIVISION DOES A FANTASTIC JOB COORDINATING WITH OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WINTER PURSUITS AUTHORIZED.
SO THE DECISION TO ENGAGE IN A MOTOR VEHICLE PURSUIT'S HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE ABILITY OF, UH, THE OFFICER, THE SUPERVISOR, AND THE COMMANDER TO CONTINUALLY ASSESS THE NEED TO PURSUE FIRST THE RISK OF INJURY INVOLVED IN ENGAGING TO PURSUIT.
SO THE ENTIRE POLICY IS BASED UPON CONTINUING TO ASSESS AND EVALUATE CIRCUMSTANCES AS THEY EVOLVE.
'CAUSE THESE ARE RAPIDLY CHANGING SITUATIONS.
SO WHAT IS THE ANATOMY OF A PURSUIT? WHAT DOES A VEHICLE PURSUIT LOOK LIKE FROM BEGINNING TO END? SO, INITIALLY SUSPECT COMMITS THE VIOLATION OR IS SUSPECTED TO BE INVOLVED IN AN OFFENSE.
SO COULD BE A SHOOTING OR ANOTHER CRIMINAL OFFENSE, OR THE VEHICLE'S POINTED OUT TO US BY A WITNESS OR COULD JUST BE A TRAFFIC OFFENSE OFFICER, UH, ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE VEHICLE, SUSPECT REFUSES TO STOP AND BEGINS TO EVADE.
UH, ONCE WE INITIATE THE PURSUIT, UH, WE HAVE A SECOND UNIT DISPATCHED AS WELL AS, UH, SUPERVISOR WHO IS DISPATCHED AND WILL, UH, TAKE COMMAND OF THE PURSUIT.
AND THE THIRD PHASE, OBVIOUSLY, IS THE ENDING.
SO EITHER THE SUSPECT STOPS OR SURRENDERS VOLUNTARILY, OR THE SUSPECT IS STOPPED BY THEIR OWN ACTIONS OR BY AN APPROVED INTERVENTION TECHNIQUE.
RIGHT? SO, UH, NO STOLEN VEHICLES.
IF, IF A, UH, IF A OFFICER RUNS THE LICENSE PLATES KNOWN TO BE A STOLEN VEHICLE, THEN WE WILL DISPATCH OFFICERS TO THEM BEFORE THEY INITIATE THE TRAFFIC STOP.
SO WHEN THE OFFICER CALLS OUT ON A CHASE, WHAT ARE THEY TELLING THE DISPATCHER? WHAT YOU MAY HEAR ON THE RADIO TRAFFIC? SO THE UNIT NUMBER, THEIR PRESENT LOCATION, WHERE THEIR PURSUIT BEGAN, THEIR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, THE REASON FOR THE PURSUIT DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE, MAKE, MODEL, LICENSE PLATE, ET CETERA.
DESCRIPTION OF NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS, IF THE OFFICER CAN TELL AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF THE FLEEING VEHICLE.
SO ALL THIS INFORMATION IS JUST PROVIDED OVER THE, THERE, ALLOWS THE OFFICERS IN THE AREA TO COORDINATE THE RESPONSE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, PROVIDE THE DETAILS FOR THE FIELD SUPERVISOR WHO ARE NOW GONNA TAKE COMMAND OF THE PURSUIT.
UH, PHASES ONE AND TWO ACT HAPPENED PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND PHASE THREE ALL JUST DEPENDS ON THE SUSPECT'S ACTIONS.
TYPICAL PURSUIT LASTS, UH, AROUND FIVE MINUTES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WHAT ARE AN OFFICER'S RESPONSIBILITIES IN A PURSUIT? SO OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO INITIATE OR CONTINUE A PURSUIT WHEN THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
THE OFFICER HAS A GOOD FAITH BELIEF THAT UNDER THE BELIEF THAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY APPREHEND THE SUSPECT OUTWEIGHS THE CLEAR RISK, UH, OF HARM TO THE PUBLIC.
LAW AND POLICY REQUIRE OFFICERS TO CONSTANTLY EVALUATE THE RISK AND FACTORS AND INITIATING OR CONTINUING TO PURSUIT.
SO IT'S ALWAYS WEIGHING RISK VERSUS NEED OF APPREHENSION.
THE FACTORS THAT ARE WEIGHED INCLUDE, UH, BUT ARE CERTAINLY NOT LIMITED TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE COMMITTED.
UH, WHETHER AN OFFICER'S IMMEDIATE PRESENCE IS NECESSARY TO APPREHEND A SUSPECT TO PREVENT INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE, AN ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION, IF ANY, IS AVAILABLE TO ACHIEVE THE COMPARABLE RESULT, UH, KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUSPECT BEING PURSUED.
DO WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHO THE INDIVIDUAL IS, UH, OBSERVABLE, DRIVABLE BEHAVIOR OR DRIVING BEHAVIOR, RELATIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUSPECT'S VEHICLE? AND CAN THEY CONTROL IT? ROAD CONDITIONS, WEATHER, POPULATION DENSITY, VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, AND, UH, THE PRESENCE OF OTHER PERSONS IN THE VEHICLE? SO IF SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE EXISTS, UH, TO FILE A WARRANT, MEANING WE KNOW WHO THE INDIVIDUAL IS, OFFICERS ARE EXPECTED TO DISCONTINUE THE PURSUIT.
AND I I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT MANY TIMES WHEN OFFICERS ARE RUNNING A WARRANT ON A KNOWN INDIVIDUAL, THEY PLAN AHEAD OF TIME THAT IF THE SUSPECT DOES BEGIN TO EVADE, THAT THEY WON'T EVEN PURSUE, WE'LL JUST FILE A WARRANT LATER.
AS LONG AS THE, THE, THE RISK OF THE SUSPECT BEING ON THE STREET DOESN'T OUTWEIGH, UH, THE NEED TO APPREHEND THEM.
OFFICERS CONTINUALLY ASSESS THE NATURE AND SEVERITY OF HARM THAT THEIR ACTIONS COULD CAUSE, UH, THE LIKELIHOOD OF ANY HARM THAT WOULD OCCUR AND WHETHER ANY RISK OF HARM WOULD BE CLEAR TO REASONABLE AND PRUDENT OFFICER.
RIGHT? SO THIS INCLUDES INJURIES TO BYSTANDERS AS WELL AS, AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT A CRASH COULD PREVENT THE OFFICER FROM ARRIVING ON THE SCENE OR ASSISTING IN THE APPREHENSION OF THE SUSPECT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, SUPERVISORS AND COMMANDERS THAT ARE OVERSEEING A PURSUIT CAN OR WILL CONSTANTLY EVALUATE THE SAME FACTORS, UM, AND DETERMINE WHETHER THE PURSUIT SHOULD CONTINUE.
SO SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITY, A SUPERVISOR WILL IMMEDIATELY BE DISPATCHED AND LIKE I SAID, TAKE COMMAND OF THE PURSUIT.
SO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, UH, BE IN COMMAND OF THE PURSUIT AND ADVISE DISPATCHER IF THE PURSUIT SHOULD CONTINUE.
THEY'LL MONITOR ALL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS INVOLVING THE
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PURSUIT AND CONTINUALLY ASSESS THE PURSUIT IN A CIRCUMSTANCES RELATIVE TO THE POINTS I JUST PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.MY SUPERVISOR MAY TERMINATE THE PURSUIT IF SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE EXISTS TO FILE A WARRANT, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE I GAVE BEFORE.
AND THIS DOES NOT APPLY AGAIN WITH THE NATURE OF THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND THE NEED TO TAKE THE SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY JUSTIFIES A POSSIBLE RISK.
SO IF YOU THINK HOST SITUATION OR MAYBE A SHOOTING SUSPECT WHERE THE VEHICLE IS POINTED OUT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE SUSPECT IS, SO WE THEREFORE CAN'T FILE A WARRANT.
THOSE ARE A COUPLE EXAMPLES WHEN THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY.
UH, SUPERVISOR MAY BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PURSUIT IF THEY ARE IN CLOSE, CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE PURSUIT AND THEY HAVE THE PROPER, UH, VEHICULAR EQUIPMENT, MEANING LIGHTS AND SIRENS AND WHATNOT, UH, SUPER, UH, SUPERVISOR WILL IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE SCENE, UH, WHEN THE PURSUIT ENDS TO TAKE COMMAND OF IT, AND THEY WILL SUPPLEMENT THE OFFERED SUPPORT FOR ANY SUPERVISOR ACTIONS TAKEN.
SO THAT'S THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THE SCENE THAT DAY.
WHAT ARE MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES GOING FORWARD? SO THE ACTUAL MANAGEMENT OF THE PURSUIT IS RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FIELD SUPERVISOR, UM, MORE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A SERGEANT.
AND THE DESIGN SHIFT COMMANDER, WHO'S THE LIEUTENANT, UH, SHALL ASSESS THE REASONABLENESS OF CONTINUING THAT PURSUIT AND USING THE SAME PARAMETERS WE DISCUSSED.
AND FOR PURSUITS, IT LASTS 15 MINUTES OR MORE.
OR IF A UNIT FROM ANOTHER JURISDICTION OR, UH, DEPARTMENT JOINS THE PURSUIT, UH, THE LIEUTENANT WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUPPLEMENT THE OFFENSE REPORT.
ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS WE WERE ASKED IS WHAT TYPE OF H HP UH, HPD VEHICLES ARE ELIGIBLE TO INITIATE OR CONTINUE A PURSUIT? SO OUR POLICY SAYS IT MARKED HPD UNITS WITH OPERABLE EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND SIRENS, UH, BELIEVED TO BE IN SOUND MECHANICAL CONDITION, CAN INITIATE AND CONTINUE A PURSUIT, AS WELL AS OUR POLICE HELICOPTERS AND OUR POLICE UNITS WITH NINE PARTNERS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR, OUR FOX OR OUR HELICOPTER UNIT IS DISPATCHED TO ALL OF OUR PURSUITS.
NOW, WHETHER THEY GET THERE OR NOT IS A DIFFERENT STORY.
THEY COULD BE DOWN DUE TO WEATHER.
THEY COULD BE IN BETWEEN PATROL FLIGHTS AND HAVE TO LAUNCH.
AND AGAIN, THE AVERAGE PURSUIT IS ABOUT FIVE TO SIX MINUTES.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE THERE PRETTY QUICKLY TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PURSUIT, BUT THEY DO GET DISPATCHED TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
AND THE ONES THAT, UH, CONTINUE FOR SOME DURATION, THEY TYPICALLY ARRIVE AND ASSIST WITH.
WHEN ONE OF OUR POLICE HELICOPTERS DOES ARRIVE AT A PURSUIT, UH, THEY DO TAKE OVER THE SEAT PURSUIT AND OUR GROUND UNITS CAN BEGIN TO DECREASE THEIR SPEED AND, AND BACK OFF FOR SAFETY REASONS.
SO HOW MANY POLICE VEHICLES WILL BE INVOLVED IN A TYPICAL PURSUIT? SO WE ALLOW A PRIMARY UNIT, A SECONDARY UNIT, AND A FIELD SUPERVISOR TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR PURSUIT.
THE FIELD SUPERVISOR CAN AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL UNITS TO BE INVOLVED IF IT'S AN OFFICER SAFETY ISSUE OR FOR TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
SO EXAMPLES OF THAT WOULD BE, ARE THERE ENOUGH OFFICERS TO MAKE THE ARREST? SO IF YOU HAVE A CAR FULL OF FOUR SUSPECTS FLEEING AFTER A ROBBERY AND YOU ONLY HAVE TWO OFFICERS CHASING THEM, THOSE NUMBERS DON'T WORK OUT IN OUR ODDS.
SO OBVIOUSLY A SUPERVISOR WOULD LIKELY APPROVE MORE UNITS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PURSUIT OR TACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
DOES SUSPECT HAVE A WEAPON OR DO WE PLAN ON ATTEMPTING TO USE, UH, SOME SORT OF APPROVED INTERVENTION TECHNIQUE? UH, ANOTHER QUESTION WE RECEIVED FROM COUNCIL MEMBER, I BELIEVE, UH, EVAN SHABAZ, WAS WHAT TRAINING DO OFFICERS RECEIVE? SO OUR CADETS AND PROBATIONARY POLICE OFFICERS RECEIVE BASIC CADET DRIVING TRAINING, WHICH IS BROKEN INTO TWO COMPONENTS, SKILLS AND PRECISION AND HIGH SPEED, AND ALSO IT'S, THAT'S A HANDS-ON CLASS, UH, VEHICLE TRAINING WITH SIMULATED VEHICLE PURSUITS, APEX CORNERING AND NIGHT DRIVING.
OUR, UH, OUR OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES GET DEFENSIVE DRIVING THE SAME AS ANY OTHER CITY OF HOUSTON EMPLOYEE THAT DRIVES A CITY VEHICLE.
AND THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO ANY, UH, COURSE THAT THE PUBLIC TAKES VEHICLE DYNAMICS, WHICH LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR HOW OUR VEHICLES OPERATE, WHAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF, TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T TRY TO OPERATE THEM PAST THEIR CAPABILITIES.
AND THEN MANAGING POLICE PURSUITS, WHICH COVERS ALL FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS PERTAINING TO PURSUITS.
AND, UH, THE POLICY THAT I'M OUTLINING TODAY, AND FOR THAT REFERS TO OUR CADETS AND OUR PROBATIONARY POLICE OFFICER, OUR CONTINUED EDUCATION FOR OUR OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES ONCE THEY'RE PAST THE PPO STAGE.
WE HAVE DEFENSIVE DRIVING ELECTIVE, WHICH IS THE SAME AS I, THE DEFENSIVE, UH, DRIVING CLASS I MENTIONED A SECOND AGO.
WE HAVE AT-FAULT CRASH REMEDIATION.
SO IF A EMPLOYEE IS FOUND TO BE AT FAULT DURING A CRASH, UH, IT'S A CLASS TO, UM, HELP REMEDIATE THAT ISSUE.
