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FIRST, UH, MEETING OF THE[Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee]
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE.THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 2:08 PM UH, TODAY, COLLEAGUES.
WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS, BOTH FROM HPD, ASSISTANT CHIEF, UH, MILTON MARTIN.
UH, FIRST CHIEF MARTIN IS GOING TO PRESENT, UM, HE'S COMING BACK TO COUNCIL.
HE HAD SAID HE WOULD REPORT BACK ON MORE THE DETAILS AND LOGISTICS OF THE, UH, ONE SAFE HOUSTON GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM ON, UH, JULY 30TH.
UH, WE WILL ALSO HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM HIM ON A COLLABORATION THAT THE CITY AND HPD IS DOING WITH, UH, THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS ON GUN VIOLENCE DATA COLLECTION.
WE ARE JOINED, UH, BY COLLEAGUES, UH, IN CHAMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, ALCORN, UH, GALLEGOS, CISNEROS, AND HUFFMAN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND ONLINE, UH, BY VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER AND COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD'S OFFICES.
IF I'VE MISSED ANYONE, UH, ON ONLINE, PLEASE PUT IT IN THE CHAT AND WE WILL RECOGNIZE YOU AS A REMINDER FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING ONLINE.
UH, THE PRESENTATIONS ARE UPLOADED ON OUR COMMITTEE WEBSITE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS AFTER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATIONS, UH, AND A REMINDER FOR THOSE, UH, ONLINE, UH, TO PUT YOURSELF INTO QUEUE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, I SEE ALREADY WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON'S OFFICE AS WELL.
UH, DO WE HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY? NO, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS THAT REGISTERED.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA SKIP THAT PART.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, UH, I THINK ALL OF US, UH, APPRECIATE THE HEROIC EFFORTS OF HPD, SERGEANT KENDRICK SIMO, UH, FOR THE ACTIONS AT THE GALLERIA BACK IN FEBRUARY, UM, WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, SHOWED UP OUTSIDE OF THE WESTIN HOTEL, WHERE HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN, UH, WERE ATTENDING A CONFERENCE.
UH, AND HE AND ANOTHER SECURITY GUARD, UH, AVERTED QUITE CLEARLY, UM, A MASS VIOLENT DISASTER AND MASS SHOOTING.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT INDIVIDUAL, UH, CAN ONLY BE CHARGED WITH A MISDEMEANOR BECAUSE NO SHOTS WERE FIRED.
UH, BUT WE, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE HEROIC ACTIONS, UH, THAT THE SERGEANT TOOK, UM, IN AVERTING THAT DISASTER.
I ALSO WANT TO, UM, COMMENT ON, WE CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO SEE VERY, VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES, UM, AND DROUGHT.
UH, A REMINDER THAT FOR THOSE IN, UH, MULTIFAMILY, UH, HOME IN MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS, TO PLEASE CALL 3 1 1 TO REPORT A VIOLATION, UM, TO THE CITY, MULTIFAMILY HABITABILITY, UM, DEPARTMENT.
IF YOUR AC IS NOT BEING REPAIRED, BECAUSE WE ARE IN SUCH DANGEROUS, UM, TEMPERATURES RIGHT NOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO AC.
AND IF ANYONE IS IN NEED OF COOLING DOWN, PLEASE GO TO THE NEAREST MULTI-SERVICE CENTER OR LIBRARY, UH, AND YOU CAN SEEK, UH, ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT THERE.
UH, CHIEF, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? YES, MA'AM.
I'M HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH MY CAMERA.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT, UH, I AM ON, AT LEAST LANCE WAS ABLE TO HEAR ME EARLIER, SO NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
UM, I, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU, CHIEF.
I KNOW YOU'RE IN THE MIDST OF A, UH, PERSONAL MATTER, UH, AND ARE STILL, UH, ON THE LINE WITH US AS YOU'RE, UH, DEALING WITH THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING ON AT THIS TIME.
I, I RECOGNIZE CHIEF MARTIN TO PRESENT, UH, THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON, UH, UPDATE ON THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM AND LOGISTICS.
AND I, I BELIEVE SOMEBODY THERE HAS THE, UH, THE, THE POWER, WELL, IT'S A PDF THAT, UH, CRYSTAL HAD ORIGINALLY SENT OVER.
IF NOT, I HAVE IT ON MY COMPUTER AND I CAN TRY TO SHARE IT.
YEAH, WE'RE, UM, PULLING IT UP RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN TO BEGIN.
WE ARE GONNA TRY AND PLAY, UM, A YOUTUBE VIDEO.
UH, SO BEAR WITH US, UH, IF THERE'S ANY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT CHIEF, WE'RE ABOUT TO PLAY IT, ABOUT THE DETAILS, UM, THAT HPD PUT OUT PUBLICLY.
YEAH, IF WE, WE WILL GET THE VIDEO OUT THERE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S RECOGNITION OF, UH, SERGEANT SIMO, A VERY HUMBLE GUY.
UH, SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T SEEK RECOGNITION.
HE ACTUALLY WORKS IN MY COMMAND IN THE DEPARTMENT
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UNDER OUR VICTIM SERVICES DIVISION.UH, HE'S, HE'S BEEN AROUND A WHILE AND, UH, HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UH, ONE OF OUR TOPNOTCH PEOPLE.
AND IT, IT, UH, WAS NOT UNEXPECTED TO THAT HE WOULD TAKE, UH, THE ACTION HE TOOK IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE RECOGNITION THAT HE'S RECEIVING.
UM, WELL DESERVED, BUT AGAIN, UH, HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD TO HAVE BEEN PUT IN THAT SITUATION.
SO PLEASE CONVEY OUR SINCEREST, UM, RESPECT AND APPRECIATION.
AND, AND AS AN INTRO TO THE VIDEO, JUST SO Y'ALL KNOW, THIS IS A VIDEO THAT WAS SENT OUT PUBLICLY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, YOUTUBE, TWITTER, EVERYWHERE ELSE.
UH, BASICALLY WALKING PEOPLE THROUGH WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE LIKE ON THE DAY OF THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM.
UH, IT'S NARRATED BY, UH, COMMANDER HECTOR GARCIA OUT OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE OFFICE.
SO WE'LL SEE IF WE GET THAT TO PLAY.
UH, CHIEF, WE'RE JUST GONNA MOVE ON 'CAUSE WE CAN'T FIND THE, IT IS JUST, THERE'S SOME TECHNICAL DI I GOT IT, LIKE, ACTUALLY DIFFICULTIES.
I WAS GONNA SAY, IF NOT, I CAN TRY TO PLAY IT FROM THIS END.
SO, HELLO, I'M COMMANDER HECTOR GARCIA WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT TO EXPLAIN HOW HOUSTONIANS CAN PARTICIPATE
SO, UM, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON 'CAUSE I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE'S TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE WHILE WE WERE GONNA PLAY THE ENGLISH VERSION, IT WAS ALSO PRODUCED IN SPANISH.
