* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. THE OPINIONS [00:00:01] EXPRESSED ON LATINA VOICES AND ITS GUESTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINIONS OF HCV TELEVISION OR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. A SHOW ABOUT UNIVERSAL TOPICS FROM A LATINA PERSPECTIVE. LATINA VOICES SMART TALK. WELCOME TO LATINA VOICES SMART TALK TODAY, OUR HARRIS COUNTY DA KIM OG AND CRIME STOPPER, CEO. RANIA RIOS JOINS US AS WE DISCUSS THE STATE OF VIOLENCE REDUCTION, CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES AND THE NECESSARY COLLABORATION OF ALL OF OUR CITY STAKEHOLDERS, BUSINESSES, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, GO BLUE, AND THE CITIZENS, INCLUDING OUR LATINA VOICES VIEWERS. I'M CO-HOST AND PRODUCER, TEXAS SUPER. SOPHIA DURGE LATINA VOICES IS A SHOW ABOUT UNIVERSAL TOPICS FROM A LATINA PERSPECTIVE MOMENTARILY WELCOME RANA AS WE ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND EMPOWER WITH SOME SMART TALK HOST OF THE BALANCED VOICE PODCAST AND AUTHOR OF THE ONLINE WORLD, WHAT DO YOU THINK AND WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW, AND WHAT YOU DON'T BETTER STATED, PUBLIC SAFETY EXPERT AND CEO, YOU INVESTIGATED WITH A VENGEANCE, THE ONLINE WORLD, AND YOU EXPLORED WHY THIS IS DIFFICULT. THE MOST DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR YOUR CHILD IS IN YOUR OWN HOUSE ONLINE, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITED CHILDREN. WELCOME, EDUCATE US, GIVE US EXPERTISE, TOOLS FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS, TEENS, CHILDREN, REALLY ALL OF US. THANK YOU FOR AN ORDINATE HA, HARD WORK FELLOW COUNSELOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SOPHIA, FOR HAVING ME. UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME, WHY DID YOU SIT AND WRITE THIS BOOK? AND I REALIZED ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO THAT ALL OF OUR ALL PARENTS, WHEREVER YOU LIVE, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SCHOOL YOU SEND YOUR KIDS TO, WHAT YOUR FAMILY BACKGROUND IS, WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING WITH THE VERY SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS HOW DO WE NAVIGATE THIS ONLINE SPACE? I ALSO REALIZED THAT THERE'S A MASSIVE DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT PARENTS KNOW AND THEIR, THEIR FAMILIARITY WITH TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT KIDS KNOW AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEIR ABILITIES WITH TECHNOLOGY. SO I WAS, I WAS DETERMINED TO CREATE A ONE-STOP SHOP AND ANSWER A RESOURCE, SOMETHING THAT KIDS WOULD ABSOLUTELY BUY INTO PARENTS WOULD ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND, AND A TOOL THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY PROVIDE SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS KEEPING KIDS SAFE ONLINE. SO I MAPPED OUT THE ONLINE LANDSCAPE. I WANNA BRING PARENTS UP TO SPEED. WE, IT IS A DANGEROUS PLACE, BUT I ALSO DEAL WITH THE REALITY THAT OUR KIDS ARE GONNA BE CONNECTED TO TECHNOLOGY NO MATTER WHAT WE DO OR HOW WE TRY TO STOP IT. AND SO I WANTED SOLUTIONS AND I CREATED FOUR POWER TOOLS THAT I PROMISE YOU KIDS ARE GOING TO UNDERSTAND AND SAY, GOSH, I GET THAT I'M GONNA BE STAY SAFE ONLINE. ONE OF THEM THAT, UH, CAUSED A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPROAR IS I TELL KIDS, I WANT YOU TO POST LIKE CELEBRITIES. AND PARENTS WILL SAY, WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WANT MY CHILD TO POST LIKE A CELEBRITY? AND I'LL SAY, LISTEN, YOU TAKE ANY CELEBRITY FIGURE TODAY AND YOU REALLY EXPLORE HOW THEY POST ONLINE. YES, THEY SHARE INFORMATION. YES, THEY SHARE CONTENT, BUT THEY MAKE IT LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO FIND THEM. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ENTIRE TEAMS THAT MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEIR AUDIENCE TO FIND THEM. AND WE WANT KIDS TO DO THE SAME. WELL, LET ME SAY THE FOLLOWING, THE ONLY DOWNSIDE ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR DA AND WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DISCUSS, I WISH I COULD DO AN ENTIRE SHOW ON THIS. SO I WOULD ASK YOU, PLEASE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THERE'S A REFERENCE TO THE BOOK. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO CHOICE. WE HAVE TO LIVE IN THE ONLINE WORLD, BUT LET'S DO IT ASTUTELY WITH CARE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON OUR CHILDREN. THANKS SO MUCH, AND WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE LATINO VOICES IN A MOMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME BACK TO LATINA VOICES, DA A IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU. WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE THE NINETIES, INORDINATELY SOBERING SUBJECT, BUT WE ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR BELOVED HOUSTON. AND IF WE MAY TOAST WITH WATER TO ONE SAFE HOUSTON, HEAR ON LATINO VOICES. AND THANK YOU. NOT UNLIKE ALL MAJOR CITIES IN OUR NATION. OUR BELOVED PROPHETIC CITY OF HOUSTON HAS EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME AS THE COVID PANDEMIC TIGHTENED ITS GRIP ON OUR CITY, OUR STATE, AND OUR NATION. OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE NATIONWIDE SPIKE ARE WELL DOCUMENTED, WIDESPREAD SOCIAL ANXIETY, ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, AND THE [00:05:01] INCREASED PRESENCE OF ILLEGALLY OWNED FIREARMS. A STRAINED COURT SYSTEM PLAGUED BY CRIMINAL CASE BACKLOGS THAT IMPACT THE PRETRIAL RELEASE AND PROSECUTION OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS WITH THE CITY'S VIOLENT CRIME INITIATIVE, AS WELL AS THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON CRIME REDUCTION INITIATIVE. OUR SEATED LEADERS, SOME ARE WITH ME TODAY, ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL ONE DAY EMERGE AS ONE RESILIENT CITY, ONE UNIFIED CITY, ONE SAFE HOUSTON, WELCOME DA KIM GG. AS THE ELECTED DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN THE NATION'S THIRD LARGEST COUNTY, SHE HAS EMERGED AS A LEADING FIGURE IN THE NATIONAL DEBATE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY. SHE IS DEDICATED TO COMMUNITY SAFETY THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED PROSECUTION AND EQUAL JUSTICE FOR EVERYONE. SHE HAS USHERED A WAVE OF REFORMS FROM MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT TO VICTIMS' RIGHTS, FROM THE BAIL SYSTEM TO INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AND DIVERSITY OF HER OFFICE. THE FLOOR OF YOURS. WELCOME. AND PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE STATE OF THE DA'S OFFICE AND WHAT, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? YOU'RE RIGHT TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HOUSTON AND WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE GOOD THING ABOUT BEING A NATIVE IS THAT I HAVE WITNESSED THE PENDULUM SWING IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FROM AN EMPHASIS ON DEFENDANT'S RIGHTS AND RELEASE FROM PRISON AND THE HAVOC THAT THAT CAUSED IN OUR CITY AT A AT A TIME IN THE EIGHTIES WHEN WE WERE ALSO ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED. BUT I ALSO WATCHED HOUSTON REBOUND ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE STATE AND THE NATION IN TERMS OF CRIME AND REDUCING THE CRIME RATE. AND WE GOT IT DOWN AND FOR ABOUT THE LAST 15 YEARS HAVE HAD A VERY, VERY SAFE, UH, CITY. AND IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT WHEN PEOPLE CONTINUE TO GET HURT, WE ARE HUGE CITY, BUT IT'S BEEN SAFE NOW IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A SPIKE AND THERE'S MANY REASONS FOR THAT. BUT THE THREE THINGS DRIVING CRIME TODAY IN HOUSTON, GANGS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND REPEAT CAREER CRIMINALS, OFTEN OUT ON BAIL. I THINK THIS LAST ELECTION BAIL HAS BEEN FRONT AND CENTER, AND I THINK THAT JUDGES AND, UH, THOSE IN CONTROL OF BAIL ARE TAKING PERHAPS A MORE, UH, NUANCED LOOK AT THE RISK TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, WHEN RELEASING OFFENDERS. BUT I CAN TELL YOU AT THE DA'S OFFICE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON TWO THINGS, PROSECUTING THE MOST VIOLENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HELPING POLICE SOLVE THOSE CASES AND THEN PROSECUTING THEM SUCCESSFULLY AND MOVING OUT LOW LEVEL OFFENDERS WHO ARE NOT VIOLENT, THOSE WITH DRUG PROBLEMS, THOSE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, UH, THOSE WHO'VE SIMPLY COMMITTED A VIOLATION OF THE LAW BUT NOT AT ANOTHER HUMAN BEING'S EXPENSE. WE'RE MOVING THOSE CASES THROUGH THE SYSTEM WITH DIVERSION, AND THAT ENDS IN DISMISSAL. AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP OUR WORKFORCE STRONG BY ASKING THOSE OFFENDERS AT THE LOW END TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, DO IT BOTH UNDER SUPERVISION AND NOT, AND WORK THEM THROUGH THE SYSTEM SAVING THE FEW AND SCARCE RESOURCES WE HAVE FOR JUSTICE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND THE COURTS FOR THE MOST VIOLENT OFFENDERS. WELL, AND I'LL SAY THE FOLLOWING ALSO, JUST INDULGE ME TWO SECONDS BECAUSE OUR MEMBER MAYOR PARKER ASKED ME TO DO A BANNING THE BOX SHOW MANY YEARS AGO. IT'S NOT ONLY SAVING, IT'S ALSO GIVING PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED SECOND CHANCES. WE ALL NEED A SECOND CHANCE. ABSOLUTELY. NOW, SECOND CHANCE ON MURDER. YEAH. NOT IN TEXAS AND NOT HERE IN HOUSTON, AND NOT ON MY WATCH, BUT A SECOND CHANCE FOR POSSESSION OF DRUGS OR FOR CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. AND EVEN IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND FAMILY SITUATIONS WITH OUR JUVENILES, WE'VE STARTED A PROGRAM WHERE WHEN A KID HITS HIS MOTHER OR A MOTHER HITS THE CHILD, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE WORKING WITH JUVENILE PROBATION TO PUT THEM THROUGH COUNSELING AND JUST A SHORT PROGRAM TO TRY AND GET THE FAMILY BACK ON TRACK. MANY TIMES WHAT PEOPLE NEED IS A BREAK. WELL, AND I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED WITH HENRY GONZALEZ AND YOUR POPULATION, AND YOU'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB ABOUT FOCUSING ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED AND DA I COULD SPEAK WITH YOU AT LENGTH, LET'S ALLOW YOU AS CEO OF CRIME STOPPERS. WHAT IS YOUR SENSE? ARE YOU CAUTIOUSLY BIT OPTIMISTIC AS WELL AS OUR MAYOR IS? I AM OPTIMISTIC. I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE AS WE TALK TO OTHER LEADERS, WE'RE ALL ACTUALLY ON THE SAME PAGE. THE DA GAVE AN ANALYSIS OF WHY CRIME IS GOING UP AND POINTED OUT THREE THINGS, AND WE ALL AGREE WITH HER. ACTUALLY, I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT DISAGREES WITH HER ASSESSMENT AT THE END OF THE DAY. SO THE FACT THAT WE AGREE ON THE ISSUES, WE'VE NOW NEED TO AGREE ON A STRATEGY, AND WE'RE GETTING THERE. WE ARE GETTING THERE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE ALL SERVE A COMMUNITY THAT'S HURTING A COMMUNITY THAT'S STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AND A COMMUNITY THAT'S STARTING TO GET ENGAGED THEMSELVES IN THE SOLUTIONS AND THAT WE CAN AND ASK, AND I APOLOGIZE, ONE THING JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THAT [00:10:01] SHE, SHE WAS ABLE TO FOCUS ON TWO OF THE THREE, UM, JUST BECAUSE I, I IN ESSENCE ASKED YOU IF YOU GUYS COULD BOTH COVER JUST MOMENTARILY THE GANG ISSUE. WHAT IS THE SITUATION, EACH OF YOU HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY ON THAT? WELL, AS THE CITY'S FIRST ANTI-GANG, TASK FORCE DIRECTOR, ABSOLUTELY. FROM 94 TO 99, WE MADE SOME IMPORTANT STRIDES TO NOT LET OUR CITY GO BY THE WAYSIDE WITH GENERATIONAL GANGS LIKE