DRIVER SAFETY AND PURSUIT REFRESHER, UH, IT CAN BE TAUGHT AS AN IN-SERVICE CLASS OR AS A REDRESS FOR ANY ISSUES DISCOVERED DURING A PURSUIT.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR PURSUIT INTERVENTION TECHNIQUE, POST INTERVENTION TECHNIQUE, AND ALSO OUR VEHICLE CONTAIN TECHNIQUE, WHICH ARE ALL TACTICS THAT ARE TAUGHT TO OUR CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS AND OUR OTHER TACTICAL UNITS ON HOW TO CONTAIN A WANTED FELONY SUSPECT AND PREVENT A, A PURSUIT.
AND THEN ALL OF OUR SERGEANTS, WHEN THEY BECOME SUPERVISORS, THEY GO TO NEW SUPERVISOR TRAINING AND WE HAVE A REFRESH CLASS THAT STRESSES DECISION MAKING AND WEIGHING RISK VERSUS NEED FOR FOR NEW SUPERVISORS.
ALSO, OUR POLICY ALSO CLEARLY LAYS OUT THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT DO IN A PURSUIT, RIGHT? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WE SEEK OR WE, WE DEEM TO BE TOO DANGEROUS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN, EVEN IN A PURSUIT.
SO THOSE THINGS ARE PURSUING A FLEEING VEHICLE, DRIVING THE WRONG,
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THE WRONG WAY ON A FREEWAY, UH, PURSUING A FLEEING VEHICLE WHILE YOU ARE OPERATING A NON-EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT VEHICLE.SO IT WOULD BE AN UNMARKED VEHICLE WITH NO, UH, LIGHTS AND SIRENS CANNOT DRIVE ALONGSIDE OR IN FRONT OF A FLEEING VEHICLE AND ATTEMPT TO FORCE IT FROM THE ROADWAY.
UH, UNLESS IT'S A, AN APPROVED STOPPING TECHNIQUE, YOU ALSO CANNOT RAM OR FLEE A BUMPING OR BUMP A FLEEING VEHICLE AND ATTEMPT TO FORCE IT FROM THE ROADWAY UNLESS YOU'RE TRAINED AND AUTHORIZED TO IMP IMPLEMENT THE PURSUIT INTERVENTION TECHNIQUE.
YOU CAN'T CONTINUE YOUR PURSUIT IF THE PRIMARY UNIT AND ON SCENE HELICOPTER OR ANY ON-DUTY SUPERVISOR TERMINATES THE PURSUIT.
SO IF ANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS DECIDE THAT THE PURSUIT IS TOO DANGEROUS, THEY CAN TERMINATE THE PURSUIT.
AND ONCE THAT IS DECIDED OVER AIR, NO ONE CAN OVERRULE THAT EVERYONE MUST, UH, BACK OFF AND DISCONTINUE.
WE CANNOT DISCHARGE A FIREARM, UH, TO DISABLE OR STOP A FLEEING VEHICLE.
CANNOT USE A PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE IN A PURSUIT, UH, CAN'T USE TIRE DEFLATION TECH, UH, DEVICES ON A CONTROLLED ACCESS FREEWAY.
AND LASTLY, YOU CANNOT USE BARRICADES OR OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS TO SET ACROSS A ROADWAY TO PREVENT THE ESCAPE A FLEEING VEHICLE.
SO WHAT CHECKS AND BALANCES DO WE PUT IN PLACE AS A DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE IN FACT FOLLOWING THIS POLICY AND THAT WE ARE USING IT AS WISELY AS POSSIBLE? SO THE FIRST WILL BE OUR POST PURSUIT DOCUMENTATION.
OFFICERS COMPLETE A DETAILED OFFENSE REPORT AS THEY WOULD ANY TIME THAT THEY, UH, ENCOUNTER, SUSPECT, AND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THEIR PURSUIT, THE SERGEANT WILL SUPPLEMENT THE OFFENSE REPORT AND DOCUMENT ALL DETAILS OF THE PURSUIT.
THE SERGEANT HAS FIVE DAYS TO DO THAT, AND THAT ALLOWS OUR SUPERVISOR TIME TO LOOK AT THE BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE AND OTHER, UH, INCIDENT REPORTS AND ASSOCIATE DOCUMENTATION.
THEN THE SHIFT COMMANDER, THE LIEUTENANT HAS FIVE DAYS FROM THAT DATE TO DO THE SAME.
THE COMMANDER HAS FIVE DAYS FROM THAT DATE TO DO THE SAME.
AND THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OVER THAT COMMAND HAS FIVE DAYS FROM THAT DATE TO DO THE SAME.
SO IT GOES THROUGH FOUR LEVELS OF REVIEW BEFORE WE CONSIDER IT TO BE FINALLY APPROVED.
SO HOW COMMON ARE VEHICLE PURSUITS? SO YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE COVER OVER FOUR OR 700 SQUARE MILES OF THE CITY WITH, UH, ABOUT 500 OFFICERS.
AND SOME PURSUITS ARE SLOW SPEED PURSUITS, UH, WITH DS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK OVER AT ALL THE TRAFFIC STOPS THAT WE DO AND ALL THE CRIME THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENFORCE EVERY DAY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, ON AVERAGE, LESS THAN ONE HALF OF 1% OF TRAFFIC STOPS RESULT IN A VEHICLE PURSUIT.
AND IT MAY SEEM LIKE MORE BECAUSE TYPICALLY THEY ARE VERY NEWSWORTHY.
IT'S A VERY, UM, DYNAMIC SITUATION THAT THAT CONCERNS PEOPLE AS IT SHOULD.
SO IT MAY APPEAR THAT MORE OCCUR, BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A VERY LOW NUMBER WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WE STOP EVERY DAY.
SO WE WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CAUSATION OF OUR VEHICLE PURSUIT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST THREE YEAR AVERAGE, THE BLUE GRAPH HERE, OR THE BLUE LINE IS WHAT OUR OFFICER'S INITIAL BELIEF IS WHEN THEY TRIED TO STOP A VEHICLE.
AND THE RED IS WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE ACTUAL REASON IF THE SUSPECT FLED.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT HALF THE TIME, UH, ROUGHLY SO 51% THE OFFICER INITIATED BASED ON A BASIC TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
BUT AT THE END OF THE PURSUIT, WHEN SUSPECTS WERE IN CUSTODY AND ALL THE FACTS WERE REVEALED, IT TURNED OUT TO BE ONLY 12% OF THE TIME WAS AT THE ONLY OFFENSE OCCURRED BEFORE THEY FLED THE OTHER GRAPH.
OBVIOUSLY THE SUSPECT'S REAL REASON IS LUMPED IN BY OTHER, ON THIS GRAPH JUST BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT GO INTO THAT.
BUT OTHER COULD BE THEY'RE WANTED ON A FELONY WARRANT.
THEY WERE, UH, ILLEGALLY POSSESSION OF A WEAPON.
THEY HAD NARCOTICS ON 'EM, THEY HAD JUST, UH, BEEN A PART OF A DIFFERENT FELONY OFFENSE THEY OCCURRED.
THERE'S ALL MANNER OF THINGS THAT ARE LUMPED INTO THAT OTHER, BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST POINT, UH, ON THIS GRAPH IS THAT EVEN THOUGH 51% OF THE TIME WE THOUGHT, OR WE INITIATED A STOP BASED ON TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, ONLY 10 OR ONLY 12% OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WAS THAT THE ACTUAL REASON.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, 2022 YEAR TO DATE OR, UM, UP TO TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN THE, WE LOOKED AT THESE NUMBERS, UH, THE NUMBERS MIRROR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO IT'S A CONSISTENT THEME AS WELL.
THIS YEAR IS THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO HOW IS HPD WORKING TO MITIGATE RISK, UH, AND TRYING TO PREVENT AND OR DEESCALATE THESE VEHICLE PURSUITS SOONER? THE FIRST IS LOOKING AT NEW TECHNOLOGY, RIGHT? SO THE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS SUCH AS THE GRAB GRAPPLER POLICE BUMPER, WHICH IS A DEVICE THAT, UH, ALLOWS US TO END AND DEESCALATE A PURSUIT VERY QUICKLY WHILE MOVING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DRIVING SIMULATORS VERY SIMILAR, UH, TO SHOOTING SIMULATORS THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.
SO IT ALLOWS US TO SIMULATE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, ROAD CONDITIONS, UH, IT'S DIGITAL SCENARIO BASED, AND ALLOWS US TO GIVE OUR OFFICERS SOME STRESS INOCULATION TRAINING AS IT RESULTS OR AS IT, UH, PERTAINS TO DRIVING.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS TRAINED IN OUR APPROVED INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING AN INTERNAL DRIVE TO ARRIVE MESSAGING CAMPAIGN
[00:25:01]
FOR OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES.SO I THINK DRIVING SAFETY REMINDERS, UH, INCLUDING DISTANCE CORRELATED TO SPEEDS, UH, THEY'LL BE DISPLAYED AT STATIONS IN THE ROLL CALL ROOMS, ROLL CALL ROOMS, AS WELL AS ON THEIR IN-CAR COMPUTERS WHEN THEY BOOT THEM UP.
AND ALSO IT WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY TRAINING VIDEOS FROM OUR, UH, DRIVER SAFETY AT OUR POLICE ACADEMY.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE ABOUT THE PRESENTATION OR THE POLICY.
I THINK FIRST IN THE QUEUE, UM, ALL THE WAY FROM LIBERIA.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ AND I, I MUST CREDIT, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER AS SHE, UH, WAS PRIMARILY THE ONE THAT HAD ASKED FOR FOLLOW UP, UM, ON THIS TYPE OF POLICY.
UH, SO COUNCILLOR EVAN SHABAZZ, DO WE HAVE YOU ON? THANK YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME, MADAM CHAIR? YES, WE CAN.
UH, THANK YOU, SIR, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
OF COURSE, UH, ONE OF MY CONCERNS WAS THE, THE POLICE CHASE, I BELIEVE, ON SCOTT STREET WHERE THE GENTLEMAN WAS WALKING TO THE BARBER SHOP AND WAS HIT, UH, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS POLICE PURSUIT.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, I, SO I BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE IN ROUTE TO ASSIST SOME OFFICERS THAT WERE CHASING SUSPECTS ON FOOT AT THE TIME.
I DON'T THINK THEY WERE PURSUING A CAR DURING THAT TRAGIC INCIDENT.
I I THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN IN A CAR OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, AND THEN THEY TOOK OUT AFTER THEM.
UH, AND THERE WERE SOME TEENAGERS, BUT, BUT AT ANY RATE, UH, THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS.
BUT MY QUESTION ACTUALLY IS AROUND, HAVE YOU FOUND ANY OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN IN VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY? AND IF SO, UH, WHAT ARE THE REPERCUSSIONS FOR VIOLATING THE POLICY? BECAUSE I PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT EVERY STOP THAT WE MAY BELIEVE, UH, REQUIRES A POLICE PURSUIT ONCE THE PERSON HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
I, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WITH HOUSTON, WITH, WITH ALL OF THE TRAFFIC THAT WE HAVE NOW, IF THAT IS ALWAYS THE BEST DECISION WHEN WE CAN PERHAPS IDENTIFY THE PERSON AND PICK THEM UP AT ANOTHER TIME, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT'S LIKE, I GOT YOU AND I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, TRY TO, TO GET YOU, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE PUTTING COUNTLESS, UH, LIVES IN DANGER OF INNOCENT PEOPLE.
SO MY QUESTION, LET ME GO BACK TO MY QUESTION.
HA, HAVE WE FOUND THAT ANYONE HAS BEEN IN VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY? AND WHAT ARE THE, UH, CONSEQUENCES OF IT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, HOW OFTEN ARE THE OFFICERS, UM, IN SERVICE ON MAKING SURE THAT THEY FOLLOW THIS POLICY? BECAUSE ONE IS TOO MANY AND WE ARE HEARING OF SEVERAL, OR HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL RATHER, THAT HAVE ENDED IN THE DEATHS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE? YES, MA'AM.
I THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION AND I, I COULD NOT AGREE MORE THAT, UH, ONE IS TOO MANY.
AND SO THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS I DO NOT KNOW THE SPECIFIC STATISTICS ON EMPLOYEES HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND, AND WHAT THE PUNISHMENTS WERE FOR VIOLATION OF THE POLICY.
ANECDOTALLY, I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE, I KNOW THAT I HAVE SEEN DISCIPLINE COME FROM VARIOUS POLICE PURSUITS, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME NOW TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
BUT IF YOU SUBMIT THE QUESTION, I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP AND SEND THAT BACK TO YOU.
I JUST DON'T HAVE THE, THE PARTICULAR STATISTICS TO, TO GIVE YOU NOW.
IF YOU COULD GET THAT TO ME, BECAUSE I AM REALLY, REALLY CONCERNED AND I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH CHIEF FINN, AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF PUSHED TO GET THE POLICY BROUGHT UP, UH, BROUGHT FORWARD BECAUSE I, I WANNA HAVE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE I NEVER WANT PEOPLE TO BE IN DANGER, NOR DO YOU.
UH, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST I GOT YOU WHEN THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM AT ANOTHER JUNCTURE.
AND I, TO THAT POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE DO STRESS THAT IF YOU KNOW WHO THE INDIVIDUAL IS AND YOU CAN FILE A WARRANT TO GET THEM INTO CUSTODY AT A LATER TIME, WE, WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE IT.
THE ISSUE BECOMES, I WOULD SAY, AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE TIME, THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHO IS IN FACT DRIVING THE CAR.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.
BUT I, I DO AGREE WITH YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
UM, I KNOW YOU, I'M, I'M KIND OF TALKING ABOUT SITUATIONS WHERE YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE AND THEN THEY HAVE GOTTEN IN THE CAR AND BOOM, THEY TAKE OFF.
WOULD THAT REQUIRE A POLICE CHASE? WELL, INITIALLY THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE, THE OFFICER IN THAT SITUATION, BUT THAT WOULD BE A SITUATION IF, IF YOU DO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE THE IDENTITY OF THE SUSPECT
[00:30:01]
AND THEIR ACTIONS IN THE PURSUIT ARE TOO DANGEROUS, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE ONE THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE, UH, FOR A WARRANT TO BE FILED AFTERWARDS.AND IF I CAN JUST INTERJECT REALLY QUICKLY, COUNCIL MEMBER, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU WERE A LITTLE LATE SIGNING ON.