UM, ANYONE CAN GO TO YOUTUBE, GO, UH, AND IN THE SEARCH, JUST PUT IN, UM, HOUSTON GUN BUYBACK, AND THAT SHOULD BE THE FIRST THING THAT COMES UP.
AGAIN, IT'S A, A WALKTHROUGH OF EXACTLY HOW IT'S GONNA WORK.
BUT CHIEF, WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THAT COMES UP.
YEAH, I CAN SEE THE SCREEN SHARE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT GOING.
APOLOGIES FOR THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THIS.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND, AND READ THIS.
ACTUALLY, IT WILL BE UP ON THE SITE.
THIS IS THE, UH, ORIGINAL LAY, UH, BREAKDOWN OF HOW THE GUN, THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM WAS GOING TO WORK.
UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO INSTEAD, WE DID HAVE A POWERPOINT THAT ACTUALLY WALKED PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS SIMILAR TO WHAT'S IN THE VIDEO.
BUT WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS TALK THROUGH THAT PROCESS SINCE WE COULDN'T GET THE VIDEO TO PLAY AND, UH, TALK.
HERE IT IS, THAT'S, THAT'S THE PIECE I WAS LOOKING FOR.
UH, BASICALLY IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE AT WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORIC CHURCH OVER THERE, UH, CLOSE TO YOU OF AGE CLOSE TO TSU.
AND IT IS GONNA BE ON JULY THE 30TH, STARTING AT 8:00 AM UH, SCHEDULED TO GO TILL NOON.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF WALKTHROUGH OF EXACTLY HOW THE PROCESS IS GONNA WORK, UH, HOW, HOW PEOPLE CAN, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE THROUGH HOW PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS AT THE SITE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, AT THE END, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, THIS IS A NO QUESTIONS ASKED ANONYMOUS PROGRAM.
UH, THE INTENT HERE IS TO TAKE UNWANTED UNNEEDED FIREARMS
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THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION.UH, PROVIDE THEM WITH A WAY TO GET THOSE DISPOSED OF, TAKEN CARE OF IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE AND SECURE AND ENSURES THAT THOSE FIREARMS WILL NEVER END UP IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE THEM, UH, SUCH AS THAT GENTLEMAN FROM THE GALLERIA.
UH, SO WE WILL HAVE A SITUATION WHERE, UH, YOU CAN, WITHOUT, UH, WITHOUT HAVING TO PROVIDE YOUR NAME, WITHOUT HAVING TO PROVIDE ANY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION, YOU CAN BRING AN UNWANTED FIREARM TO WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH ON JULY 30TH, STARTING AT 8:00 AM.
UH, WE ASK THAT PRIOR TO COMING TO THE EVENT, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO SAFELY DO SO, WE WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO UNLOAD THE FIREARMS AND PLACE THEM IN THE BACK SECTION OF THEIR VEHICLE.
IF IT'S A CAR, A SEDAN, WE'D LIKE THEM TO PLACE IT IN THE TRUNK, AND IT IS AN SUV.
WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO PLACE IT IN THE FARTHEST BACK SECTION OF THE COM COMPAR OF THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE.
UH, TRUCKS, IF THERE'S A WAY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA DRIVE AWAY WITH OPEN AROUND WITH THINGS, SO IN OPEN, IN THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WANT IT IN THE BACK.
AND THEN ONE THING WE REALLY WANNA EMPHASIZE TO PEOPLE WHO DO COME TO THIS EVENT IS NOT TO HANDLE THE FIREARM, UH, ALLOW THE OFFICERS WILL APPROACH THE VEHICLE.
WE'LL HAVE OFFICERS FROM OUR FIREARMS TRAINING UNIT, OR ARE TRAINED TO HANDLE FIREARMS SAFELY THAT WILL APPROACH YOUR VEHICLE.
YOU CAN OPEN THE TRUNK OR OPEN THE REAR HATCH, WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCE MAY BE, AND THE OFFICER WILL REMOVE THE FIREARM FROM THE VEHICLE.
THE OFFICER WILL THEN ENSURE THAT THE FIREARM IS UNLOADED AND RENDERED SAFE, AND THEN THEY WILL PROVIDE THE PERSON COMING THROUGH WITH A RECEIPT FOR THAT FIREARM.
UH, THEY WILL TAKE THE FIREARM OVER TO WHERE WE WILL PROCESS IT THROUGH OUR SYSTEMS, AND THEN THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT THE FIREARM IN WILL THEN BE ASKED TO MOVE UP TO THE NEXT STAGE WHERE WITH THAT RECEIPT, THEY CAN GO THROUGH AND WILL PROCESS THE REST OF THE BUYBACK PORTION, WHICH WILL THEN RESULT IN THAT INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING A GIFT CARD, UH, IN A DOLLAR AMOUNT BASED ON THE TYPE OF FIREARM THAT THEY BRING IN.
UH, THEY'RE OFFERING $50 FOR A NON-FUNCTIONING FIREARM, A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS, $150 FOR HANDGUNS, AND $200 FOR AUTOMATIC WEAPONS.
THAT'S THE, THE BREAKDOWN OF, OF THE VALUES, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT'LL BE HANDED OUT.
AND AGAIN, THEN ONCE THE PERSON RECEIVES THEIR GIFT CARD, HAVING EXCHANGED IT FOR THE RECEIPT, THEN THAT INDIVIDUAL IS FREE TO GO, CAN LEAD THE SCENE.
UH, TWO THINGS WE WANNA STRESS.
ONE IS THE ANONYMITY, AND TWO IS THE FACT THAT IT'S VOLUNTARY.
I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COERCE ANYONE TO GIVE UP GUNS.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE THEM, YOU WANT THEM, THAT'S FINE.
THIS IS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE GUNS THAT ARE EITHER UNWANTED OR UNNEEDED, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A SAFE AND SECURE WAY TO DISPOSE OF THAT FIREARM IN A MANNER THAT WILL NOT RESULT IN AN EVENTUALLY, POTENTIALLY ENDING UP IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO WOULD MISUSE IT, UH, FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY A RUNDOWN OF HOW THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS GONNA WORK.
IF YOU CAN SCROLL FORWARD IN THIS PARTICULAR PDF OR IS RUNNING THE POWERPOINT, UH, WHEN YOU GET TO WHEELER AVENUE, YOU'RE GONNA GO, UH, THROUGH, WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, POLICE VEHICLES OUT THERE WITH THEIR LIGHTS ON, AND WE'LL HAVE SIGNAGE.
UH, YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY GO, GO BACK ONE REAL QUICK, UH, MISSED ONE THING THAT I NEED TO MENTION.
SO YOU'RE GONNA COME TO 38 26 WHEELER WHERE WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH IS, AS YOU SEE, IT'S THE VERY BEGINNING THERE.
AND THEN TURN ON WHEELER AVENUE.
ACTUALLY, NO, YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON, SCOTT.