WE'VE SEEN HAPPEN IN CHICAGO, IN LA AND IN IN NEW YORK CITY. MM-HMM . AND WE DID AVOID THAT. NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE GENERATIONAL, BUT WE, WE SEE OUR GANGS MORE, UM, INFLUX, DEVELOPING NEW, UM, NAMES, PARTNERSHIPS ALL THE TIME. YOU DON'T HAVE INSTITUTIONALIZED, ENTRENCHED GANG MEMBERS, BUT THE PRESENCE OF THE CARTEL IS EVER PRESENT. AND BECAUSE HOUSTON IS A STAGING AREA FOR DRUGS, FOR HUMAN BEINGS, FOR ILLEGAL WEAPONS, FOR ALL OF IT, BECAUSE OF OUR PROXIMITY BOTH TO MEXICO, OUR PROXIMITY TO THE COAST, AND THE ROUTES TO THE NORTH, THE WEST, UH, THE EAST FROM HOUSTON, WE'RE GRAND CENTRAL STATION. SO I THINK THAT GANGS, UH, ARE VERY COMPATIBLE, AND THAT BY FOCUSING ON THE MONEY THEY MAKE, AND BY GOING AFTER THE LEADERS IN THOSE GROUPS AND SOLVING OUR VIOLENT CRIMES, WE CAN MAKE A REAL DENT IN GANG CRIME. WE DID IT IN THE NINETIES. WE CAN DO IT AGAIN IN, IN IN THIS CENTURY. NO, I APPRECIATE IT. AND WE'VE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF OR SO. YOUR THOUGHTS I APPRECIATE ON THE GANG AND JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT SHE SAID AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING THROUGH CRIME STOPPERS, WELL, OUR, YOU KNOW, SAFE COMMUNITY PROGRAM AND SAFE SCHOOL PROGRAMS CONSTANTLY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY RAISING AWARENESS, TALKING ABOUT ISSUES. BUT I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, WE'VE NOTICED THAT'S A BIT DIFFERENT IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO. UM, THE COMMUNITIES ARE GETTING MORE ENGAGED. THEY'RE MOVING AWAY FROM FEAR AND SILENCE INTO, UM, ACTIVISM ALMOST. THEY'RE TAKING, TAKING THE SAFETY OF THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES IN THEIR OWN HANDS. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE NO LONGER AFRAID TO SPEAK UP. SO WHERE YOU HAD COMMUNITIES THAT KNEW THAT GANG ACTIVITY WAS HAPPENING AND WERE POSSIBLY AFRAID TO SPEAK. NOW THEY'RE NOT ONLY SPEAKING, THEY'RE CALLING CRIME STOPPERS. OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN CALL ANONYMOUSLY, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE COLLABORATING AND THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY CAN DO PROACTIVELY TO NOT JUST KEEP THEIR COMMUNITIES SAFE, BUT TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES. TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AND THEY'RE TIRED OF IT'S A MATTER OF SELF-DEFENSE. YES. FOR OUR, EXACTLY. FOR OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. EXACTLY. MANY OF WHOM ARE LATINO. YEP. UH, OR BLACK OR LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC, THE MIX THAT IS HOUSTON, THIS IS WHO IS MOST OFTEN VICTIMIZED. SO WHEN WE HEAR FOLKS TALK ABOUT, UH, RE-RELEASING PEOPLE, REMEMBER THE VIOLENT PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING RELEASED AT TIMES BY COURTS ARE GOING BACK NOT TO RIVER OAKS, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO SECOND WARD, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO THE SOUTHEAST. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT NOT JUST OUR CRIME VICTIMS, BUT OUR PREVENTION EFFORTS IN THESE COMMUNITIES. NO, THAT'S INCREDIBLE. AND ONLY 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO RETURN THIS CULTURE OF COLLABORATE, COLLABORATION IS GONNA ASSIST EVERYONE IN THE SELF-DEFENSE POLICE. PARDON? WE'LL RETURN WITH MORE LATINA VOICES IN A MOMENT. THANK YOU. CRIME STOPPERS IS HOUSTON'S TOP NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY, COMMITTED TO ITS VISION AND MISSION TO SOLVE AND PREVENT SERIOUS CRIME IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CITIZENS MEDIA AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, MORE THAN JUST A TIP LINE PROGRAM UNDER RANA'S LEADERSHIP, THROUGH INNOVATION AND EXPANSION. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE, SHE REFERENCED THE SAFE SCHOOL INSTITUTE, THE FALLEN HERO PROJECT, THE VICTIM SERVICES AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM, AND THE NEW CRIME RESEARCH INITIATIVE. RANIA, WE WANNA HEAR ABOUT YOUR MOST RECENT CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO TELL US ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH INITIATIVE. I FOUND THAT, I FOUND THAT FASCINATING. WELL, I'D BE REMISS TO NOT SAY THAT. OF COURSE. I'M SITTING NEXT TO A PREVIOUS LEADER OF CRIME STOPPERS OF HOUSTON, WHO UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, THE SAFE SCHOOL PROGRAM WAS BORN AND HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR THE COMMUNITY AS NOW THE SAFE SCHOOL INSTITUTE. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT. UH, BUT IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, AS, AS CRIME BECAME A REAL, UH, CENTRAL TOPIC FOR EVERYBODY IN HOUSTON, UH, EVERYONE WAS CALLING US SAYING THEY HAVE ISSUES, THEY HAVE CONCERNS. THEY WERE ALSO STARTING TO SAY, WHERE'S THE DATA? HOW DO WE GET, YOU KNOW, THE LATEST CRIME STATS? WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM. I'LL TELL YOU, OUR ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS IN THE SPACE ALL DAY HAS A HARD TIME GETTING THE DATA AND SHIFTING THROUGH, SIFTING THROUGH THE DATA AND MAKING SENSE OF IT. SO WE LAUNCHED THE GLENDA GORDY RESEARCH CENTER. IT'S A ONE STOP SHOP FOR, UH, REAL TIME CRIME DATA AS REAL TIME AS WE CAN MAKE IT. UH, DATA'S UPDATED WEEKLY, IF NOT MONTHLY. AND IT ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY IN LAYMAN'S TERMS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHERE WE ARE. WE FELT THAT WAS IMPORTANT [00:15:01] AS THE COMMUNITY IS GETTING MORE ENGAGED. YOU ASK ABOUT CHALLENGES. UH, WE'VE GOTTA MOVE THE POLITICS OUT OF, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'VE JUST GOT TO, UM, AS A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION, WE WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT'S A VICTIM OF CRIME. AND WE WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE LEADER WHO CARES ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. AND ALL OF US WANT THE POLITICS OUT OF THIS BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK ON PARTNERSHIPS AND SOLUTIONS. WELL, AND IF I MAY SAY, JUST ONE SECOND, HOMASH, THE MAYOR, THE STATE OF THE CITY, SAID SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IN TERMS OF HE DIDN'T WANNA BE REMINDED, BE SEEN AS A POLITICIAN, BUT A STATESMAN AND ENGAGING IN DIPLOMACY. YES. AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF ALL OF US WOULD DO A BIT MORE, AND I I KNOW ALL THREE OF US, AND WE WORK HARD TO, IN ORDER TO DO THAT DAY TO DAY, IF IT IS ABOUT DIPLOMACY, IT IS, IF IT'S ABOUT STATESMANSHIP, THEN IT'S ABOUT THE COLLABORATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. IT'S ABOUT THE UNIFIED CITY. GIVE US A SENSE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, EITHER THE STATISTICS AND ACCESS TO THEM AND, AND THEN IN TERMS OF CHALLENGES, STATISTICS ARE THE, UH, BREAD AND BUTTER OF PLANNING BECAUSE THEY ARE FACTUAL. THEY'RE NOT POLITICAL, THEY'RE NOT DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN. BUT WE OFTEN SEE STATISTICS USED INCORRECTLY CALCULATED IMPROPERLY AND DELIVERED TO THE PUBLIC, AND IT CONFUSES THEM. AND SO WHAT IS NECESSARY IS A, AN OBJECTIVE AND A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL THIS DATA TO BE. NOW THE FBI HAS SERVED THAT ROLE FOR YEARS. THE PROBLEM WITH FBI DATA IS IT'S ABOUT TWO YEARS BEHIND. MM-HMM . AND SO THE BEAUTY OF THIS NEW INSTITUTE IS THAT WE WILL HAVE AT OUR FINGERTIPS ACCURATE INFORMATION DERIVED FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROCESSED THROUGH AN UNBIASED AND AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTE. THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED. AND I THINK THE CLOSENESS OF THIS LAST ELECTION ON THE CRIME ISSUE WITH OUR JUDGES AND OUR ELECTEDS, IT SHOWS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED. WE WANT TO DO BETTER AS A CITY. SO I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO THAT, UH, VERY MUCH. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE ACCURATE. AND I WOULD, UH, STRONGLY ASK OUR OTHER, ELECTED, MY COLLEAGUES IN ELECTED OFFICE TO UTILIZE INFORMATION THAT'S DERIVED ONLY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN TALKING ABOUT CRIME, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC NEEDS THE TRUTH. WELL, AND I HAVE TO SAY, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, MAYOR TURNER WAS VERY FORCEFUL IN SAYING, STATISTICS, FACTS, LET'S STICK TO THEM. YOU KNOW, IF OUR, IF OUR SITUATION IS THIS WITH A HOMICIDE, WE ARE BETTER AS AN EXAMPLE, AT THAT MOMENT, BETTER THAN CHICAGO, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. AND YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN. WE ARE ALL LAWYERS. STICK TO THE FACTS. WHATEVER IT DOESN'T IN ENDURE TO ANYONE'S FAVOR TO AGGRANDIZE ANY SITUATION. MM-HMM . EXCUSE THE THE SILLY QUESTION. BUT MANY OF US ARE, ARE PRIVY TO THESE, WHETHER IT'S, IT'S EITHER AN APP OR SOMETHING. I KNOW MY DAUGHTER LIVES IN NEW YORK, HAS IT, AND I THINK WE CAN EVEN GET IT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S TRANSPIRING AND YOU VACILLATE, QUITE FRANKLY, I VACILLATE IF I REALLY WANNA KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING TWO DOORS DOWN, BECAUSE THEN IT, THEN YOU'RE, YOU ARE ALWAYS WORRIED. THAT SAID, HOW DO THOSE WORK IF YOU HAVE A SENSE OF IT? AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE CITIZENS HAPPEN. YES. YES. GIVE US A SENSE OF THAT NEXT DOOR. NEXT DOOR, ALL OF THAT. AND EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE. YES. NO, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT ONE SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT COMMUNITIES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY AND THEY WANT INFORMATION IN REAL TIME. IT'S ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON IT, YOU'RE GOING TO START BEING PARANOID AND NOT WANTING TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE. YES. SO WE KIND OF NAVIGATE THEM CAREFULLY. LOOK, WE HAVE A CRIME PROBLEM, WE DO, UH, BUT THE LEADERS OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE WORKING THERE. IT'S A PRIMARY ISSUE. AND WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO GET TO THE HEART OF THIS AND TO FIX IT. WE NEED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BUT WE DON'T WANNA FEED PARANOIA. AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE MAYOR, WHAT THE MAYOR IS SAYING, WE DON'T WANT TO, UH, MANIPULATE DATA TO PAINT A PICTURE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. WE JUST WANT TO LIVE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO CALL HOME AND, UH, RAISE OUR CHILDREN HERE IN, IN THE SAFEST WAY POSSIBLE AND DO THE HARD WORK NECESSARY TO GET THERE. WELL, AND LEMME SAY THIS BEFORE I TURN IT TO THE DA FOR SOME THOUGHTS ON THIS. YOU KNOW, I'M PUTTING ON MY HOUSTON FIRST, ANOTHER PRO BONO HAT OF WHICH I WEAR. AND IF WE WANT TO BE THE CITY, THAT IT, THAT REMAINS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE, THAT PEOPLE WANNA COME AND LIVE AND THRIVE. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE MORE PEOPLE COME VISIT, THE BETTER WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE, THE, OUR HOTELS ARE BEING UTILIZED. THE HOT TAXES INCREASE, WE GET MORE ARTS, WE GET MORE THINGS. I MEAN, EVERYONE WINS BETTER PARKS, ET CETERA. SO THE REALITY IS, IT IN ENDURES TO EVERYONE. IT'S NOT ALL IT'S, AND IT'S IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS AT STAKE. OH YEAH. IT DOESN'T MATTER. SO THE REALITY IS WE HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL. BUT I AM COMPLETELY OPTIMISTIC THAT WHERE OUR CITY LEADERS WITH