IF WE CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE, UM, WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PRIORITIES, UM, WHETHER OR NOT TO DETERMINE, UH, IF AN OFFICER SHOULD ENGAGE IN A PURSUIT, WOULD YOU MIND JUST RECOVERING THAT ASSISTANT CHIEF REALLY QUICKLY? WHICH SLIDE IN PARTICULAR, MA'AM? THANK YOU.
I'M HAVING SO MUCH DIFFICULTY TRYING TO ACCESS THIS, BUT THIS IS SO VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT I, I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO GET IN THIS MEETING.
YEAH, I, I THINK IT'S, UH, THE, OKAY, SO ASSISTANT CHIEF, STARTING WITH THE OFFICER'S RESPONSIBILITIES AND THEN THE OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE CONSIDERED SURE.
SO SKIPPING TO THE FACTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED.
SO OUR OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO INITIATE AND CONTINUE A PURSUIT IF THEY HAVE GOOD FAITH, BELIEVED THAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY APPREHEND THE SUSPECT OUTWEIGHS THE CLEAR RISK OF HARM TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE WEIGHING WOULD BE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE COMMITTED, WHETHER THEY BELIEVE IN IMMEDIATE, THEIR IMMEDIATE PRESENCE IS NECESSARY TO APPREHEND THE SUSPECT, UH, ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION, IF ANY, ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, WHICH IS THE EXAMPLE WE JUST MENTIONED ABOUT FILING A WARRANT, OBSERVABLE DRIVING BEHAVIOR, RELATIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE, ROAD CONDITIONS, WHETHER POPULATION DENSITY, ALL THE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE, THE PURSUIT ARE GONNA, GONNA WEIGH IN ON WHETHER THE OFFICER AND THE SUPERVISOR DECIDE TO DECIDE TO CONTINUE THAT PURSUIT.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE YOUR QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED, AND I HEARD ONE OF THEM, ASSISTANT CHIEF, Y'ALL WILL FOLLOW UP WITH HER RELATED TO, UM, SPECIFIC, UH, INCIDENTS WHERE, UH, CORRECTIVE ACTION OR DISCIPLINE, UH, MAY HAVE BEEN REQUIRED, UH, AFTER REVIEW OF THE, IN THE MATTER BY HPD, UH, AS AN INTERNAL POLICY THAT YOU ALL DO.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND SHABAZZ, DOES THAT ANSWER? THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS.
THANK EVERYBODY FOR INDULGING ME AS WELL.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN, UM, ESPECIALLY WE'RE, WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC, BUT, UM, GIVEN IN YOUR DISTRICT YOU HAD A PEDESTRIAN DEATH, I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, REALLY PUSHING ON THIS ISSUE SO THAT YOU CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR, TO YOUR RESIDENTS AS WELL.
UH, NEXT IN QUEUE, UH, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM, UH, WE HAVE A FEW IN QUEUE.
I'M GONNA DEFER FIRST TO COUNCIL MEMBERS THEMSELVES WHO HAVE QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE'LL PIVOT TO STAFF.
SO NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, JACKSON, WHO'S ONLINE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I WANTED TO BE THERE IN PERSON, BUT, UH, I'M HERE.
UM, AND THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ FOR PUSHING THIS ISSUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR CONSTITUENT, YOU KNOW, THE DEATH OF YOUR CONSTITUENT, IT JUST CONCERNED A LOT OF US.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE POLICY OF PURSUIT.
AND SO, UM, BASED, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAVE ONE, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE, YOUR CRITERIA.
UM, WHAT IS IT YOUR FACTORS THAT YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AS YOU'RE DOING YOUR PURSUITS? UM, AND ONE OF THEM IS THE POPULATION DENSITY.
AND SO HOW DO YOU, I MEAN, WHAT IS THE FACTORS AROUND THAT? I KNOW YOU SAY POPULATION, POPULATION DENSITY, BUT SOME OF THESE CHASES ARE HAPPENING IN HAPPENING IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND LIKE, HOW DO YOU GUYS VIEW THE POPULATION DENSITY? IS IT JUST, YOU KNOW, OH, BE ON THE FREEWAY OR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? YES, MA AND THEN THE SECOND PERSON IS WHEN THERE IS AN AN ISSUE OF DEATH.
UM, I KNOW ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WITH THIS CASE, UM, WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABA, UM, CONSTITUENT, THEY WERE TOLD TO PAY FOR THE FUNERAL.
SO HOW CAN WE WORK WITH THE FAMILIES WHEN ACCIDENTS HAPPENED? SO, AND SO, THAT'S MY SECOND QUESTION.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, SO POPULATION DENSITY PROBABLY BE EASIER TO ELABORATE IN THIS WAY.
IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS.
SO LET'S SAY IT'S RUSH HOUR AND IT'S ON A VERY BUSY STREET.
THE POPULATION DENSITY AT THAT TIME IS OBVIOUSLY MUCH HIGHER WITH A LOT MORE CITIZENS IN THE AREA, AS OPPOSED TO 3:00 AM ON A FREEWAY WHEN THERE'S NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE AROUND.
SO POPULATION DENSITY REFERS LESS TO THE DENSITY OF THE ACTUAL AREA, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE, UH, AND CITIZENS ARE AROUND AT THE TIME IN THE LOCATION OF THE PURSUIT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? AND IT MAKES SENSE, BUT I MEAN, I'M, SO HOW DO YOU GUYS VIEW NEIGHBORHOODS? BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE
[00:35:01]
LIKE TWO LANE ROADS, UM, IS, YOU KNOW, IS DANGEROUS.SO DO YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND TALK ABOUT THE DENSITY OF CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS POPULATION? YES, MA'AM.
THE, THE UNITS IN THE PURSUIT AND THE SUPERVISOR IN COMMAND OF THAT PURSUIT, AS WELL AS THE LIEUTENANT LISTENING ABSOLUTELY WILL, WILL WEIGH THOSE OPTIONS AS THEY'RE, THEY'RE FIGURING OUT WHETHER THEY WANT TO CONTINUE THE PURSUIT OR NOT.
IS, IS THAT ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE? UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL ASK MORE LATER.
I'M GONNA JUST GO MORE IN DEPTH ON THIS, UM, POLICY.
I'M JUST STILL A LITTLE, I'M, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, BUT THEN ALSO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT CHASES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE, YOU KNOW, IS THAT, UH, THAT SHOULD HAVE, I, I THINK THAT SHOULD HAVE HAVE ITS OWN BULLET, YOU KNOW, LIKE FACTORED IN IS IF WE ARE IN A RACE OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, CHASING FOLKS, IT'S DANGEROUS
WELL, ANY QUESTION, FURTHER QUESTION, HAVE YOU SUBMIT TO THE CHAIR? WE'D BE HAPPY TO, TO GET BACK TO YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP AND ARE MAKING NOTES.
AS IT RELATES TO THE, I WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THE WEIGHT IN WHICH IT'S CONSIDERATION IS PUT TOWARDS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CONTINUATION OF A PURSUIT.
UM, I'LL SAVE MY QUESTIONS FOR THE, FOR THE END.
I THINK FIRST WE HAVE COUNCIL, OH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
AND THANK YOU CHIEF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE GENERAL ORDER FOR MOTOR VEHICLE PURSUITS AND SEE THAT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2011.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A POLICY ON THE POLICY AS FAR AS LIKE, IS THIS BEING, OR ALL THE POLICIES BEING LOOKED AT PRETTY REGULARLY TO SEE IF THERE ARE UPDATES THAT ARE NEEDED? OR IS THIS PARTICULAR ONE JUST NOT NEEDING AN UPDATE? UH, I AM PRETTY SURE IT WAS UPDATED MOST RECENTLY IN 2018.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MAYBE IT'S MISLABELED ONLINE.
OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? I, I DO SEE THAT NOW IT, THERE'S A REFERENCE DATE AND THEN THE ISSUE DATE.
SO SINCE 2018 WAS THE LAST ONE, THE, THE QUESTION IS STILL VERY VALID.
SO WE, WE DO, WE REVIEW ALL OF OUR POLICIES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND DECIDE, UH, WHAT UPDATES THEY NEED TO BE, OR IF SOMETHING COMES TO OUR ATTENTION IN A MORE TIMELY FASHION, AND WE CAN UPDATE IT, WE DON'T JUST WAIT TILL THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE UPDATE 'EM AS WE SEE, UH, SEE A NEED TO OR WHEN WE REVIEW THEM.
SO AS YOU NEED TO, AND THEN ALSO ANNUALLY IT'S LOOKED AT TOO? YES.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S STAFF.
AND SHE IS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES, SO I AM GOING TO BE READING THE QUESTION FOR HER.
UH, THIS MAY HAVE ALREADY, UH, BEEN SAID, BUT IS THERE A REASON OR REASONS AN OFFICER WOULD STOP THE CHASE MID PURSUIT? SO IF, AGAIN, YOU COULD CLARIFY, UH, WHEN THAT WOULD OCCUR AND WHY.
SO THERE ARE REASONS AN OFFICER OR A SUPERVISOR WOULD, UH, END A PURSUIT, MID PURSUIT.
AND IT, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, SO THE, IT'S A CONSTANT WEIGHING OF RISK VERSUS NEED TO APPREHEND THE SUSPECT, RIGHT? SO THOSE, THOSE COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM, IT TOOK US MID PURSUIT TO FIGURE OUT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN IDENTITY ON THE SUSPECT.
UH, THOSE ARE SOMETIMES, A RECENT EXAMPLE I CAN THINK OF IS OFFICERS RESPONDED TO AN INCIDENT THAT WAS A AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
THE SUSPECT FLED IN A VEHICLE WHILE THE SUSPECT WAS FLEEING.
AND WE WERE PURSUING, THE OFFICERS AT THE SCENE TOLD 'EM, HEY, WE HAVE THE SUSPECT IDENTIFY, WE KNOW WHO IT IS.
OKAY, WELL THEN THE, THE RISK WAS NOW GREATER THAN THE NEED TO APPREHEND THAT INDIVIDUAL, RIGHT? THEN TERMINATE THE PURSUIT, FILE A WARRANT LATER.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.
BUT ALL OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT, THAT COME INTO PLAY THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WOULD BE REASONS FOR A OFFICER OR THE HELICOPTER OR AN ON-DUTY SUPERVISOR TO TERMINATE A PURSUIT.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS AT THE INITIAL ONSET THAT ARE BEING MADE.
IT'S A, VEHICLE PURSUITS ARE VERY DYNAMIC SITUATIONS, RIGHT? AND WE, WE TRAIN OUR PEOPLE THE BEST WE CAN.
AND, AND THEY, THE, THE MORE EXPERIENCE YOU GET, UH, THE EASIER HIGH STRESS SITUATIONS WILL BECOME.
I THINK THAT'S TRUE WITH ANY INSTANCE IN POLICE WORK, BUT THEY ARE VERY QUICK SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS.
UM, THE NEXT QUESTION WE HAVE IS STAFF.
UH, I THINK WE HAVE GARETH ON FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON'S OFFICE.
CAN, UH, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME KIND? YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT MUFFLED.
IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LOUDER.
IS THIS ANY BETTER? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION, OFFICERS, AND, UH, FIRST OFF, MUCH LOVE TO OUR FRIENDS AT HPD.
[00:40:01]
UM, SO IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S, I OFTEN SEE AN UNDERCOVER, OR NOT AN UNDERCOVER, BUT I WOULD SAY A QUOTE UNQUOTE BLOCKED OUT POLICE VEHICLE, UM, ON THE BRIDGE ON I 45 NEXT TO H OR, UH, NEXT TO UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.UM, IF, IF A VEHICLE LIKE THAT TRIES TO PULL SOMEBODY OVER, THEY DON'T IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER BECAUSE IT'S NOT IDENTIFIED AS AN HPD ED VEHICLE.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT? AND IS THERE A ED HPD VEHICLE NEARBY TO BACK UP THE UNDERCOVER VEHICLE? SO ARE, ARE YOU REFERRING TO SOME OF OUR TRAFFIC UNITS THAT STOP TRAFFIC IN THE AREA THAT YOU SEE ON A REGULAR BASIS? WELL, UH, NO SIR.
NOT JUST, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, TRAFFIC STOP VEHICLES, BUT I'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, BLACKED OUT HPD VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN.
AND, UM, I'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS THAT IF THEY WERE TO BE, IF THEY WERE TO SEE A SUV BEHIND THEM WITH LIGHTS FLASHING, BUT NO IDENTIFIABLE, NO IDENTIFIABLE DELIVERY, UM, WHAT WOULD THE CONSEQUENCES BE IF THEY WERE TO DELAY THEIR, UM, PULLING OVER? SO IF THEY HAD A, WELL, FIRST, LEMME START WITH THIS.
SOME OF THE VEHICLES, I THINK YOU MAY BE REFERRING TO HAVE WHAT WE REFER TO AS GHOST RIDING ON 'EM, WHICH, WHEN YOU LOOK IN YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR, YOU MAY NOT SEE IT, UH, WHEN YOU'RE NOT LOOKING DIRECTLY AT IT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR, IT WILL SAY, HOUSTON POLICE ON THE HOOD OF THE CAR.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN BACKWARDS SO THAT WHEN YOU LOOK IN YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR, IT, IT IS CORRECT TO YOU OR LOOKS LEFT TO RIGHT AS OPPOSED TO RIGHT TO LEFT, BUT NOT STOPPING.
'CAUSE YOU'RE CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE A POLICE VEHICLE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A POLICE PURSUIT AND WILL NOT HAVE OTHER CONSEQUENCES TO IT.
I MEAN, YOUR, YOUR CHOICES FOR THAT CITIZEN WOULD BE TO FIND A WELL LIT PLACE IF THEY REALLY FELT LIKE IT MAY NOT BE A POLICE VEHICLE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO CALL DISPATCH OR DRIVE TO A POLICE STATION.
BUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR STOPS, IF NOT WITH VERY, VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS, I WOULD SAY, WOULD COME FROM, UH, MARKED POLICE VEHICLES.
THEY JUST HAVE WHAT WE REFER TO AS GHOST RIDING ON 'EM.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THEM FROM AN ANGLE, IT MAY LOOK LIKE A BLACK VEHICLE, BUT IF YOU LOOK STRAIGHT ONTO IT, IT HAS THE FULL, THE SAME FULL MARKINGS AS OUR BLACK AND WHITE UNITS DO.
MY, UH, MY APOLOGIES IF THAT WAS AN IGNORANT QUESTION, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHTS, SIR.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM STAFF? UM, ASSISTANT CHIEF, I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP, UH, REALLY QUICKLY.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, SERGEANT RILEY, UH, FOR HIS WORK ON THIS AS WELL.
THANK YOU, SERGEANT, FOR NOT ONLY BEING HERE, BUT ASSISTING US ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, WE'RE FOCUSING ON WHAT, UM, HPD CAN DO, WHAT HPD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DUTY THAT YOU ALL HAVE, UM, IN UNDERTAKING, UH, THESE CHALLENGES AND RECOGNIZING ALSO, UH, AS YOU INDICATED, WHILE IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE, UH, THESE CAN BE HIGHLY VOLATILE AND DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
UH, WHAT CAN THE PUBLIC BE DOING? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S GONNA BE SOME CALMS AROUND THIS AS WELL, UM, OFFICER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, BUT CAN YOU SPEAK REALLY BRIEFLY TO, UM, THE PUBLIC, WHETHER THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, BUT ALSO JUST SAFE DRIVING RIGHT NOW, WE'RE APPROACHING, UH, THE, THOSE HOT MONTHS RIGHT? WHEN, UH, WE SEE EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, UH, IN OTHER DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
AND, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF, I KNOW THAT WITH THIS COMES A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, WITH VEHICULAR SAFETY RIGHT NOW.
SO I WOULD, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL, WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ASKING FOR THE INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST STEP, RIGHT? GETTING THE INFORMATION AND UNDERSTANDING, UH, WHAT THE POLICY IS AND THE WAY WE OPERATE.
SO WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITIZENS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE REFERRING TO WHEN IT COMES TO VEHICULAR SAFETY, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HAD PRESENTATIONS HERE IN, IN THE RECENT MONTHS ABOUT, UM, AGGRESSIVE DRIVING CAMPAIGNS AND ROAD RAGE.
AND WE TEND TO BE SEEING A LOT OF, UM, LACK OF CIVILITY IN GENERAL AS IT REFERS TO VEHICULAR CRIME.
UH, WE DO HAVE A VEHICULAR CRIME TASK FORCE THAT IS WORKING ON THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THEY'RE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB OVER AT OUR VEHICULAR CRIMES DIVISION.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS STREET TAKEOVERS OR THESE BURNOUT CREWS THAT GO THESE PRIVATE PARKING LOTS, WHICH I KNOW ARE A CONCERN TO
[00:45:01]
CITIZENS.AND I, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO IS REPORT THOSE WHEN THEY'RE HAPPENING, NUMBER ONE.
AND TWO, IF YOU HAVE TEENAGERS OR JUVENILES THAT YOU KNOW TO ENJOY THESE ACTIVITIES, I THINK THEY'RE MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE AVERAGE PARENT REALIZES.
AND I THINK, UH, IT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE THINK IT IS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO, TO PAY ATTENTION TO, TO WHAT THEIR, THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR TEENAGERS ARE DOING, AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T GO TO THESE EVENTS THAT TURN OUT VERY DANGEROUSLY QUITE OFTEN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE POLICE ARE THERE OR NOT.
AND, UM, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I, I DO SEE SOME COMMENTS THANKING YOU, ASSISTANT CHIEF, FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
'CAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US ABSOLUTELY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT, UH, AS YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU NEED TO BE DOING TO ARREST, UM, DANGEROUS INDIVIDUALS, THAT THE PUBLIC IS AS SAFE, UM, AS POSSIBLE DURING THOSE PURSUITS AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THAT AT THE FOREFRONT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, JUST SUBMIT IT TO THE CHAIR AND WE'RE HAPPY TO, TO RESPOND.
UH, WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM HPD COMMANDER ZIA, UH, WHO IS VIRTUAL WITH US ON A PROPOSED MEASURE, UH, THAT WILL BE TAKING UP SOON, UH, TO HELP CURB THE RECENT UPTICK IN THE THEFT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
UH, WHICH I BELIEVE I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT SADLY HAS TURNED, UH, VIOLENT AND IN EVEN DEADLY, UH, IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
UH, THIS IS AN, AN ISSUE I KNOW EVERYONE ON COUNCIL IS HEARING A LOT ABOUT FROM CONSTITUENTS.
SO I WANNA THANK HPD AND OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
AND WE ALSO ON HAVE ON HAND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY MICHELLE, UH, SHOULD WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR LEGAL ON THIS.
UH, BUT THEY'RE WORKING QUICKLY TO, UH, UNDER THE MAYOR'S DIRECTION TO MOVE AND TAILOR THIS POLICY, UH, TO GET IT.
SO WITH THAT, UH, COMMANDER ZIA, CAN YOU SEE ONLINE THE PRESENTATION BEFORE YOU? YES, MA'AM.
AND CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME CLEARLY? YES.
AS LONG AS YOU SPEAK CLOSE TO THAT MIC, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO START OUT BY, BY THANKING CHAIR, UH, VICE CHAIR, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, UH, MICHELLE, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE, UH, FOR REALLY GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON WHAT I THINK WE BELIEVE IS A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, TOPIC OF, UH, CATHOLIC CONVERTER ORDINANCE, UH, CATA CAT CATA CONVERTER CRIME, UM, AND THE REG REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT THAT I THINK WE NEED TO CREATE, UH, TO COMBAT AGAINST THE, THE TROUBLING TREND THAT WE'RE SEEING.
UM, SO JUST ABOUT MYSELF, UH, I'M A, MY NAME IS SIA.
I'M A COMMANDER IN HPD, UH, AND CURRENTLY I'M ASSIGNED OVER THE PROPERTY AND FINANCIAL CRIMES DIVISION.
UH, I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS.
UM, AND IN PART MY DIVISION'S ROLE IS TO BE, UH, UH, PROVIDE REGULATORY OVERSIGHT OVER THE METAL RECYCLING INDUSTRY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT REGULATORY FUNCTION, UM, I WILL, I WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, TODAY, UM, AT THE END, UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, YOU MAY HAVE, UM, WITH ME TODAY.
UM, OUTTA CAMERA VIEW, THOUGH, IS COMMANDER HITMAN.
UH, SHE OVERSEES THE AUDIT THEFT DIVISION, AND, UH, PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO INVESTIGATE THEFT MOTOR VEHICLES THAT INVOLVE CLY CONVERTERS.
CAN WE GO TO THE, THERE WE GO.
SO BEFORE WE ACTUALLY DIVE FURTHER INTO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, UH, WHY IT'S OCCURRING AND, AND HOW WE CAN CREATE A MORE PRODUCTIVE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, UH, UH, AROUND CLY CONVERTERS, UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS MAYBE IMPORTANT TO DO A QUICK CLY CONVERTER 1 0 1.
UM, THERE MAY BE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT, UH, MAY NOT, UH, KNOW WHAT A CLY CONVERTER IS, SO, UH, I THOUGHT I'D GO AHEAD AND, AND DEFINE THAT FOR YOU.
UH, SO REALLY, UH, UH, IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, IT'S, IT IS JUST AN EXHAUST EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF YOUR VEHICLE, AND IT'S DESIGNED TO CONVERT HARMFUL, TOXIC GASES, UH, THAT ARE PRODUCED BY THE ENGINE INTO LESS TOXIC GASES, UH, BEFORE THEY'RE RELEASED IN THE ENVIRONMENT BY THE EXHAUST.
UM, UH, THIS IS, UH, A, AN AUTO PART THAT'S, UH, REGULATED FEDERALLY BY THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
UM, UH, BUT, UH, MANY STATES, IN FACT, ALL STATES HAVE SOME, UH, OR HAVE DEVELOPED FURTHER GUIDANCE, UM, TO PROVIDE MORE OVERSIGHT, UH, IN THEIR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE, THAT'S, UH, A EXAMPLE OF A CATALY CONVERTER.
UM, ALL MOTOR VEHICLES, UH, THAT ARE FUELED BY GAS OR DIESEL, UH, HAVE THEM, SOME HAVE MORE THAN OTHERS.
UH, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SIZE, MAKE AND MODEL, UH, OF THE VEHICLE.
UM, AND SO WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT CATALY CONVERTERS? WELL, THEY, THEY CONTAIN PRECIOUS METALS LIKE RHODIUM, PALLADIUM, AND PLATINUM.
[00:50:01]
THE METALS, UH, THAT HELP CONVERT THE TOXIC GASES, UH, INTO LESS TOXIC, UH, UH, UH, GASES.UM, AND THEY'RE REALLY HOUSED IN THOSE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE CYLINDER SHAPES, UH, IN THE PICTURE, THOSE ARE WHAT'S CALLED HONEY, UH, HONEYCOMBS.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE PRECIOUS METALS, UH, ARE CONTAINED.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CONVERSION PROCESS REALLY HAPPENS.
UH, BUT APART FROM THAT, UH, THESE ARE VALUABLE PRECIOUS METALS.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT MARKET, UH, UH, PRICE OF THESE, UH, METALS, THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S DRIVING, UH, THE CRIME TRUNK.
SO HERE, UH, WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU IS, UH, SOME CITY OF HOUSTON CRIME STATS.
JUST TO KIND OF ILLUSTRATE THE TREND, UM, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT JUST NATIONALLY, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU, CALI CONVERTED THEFTS HAVE RISEN FROM 3,389 INCIDENTS IN 2019 TO 14,433 IN 2020.
SO JUST FROM 2019 TO 2020, THOSE NUMBERS QUADRUPLED.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE, ON THE STATS HERE, UM, WE HAVE A SIMILAR TROUBLING TREND.
UM, SO IN JUST 2021, UH, ALONE, WE HAD 7,822.
AND IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF, UH, 2022, WE'RE AT 31 88.
UH, IF YOU PROJECT THAT OUT TO THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, DECEMBER, 2022, UH, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA DOUBLE THE INCIDENTS FROM 2021.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT WE GET, UH, IS WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF CALI CONVERTERS TO VIOLENT CRIME? UM, WE'VE SEEN, UH, RECENT NEWS, UH, UH, ABOUT HOW C THEFTS HAVE TURNED IN INTO A VIOLENT CRIME.
TRAGICALLY, WE LOST, UH, A DEPUTY, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE SLIDE ON THE, UH, I'M SORRY, THE CHART ON THE RIGHT, UH, CORNER, UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT IN 2020 WE HAD SEVEN INCIDENTS, UM, UH, WHERE CALI CONVERTER CRIMES TURNED VIOLENT.
AND IN JUST THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 2022, WE HAD 15.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU PROJECT THAT OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, WE'RE PROBABLY, THAT'S, SO WE'LL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 60 AND, AND WE'LL DOUBLE, UM, THE INCIDENTS FROM, UH, 2021.
THE OTHER QUESTION WE GET IS, AND CLEARLY THE OTHER PARTS ON THE AUTO VEHICLE THAT ARE STOLEN, UH, MOST COMMON, YOUR TIRES, RIGHT, THAT HAVE, UH, THE ALLOY WHEELS, UH, AND THE BATTERIES, UH, UH, UH, THAT, UH, RUN YOUR CAR.
SO WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CLY CONVERT? WHAT, WHY IS, WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT? WELL, SO IN 2021, WE HAD 11,000 856 57 THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
SO THAT'S THEFTS OF, OF A BATTERY IN YOUR CAR, THEFTS OF, UH, UH, YOUR WHEELS OR, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, ANY OTHER COMPONENT OR PART ON THE CAR.
OUT OF THOSE 11,857, CALI CONVERTER THEFTS ACCOUNTED FOR 66% OF THOSE CRIMES IN 2022, UH, FROM JANUARY TO TO TO MARCH.
UH, UH, UH, OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 4,257 THEFT MOTOR VEHICLES.
UM, AND THIS YEAR, CALI CONVERTER THEFTS ACCOUNT 75% OF THOSE CRIMES.
SO CLEARLY CALI CONVERTERS, AS OPPOSED TO ANY OTHER, UH, PART ON A CAR, IS WHAT'S FUELING THE CRIME.
WE, CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW, HOW, HOW VALUABLE THOSE PRECIOUS METALS ARE.
UM, SO, UH, I HAVE A SLIDE HERE WHERE, UH, IT SHOWS THE MARKET PRICE, UH, PER OUNCE OF THOSE METALS.
UM, BUT CLEARLY, UH, ONE OF THE BIG FACTORS THAT, UH, THAT IS, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO THE, THE RISE IN THE, IN THE PRICE HAS TO DO WITH COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND, UH, THE RESULTING GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES THAT, UH, UH, OUR ECONOMY HAS, HAS EXPERIENCED.
AND THAT'S, UH, WE THINK CONTRIBUTING TO THE, UH, THE, THE PRICE ESCALATION.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT RHODIUM, UH, AT THE LEFT, BOTTOM LEFT, YOU'LL SEE IN 2016, THE PRICE WAS $740 PER OUNCE.
IT ROSE TO 28,600 IN APRIL OF 2021, AND THEN DECREASED SOME TO EIGHT THOU 18,200.
UM, THIS YEAR, APRIL, UH, 25TH, UH, CLEARLY THAT'S, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT, UH, EXPONENTIAL, UH, RISE IN THE, IN THE PRICE OF THAT PARTICULAR METAL.
UM, AND THAT'S ALSO, UH, PART OF THE REASON WHY, UM, UH, THIS CRIME IS TRENDING.