ARE CONTINUE DOWN, SCOTT, YOU'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO PAST THE FIRST ENTRANCE, AND YOU'RE GONNA GO TO THE SECOND ENTRANCE DOWN WHERE WE WILL HAVE TRAFFIC CONTROL COMING IN OFF SCOTT STREET TO GO IN BEHIND THE CHURCH.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, WITH THE MARKUPS OF THE VEHICLES OF WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE, THESE WILL ACTUALLY MOST LIKELY BE OUR MOBILITY RESPONSE.
THOSE AREN'T ACTUALLY OFFICERS.
THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO DO OUR, UH, OUR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
THERE WILL BE SIGNAGE ON THE FENCES AND AROUND TO SHOW PEOPLE WHERE TO GO.
AND AT THIS POINT, ANYONE WHO'S PARTICIPATING IN A BUYBACK WOULD BE ASKED TO THEN TURN LEFT ONTO THE PROPERTY HERE AT 3,800 RUTH STREET, AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUTH AND SCOTT.
ONCE THEY TURN LIKE THIS, THIS IS WHAT THAT INTERSECTION LOOKS LIKE.
NEXT I'M GONNA PROCEED DOWN TO THE ONE OF THE BACK PARKING LOTS OF THE CHURCH.
AGAIN, THERE WILL BE OFFICERS OUT THERE DIRECTING PEOPLE.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE FINDING OUT WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
THERE'LL BE MARKED, UH, VEHICLES WITH LIGHTS ON TO SHOW THEM.
AND AS YOU PROCEED DOWN RUTH STREET, YOU'LL ACTUALLY GO TO THE SECOND ENTRANCE OF THAT PARKING LOT.
IT'LL ACTUALLY BE CONNED OFF TO GO TO THE SECOND ENTRANCE OF THAT PARKING LOT AND TURN TO THE
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RIGHT NEXT.AND THEN, THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE WAY THIS IS GONNA WORK.
YOU'LL COME IN OFF OF RUTH STREET, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, GO DOWN TO THAT SECOND PARKING LOT ENTRANCE, TURN IN AND GET TO STATION NUMBER ONE, WHERE THERE BE GREETED AND GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT THE PROCESS IS GONNA BE LIKE, ENSURING THAT THE, THE FIREARM IS IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, ASKING THE PERSON IF IT'S BEEN UNLOADED, YOU KNOW, AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW THE PROCESS IS GONNA WORK.
THEN YOU'LL PROCEED TO SECTION STATION TWO, WHERE THE FIREARMS INSTRUCTORS WILL ACTUALLY REMOVE THE VE THE FIREARM FROM THE VEHICLE, RENDER IT SAFE, AND PROVIDE THE RECEIPT.
THEN YOU'LL MOVE TO STATION THREE, WHERE YOU'LL EXCHANGE THE RECEIPT FOR THE GIFT CARD, AND THEN YOU'LL ACTUALLY EXIT THROUGH FROM THE PARKING LOT OUT ONTO BLOT STREET, AND THEN MOVE ON DOWN BLOT TOWARDS SCOTT STREET TO EXIT THE EVENT NEXT.
I THINK THAT MAY BE THE END OF IT.
THAT, AND THAT WAS THE END OF, UH, OF WHAT WE HAVE ON THE BUYBACK.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU SAID WE, ARE WE GONNA WAIT UNTIL THE END OF BOTH PRESENTATIONS? UH, NO.
WE'LL, WE'LL PAUSE HERE TO SEE IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ON THIS, UH, IN THE QIC COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I JUST WANTED SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE GIFT CARDS.
WHERE, WHERE ARE THEY TO? WHAT KIND OF GIFT CARD DO YOU GET? WHERE DID WE BUY THESE GIFT CARDS? WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON THAT.
THE, UH, THE COUNTY WAS PROVIDING THE GIFT CARDS.
UH, THERE WAS A GLITCH WITH WHERE THEY WERE TO, OUR INTENT IS FOR THEM TO BE GIFT CARDS THAT CAN BE SPENT ANYWHERE.
YOU KNOW, THE ONES WITH LIKE A VISA LOGO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON IT.
UH, THE GOAL BEING TO SUPPORT THE ANONYMITY OF THE PROCESS SO THAT THE GIFT CARD ITSELF DOESN'T REQUIRE ANYONE TO SIGN IN TO A WEBSITE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.
UH, SO THAT THE GOAL IS FOR THOSE TO BE GIFT CARDS THAT ARE UNIVERSAL AND CAN BE SPENT, UH, WHEREVER THEY NEED TO SPEND THEM.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW THOUGH.
SO THE COUNTY IS PURCHASING ALL THE GIFT CARDS.
THE COUNTY HAD INITIALLY BEEN GONNA, UH, PURCHASE THE GIFT CARDS.
I, THERE WERE MEETINGS THE OTHER DAY WHERE THEY WERE DISCUSSING THE SPECIFICS OF THE GIFT CARDS, AND I DO NOT KNOW IF ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN SOLIDIFIED YET.
BUT THE INTENT IS FOR THESE TO BE GIFT CARDS THAT COULD BE USED, UH, ANY, AT ANY, ANY PLACE THAT WILL ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE FUNDING.
SO IS THE IDEA THAT THE COUNTY WILL PURCHASE THE GIFT CARDS AND WILL REIMBURSE THE COUNTY FOR THE AMOUNT SPENT OR JUST TRYING TOAND THE MONEY? I MEAN, COUNCIL MEMBER EL COUNSEL, UH, I'M SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN IS ALL RIGHT.
UH, YEAH, NO, I BELIEVE I, I WAS TRYING TO COME UP WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO COME UP WITH, AND I WAS GETTING COUNCIL MEMBER AND COMMISSIONER TWISTED ON MY TONGUE THERE.
COMMISSIONER ELLIS WAS INITIALLY GONNA BUY THE GIFT CARDS AND WAS LOOKING POTENTIALLY TO BE REIMBURSED, GIVEN THAT SOME OF THIS WAS BEING DONE WITH ARPA FUNDS.
UH, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT THEY WILL BE, THAT WILL BE OF COURSE, RESOLVED BY THE 30TH, SO.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'LL MAKE NOTE OF THAT QUESTION AND SUBMIT IT AS A FORMAL INQUIRY AS TO HOW, WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS, WHAT, HOW IS THE FUNDING ACTUALLY WORKING FOR THIS? BECAUSE IT IS ARPA DOLLARS IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY PRECINCT ONE.
SO, AND WHERE ARE THEY? WHAT DO YOU GET F BY OR WHAT DO YOU GET? OKAY.
SO WE WILL, UM, GOOD QUESTION.
UH, WE WILL, UH, SUBMIT THAT QUESTION AND, AND TRY TO GET, UH, COUNSEL AND ANSWER AND SHARE THAT OUT.
UH, TH THANK YOU CHIEF FOR THE PRESENTATION HERE.