YOU GUYS ARE ON THE TABLE, WE CAN GET THIS DONE, DA, [00:20:01] WE CAN GET THIS DONE. HOUSTON CAN BE THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA RIGHT NOW. WE'RE NOT. YES. OKAY. WE'RE NOT. BUT WE CAN BE AND WE MUST BE IF WE ARE TO ACHIEVE THE REAL WORLD CLASS REPUTATION AND DRAW THAT WE DESERVE. HOUSTON IS A TREMENDOUS CITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE. BUT WHILE WE'VE GOT BODIES DROPPING, YES, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON, UM, CRIME PREVENTION, OBVIOUSLY LONG TERM. BUT WHILE WE HAVE BODIES DROPPING, WE NEED STRATEGIES THAT WORK RIGHT NOW WITH TAKING THE MOST DANGEROUS AND VIOLENT PEOPLE OFF OUR STREETS AND SEPARATING THEM THROUGH INCARCERATION. THAT'S JUST HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS. WE DO HAVE A PLETHORA OF RESOURCES HERE FOR THOSE THAT WE DIVERT OUT OF THE SYSTEM, AND THAT IS MOST MISDEMEANORS AND MANY FELONIES. BUT WE CAN'T DIVERT MURDER, RAPE, OR ROBBERY. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS CATCH THEM, KEEP THEM, TRY THEM, AND LET JURIES EITHER CONVICT OR QUIT. THAT'S HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS. I URGE PEOPLE TO TRUST THE PROCESS AND TO TRUST US TO RUN A FAIR PROCESS AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. NO, VERY WELL SAID. YOU SAID PLETHORA. I THINK OF MYRIAD. I THINK OF CORNUCOPIA. I ALSO THINK OF BRINGING, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AHEAD, I DO WORRY ABOUT THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUE. I WORRY ABOUT ALL THESE ISSUES. WE BID AND ULTIMATELY WON THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WORLD CUP. I WANNA CHALLENGE ALL OF US COME 2026, EVEN BEFORE THAT. WE ARE KLEINBERG TALKS ABOUT BE THE PROPHETIC CITY AT THE CHANGE OF A CUSP OF AMERICA. MM-HMM . I WANNA BE THAT ON CRIME AS WELL. AND THEY'RE TELLING ME TO WRAP IT UP, SOPHIA. SO MORE LATINA VOICES AFTER THIS SHORT BREAK, WE'RE BACK ON LATINA VOICES WITH A SEGMENT WE CALL SMART TIMES, AN EXPANDED CONVERSATION WITH TODAY'S GUEST, HOUSTON'S DA AND CRIME STOPPERS OF HOUSTON, CEO RANIA, CRITICAL NEXT STEPS, GOALS FOR ONE UNIFIED, ONE SAFE HOUSTON. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE LISTENING TO THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL LEADERS, ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND DOING WHATEVER WE CAN TO, UM, USE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES WE'VE BEEN GIVEN TO KEEP HOUSTON AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. SOLVE AS MANY CRIMES THROUGH THE TIP LINE, UM, AND REACH AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. WELL, AND I THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR BEING SO TRUNCATED. I'M GONNA ELONGATE FOR ONE SECOND, WHICH IS AS FOLLOWS. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TIP LINE FOR A SECOND. MM-HMM . GIVE US A BIT OF YOUR STATISTICS. YOU'VE DONE SOME GREAT WORK. GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. YEAH. 37,000 AT THIS POINT. CASES SOLVED. UM, 37,000 CASES SOLVED. AND, YOU KNOW, INTERESTING STORY, AND, AND THE DA CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AT SOME POINT, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE SOLVE THE CASE, WE COUNT IT AS ONE CASE, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER CASES CLEARED BECAUSE OF THAT SOLVED CASE THAT WE DON'T COUNT. SO WE HAD AN ELECTED OFFICIAL ONE TIME SAY TO US, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS PROBABLY SOLVED CLOSER TO 250,000 CASES FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. THAT'S INCREDIBLE IN POWER FOR A MINUTE. SO WHAT TRANSPIRES, HOW DOES THIS TIP LINE WORK? I'VE NEVER DONE THIS. OH, WELL, YOU CALL THE TIP LINE ANONYMOUSLY. SO WHAT HAPPENS? YOU SEE SOMETHING, YOU SEE SOMETHING, YOU CALL US. YOU CAN TEXT US. YOU CAN GO THROUGH NOW A MOBILE APP. YOU CAN GO THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, UH, GIVE US THAT INFORMATION. WE NEVER WILL KNOW WHO YOU ARE. IT DOESN'T MEAN WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION HIDDEN. IT MEANS WE NEVER ACTUALLY TAKE YOUR INFO. WE NEVER HAVE YOUR INFORMATION. YOU GET A CODE NUMBER. UM, OUR INVESTIGATORS WORK THE TIP, UH, WITH LAW FOR HPD, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHATEVER AGENCY. AND THEN THEY ASK YOU TO CALL BACK. AND ONCE YOU CALL BACK, YOU CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION THROUGH THAT, UM, THROUGH THAT, UH, CODE NUMBER. AND THEN YOU GET A CASH REWARD OF UP TO $5,000 IF YOUR TIP HAS LED TO THE INVESTIGATION OR CHARGING OF ASSESSMENT. SO THE REALITY IS, WE SHOULD ALL HAVE THIS IN AN OR AN APP OR HOWEVER WE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE PHONE. THE GREATEST TOOL, I'LL JUST SAY IS THIS TIP LINE HAS WORKED IN THE SCHOOL'S TO REMOVE ABOUT 290 WEAPONS FROM HOUSTON AREA SCHOOLS BEFORE THEY COULD EVER BE USED IN A SCHOOL. THIS TIP LINE SAVES LIVES EVERY DAY. THAT'S INCREDIBLE. YOU'VE GOT THE FLOOR FINAL TWO MINUTES. CRIME STOPPERS IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL TOOLS IN OUR CRIME FIGHTING BOX BECAUSE IT RELIES ON PEOPLE AND PEOPLE KNOW WHO OFTEN COMMITTED A CRIME. THEY ALSO KNOW WHERE TO FIND FUGITIVES, WHO ARE WANTED FOR CRIMES. AND SO I'M GONNA CONTINUE WORKING AND SUPPORTING CRIME STOPPERS, WORKING WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR GREATEST CITIZEN DRIVEN RESOURCE. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF CRIMES. AND WE'RE GONNA PULL FOR MORE RESOURCES FOR THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED, THE LABS IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, UH, GETTING THEIR EVIDENCE TO US FASTER. AND FOR US AT THE DA'S OFFICE, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THE MOST SERIOUS CRIMES, CAPITAL MURDERS, [00:25:01] HOMICIDES. THAT'S A PLAIN MURDER. AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING, BUT IT'S NOT COMMITTED IN THE COURSE OF ANOTHER CRIME. THOSE ARE OUR HOTTEST TOPICS AFTER THAT. ROBBERY, RAPE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UM, THESE ARE WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. EACH PERSON THAT IS CONVICTED OR ACQUITTED FOR THESE CRIMES GETS THROUGH THE SYSTEM. AND ONE CONVICTION, OFTEN IT REFLECTS MANY CRIMES, UH, THAT THE PERSON HAS BEEN EITHER CHARGED WITH OR MAY HAVE COMMITTED, UH, AND THAT WE CAN PROVE, BUT WE DIDN'T CHARGE. SO JUST LIKE CRIME STOPPERS, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS CLEARING MORE CASES THAN YOU MIGHT SEE IN THE STATISTICS. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THOSE VIOLENT CRIMINALS. THAT'S THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE HOUSTON THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA. AND THAT'S THE GOAL. ABSOLUTELY. AND, AND AGAIN, I, I WORE MY BLUE IN HOMAGE. THE MEN AND, UH, MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE, CHIEF FINNER, CHIEF CANTU, CHIEF THACKER, ALL OF THEM INORDINATELY, APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING. INDEED, I WAS HONORED TO HAVE RECENTLY CHAIRED THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISPANIC, UH, POLICE OFFICERS GROUP FORMING ME, AND INCREDIBLY PROUD. ONCE AGAIN, HERE'S TO A UNIFIED SAFE HOUSTON, THANK YOU FOR BEING ON LATINO VOICES. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT TIME WITH MORE LATINO VOICES. WHAT AN INORDINATELY, ENLIGHTENING BUT NECESSARY CONVERSATION, BUT WITH OPTIMISM, ALWAYS WITH OPTIMISM. WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON LATINA VOICES. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT TIME WITH MORE INTERESTING TOPICS. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAT MATTER TO ALL OF US. UNTIL NEXT TIME, STAY SMART AND STAY SAFE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.