UM, THEN YOU HAVE PALLADIUM RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
THERE WAS $604, UH, IN 2016 AND HAS MORE THAN TRIPLED.
UH, UH, AS OF, UH, 2022 PLATINUM'S, THE ONLY METAL THAT HAS RELATIVELY STAYED SOMEWHERE AROUND THIS INITIAL PRICE OF 1000 BACK IN 2016.
IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF GONE DOWN.
UH, BUT NONETHELESS, PRICE PER HOUSE, IT, IT'S A VALUABLE METAL.
UH, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT,
[00:55:01]
UH, THE ALLOYS IN, IN THE WHEELS, UH, UH, OF A CAR, UH, THEY CONTAIN METALS LIKE NICKEL AND, AND ALUMINUM.ALUMINUM, UH, THE PRICE OF, OF, OF NICKEL OR ALUMINUM IS SOMEWHERE AROUND A DOLLAR OR LESS THAN A DOLLAR PER HOUSE.
UH, AND THEN THE LEAD THAT MAY BE IN YOUR CAR BATTERY, UH, THE PRICE PER OUNCE IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 10 CENTS.
SO CLEARLY IT, IT IS THE VALUE OF THE PRECIOUS METALS THAT IS ACCOUNTING FOR, UH, THE CRIME TREND.
SO NORMALLY HOW A CAT IS, UH, IS STOLEN FROM UNDERNEATH YOUR CAR IS WHERE A CROOK WILL CLIMB UNDERNEATH IT AND WILL USE A ELECTRIC SAW TO CUT IT OFF AT BOTH DAMS. IT TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 30 SECONDS TO A MINUTE, UH, FOR A THIEVE TO DO THAT.
SO NOT ONLY IS IT EASY TO STEAL, UH, WE'VE SHOWN THAT IT'S, IT'S VERY PROFITABLE AND, AND, AND LUCRATIVE.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? OKAY, SO HERE IT'S SEPTEMBER, 2021.
A NEW STATE LAW WAS INTRODUCED, UH, HB 41 10, UM, AND IT REALLY, UH, FOCUSED ON THE REGULATION OF SALE OF CIC CONVERTERS, UH, FOR METAL RECYCLERS.
AND WHAT THE LAW BASICALLY DID WAS IT REQUIRED ANY PERSON SELLING A CLY CONVERTER TO A METAL RECYCLER TO PROVIDE CERTAIN INFORMATION.
UH, THIS INCLUDED THE YEAR MAKE MODEL OF BIN OF THE VEHICLE FROM WHICH THE CONVERTER WAS REMOVED.
UH, A THUMBPRINT OF THE SELLER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE AND OTHER DOCUMENTATION PROVING OWNERSHIP.
NOW, ON A SIDE NOTE, JUST BEFORE THIS LAW WAS, UH, WAS IMPLEMENTED, UH, SIX MONTHS BEFORE THAT APRIL OF 2021, THIS LAW WENT EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER, 2021.
UM, WE IMPLEMENTED AN ADMINISTRATIVE RULE TO CHAPTER, TO CHAPTER SEVEN THAT HAD THE SAME, SAME OR SIMILAR REQUIREMENTS THAT HB 41 10 HAD.
SO ESSENTIALLY, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, UH, PROVIDED THE FOUNDATION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, UH, UH, ENACTMENT OF, OF, UH, 41 10 THAT FOLLOWED.
SIX MONTHS LATER, LEMME GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS GRAPH REALLY HELPS DEPICT WHAT THE, UH, MARKET ENVIRONMENT IS.
UM, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BLUE LINE, THAT LINE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL SELLERS IN HARRIS COUNTY.
THESE ARE SELLERS SELLING TO METAL RECYCLERS.
THE GREEN LINE REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF REPORTED INCIDENTS INVOLVING CALY CONVERTERS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERTICAL DOTTED LINE, UH, THAT, UH, SPRINGS UP FROM APRIL, 2021, THAT'S WHEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES WENT INTO EFFECT.
AND THEN SIX MONTHS LATER, SEPTEMBER, 2021, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE LAW, HB 41 10 WENT IN, WENT IN EFFECT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE NUMBER OF SELLERS STARTED TO GO DOWN, UH, BEGINNING OF JANUARY OF 2021.
BUT WHEN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE RULES WENT IN EFFECT, IT STARTED TO, TO REDUCE AT A, AT A MUCH ESCALATING RATE.
AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE AUGUST OF, OF, UH, ONE MONTH BEFORE, UH, THE HB 41 10 WENT EFFECTIVE, IT TOOK A SHARP NOSE DIVE.
PART OF THAT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO, WE HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH OUR METAL RECYCLING, UH, UH, INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SO THEY HAD PRETTY MUCH BEGAN THE PRACTICE OF, OF, OF NOT, UH, UH, PURCHASING C CONVERTERS.
CLEARLY, WHEN THE LAW WENT IN EFFECT, YOU CAN SEE IT JUST, IT JUST STRAIGHT LINED.
AND SO THE, THE, THE PEOPLE JUST STOPPED SELLING, UH, TO METAL RECYCLERS.
THE TROUBLING PART IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREEN LINE AT THE, DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD, UM, THE THEFTS CONTINUED TO ESCALATE, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THE, THE POINT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE HERE IS THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT, UH, UH, THAT, UH, THE ATORY ENVIRONMENT DIDN'T HELP.
UH, CLEARLY WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THAT THE MARKET WENT UNDERGROUND.
AND SO, UH, THE DEMAND WAS STILL THERE FOR CLY CONVERTERS.
UM, IT'S JUST THAT METAL RECYCLERS WEREN'T PURCHASING IT.
UM, BUT SOMEBODY OBVIOUSLY WAS, CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CALI CONVERTER SALES GOING INTO, UH, THE UNDERGROUND MARKET, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE YOU'VE GOT YOUR CUTTERS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING UNDERNEATH THE CARS AND, AND, AND CUTTING AND STEALING YOUR CATS.
UM, AND THEN TRANSPORTING IT TO SOME BUYER WHO PURCHASES ILLEGALLY, UM, WHETHER THEY, UH, THEN IN TURN SELL IT TO ANOTHER BUYER.
BUT AT SOME POINT, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S, IT'S MAKING IT OUT TO, UH, OTHER, UH, JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE MORE LAX, UH, UM, REGULATORY ENVIRONMENTS.
AND SO CLEARLY, THE, THE, THE C CONVERSE HAVE TO BE TRANSPORTED ON THE STREETS FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
AND SO THE EMPHASIS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL,
[01:00:01]
UH, IS ON ADDRESSING THE STREET TRAFFICKING OF, OF C CONVERTERS.SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING OR RECOMMENDING, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION IS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY OTHER THAN A METAL RECYCLER TO POSSESS A USED CATALY CONVERTER WITHOUT ALSO HAVING PROPER DOCUMENTATION, DETAILING THE INFORMATION REQUIRED UNDER THE NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES PROOF OF OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE FROM WHICH A CA UH, THE CLY CONVERTER WAS REMOVED.
NOW, THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IS TO UNBOLT THE CLY CONVERTER WHEN UNINSTALLING.
SO THERE IS NO NEED TO REALLY CUT OFF, UH, UH, THE CAT FROM THE VEHICLE.
UM, THAT IS USUALLY A STRONG INDICATOR THAT IT MAY BE STOLEN.
THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION IS, IS TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL TO BUY A USED CUT CLY CONVERTER UNLESS THE BUYER IS A METAL RECYCLER.
UH, THESE PROVISIONS, UH, WILL APPLY TO WHOLE CLY CONVERTERS AND TO THEIR COMPONENT PARTS.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT'S THE GOAL OF THIS, THIS PROPOSED CHANGE? UH, AGAIN, IT, IT GOES BACK TO TRYING TO ADDRESS THE UNDERGROUND BLACK MARKET BY FOCUSING ON THE ILLICIT SUPPLY CHAIN.
A THIS, WHAT THIS PROPOSED CHAIN WOULD, WOULD ESSENTIALLY DO IS CREATE A, A CLASS C UNLAWFUL PROCESSION OFFENSE.
UM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THE INVESTIGATION ENFORCEMENT OF SUSPECTED STOLEN CLY CONVERTERS.
AND SO, OF COURSE, THE QUESTION IS, WELL, WHO'S THIS GONNA IMPACT? UH, WELL, THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND, AND, BUT THE THING THAT I WOULD EMPHASIZE IS IT EXCLUDES THE POSSESSION OF UNBOLTED OR CA UH, CUT CLY CONVERTERS WITH PROPER DOCUMENTATION.
SO AS LONG AS THAT CRITERIA IS MET, YOU'RE OKAY.
SO OUR FOCUS REALLY GETS NARROWED DOWN TO THE ILLICIT STREET DEALERS AND TRANSPORTERS OF SUSPECTED STOLEN C CONVERTERS.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? THE NEXT, UH, PROPOSAL EMPHASIZES, UH, REALLY IT, IT, THE INTENTION IS TO CLOSE THE GAP, UH, OR THE LOOP, UH, ON REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING HERE IS TO BRING TOGETHER AND MIRROR THE VARIOUS STATE AND COUNTY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS INTO CHAPTER SEVEN, ARTICLE THREE OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES, UH, OF ORDINANCES.
UH, ARTICLE THREE, UH, REGULATES THE METAL RECYCLERS.
UM, WE'RE, WE'D LIKE TO REQUIRE METAL RECYCLERS AND OR SECONDHAND RESELLERS TO UPLOAD INFORMATION REGARDING PURCHASES OR RECEIPTS INTO A LAW ENFORCEMENT DATABASE.
THE GOAL HERE IS TO REALLY JUST CREATE CONSISTENCY, ENHANCED REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, UH, INCLUDING THE BUSINESS TO BUSINESS TRANSACTION BETWEEN METAL RECYCLERS AND SECONDHAND RESELLERS, NAMELY MUFFLER SHOPS.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A, UH, A GOOD REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, UH, THAT DEALS WITH THE PURCHASE OF CALI CONVERTERS FROM INDIVIDUAL SELLERS.
AND AS THE SLIDE BEFORE, SHOWED THAT THAT HAD AN IMPACT BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE NOT SELLING TO, UH, UH, METAL RECYCLERS.
BUT WHERE THERE'S A, THERE, THERE'S A GAP IS THE BUSINESS TO BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN, LET'S SAY, A MUFFLER SHOP AND A, AND A AND A METAL RECYCLE INDUSTRY, INDUSTRY, UH, STAKEHOLDER.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR THAT TO BE, UH, UH, UH, MADE CONSISTENT.
SO THAT INFORMATION, WHICH THEY ALREADY, THEY ALREADY RECORD, JUST GETS UPLOADED, UH, INTO A LAW ENFORCEMENT DATABASE.
SO THE IMPACT HERE FOR METAL RECYCLERS, AGAIN, UM, UH, THEY RECORD A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION ALREADY, UH, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE BUSINESS, TO BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS, UH, THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ASKED TO UPLOAD IT INTO A LAW ENFORCEMENT DATABASE.
BUT WE'RE ASKING HERE IS THAT IT BE UPLOADED, UH, INTO A DATABASE.
AND THEN FOR SECONDHAND RESELLERS, REALLY, THEY'RE ONLY GONNA BE IMPACTED WHEN THEY ENGAGE IN THE PURCHASE OR RECEIPT OF A CLY CONVERTERS FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESS OPERATION THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA IMPACT THEM.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HUGE LIP, UH, FOR THE SECONDHAND RESELLING, UH, COMMUNITY.
UH, CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO HERE, I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE ORDINANCE, UH, CHANGE.
UM, SO JUST LIKE WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH ANY CHANGES, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH, UH, UH, THE STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT, UH, UH, ME AND MY TEAM AND, AND AND, UH, AUTO THEFT HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WE WORK WITH.
UH, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM IN THE PAST WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CHANGES TO, UH, ORDINANCES OR OTHER LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.
UM, AND, UH, THIS IS NO DIFFERENT.
AND SO WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO OUTREACH WITH THEM AND, UH, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, CO-CREATE A, A REGULATORY AND A REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, UM, THAT CAN REALLY HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO THAT IS WE MAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON
[01:05:01]
MEETINGS WITH BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS, UH, SO WE CAN EDUCATE 'EM AND GET FEEDBACK.UM, THIS WILL CONTINUE, UH, AS WELL WITH OUR SUPPORT SO WE CAN PROMOTE, UH, BUSINESS COMPLIANCE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS JUST LOOKING FOR GOOD NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? UM, AND SO WE WANNA PROMOTE A CULTURE OF LEGITIMATE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE AND, AND ALSO, UH, INCENTIVIZE, UH, PEOPLE FROM REPORTING, UH, ANYBODY THAT MAY BE INVOLVED IN ILLICIT SALES, UH, FOR THE CITIZENRY, UH, YOUR, YOUR GENERAL, UH, UH, COMMITTEE OUT THERE, UH, CLEARLY THAT THIS COULD IMPACT THEM, UH, UH, AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN GET OUT THERE AND, AND EDUCATE, UH, OUR FOLKS, THE COMMUNITY, IS THROUGH OUR POSITIVE INTER, UH, UH, UH, INTERVENTION PROGRAM.
UM, OUR ATTENDANCE AT CIVIC MEETINGS OR OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, UM, UH, WE NORMALLY PROVIDE, UH, UH, INFORMATION VIDEOS ON THE, ON THE WEB, UM, AND ALSO ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. UH, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT IN, IN, IN JUST REGULAR CRIME PERMISSION AND IN OTHER CASES.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? OKAY, GREAT.
SO, I, I DIDN'T WANNA MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT CRIME PREVENTION AND DETERRENCE, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY BE LISTENING.
SO HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, UH, UH, NOT JUST THE, OR THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN DO TO HELP, UH, CREATE AN, AN ENVIRONMENT OF DETERRENCE AND TO HELP COMBAT, UH, THIS CRIME TREND.
ONE THING IS PEOPLE CAN USE A HIGH TEMPERATURE, UH, PAINT.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE FLUORESCENT, FLUORESCENT, JUST MAKES IT MORE DISTINGUISHABLE.