UM, AND AGAIN, UH, WALKUPS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED, CORRECT? I MEAN, SOMEONE JUST CAN'T WALK UP WITH A RIFLE OR HANDGUN TO TRY TO TURN THAT IN.
THAT IS SOMETHING THEY MENTIONED.
I BELIEVE THEY MENTIONED THAT IN THE VIDEO.
THE, UH, WE WOULDN'T, WE WOULD VERY STRONGLY DISCOURAGE WALKUPS.
UH, THIS IS MEANT, THIS IS DESIGNED FOR P SOMEONE COMING TO THE LOCATION IN A VEHICLE.
UH, REASON BEING, OF COURSE, UH, YOU HEARD ME STRESS EARLIER THAT WE DO NOT WANT PEOPLE HANDLING THE FIREARMS. UH, WE WANT THIS TO BE A SAFE EVENT.
UH, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HANDLE THE FIREARMS ON THE EVENT ARE THE FIREARMS INSTRUCTORS WHO WILL BE TAKING THE FIREARMS FROM THE VEHICLE AND RENDERING THEM SAFE AND THEN PUTTING THEM IN FOR PROCESSING.
UH, THE PROBLEM WITH WALK-UPS, OF COURSE, IS FOR SOMEONE TO WALK UP WITH A FIREARM, THEY'VE GOTTA WALK UP TO THIS EVENT CARRYING A FIREARM.
AND WE WOULD VERY STRONGLY DISCOURAGE THAT.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT.
UH, THAT'S HOW STRONGLY WE WOULD WANT TO DISCOURAGE THAT.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT'S CONCERNING IS 'CAUSE I BELIEVE STATE LAW ALLOWS YOU TO CARRY A RIFLE IF YOU WISH TO DO SO, RIGHT IN THE OPEN.
STATE LAW HAS, HAS ALLOWED THE OPEN CARRYING OF RIFLES FOR A WHILE.
AND RECENT CHANGES EVEN ALLOW THE OPEN CARRYING OF HANDGUNS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
UH, AGAIN, FOR THIS EVENT, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEING HELD ON THE CHURCH PROPERTY.
THE CHURCH WOULD PREFER PEOPLE NOT TO BRING, UH, WALK UP WITH FIREARMS. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO HOST THIS, AND THEY WANT IT TO BE SAFE.
SO THE GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE WALKUPS,
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UH, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY, ANYTIME ANYTHING LIKE THIS IS GOING ON, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GONNA BE THINGS THAT HAPPEN THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CONTROL OR OUTSIDE OF THE PLAN.AND WE WILL HAVE PERSONNEL ON SITE TO HANDLE THAT SHOULD IT OCCUR.
AND, AND I MEAN, I, TRUST ME, I TOTALLY AGREE.
I MEAN, WALKUPS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WITH THE STATE LAW, SOMEONE WILL SAY, WELL, STATE LAW SAYS I CAN BRING THIS, CARRYING IT DOWN THE STREET.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT'S CONCERNING.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT STATE LAW SAYS THEY CAN CARRY IT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE RULES OF THE EVENT, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CARRY IT, THAT'S FINE, BUT THE RULES OF THE EVENT STATE THAT YOU SHOULD BRING IT IN A, IN A VEHICLE.
THAT'S THE WAY THE EVENT IS STRUCTURED FOR SAFETY AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
I THINK YOU RAISED A VERY GOOD POINT, RIGHT? WE'RE WE'RE FOLLOWING THE BEST PRACTICES AND SAFETY PROTOCOL THAT SAY NOT TO DO THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THAT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WE DID JUST GET INFORMATION IN THAT THEY ARE VISA GIFT CARDS.
WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON, IN TERMS OF HOW THE FUNDING SCHEME IS GONNA WORK.
UM, I, COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, THANK, THANK YOU.
UM, I, MY QUESTION WAS, UM, IS THIS THE ONLY DATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS? OR WILL THERE BE, UM, OTHER GUN BUYBACKS IN THE FUTURE? UH, THIS IS THE, UH, IT, IT'S BEING BILLED AS THE FIRST DATE.
UH, I KNOW THE MAYOR HAD INTENDED TO TRY AND HAVE THESE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, AS PART OF THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON PROGRAM, JUST AS ONE, AS ONE TIME OF THAT ONE SAFE HOUSTON PROGRAM.
UH, HE INTENDED TO TRY AND HAVE THESE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, PARTICIPATING WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS, POTENTIALLY EVEN GETTING SOME FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT AND, UH, INCLUDING POTENTIALLY EVEN SOME ADDITIONAL MONIES TO, TO DO THE BUYBACK PORTION.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED.
UM, I DO NOT SEE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
I HAVE A FEW QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR YOU, CHIEF.
UM, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, AND I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST TIME, BUT WITH ALL THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UM, WHO IS THIS EVENT TARGETING? I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN CRITICISM OF GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS, UM, AND I I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE, UH, WITH THIS EVENT? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A HARD NUMBER TO MEASURE SUCCESS, BUT SUCCESS IS THAT WE'VE TAKEN FIREARMS THAT ARE UNWANTED AND WE HAVE TAKEN THEM OUT OF CIRCULATION.
UH, WE'VE TAKEN 'EM OUTTA CIRCULATION IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WILL NOT END UP IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO WOULD MISUSE THEM.
UH, THE SECONDHAND MARKET FOR FIREARMS IS, IS RELATIVELY UNCONTROLLED.
UH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOLD FIREARMS IN THE PAST MYSELF, BUT I'VE ALWAYS MADE SURE I SOLD IT TO SOMEONE THAT I KNEW.
AND I KNEW THEIR HISTORY, I KNEW THEIR BACKGROUND.
I KNEW THAT THEY WERE SOMEONE TRUSTWORTHY.
UH, THE PROBLEM IS NOT EVERYONE KNOWS SOMEONE TRUSTWORTHY, WHO THEY CAN, WHO'S INTERESTED IN BUYING A FIREARM.
SO IF YOU PUT ONE OUT THERE IN THE SECONDHAND MARKET, UH, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY BE SELLING IT TO SOMEONE WHO EITHER THEMSELVES WOULD MISUSE IT OR WOULD TURN AROUND AND RESELL IT AGAIN.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ENOUGH FIREARMS THAT ARE, UH, IN THE HANDS OF LEGALLY THAT ARE LEGALLY OWNED, THAT END UP IN THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS THROUGH THEFT ANYWAY.
YOU KNOW, WITH THE 3,700 FIREARMS THAT WE HAD JUST REPORTED STOLEN OUT OF VEHICLES LAST YEAR, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
SO THIS IS A WAY FOR RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS WHO HAVE A GUN THAT THEY MAYBE NO LONGER WANT.
UH, IT'S ONE IN THEIR POSSESSION.
MAYBE THEY HAVE SMALL CHILDREN NOW AND THEY DON'T WANT THEM IN THEIR HOME.
WHATEVER THE REASON IT IS THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE A FIREARM THAT THEY DECIDE THAT THEY DO NOT WANT, UH, THAT IS WHO WE'RE TARGETING HERE.
YOU BRING IT HERE, WE'LL GIVE YOU COMPENSATION FOR IT AND ENSURE THAT IT'S DISPOSED OF IN A WAY THAT CAN ENSURE THAT IT WILL NOT END UP IN THE WRONG HANDS.
SO THIS, TO SUMMARIZE WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THIS IS NOT SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS PER SE, UM, THE VIOLENT CRIME.
WE HAVE A BUNCH OF OTHER, UM, MEANS TO WHICH WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT.
THIS IS FOR, UM, RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS WHO MAY HAVE AN UNWANTED GUN OR, UH, EXCESS GUNS AROUND THE HOUSE.
MAYBE YOU HAVE YOUNG KIDS OR GRANDCHILDREN NOW, UM, OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, AND YOU WANT TO SAFELY DISPOSE OF THAT FIREARM.
IT, IT'S ONE, ONE PIECE OF A MUCH LARGER EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE CRIME PROBLEM.
BUT THE GUN BUYBACK ITSELF, YOU KNOW, I WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO TURN AROUND IN A WEEK AND POINT TO THIS EVENT AND SAY, LOOK, THIS EVENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY REDUCED CRIME, CRIME IS A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT.
UH, THIS IS JUST ONE WAY TO ENSURE THAT FIREARMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE
[00:25:01]
WHO DOESN'T WANT THEM DO NOT END UP IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO HAD MISUSED THEM.AND, UH, HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT, LET'S SAY A FIREARM WAS USED IN A, IN A CRIME, UM, HOW ARE WE ENSURING, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT DESTROYING EVIDENCE WITH THAT? SURE.
UH, TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO THE FIREARMS ONCE THEY ARE, UH, TAKEN IN.
I ACTUALLY MEANT TO MENTION THIS.
UH, DURING THE PRESENTATION, THE FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS CHECK THE FIREARM TO ENSURE THAT IT'S NOT REPORTED STOLEN.
UH, IF THE FIREARM IS REPORTED STOLEN, UH, WE'LL STILL PROCESS IT THROUGH THE EVIDENTIARY PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT IT WASN'T USED IN A CRIME.
BUT IF IT WAS NOT, AND IT'S NOT EVIDENCE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, THEN WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT IT IS RETURNED TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER.
UH, ANY OTHER GUNS THAT ARE NOT REPORTED STOLEN.
UH, WE WILL PROCESS THEM TO TRY AND DETERMINE WHETHER THEY HAD BEEN USED IN A CRIME, UH, IF THEY WERE, WE WILL TAG THAT FIREARM AS EVIDENCE OF THAT IN THAT CRIME.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN ANONYMOUS PROGRAM, SO WE WILL NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO WE GOT IT FROM.
UH, I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A CRITICISM OF THESE PROGRAMS IN THE PAST, BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA GET PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, TYPICALLY THAT ANONYMITY IS, IS KEY.
BUT WE WILL TAKE ANY FIREARM THAT IT IS DETERMINED THROUGH TESTING WAS INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND THAT FIREARM WILL BE KEPT AS EVIDENCE AS PART OF THAT CASE.
UH, WHILE, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT IDEAL TO NOT KNOW WHERE WE GOT IT, UH, IT, WE AT LEAST WILL HAVE THAT FIREARM.
THAT FIREARM WILL BE OFF THE STREET AND WILL BE IN THE HANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, AS EVIDENCE.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOLLOW UP FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT, UM, GIVEN THE, I THINK YOU SAID 3,700 REPORTED GUNS STOLEN OUT OF CARS EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS LIKE, WHAT, 10 A DAY? YES, THAT'S A LITTLE OVER 10 A DAY THAT'S REPORTED.
AND SO I, I THINK CA COLLEAGUES, THERE'S ALSO AN EMPHASIS ON JUST GUN SAFETY IN GENERAL, UM, THAT I HOPE WE'RE ALL LIFTING UP IN THIS COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS? UM, JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, UM, HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO TEST THE WEAPONS? NOW YOU'RE ASKING ME SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE OUR HPD, UH,
YOU KNOW, FOR US IT'S MAN HOURS, WE TAKE 'EM AND IT'S JUST THE MAN HOURS THAT IT COSTS TO TAKE A SHELL CASING FROM A FIREARM AND ENTER IT INTO THE BALLISTIC NETWORK.
UH, SO, SO THAT, THAT, THAT MAN HOUR COST THAT OCCURS IS, IS WHAT OUR COST IS.
UH, AND THEN ON THE BACK END, IT'S PROCESSED THROUGH THAT SYSTEM, UH, WHICH IS RUN BY THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL TO BACKMAN FIREARMS, UH, TO LET US KNOW IF THAT FIREARM HAS EVER BEEN, UH, LINKED TO, UH, ANOTHER CRIME, UH, VIA BALLISTIC EVIDENCE.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE TEST IT.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, UH, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE, AND, AND EACH OF THESE GUNS WILL BE HANDLED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IF IT'S NOT FUNCTIONING, IF IT CAN'T BE FIRED, OBVIOUSLY IT LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF TESTING WE CAN DO, UH, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND LIKE ANY OTHER PIECE OF EVIDENCE OR ANY OTHER THING INVOLVING IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM AND THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE WILL ALL GO IN THE QUEUE WITH THOSE AND WE'LL PROCESS 'EM AS BEST WE CAN.
BUT THE GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT WE DETERMINE WITH EACH FIREARM SUBMITTED IF IT WAS POTENTIALLY USED IN A CRIME, AND IF IT WAS, WE RETAIN IT AS EVIDENCE.
ANY THAT WE'RE NOT, AND ANY THAT ARE NOT REPORTED STOLEN, UH, WILL BE DESTROYED.
AND I, I, I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO KNOW, UM, AFTER WE EITHER DO THIS EVENT OR, UH, SEVERAL EVENTS, IF THOSE ARE PLANNED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HEAR BACK ON WHAT WAS UM, DISCOVERED IN TERMS OF AFTER RUNNING IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM, WHAT, WHAT CAME UP, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW.
UM, I, AND I ALSO, I DON'T SEE AGAIN ANYONE ELSE IN QUEUE, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
BUT I DO WANNA THANK, UM, PRECINCT ONE AND COMMISSIONER ELLIS FOR HIS PARTNERSHIP ON THIS, AND ESPECIALLY WHEELER, UM, FOR HOSTING THIS AND WELCOMING, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH ANYONE AT THE CITY TO COME, COME THROUGH FOR THIS EVENT.
UH, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ANYTHING YOU ALL CAN DO, I KNOW TO SHARE AND GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT IT, UM, SO THAT THIS CAN BE, BE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND GETTING A FEW EXTRA GUNS OFF THE STREETS WOULD BE, UM, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, CHIEF, IF YOU WANT TO, UH, CONTINUE ON WITH THE NEXT PRESENTATION REGARDING, UM, PARTNERSHIPS WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS WITH A TF.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
UH, IT, IT'S A SHORT PRESENTATION.