UH, SO THAT'S WHY I, I WOULD RECOMMEND A FLUORESCENT PAINT.
WE CAN PAINT THE, THE CALI CONVERTER.
UM, SO IF, LET'S SAY AN OFFICER IN THE FIELD, UH, FINDS ONE, UH, THAT, THAT GIVES THEM A CLUE, UH, THAT, UH, IT MAY BE STOLEN, UM, AND ALSO HELPS THEM, HOPEFULLY, DEPENDING ON IF A REPORT IS FILED, UH, WE CAN CONNECT IT WITH THE, UH, WITH THE, UH, UH, COMPLAINANT THAT MAY HAVE, UH, HAD IT STOLEN FROM THEM.
UH, THE OTHER, THE SECOND ITEM IS THE ETCHING ENGRAVING OF LICENSE PLATE NUMBERS OR VENT.
UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FIND, UH, ROUTINELY IN THE FIELD IS THAT IF WE FIND SOMEBODY WITH, UH, A LOAD OF CLIC CONVERTERS, CLIC CONVERTERS DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF SPECIAL ENGRAVING OR VIN NUMBERS, UH, THAT WOULD ASSOCIATE IT WITH THE PARTICULAR CAR, WE CAN, WE CAN FIND OUT THAT A PARTICULAR CALI CONVERTER MAY COME FROM A PARTICULAR MAKE OR MODEL, BUT NOT FROM A SPECIFIC, UH, VEHICLE, RIGHT? AND SO THAT MAKES OUR JOB VERY DIFFICULT.
AND ONE WAY TO, TO, UH, TO ADDRESS THAT IS TO ETCH EITHER A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OR THE VIN ON THERE THAT WOULD HELP US BE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE AND FOLLOW UP ON, ON CRIMES.
UH, THE OTHER, UH, UH, BULLET POINT HAS DEAL WITH THE INSTALLATION OF ANY THEFT DEVICES.
UM, WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT NOW, UM, DEALERSHIPS AND, AND, AND AUTO AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOPS, UH, OFFER AFTERMARKET PROTECTIVE SHIELDS.
THIS IS SIMPLY A, A METAL SHIELD, UH, IN SOME RESPECT, THAT WILL, THAT WILL BE A FIXED, UH, OVER YOUR CLY CONVERTER THAT WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR, UH, UH, A THIEF TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ACCESS THAT CALI CONVERTER.
UH, WE ALSO, THERE ARE ALSO, UM, ALARM SYSTEMS OUT THERE NOW THAT HAVE, UH, UH, SENSOR, UH, SENSORS ON THEM.
SO WHEN A, WHEN A CALI CONVERTER, UH, THIEF IS UNDER THE CAR AND IS USING ELECTRIC SAW TO SOLVE THE CALI CONVERTER, THAT WILL GENERALLY VIBRATE THE CAR.
AND THERE ARE SOME ALARM SYSTEMS OUT THERE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DETECT THAT SET, UH, UH, THAT MOVEMENT, UH, OR THAT VIBRATION AND, UH, WILL GO OFF ALERTING ANYBODY NEARBY, UM, THAT SOMETHING, UH, IS AFOOT.
UM, ANOTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, JUST SIMPLY JUST TO PARK IN WET LIT AREAS, ESPECIALLY, UH, AT, AT NIGHTTIME, UM, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR ANYBODY ELSE THAT MAY BE IN THE AREA, UH, AS THEY'RE WALKING BY, MAYBE BY A CAR TO SEE IF SOMEBODY IS, IS, IS, UH, CRAWLED UNDERNEATH YOUR, YOUR CAR.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE REPORT THAT, UH, UH, UH, THAT SORT OF SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.
UM, THE OTHER BULLET, UH, THE LAST BULLET IS, AND THIS IS EVEN MORE RELEVANT NOW AS WE'VE SEEN, UM, UH, CLY CONVERTER THEFTS TURN VIOLENT.
WE RECOMMEND DO NOT CONFRONT THIEVES.
UH, BEST PRACTICE IS IF YOU SEE, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY STEALING YOUR CLY CONVERTER, UH, REMOVE YOURSELF, GO TO A SAFER LOCATION IMMEDIATELY, NOTIFY POLICE SO WE CAN RESPOND.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU IS JUST TO BE A GOOD WITNESS.
AND DON'T PUT YOURSELF OR YOUR, YOUR LOVED ONES, UH, UH, IN, IN, IN A SITUATION WHERE
[01:10:01]
THE THIEVES MAY RESORT TO VIOLENCE.LET THE POLICE, UM, RESPOND, UM, AND ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
UH, ANOTHER, UH, THING I'D LIKE TO PASS ON, UH, UH, TO EVERYONE IS THAT, UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING A MULTI-AGENCY, UH, TASK FORCE.
AND, UH, IT WILL, UH, IT WILL INVOLVE, UH, MAY, UH, OTHER DIVISIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, AND, UH, OTHER, UH, POLICE AGENCIES, UH, IN THE JURIS IN OUR LOCAL JURISDICTION.
AND A BIG COMPONENT, UH, OF THAT, THE TASK FORCE WILL BE PUBLIC, PUBLIC EDUCATION, UH, ALONG WITH CONDUCTING BOTH PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE OPERATIONS TO COMBAT, UH, CATHOLIC CONVERTER CRIMES.
NOW, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS, UH, THE ONE THING I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT REALLY OUR FOCUS IS ON WORKING WITH BOTH THE BUSINESS AND, UH, CITIZENS TO CO-CREATE A SAFER, UH, UH, COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE, AGAIN, TO, TO HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD ALREADY, AS I MENTIONED, WITH THE, UH, CREATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.
AND, UH, AND THEN THE SIX MONTHS LATER, THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, UM, UM, UPDATE THAT CAME OUT WITH HB 41 10, UH, THAT WASN'T DONE IN A VACUUM.
UH, WE HAVE SUPPORT, UH, AND HELP FROM OUR BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, UH, THIS, THIS IS NO DIFFERENT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, IF WE WORK TOGETHER, UH, THAT, UH, WE WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND OUR HOPE IS THAT, THAT THIS ORDINANCE, UH, THIS, UH, UH, LOCAL REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, UH, WILL PROPEL, UM, MORE CHANGE IN, UH, UH, IN, UH, OR THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, UPDATE, UH, THAT WILL SOON FOLLOW, UH, SO WE CAN KIND OF CLOSE THE GAP, UH, UH, IN THE LEGISLATION AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL OPEN THIS UP TO QUESTIONS.
SO, BEFORE WE GET TO QUESTIONS REALLY QUICKLY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT'S COMING BEFORE US.
AND WHAT I HEARD WERE TWO SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE ORDINANCE CHANGE.
ONE BEING, UM, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENT FOR AUTHORIZED, UM, METAL RECYCLERS TO CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE, WHICH IS THE BUSINESS TO BUSINESS SALES.
AND THE, THAT WILL NOW NEED TO BE REPORTED AND UPLOADED INTO A DATABASE THAT YOU ALL HAVE ACCESS TO.
THAT'S THE FIRST COMPONENT, CORRECT? YES.
AND, AND, AND THE SECONDHAND RESELLERS.
SO IF THEY ENGAGE IN THE PURCHASE OF, UH, CATHOLIC, UH, CONVERTERS, UH, OR RECEIPT, THEY'LL BE ASKED TO, UH, COMPLY WITH THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS METAL RECYCLERS.
SO IT'S CLOSING THAT LOOPHOLE.
AND THEN THE, AND THE SECOND ONE IS, UM, BASICALLY CREATING A NEW CAUSE OF ACTION, SO TO SPEAK, A NEW, UM, ILLEGAL POSSESSION, UH, FOR IF YOU HAVE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT'S QUOTE UNQUOTE CUT, AND YOU DO NOT HAVE THE IDENTIFYING MATERIALS THAT COME ALONG WITH IT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS OUT THERE.
AS WE JUMP INTO QUESTIONS, SO THAT THAT'S CLEAR, WE HAVE THESE KIND OF TWO COMPONENTS OF THE, OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WILL BE COMING TO COUNSEL.
UH, FIRST IN QUEUE WAS A QUESTION COMMANDER FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS.
SHE HAD TO SIGN OFF, BUT, UM, I'M GONNA READ THE QUESTION FOR YOU.
CITY ATTORNEY, MICHELLE, THIS MAY BE DIRECTED MORE SO TOWARDS YOU.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY'S EFFORTS AND HP D'S EFFORTS TO DETER THE THEFT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, BUT I'M LEARNING THAT THIEVES CAN SIMPLY PUT THEM IN A CARDBOARD BOX AND MAIL THEM OUT OF STATE, GET A CHECK MAILED BACK TO THEM.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED FEDERAL HELP TO REGULATE THIS.
IS THERE A PLAN TO COORDINATE WITH OUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES AND TACKLE IT FROM THAT ANGLE AS WELL? WE, WE DO PLAN TO REACH OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, ITEMS THAT ARE SHIPPED ACROSS, UH, INTERSTATE LINES.
SO WE ARE GOING TO REACH OUT AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE, WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO DO, AND PUT RESOURCES INTO.
UH, NEXT, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM MARTIN, WELCOME.
UM, MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE IMPACT OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT ON WEDNESDAY AND THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS, AND I'LL CALL IT THE INCIDENT DETERRENT FACTOR.
Y'ALL PUT FORWARD ON THAT ONE SLIDE YOU PUT FORWARD C SEVEN ADMIN AND THEN HOUSE BILL 41 10.
AND WHEN THOSE WERE IMPLEMENTED, THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS WENT SIGNIFICANTLY UP, BUT YET THE INTRASTATE SELLING, WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS QUESTIONED ABOUT, UH, WAS IMPACTED.
[01:15:01]
SO HOW DOES THIS ORDINANCE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? BECAUSE MY OPINION, ALL THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO IS TO SHIP OUTTA STATE.AND SO THIS ORDINANCE REALLY ISN'T GONNA HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA STEAL 'EM AND THEY'RE GONNA SHIP 'EM OUTTA STATE BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
NOW, WE CURB THE ENTRUST STATE MOVEMENT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, BUT THE EXTERNAL MOVEMENT OUTSIDE OF THE STATE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER.
AND THE THIEVES AREN'T STUPID.
THEY'RE GONNA JUST PUT 'EM IN A BOX LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER CIRO SAID, AND SHIP 'EM OUT.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE IMPACT.
IS IT REALLY IMPACTFUL? YES, SIR.
UH, SO EVEN THOUGH THAT THE, THE, THE REGULATED REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR STATE, UH, UH, MAY BE LESS RESTRICTIVE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OF THAT.
UM, SO OUR FOCUS IS ON WHAT WE CAN DO HERE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE FOUND, AGAIN, IS THAT, SO THEY HAVE TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, AND WE'RE FINDING THAT THEY'RE TRANSPORTING THESE, UH, THESE CAT CONVERTERS, UM, IN CARS OR TRUCKS OR U U-HAUL VANS, RIGHT? AND SO IT, WITHOUT HAVING A, A POSSESSION CHARGE, UM, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO, TO SEIZE THIS UNLESS THERE'S SOME OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, UH, PROBABLE CAUSE AVAILABLE TO US, RIGHT? AND SO BY HAVING THIS AVAILABLE TO US, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE, UH, TAKE THAT OUT OF THE, THE SUPPLY CHAIN.
UH, OTHERWISE THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE GOING TO THE CHI, UH, THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND, AND, AND, AND, AND KEEP, UH, FUELING THE, THE PROFITABILITY OF SOME OF THESE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND SO THEY NEED TO STILL TRANSPORT THESE WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE NEED AN ORDINANCE, UH, OR, OR, OR A REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT HERE THAT SUPPORTS LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ABILITY TO NOT JUST INVESTIGATE, BUT ENFORCE THE TRANSPORT OF THE SUSPECTED STOLEN CATS.
I I STILL DON'T GET THE IMPACT OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE'RE GONNA PASS ITSELF.
I GET WE'RE GONNA TRY AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, BUT UNTIL YOU CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS OUT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU CAN ARREST THEM AND YOU CAN PROSECUTE 'EM, AND YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANT IF YOU CATCH 'EM IN THE ACT.
BUT ONCE THEY PUT 'EM IN A BOX AND THEY CROSS STATE LINES, THERE'S NOT A DARN THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE WHAT THESE THIEVES ARE GONNA DO.
THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO IT.
AND YOUR ONLY YOUR OWN DATA, UH, SHOWS US THAT THAT'S A FACT, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DRAMATIC IT, IT WENT THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, HOUSE BILL 41 10.
SO UNTIL WE CAN CONTROL IT FROM A, AS CARLOS CISNEROS SAID, FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, OR IF YOU CAN ENACT ANYTHING IN THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN 2023 THAT TALKS ABOUT E MOVEMENT OF CONVERTERS ACROSS STATE LINES, I'M, I'M ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE WE DO THIS AND PROTECT EVERYONE.
I HATE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE REALISTIC IMPACT OF THIS ORDINANCE, AND GIVEN THE CONDITION OF THE, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER SALES AND WHAT'S HAPPENING, I JUST, I, I'M, I, I DON'T SEE IT.
WELL, IF, IF I COULD JUST FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO JUAN, TO YOUR POINT, YES, IT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS TO CREATE, UH, A MORE, UH, HELPFUL, UH, FEDERAL REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, UM, UH, TO SUPPORT WHAT WE DO HERE LOCALLY.
UH, BUT THE ONE THING THAT IS NOT IN PLACE IS THE, OUR ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING WITH A LOAD OF CALY CONVERTERS WHEN WE ENC ENCOUNT THEM IN THE FIELD.
AND WE DO, RIGHT? SO THE MAJORITY OF THE CATS FROM WHAT WE SEE ARE BEING TRANSPORTED, UH, IN VEHICLES.
AND SO, UM, IN, IN ORDER TO INTERDICT THEM IN ORDER TO, TO, TO CREATE A DETERRENT FACTOR, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEIZE THEM.