IT'S A SHORT SLIDE PRESENTATION ANYWAY, MORE, MORE YOU ALL HAVING TO UNFORTUNATELY LISTEN TO ME THAN, THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UH, GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
[00:30:01]
UH, WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME, UH, AT HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK Y'ALL KNOW AS WELL THAT THERE IS, UH, ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT WE CAN SOLVE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE COME ACROSS, ESPECIALLY CRIME AND VIOLENCE WISE BY OURSELF WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.WE NEED PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY, PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS, BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, A-T-F-F-B-I.
UH, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD VERY POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS HERE IN THE, HERE IN THE CITY WITH, UH, WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE REFER TO AS THE THREE LETTER AGENCIES.
UH, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE IN GENERAL, THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS, UH, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A, A RESOURCE FOR US.
THEY'VE ALWAYS WORKED WITH US VERY WELL AND PROVIDED US WITH A LOT OF TOOLS THAT WE COULD USE TO ASSIST IN COMBATING GUN VIOLENCE.
UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE WERE DOING WITH THE A TF IS WHAT'S CALLED ETRA.
UH, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF WHAT THAT IS, ETRA BASICALLY ALLOWS US TO, UH, TRACE A FIREARM BACK TO ITS POINT OF ORIGIN.
IN ESSENCE, IT TRACES IT BACK THROUGH ANY DOCUMENTED TRANSACTIONS WHERE IT WAS SOLD, UH, BY A ACTUAL FIREARMS SELLER, BY A LICENSED FIREARMS DEALER.
THEY'RE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY SOLD THE, THE FIREARM TO ITS ORIGINAL OWNER, UH, AND DETERMINE WHEN THAT WAS, WHERE THAT WAS AND WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE.
AND THEN IF THAT GUN WAS HANDLED IN SOME OTHER WAY, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN POTENTIALLY DOCUMENTED WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS.
WE GET ALL THAT INFORMATION FROM THE A TF.
SO WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST WITH, WITH GUNS USED IN CRIMES.
UH, IF WE HAD A FIREARM WE FOUND ON THE SCENE OF A CRIME, WE COULD TRY TO TRACE IT BACK TO SEE WHO ITS ORIGINAL OWNER WAS, TO DETERMINE IF A THAT PERSON STILL OWNED IT, IN WHICH CASE WE HAD A POTENTIAL SUSPECT, OR IF IT WAS STOLEN, IF THEY HAD SOLD IT.
IT WAS JUST USED TO GENERATE, UM, A STARTING POINT TO TRY AND DETERMINE HOW THAT FIREARM ENDED UP WHERE IT WAS.
UH, UH, ONE OF THE NEWER PROCESSES THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN, AND ACTUALLY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE A TF HAD A FANTASTIC WORKING RELATIONSHIP ON THIS REGARDING THE
UH, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF WHAT THAT IS, N IBIN IS NATIONAL INTEGRATED BALLISTIC INFORMATION NETWORK THAT IS A, A NETWORK WHERE WE TAKE THE MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS AND EXAMINATION OF SHELL CASINGS FROM FIREARMS SPENT SHELL CASINGS, AND WE, WE ENTER THOSE INTO A DATABASE AND THOSE DATABASE, THAT DATABASE THEN CHECKS THAT FIREARM CASING AGAINST OTHER CASINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ENTERED IN THE SYSTEM TO SEE IF WE CAN LINK CRIMES TOGETHER.
UH, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE NATION TO INITIALLY HAVE A MOBILE NIBIN UNIT.
WE ACTUALLY WOULD GO OUT WITH A VAN WITH THE, UH, THE EQUIPMENT IN IT TO ACTUALLY ENTER THE SHELL CASINGS INTO THE SYSTEM, AND WE WOULD TAKE IT OUT TO AREAS WHERE WE KNEW WE TEND TENDED TO HAVE, UH, GUN CRIME OR GUN FIRE, GUN VIOLENCE OVER A WEEKEND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, WE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TRANSITIONS TO, TO USING THAT, UH, MACHINE AT A FIXED LOCATION BECAUSE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VAN, UH, WHILE A GREAT IDEA INITIALLY, UH, HAD CALIBRATION ISSUES BECAUSE IF YOU SHOOK THE EQUIPMENT OUT AROUND TOO MUCH, IT HAD TO BE RECALIBRATED.
AND SO IT WASN'T AS EFFICIENT AS WE WOULD LIKE IT.
BUT CURRENTLY, UH, THERE ARE 252 NIBIN SITES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S, NI UNIT RANKS NUMBER THREE IN THE NATION FOR THE NUMBER OF CASES, CARTRIDGE CASINGS THAT, THAT WE ACQUIRE AND PUT INTO THE SYSTEM.
IT'S GOOD BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE A GOOD AND VERY ROBUST NB PROGRAM.
AND IT'S BAD BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SHELL CASINGS TO BE PROCESSED.
UM, OUR SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM, WHICH Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT ON HERE, HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CASINGS AVAILABLE TO US AS EVIDENCE BECAUSE IT'S ALLOWED US TO GO DIRECTLY TO INSTANCES OF GUNFIRE AND RECOVER MUCH MORE EVIDENCE THAN WE WOULD'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
UH, WE'RE NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION FOR SEIZURES AS FAR AS TIME FROM THE SEIZURE OF THE EVIDENCE TO ACQUISITION IN NIBIN, UH, AT 3.8 DAYS, WHEREAS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS OVER A HUNDRED DAYS.
SO WE'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION BACK VERY QUICKLY, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE A TF, UH, WE'RE NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION FOR PERCENTAGE OF ACQUISITIONS COMPLETED IN 10 DAYS.
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE COMPARISON, IF YOU LOOK AT JANUARY, 2020, WHICH WAS EARLY IN OUR IVAN PROGRAM FROM JANUARY TO APRIL, 'CAUSE I ONLY HAVE STATS THROUGH APRIL OF THIS YEAR, SO JANUARY THROUGH APRIL OF THAT, OF 2020, WE ONLY HAD WE, WELL, I SAY ONLY, WE ENTERED 1035 CASINGS IN NIBIN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
[00:35:02]
AND THIS YEAR SO FAR, WE'RE ALREADY AT, WE ARE, WE'RE ALREADY AT 1800, UH, JUST A LITTLE OVER 1800.SO IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, UH, FOR THE NUMBER OF ACQUISITIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.
WE ALSO HAVE WHAT WE CALL A TFO PROGRAM WITH THE A TF, WHERE EACH OF OUR CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS AROUND THE CITY, AT OUR DIFFERENT PATROL DIVISIONS, THERE ARE PROACTIVE, UH, UNITS THAT GO OUT AND TRY AND ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME ON A DAILY BASIS.
UH, MOST OF THOSE AT THE, ALL THE LARGER STATIONS ESPECIALLY HAVE EMBEDDED IN THEM WHAT WE REFER TO AS A-T-F-O-A TASK FORCE OFFICER.
AND THAT IS AN OFFICER THAT IS ACTUALLY A HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER, BUT THEY'VE BEEN SENT TO SPECIAL TRAINING AND, UH, THROUGH THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS AND ARE IN ESSENCE, UH, DEPUTIZED, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, WHERE THEY COME BACK AND THEY WORK IN THAT UNIT.
BUT THEY HAVE A DIRECT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE A TF AND ALSO WITH THE, UH, ASSISTANT US ATTORNEYS TO ASSIST IN FILING FEDERAL CHARGES.
QUITE OFTEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, WE HAVE SERIOUS INCIDENTS OF GUN VIOLENCE THAT, UH, DO CROSS OVER THE LINE INTO VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW AND BEING ABLE TO CHARGE BE CHARGED FEDERALLY, OFTENTIMES THAT WILL LET US TAKE SOME OF OUR MOST VIOLENT OFFENDERS AND GET THEM HIGHER SENTENCES.
PLUS OFTENTIMES IT CAN TAKE SOME OF THESE SERIOUSLY EGREGIOUS, VIOLENT CASES OUT OF THE BACKLOG STATE COURT SYSTEM AND GET 'EM OVER IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM, WHICH SOMETIMES ALLOWS US TO MOVE IT THROUGH A LITTLE FASTER.
BUT THAT PARTNERSHIP IS, IS AMAZING 'CAUSE IT GIVES US A DIRECT TIE INTO NOT ONLY THE A TF BUT ALSO THE FEDERAL COURTS WHEN DEALING WITH GUN VIOLENCE, BECAUSE THAT PROVIDES THEN THOSE CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS WITH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE AND VIOLENT CRIME.
ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S STILL WEAKNESSES IN THE SYSTEM.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION COMING TO US ABOUT FIREARMS AND VIOLENT CRIMINAL ACTS INVOLVING FIREARMS. WE'VE GOT THE NIVAN DATA COMING IN.
WE'VE GOT E TRACE DATA COMING IN RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS NOT A REALLY EFFICIENT NON, YOU KNOW, MANUAL KEY PUNCH READING THROUGH CASES WAY OF TYING ALL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE FOR OUR INVESTIGATORS TO USE.
SO THROUGH A GRANT, THROUGH THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, I BELIEVE IS WHO FUNDED THE GRANT.
ALTHOUGH I COULD BE THAT, THAT'S THE ONE THING I DID NOT VERIFY.
WE ARE STANDING UP WITH THE A TF, WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS A GUN CRIME INTELLIGENCE CENTER.
UH, THESE HAVE BEEN STOOD UP ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN SEVERAL PLACES.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT TAKES ANALYSTS BOTH FROM THE A TF, FROM THE LOCAL AGENCY, IN THIS CASE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFFS, AND SOME OF OUR OTHER, UH, LOCAL POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS.
AND THEY'LL PUT THOSE ANALYSTS CO-LOCATED IN ONE PLACE.
THEY'LL LITERALLY BRING 'EM TO A PHYSICAL LOCATION WHERE THEY WORK TOGETHER TO SHARE INFORMATION AND ENSURE THAT INFORMATION INVOLVING GUN CRIME INFORMATION INVOLVING FIREARMS THAT WERE USED IN CRIMES IS SHARED WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES INVOLVED SO THAT WE CAN BETTER, UH, GO AFTER THE OFFENDERS AND BETTER DO A BETTER JOB OF TRYING TO CLEAR THOSE CASES OUT AND PREVENT FUTURE INSTANCES OF VIOLENCE.
IT ACTS AS A CLEARING HOUSE FOR ALL GUN CRIME IN, IN INTELLIGENCE IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
IT BRINGS IN VIN DATA, IT BRINGS IN ETRA DATA, IT BRINGS IN DATA FROM OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, OUR POLICE REPORTS, AND OTHER DATA IN THERE.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THAT DATA OUT, BUT THANKFULLY, UH, I CAN'T TALK A LOT ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE QUIET PERIOD.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OUT FOR A NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE OUR CURRENT ONE IS, UH, IN DIY OF AN UPGRADE IN MODERNIZATION.
UH, IT'LL TAKE INFORMATION FROM OUR SHOT SPOTTER SYSTEM THAT WE'VE PUT IN.
WE NOW HAVE 10 SQUARE MILES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FIVE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, FIVE ON THE NORTH SIDE, ACTIVE ON THE SHOT SPOTTER SYSTEM.
OUR SECOND FIVE SQUARE MILE AREA WENT LIVE AT THE END OF LAST MONTH.
SO THAT BRINGS IN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE OF INSTANCES OF GUNFIRE.
AND ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE BROUGHT TOGETHER UNDER ONE ROOF, UNDER ONE UMBRELLA.
AND THOSE ANALYSTS WILL WORK TOGETHER TO TIE THE E TRACE DATA TO THE VIN DATA, TO THE SHOTS SPOTTER DATA, TO THE DIRECT OFFENSE REPORT DATA TO ENSURE THAT ANY INFORMATION WE HAVE ABOUT A FIREARM THAT'S USED IN CRIME IS BROUGHT TOGETHER AND LINKED TOGETHER UNDER, IN ONE PLACE SO THAT OUR INVESTIGATORS WILL BETTER BE ABLE TO USE THAT TO ADDRESS THAT CASE, TRY TO ARREST THE OFFENDER AND GET THAT PERSON OFF THE STREET BEFORE THEY CAN COMMIT ADDITIONAL ACTS OF VIOLENCE.
SO WE'RE HOPING THIS WILL MOVE OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS GUN VIOLENCE FORWARD,
[00:40:01]
UH, TO THE NEXT LEVEL.UH, IT, IT'S TAKING ALL OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAD BEFORE YOU NOTICE AHEAD 'EM LISTED INDIVIDUALLY ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
IT HAS TAKEN 'EM ALL NOW AND ONCE THIS IS UP AND RUNNING, IT WILL HAVE 'EM ALL UNDER ONE ROOF AND ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WILL BE TIED TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BIG PICTURE VIEW OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON.
AND, UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS GOING ON.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE SENDING, UH, SOME PERSONNEL SHORTLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH UP TO, UH, IT'S, WE'RE EITHER SENDING 'EM TO INDIANAPOLIS OR MILWAUKEE.
BOTH OF THEM HAVE, UH, GUN CRIME INTELLIGENCE CENTERS.
WE'RE GONNA SEND 'EM TO ONE OR THE OTHER TO GO AND, UH, SEE THEIR BEST PRACTICES, SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, AND START MOVING US FORWARD, UH, TOWARDS GETTING OUR, UH, GUN CRIME INTELLIGENCE CENTER STARTED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
IT'S GONNA GIVE US, UH, A LOT MORE TOOLS TO, UH, TO COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE IN THIS CITY.