AND SO, UM, ONE METHOD OR, OR OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN DO THAT BY IS IF THERE'S A UNLAWFUL POSSESSION CHARGE.
AND SO, UM, WITHOUT THAT, WE WOULD JUST, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SEIZE THEM UNLESS THERE WAS A, A, A ANOTHER INTERVENING PROBABLE CAUSE, UH, AVAILABLE TO US.
AND SO, YES, THE, THE, I DON'T DISAGREE THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF, UH, THE, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE, THE RULES CHANGED, AND HB 41, UH, 41 10, UM, THE THEFT OF THESE INCIDENTS CONTINUE TO, TO ESCALATE.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO DETERRENT, UH, UH, UH, FOR THE SELLERS TO GO TO ILLEGAL PURCHASERS.
[01:20:01]
UH, UH, LEGISLATIVE CHANGE WAS TO, TO CUT THE, UH, THE SALES BETWEEN THE, UH, THE SELLERS AND THE METAL RECYCLING INDUSTRY.BUT NOW WE NEED TO CLOSE THE LOOP AND CREATE A DETERRENCE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT THAT ON THE STREET.
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FIND IS, UH, QUITE FREQUENTLY, UH, PATROL OFFICER WILL STOP A, A CAR WITH 5, 10, 15 CIC CONVERTERS, AND THERE'S NO ETCHING ON THEM.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, UH, UH, TO ACCOUNT FOR WHERE IT CAME FROM.
RIGHT? AND SO, UM, ONE OF THE GOALS WILL BE IF, IF THAT INDIVIDUAL IS, IS ENGAGED, IS SOME SORT OF LEGITIMATE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, WELL, THEY WOULD HAVE THE PAPERWORK TO SHOW THAT WITHOUT THAT PAPERWORK, UH, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
AND SO, BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE PAPERWORK AND IT'S CUT, AND THERE'S A, AGAIN, IT'S TOTALITY CIRCUMSTANCES THERE, THERE'S OTHER, UH, UH, FACTORS AVAILABLE TO US.
WELL, WE CAN SEIZE THAT, AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON OUR INVESTIGATION, SEE WHERE THOSE CATS CAME FROM.
SO, SO COMMANDER, BECAUSE SORRY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW OTHER FOLKS IN QUEUE, WHAT I, WHAT I THINK YOU'RE SAYING IS WE'RE CREATING A NEW CAUSE OF ACTION, UM, RIGHT.
ARE, BUT ARE YOU SEEING, I MEAN, ARE THERE MULTIPLE CIRCUMSTANCES TO MAYOR PROM'S POINT WHERE OFFICERS HAVE, LET'S SAY, PULLED OVER, UM, A VEHICLE THAT HAS MULTIPLE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS IN IT, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, NO IDENTIFICATION POSSIBLE? HA, HAVE THOSE INSTANCES BEEN ARISING? ARE YOU SEEING THAT OR ARE WE JUST TALKING IN HYPOTHETICALS? OH, THEY HAVE.
UH, CITY ATTORNEY, MICHELLE, I, I THINK YOU WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE MAYOR PROM'S QUESTION AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TWO POINTS, IS THAT, THAT ONE, THIS ORDINANCE ON THE REPORTING REQUIREMENT CLOSES THE GAP WITH BUSINESS TO BUSINESS SALES.
NOW, AGAIN, THAT TO YOUR POINT, THAT WELL, PEOPLE WILL JUST STILL SHIP OUT OF STATE.
I THINK, UH, AN IMPORTANT PART HERE IS BEING ABLE TO HAVE A, A VIOLATION OF SOME SORT.
IF YOU HAVE, UH, A, A, UH, CUT CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN YOUR VEHICLE, WHETHER IT'S ONE OR SEVERAL IS GOING TO AID IN INVESTIGATIONS INTO ORGANIZED CRIME THEFT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A VALUABLE TOOL FOR HPD.
THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY MAYOR PROMED, THAT AT LEAST ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION.
I, I BE A FOOL NOT TO, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF IT.
BUT MY POINT IS, UNTIL YOU CONTROL THE FEDERAL COMPONENT OF IT CROSSING STATE LINES, UH, WE'RE REALLY NOT GONNA MAKE THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE.
CRIMINALS ARE GONNA DO WHATEVER THEY DO, AND THEY'RE GONNA SEND THEM ACROSS STATE LINES, BUT I, I'M A, I'M VOTING FOR IT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS IN QUEUE.
AND, UH, COMMANDER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A QUESTION COMING BACK TO YOU IN TERMS OF THE DETERRENT IMPACT OF THIS, BECAUSE IF WE'RE MAKING A NEW CAUSE OF ACTION, RIGHT? WE NEED TO BE MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE THROUGH MORE THAN JUST SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, ET CETERA, UM, THAT THERE IS A NEW, UH, CAUSE OF ACTION.
AND AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
UH, WE HAVE A, AGAIN, A NUMBER OF Y'ALL IN QUEUE.
FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
UM, I KNOW IT'S REALLY HARD TO CATCH PEOPLE AS THEY ARE STEALING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
UM, AND SO I GUESS THE THOUGHT IS TO THEN, IF YOU FIND THEM ON, IN, IN SOMEONE'S POSSESSION, THAT IS WHAT WOULD, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADD HERE IN THE ORDINANCE.
UM, AND I REALIZE THAT THIS IS JUST A TOOL TO HAVE SOMETHING AVAILABLE TO YOU, BUT HOW OFTEN IS HPD EVEN CATCHING PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE CUT CONVERTERS IN THEIR POSSESSION? LIKE, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE CATCHING PEOPLE A LOT AND THIS WOULD HELP, UM, BY ADDING IT INTO THE ORDINANCE? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
AND SO, YES, SO LET ME FIRST BACK UP A LITTLE.
SO IF, IF WE SEE SOMEBODY IN THE ACT OF CUTTING, CLEARLY, WE CAN TIE THAT, THAT CA THAT CUT CAT TO THE VEHICLE.
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT CASE WOULD BE, UH, AN EASIER BURDEN TO PROVE FOR PROSECUTION, UH, AS WE DISCUSSED THAT WITH, WITH THE PRO, UH, PIERCE COUNTY PROSECUTORS.
RIGHT? UM, BUT TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, YES.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING ARE CUT CATS.
UH, WE RARELY FIND, UH, UH, UNCUT CATS IN THE POSSESSION OF SOMEBODY THAT WE SUSPECT IS ENGAGED IN, UH, IN SOME SORT OF ILL, ILL ILLEGITIMATE, UH, BUSINESS.
UH, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THE EMPHASIS ON CUT, UH, IF YOU'RE ENGAGED IN A LEGITIMATE
[01:25:01]
ENTERPRISE, UM, THERE'D BE LITTLE, NO NEED TO CUT IT, UM, BECAUSE THEN YOU'D HAVE TO WELD IT ON TO, UH, ANOTHER VEHICLE, RIGHT? OR, SO IT'S, THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE CUT PART.SO THIS HAPPENS OFTEN ENOUGH THAT YOU'RE FINDING THESE CUT CATALYTIC CONVERTERS THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL, A USEFUL TOOL FOR HPD TO HAVE THIS PUT IN ORDINANCE? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, IN TALKING TO HPD OFFICERS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ISN'T TAKING CHARGES EVEN WHEN POLICE OFFICERS ARE CATCHING SOMEONE IN THE ACT OF SEALING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
SO HAS THIS BEEN VETTED THROUGH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WILL ACTUALLY TAKE THESE CHARGES IF YOU'RE CATCHING SOMEONE WHO HAS THE CUT CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WITH THEM? SO, L LET ME, LEMME MAKE THIS POINT FIRST.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, CRIMINALS, UH, ARE STREET SMART.
AND, AND I THINK WHAT THEY'VE, WHAT THEY'VE FOUND OUT OVER THE LAST, UH, COUPLE YEARS IS THAT, UM, VIOLENT CRIME, YOU'RE A CRIME LIKE ROBBERY AND, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, THEY CARRY MUCH HARSHER CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
NOW, CIG CONVERTED THEFTS IS A PROPERTY CRIME, WHICH CLEARLY CARRY LESS HARSHER CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
AND, AND WITH THE, THE CURRENT, UM, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, UH, ENVIRONMENT, UM, THE CRIMINALS ARE REALIZING THAT THERE'S A LOW, LOW RISK, HIGH REWARD PROPOSITION FOR THEM.
UH, AND SO THEY'RE TAKING OPPORTUNITY, TAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, UH, UH, AT HAND.
IT'S NOT ONLY EASY FOR THEM TO, UH, TO CUT THE CATS, BUT VER BUT, YOU KNOW, VERY PROFITABLE FOR 'EM.
IT'S A LOW RISK AND A VERY HIGH REWARD PROPOSITION FOR 'EM.
AND SO, TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION OR TO YOUR QUESTION, UM, WHEN AN OFFICER FINDS, UH, A LOAD OF CUT CATS AND WE CALL THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE THE THEFT CHARGE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMPLAINANT, BECAUSE THE CATS DON'T HAVE A VIN NUMBER OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER THAT WE CAN CONNECT TO MAYBE A REPORT THAT HAS BEEN FILED.
UH, WE CANNOT MAKE THE BURDEN OF PROOF TO, UH, THE PROBABLE CAUSE NECESSARY TO FILE THAT CHARGE.
AND SO, UM, WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DETAIN OR ARREST THAT INDIVIDUAL FOR, UM, WE CANNOT SEIZE, UH, THOSE CAP.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
RIGHT? AND SO, UM, ARE WE HAVING TROUBLE MAKING THOSE TYPE OF CASES? YES, BUT IT'S NOT A LACK FOR A LACK OF TRYING.
UH, WE, THESE LOOPHOLES WILL HELP US, UH, AS AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL TO MAKE THOSE CASES DOWN THE ROAD.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, COUNTS NUMBER ALCORN.
HOW MANY METAL RECYCLERS DO WE HAVE IN THE CITY THAT ARE PERMITTED? RIGHT, RIGHT UNDER A HUNDRED.
AND I THINK A VARIATION OF THE SAME QUESTION THAT'S EVERYBODY'S ASKING ABOUT HOW OFTEN YOU'RE REALLY WITH, WITH THE ADDITIONAL CAUSE OF ACTION AND, AND CHARGE.
IS IT A HUNDRED THAT YOU THINK YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS? I MEAN, HOW MANY, I MEAN, ARE YOU DOCUMENTING WHEN YOU PULL SOMEBODY OVER AND THEY'VE GOT A BUNCH OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO CHARGE 'EM? 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY, BECAUSE THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR HAVING UNCUT.
IS IT A THOUSAND? I MEAN, IF WE'RE HAVING 70 OR 8,000 A YEAR OR WHATEVER, I MEAN, DO YOU THINK THIS'LL MAKE A BIG IMPACT HAVING THIS UNLAWFUL POSSESSION CHARGE? I DO.
IT'LL GIVE US, IT'LL GIVE US A TOOL WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
CAN YOU PUT A NUMBER TO IT OR NO, NO, I, I, I, I WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING A NUMBER TO IT OKAY.
WITHOUT, UH, DOING SOME RESEARCH ON IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, UH, ANOTHER COMMON INSTANCE IS THAT, UH, A A POLICE OFFICER WILL, WILL TRY TO PULL SOMEBODY OVER, UM, AND THEY'LL FLEE, RIGHT? AND SO THEY'LL EVADE A MOTOR VEHICLE, WHICH ENDS UP BEING ANOTHER CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
AND AT THE END OF THAT PURSUIT, UH, WHEN WE SAFELY BRING THAT SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY, CUSTODY, AND WE DO AN INVENTORY OF THE VEHICLE, AND YOU FIND A HUNDRED CATS IN THERE, WELL, WE HAVE A CHARGE TO ARREST THE INDIVIDUAL AND ALSO TO SEIZE THOSE CATS.
RIGHT? UH, BUT IF, BUT IF A, BUT IF AN INDIVIDUAL JUST STOPPED ONCE THE OFFICER TURNED THE LIGHTS TO SIRENS ON AND, AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THERE TO, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO INTERVENE, UM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SEIZE THOSE CATS.
AND SO THEY, THEY BE RELEASED.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, SHIPPING 'EM, UM, OUT OF STATE, BUT WHAT, WHAT ABOUT THE ONLINE SALES YOU MENTIONED, HOW ARE WE TRACK, CAN WE SOMEHOW TRACK THAT IN ANY WAY? OR HOW, HOW ARE YOU GUYS FOCUSING ON ONLINE SALES OF THESE?
[01:30:03]
THAT IS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE.UM, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF MARKET, UH, ONLINE MARKET SPACES OUT THERE, FACEBOOK, CRAIGLIST, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M PROBABLY NOT NAMING ALL OF THEM.
UM, SO CLEARLY WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE MANPOWER OR THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO SURVEIL OR TO BE ABLE TO, TO SCOUR THE DIFFERENT, UH, MARKETPLACES ONLINE.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S WHERE IS, IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO THAT.
UM, THIS, THE, THE ONE PROVOST CHANGE WITH THE POSSESSION, UH, GIVES US, GIVES US A TOOL THAT WHEN WE DO ENCOUNTER THEM IN THE, IN THE FIELD, WE'RE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THEM.
UH, NEXT, I BELIEVE WE HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON'S OFFICE.
UM, I BELIEVE CM ALCO, EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO, UH, ASKED MY QUESTION AND IT WAS ADDRESSED.
UH, I SEE NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE, SO I JUST HAVE A FEW FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, COMMANDER, I BELIEVE YOU SAID COMMANDER HITMAN WAS WITH YOU WITH AS WELL? YES, MA'AM.
IF, UH, I THINK BOTH SHE ABLE, I, I THINK BOTH COMMANDERS FOR THEIR TIME, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UM, ALL THE EFFORT THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
UM, COMMANDER, I, YOU KNOW, I, I, I KNOW THAT YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS, AND I HEAR FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT IS THIS ACTUALLY GOING TO DO, AND THAT, UH, WE NEED TO GO EVEN FARTHER IN WORKING WITH OUR STATE, INTERSTATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS ON THIS ISSUE.