AND UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THAT IS IT.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY COUNTS MEMBERS IN QUEUE.
I HAD A FEW QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
THE, UM, YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, 1800 NUMBER, THE INCREASE, UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE ACQUISITIONS THAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, UM, IS THAT BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE AND GUNS ON THE STREET OR IS THAT AN INCREASE IN CAPACITY THAT YOU'RE SEEING? IS THERE A CAUSE AND EFFECT TIED TO THAT, THAT RAMP UP WE HAVE ACTUALLY INCREASED.
WE ACT ACTUALLY HAVE NOT INCREASED OUR CAPACITY.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASINGS.
NOW IN THE 2022, UH, 21 AND 22, WE ACTUALLY DID IMPLEMENT OUR SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN US RECOVERING A LOT MORE, UH, SHELL CASINGS AND EVIDENCE FROM INSTANCES OF GUNFIRE.
SO THAT COULD ATTRIBUTE, THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR PART OF THAT INCREASE.
WE ACTUALLY THOUGH, AS FAR AS LEADS, AS FAR AS, UH, ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION BEFORE, AS FAR AS LEADS, ACTUAL CASINGS ENTERED IN THE NIVAN SYSTEM THAT WERE THEN LINKED TO ANOTHER CASING OR ANOTHER CRIME.
IN 2021 WE HAD 382 AND ALREADY IN 2022, THIS IS JUST THE, THE JANUARY TO APRIL TIME PERIOD ALREADY IN 2022, WE'VE HAD 496.
SO, UH, HAVING THOSE ADDITIONAL ACQUISITIONS IS LEADING TO A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF LEADS GENERATED, WHICH WE COULD THEN PASS ALONG TO OUR INVESTIGATORS TO GO BACK AND SEE IF THEY CAN TAKE THE TWO INSTANCES OF GUNFIRE, TIE THEM TOGETHER AND GIVE THEM A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO SOLVE THAT CRIME.
SO YOU ATTRIBUTE SOME OF IT TO THINGS LIKE SHOT SPOTTER AND THE ABILITY OF, UM, HPD AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO IDENTIFY AND, UM, ACTUALLY ACQUIRE THAT EVIDENCE, BUT IT'S ALSO AN UPTICK JUST IN FLAT OUT INSTANCES.
AS, AS Y'ALL HAVE SEEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DID HAVE, ESPECIALLY IN 2020, A SIGNIFICANT UPTICK, UH, IN VIOLENT CRIME.
ALTHOUGH WE DID SEE IT START TO GO BACK DOWN A LITTLE BIT TOWARDS THE END OF THAT YEAR.
UH, 2021 WAS A LITTLE BETTER THAN 2020, BUT WE'RE STILL COMBATING THE SAME ISSUES THAT THEY'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UH, THANKFULLY HOUSTON HAS NOT BEEN HIT AS BAD AS SOME OTHER MAJOR CITIES, BUT WE'RE STILL, UH, WE STILL HAVE OUR CHALLENGES AND THAT ACCOUNTS FOR PART OF THAT INCREASE.
BUT THEN ALSO OUR ABILITY TO GET OUT THERE AND GET TO EXACTLY WHERE THE GUNFIRE OCCURRED IN SOME OF OUR HIT HARDEST HIT NEIGHBORHOODS HAS ALLOWED US TO COLLECT A LOT MORE EVIDENCE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE CONTEXT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND I THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
UM, THE TIMELINE ON THE INTELLIGENCE CENTER, I, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE SENDING, UH, OFFICERS UP TO ACTUALLY GO ENGAGE AT OTHER INTELLIGENCE CENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN STOOD UP.
WHEN DO YOU ALL FORESEE US ACTUALLY HAVING ALL OF THIS? UM, IDEALLY, UM, HERE IN HOUSTON, I DON'T HAVE A HARD DATE, BUT I KNOW THEY'RE ALREADY, UH, SENDING OUT THE, THE REQUEST TO TRY AND HIRE THE ANALYSTS THROUGH THE, THE GRANT ITSELF IS ALREADY APPROVED.
THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD, THEY'RE TRYING TO HIRE THE PERSONNEL.
UH, WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED WITH THE A TF UP IN THEIR OFFICES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.
UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THE LOCATION, UH, READY, GETTING THE PERSONNEL HIRED.
I DON'T HAVE A HARD TIMELINE AS TO WHEN IT'S GONNA GO LIVE THOUGH.
AND I, I APPRECIATE, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF IT GIVEN THE LIMITATIONS, UH, CURRENT HPD IS CURRENTLY FACING WITH OUR RMS SYSTEM.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT, BUT, UM, I, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
I'LL DO ONE LAST CALL, UH, FOR QUESTIONS.
[00:45:01]
UH, HEARING NONE, CHIEF, I WANNA, AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR TIME, UH, COLLEAGUES, HE, UH, CHIEF MARTIN IS LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING ELSE THAT HE NEEDED TO ATTEND TO AND HOPPED ON THE PHONE, UH, IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF IT TO MAKE THIS WORK TODAY.UM, I DO WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, UM, THAT WE CURRENTLY, UH, ARE GOING TO HAVE A JOINT PUBLIC SAFETY HOMELAND SECURITY AND TTI COMMITTEE HEARING, UM, ON, UH, IS IT AUGUST 4TH I BELIEVE? UH, SO THE, WE WILL NOT HAVE OUR STANDARD AUGUST PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING WE'RE COMBINING FOR THAT.
UM, IT'LL BE AT 10:00 AM ON AUGUST 4TH.
TENTATIVELY WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED, UM, AN UPDATE ON THE LICENSE PLATE CAMERA READERS, UM, THAT I KNOW MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT.
SO AN UPDATE ON THAT FROM BOTH HPD AND HITS, UH, AS THE CITY BEGINS TO LOOK, MOVE FORWARD ON THE CITY'S COMPONENT OF THAT.
AND THEN, UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, WE HOPE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, OR AN UPDATE I SHOULD SAY ON THE, UH, RISKS POSED CURRENTLY WITH THE INSTABILITY OF THE POWER GRID IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WE DEALT WITH THIS AND LOOKED AT IT FROM A BOTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, UH, DURING THE FREEZE, BUT WE ARE NOW ALSO SEEING THOSE SAME RISKS POSE DURING THE HEAT WAVES AND DROUGHT.
UH, AND THOSE ISSUES ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET AN UPDATE HOPEFULLY ON THAT AS WELL, BOTH WHAT THE CITY IS DOING, BUT ALSO WHERE THE HOLES ARE IN THE STATE'S RESPONSE AND WHAT THOSE RISKS ARE.
SO THAT WILL BE COMING AGAIN AUGUST 4TH AT 10:00 AM AND THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR AUGUST ON THAT.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED IN THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND, UH, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 2:55 PM I THINK OUR SHORTEST PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING IN A WHILE.