BUT I, I APPRECIATE, UM, AT LEAST GIVEN THE FEEDBACK, WE'RE HEARING FROM RESIDENTS THAT AT LEAST WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE, UH, IS DISAGREEING WITH THAT AT ALL.
I THINK WE'RE ALL JUST TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE UPTICK IN VIOLENCE AROUND THESE THEFTS AND THE, UM, FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT IT HAS TO RESIDENTS WHO ARE, ARE VICTIMS OF THIS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M, I'M VERY, UH, I WANNA PRESS HARD AND CITY ATTORNEY MAYBE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME, I WANNA HEAR FROM YOU AS WELL, GIVEN, UH, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THIS, BUT WE'RE CREATING A NEW CLASS C CAUSE OF ACTION, AND IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
AND I DON'T DOUBT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN OFFICERS ARE COMING ACROSS, YOU KNOW, A TRUCK FULL OF CUT, UM, CATS THAT, UH, THERE WAS FOUL PLAY, RIGHT? BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AS SO FAR AS TO CREATE A NEW, UH, CLASS C FOR THIS, WE GOTTA LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WE NEED MEDIA OUTREACH TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, NOT ONLY SO THAT IT'S RIGHT AND THE FAIR THING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T CAUGHT FLATFOOTED.
THAT MAY BE A GOOD ACTOR, RIGHT? THEY JUST, I'M NOT GOING TO CAST OUT ON EVERYONE.
UM, BUT AS A DETERRENT, AND IF WE WANT THIS TO BE EFFECTIVE AND WE WANT THIS TO BE A DETERRENT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT MORE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ON IT.
UM, SO I, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU TAKE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER THAT FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF WHAT HPD AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT WE AS A CITY WITH OUR COMMS TEAMS CAN BE DOING, WHETHER IT'S THE MEDIA ANNOUNCING IT IS NOW ILLEGAL, RIGHT, WITHOUT THE PROPER, UH, I PAPERWORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO TIE BACK TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM, UM, CITY ATTORNEY.
I WANTED TO DEFER TO YOU, BEFORE I GO INTO MY QUESTIONS, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, AND YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN DEEP DIVING INTO THIS.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO, UM, DISCUSS OR MENTION AS IT RELATES TO THIS OR THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY TO ACT? BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN PASSING LEGISLATION ON THIS, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE WITHIN THE LEGAL PARAMETERS TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS OFTEN CHALLENGED ON PREEMPTION GROUNDS IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT IT DOES.
AND THIS INSTANCE WITH REGARD TO THE REPORTING, WE TRACK THE REPORTING AND EXPAND IT TO THE BUSINESS, TO BUSINESS SALES.
SO WE CAN ALWAYS BE CHALLENGED, BUT I DO THINK WE'RE ON GOOD LEGAL GROUND TO DO THAT.
UH, THE OTHER, THE ONLY OTHER THING I REALLY NEED TO MENTION AT THIS POINT, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A LENGTHY MEETING, IS THAT WHEN, BACK IN, I, I FORGET IN 2008 SEVEN, WHEN WE PASSED THE, UM, THE FIRST ORDINANCE TO REGULATE METAL RECYCLERS, UH, IT WAS A COPPER THEFT THAT CAME UP.
AND COPPER THEFT HAS CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM.
AND THESE ARE PRECIOUS METALS AND THE, FROM THE PLATINUM GROUP, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU TALK TO SCIENTISTS, THEY TALK ABOUT A CONCEPT CALLED EARTH ABUNDANCE.
THE PERCENTAGE THAT'S IN THAT, THESE ARE IN, IN THE EARTH'S, UH, IN, IN THE CRUST, REALLY IN THE EARTH'S ELEMENT.
AND WE HEARD THE MENTION FOR IRON BEFORE, THAT'S
[01:35:01]
FAIRLY ABUNDANT.UM, RHODIUM IS ONE PART PER BILLION.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A SECONDARY MARKET.
THIS ISSUE WILL BE WITH US FOR QUITE A WHILE.
AND THAT WAS, I MEAN, TO YOUR POINT, CITY ATTORNEY, ONE OF MY BIG CONCERNS IS WE'RE NOT JUST ADDRESSING THE THEFT DEUR DE JOUR.
I DON'T KNOW A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT, SO TO SPEAK, BUT THAT WE'RE NOT JUST PIGEONHOLING OURSELVES AND THAT IT'S BROAD ENOUGH TO ADDRESS WHAT WE NEED.
BUT, UH, BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME AND COMMANDER TO YOUR POINT OF HOW EXPENSIVE THIS METAL, THESE METALS ARE, I MEAN, THAT WAS MIND BLOWING COMPARED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, RIMS THAT ARE STOLEN.
I, I NOW UNDERSTAND, OR I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE FACT THAT WE'RE FOCUSING HERE ON CATALYTIC CONVERTERS THEMSELVES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE HISTORY THAT WE ARE ALREADY REGULATING, UM, OTHER METALS, AND WE ALREADY ARE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON AN INDUSTRY THAT'S ALREADY REGULATED.
UH, TO THAT POINT THOUGH, AND YOU, YOU TALKED COMMANDER ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, WAS THERE SECTOR INPUT IN THIS FROM THE METAL RECYCLE FROM THE METAL RECYCLERS? UM, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, YOU STARTED TO TOUCH ON THAT, BUT I, I JUST WANNA SEE IN TERMS OF THIS SPECIFIC ITEM THAT WILL BE COMING, IF THERE'S BEEN ENGAGEMENT AT ALL.
SO WE, WE ALWAYS COMMUNICATE WITH OUR BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS, AND THAT IS ONGOING.
AND SO THAT'S STILL IN PROGRESS.
UM, UH, WE'RE REACHING OUT, UM, AS WE SPEAK, OR MY TEAM IS, YEAH, I, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT THE NEED TO PUBLICIZE THAT.
I THINK THE METAL RECYCLERS, BECAUSE OF THE REGULATED, BECAUSE THEY WORK WITH THIS UNIT OF HPD, THEY WILL HAVE INPUT THAT'LL BE OBTAINED.
UH, OTHER PEOPLE THAT'RE REGULATING, LIKE SECONDHAND MUFFLER SHOPS AREN'T, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, ORGANIZED INTO AN ASSOCIATION.
IT WILL TAKE MORE TIME TO REACH 'EM.
AND PROBABLY THE PUBLICITY IS A VERY GOOD WAY TO DO THAT.
SO THAT, THAT OUTREACH WILL BE DONE.
UM, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT MAYBE THAT CONVERSATION, AT LEAST WITH THE METAL RECYCLERS, AND THAT NOTICE HAPPENS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL, WE'LL BEGIN THE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE THIS IS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
AND YOU, CITY ATTORNEY, YOU ALWAYS DO A GREAT JOB OF THAT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
UM, COMMANDER TWO REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS YOU BROUGHT UP RELATED TO THE PUBLIC'S INVOLVEMENT.
SO FIRST, WHAT CAN THE P CAN, JUST GOING BACK OVER THAT, 'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE PUT AN EXCLAMATION MARK ON THAT, UH, BECAUSE THIS DOES HAVE TO DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT A DEPUTY LOFT LOST HIS LIFE WHEN, UH, HE AND HIS WIFE CAME ACROSS LEAVING A, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THEY WERE AT A RESTAURANT, BUT LEAVING, AND THEY CAME ACROSS THIS IN THE ACT.
SO WHAT ONE, IN TERMS OF PREVENTION, CAN WE JUST, CAN YOU GO BACK OVER WHAT RESIDENTS CAN DO? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UM, SO WHAT WE RECOMMEND IS THAT IF, IF YOU'RE, LET'S SAY IN A PARKING LOT AND YOU WALKING BACK TO YOUR CAR AND YOU SEE SOMEBODY UNDERNEATH YOUR CAR, CLEARLY THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
THEY'RE PROBABLY CUTTING A CAT, RIGHT? UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS DO NOT CONFRONT THEM.
UM, MOVE TO A, A SAFE LOCATION AND, AND CALL THE POLICE AND REPORT WHAT YOU SAW.
UM, AND AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN, LET THE POLICE RESPOND AND DEAL WITH THAT SITUATION, JUST BE A GOOD WITNESS.
AND, AND I THINK WE'RE HEARING THAT THEME THROUGHOUT, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, UM, ALL OF THIS.
DON'T CONFRONT, UM, MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU GET SAFELY HOME AND, UH, CAN REPORT IT TO POLICE.
AND ALSO YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE ETCHINGS, UH, PUTTING THE VIN NUMBER ON IT, GETTING A, A PROTECTIVE COVER UNDER YOUR CAR.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL HELP IN PARKING IN A LIT AREA.
UH, THAT I'M ASSUMING ALSO HELPS WITH JUST BREAK-INS.
BUT AGAIN, I WANNA EMPHASIZE, DO NOT CONFRONT.
WE JUST HAD AN INCIDENT AT MEMORIAL PARK, UH, LAST NIGHT, UH, WHERE LUCKILY, UH, NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT, UH, A RESIDENT ENGAGED, UH, WHEN HE CAME ACROSS, UH, SOME INDIVIDUALS, UH, BREAKING INTO HIS CAR, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL THAT HPD MADE IT ON SITE WITHIN A MINUTE.
AND I GIVE CREDIT, UH, TO HPD TO MAYOR TURNER WITH THE OVERTIME INITIATIVE, UH, AND INVESTMENTS THAT HE'S MAKING AS WELL.
UM, WE HAVE COMMANDER, I THINK THAT'S ALL.
UH, WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER.
SO COMMANDER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO IS SIGNED UP TODAY.
COMMANDER, WE HAVE ONE QUESTION FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON'S OFFICE.
MY APOLOGIES FOR THE, THE LATE JUMP IN, SIR.
[01:40:01]
JUST QUICK QUESTION.IS THERE ANY PUBLIC SERVICE OPTION OR SUBSID FOR PEOPLE THAT WISH TO GET THE FLUORESCENT PAINT, THE SHIELD GUARDS, AND THE ENGRAVINGS FOR THEIR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS? SO, FOR THE, THE PAINT, UH, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, YOU CAN PICK ONE UP AT YOUR LOCAL WALMART OR, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, OR MAYBE A MUFFLER SHOP.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, THE SHIELDS, UM, THAT, YEAH, UM, I'M SORRY.
I'M GETTING INFORMATION FROM, UH, COMMANDER HITMAN.
UM, THE SHIELDS, YOU CAN GET AFTERMARKET FROM YOUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP.
UH, THERE ARE AUTO REPAIR SHOPS THAT, THAT ALSO PROB PROBABLY, UH, OFFER THAT, UM, OF COURSE, THEY SET THE PRICE ON THAT.
UH, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE ETCHING AND ENGRAVING, UH, HPD PRO, UH, UH, UH, UH, DOES EVENTS AND WE WILL BE HOSTING MORE OF THEM, UH, WHERE WE PROVIDE FREE OF SERVICE, UM, UH, ETCHING, UH, OF, UH, YOUR LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OR YOUR VIN ON YOUR, UH, ON YOUR, UH, YOUR COLLEAGUE CONVERTER MM-HMM
AND, AND THAT WE CAN PROVIDE COUNSEL THE, UH, UH, THE DATES THAT WILL BE UPCOMING, UM, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
UH, ANOTHER THING THAT, THAT I'VE, I'VE HEARD OF AND, AND, AND I THOUGHT WAS PRETTY IN INNOVATIVE, IS THAT MOST HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE, UH, UH, SOME SORT OF AUTO MECHANIC, UH, UM, UH, COURSE.
AND SO SOME, SOME OF THE, THE SCHOOLS ARE TAKING IT UPON THEMSELVES TO, UH, TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
UM, THEY'RE DOING IT FOR, UH, I BELIEVE SOME OF THEIR, THEIR, THEIR FLEET.
UM, BUT, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UH, THEY MAY ALSO DO IT FOR, UM, UM, UH, THE STUDENTS OR, OR FAMILY OF THE STUDENTS.
SO I, I THINK THE, THE GOAL HERE IS TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, UH, AND TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, UM, TO CREATE A BETTER REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO ACT NOW.
UM, UH, I, I THINK WAITING, UH, TO 2023 IS, IS, UH, IS, IS NOT THE THING TO DO.
AND, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING WHATEVER WE CAN TO, TO KEEPING EVERYBODY SAFE.
THANK, AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, UH, COMMANDER AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, CITY ATTORNEY, WHEN DO WE, I JUST GOT ONE QUESTION FROM SOMEONE.
UH, WHEN DO WE EXPECT TO SEE THIS BEFORE COUNCIL? I BELIEVE IT'LL BE ON COUNCIL NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO, UM, PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SIGNED UP TODAY, MR. DONALD BURKE.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UH, IF YOU ARE WITH US, IF YOU COULD PLEASE HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES, UH, TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK.
ARE YOU WITH US, MR. DONALD BURKE? OKAY.
UH, I DON'T THINK HE IS ON ANYMORE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I, AGAIN, WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED, AND STAFF, UH, AND EVERYONE WHO HAS JOINED THIS MEETING, UH, OR IS WATCHING IT AS A RERUN ON HTV.
UH, AS A REMINDER, OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 16TH AT 2:00 PM THERE WILL BE NO MAY, MAY MEETING, BUT I JUST GOT AN UPDATE, UM, FROM MAYOR PRO TEM MARTIN.
I HAD INITIALLY SAID THAT THE, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOPS WOULD BE IN PERSON ONLY, AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, UH, AND THEY ARE GOING TO, WHICH I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UH, ACTUALLY CREATE A HYBRID FORMAT FOR THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS THIS YEAR.
SO THOSE WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL, WHICH IS, UH, GREAT NEWS.
AND WE APPRECIATE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTIN DOING THAT.
UH, THE AGENDAS, A REMINDER AND PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU HEARD TODAY CAN BE FOUND ONLINE ON OUR COMMITTEE WEBSITE.
UH, AND THE RECORDING OF THE MEETING WILL BE ON HTV.
UH, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 3:51 PM HAVE A GREAT DAY, AND EVERYONE BE SAFE.