[Press Conference: "Columbia Bike Trail Investigation Update"]
[00:00:19]
LEMME SAY GOOD MORNING.AND, UM, OF COURSE HERE WITH CHIEF NER AND, AND, UH, THE ROBBERY INVESTIGATORS AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CAROLINE, MEMBER SHABAZZ OF DISTRICT D, WHERE THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL IS, IS LOCATED.
UH, WE ARE HERE TO KIND OF UPDATE THE PUBLIC ON SOME RECENT INCIDENTS ON THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL IN THIRD WARD, WHERE BICYCLISTS WERE ROBBED AND ASSAULTED, UH, WHILE SIMPLY TRYING TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS EXERCISING OR SPENDING TIME, UH, WITH THEIR FAMILIES, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO.
UH, THE COLUMBIA TAP BIKE TRAIL HOLDS SUCH SIGNIFICANCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT SERVE AS A VITAL LINK TO OTHER TRAILS AND END STREET BIKE LANES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
YOU HAVE HEARD, UH, ME SAY MANY TIMES THAT WE ARE, WE ARE BIKE FRIENDLY CITY.
WE WANNA CONTINUE TO BE A BIKE FRIENDLY CITY, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR TRAILS AND THEY WILL BE SAFE.
OUR WITNESSES HAVE IDENTIFIED FIVE INCIDENTS WHERE CYCLISTS WERE HELD UP AT GUNPOINT, DATING BACK TO MAY 16TH, AN INCIDENT THAT HPD BELIEVES COULD BE THE WORK OF THE SAME, OF THE SAME SUSPECTS.
UH, DETECTIVES WITH THE ROBBERY DIVISION HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THESE CASES, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT THE DETECTIVES HAVE IDENTIFIED SUSPECTS COMMITTING, UH, THESE CRIMES.
TWO SUSPECTS ARE IN CUSTODY, UH, AND WILL BE CHARGED, AND THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL SUSPECTS.
IN FACT, I KNOW THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL SUSPECTS.
UH, AS THIS INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE ON IDENTIFYING ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE, BUT I'M CONFIDENT, UH, THAT IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN COMMITTING THESE CRIMES WILL BE APPREHENDED, UH, UH, IN THIS, UH, VERY, VERY SHORTLY.
UH, LOOK, LEMME JUST SAY THIS IN, IN, IN CLOSING.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, CYCLISTS, UH, THOSE WHO ARE WALKING ON THESE TRAILS, THOSE WHO ARE RUNNING ON THESE TRAILS, THAT THEY FEEL SAFE IN DOING SO, I JUST WANNA SEND A MESSAGE TO MANY OF OUR YOUNG, UH, INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG MALES, BETWEEN THE AGES, LET'S SAY, OF 16 TO 24, UH, DO NOT MAKE, DO NOT DO THINGS THAT'S GOING TO REALLY JEOPARDIZE, UH, JEOPARDIZE YOUR FUTURE.
UH, UH, BE VERY CAREFUL WHO YOU ARE ASSOCIATING WITH, ESPECIALLY AS WE ENTER THE SUMMER.
UH, DO, UM, PLEASE, PLEASE, THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO VICTIMIZE ANYBODY, HURT ANYBODY, ROB ANYBODY.
AND BE VERY MINDFUL OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE HANGING OUT WITH WHO MIGHT BE ENCOURAGING YOU TO DO THAT.
AND I WOULD SAY TO YOU, IMMEDIATELY STEP AWAY FROM THEM.
BECAUSE IF YOU END UP, UH, HURTING SOMEONE, SHOOTING SOMEONE, ROBBING SOMEONE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE CALLED, YOU'RE GONNA BE, UH, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA SPEND YOUR TIME, UH, UH, IN JAIL AND WITH A RECORD.
AND THAT'S GONNA HURT YOU LONG TERM TO THE PARENTS, UH, TO THE GUARDIANS, TO THE RELATIVES, UH, TO THE FRIENDS.
UH, LET ME JUST SAY TO YOU, TALK TO YOUR YOUNG MEN, ESPECIALLY THAT GROUP BETWEEN 16 AND 24.
UH, ENCOURAGE THEM NOT TO DO THESE TYPE OF THINGS, UH, BECAUSE THEM ONE COULD END UP COSTING YOU FINANCIALLY.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, UM, NOT ONLY COULD THEY BE VICTIMIZING SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT THEY THEMSELVES COULD FIND THEMSELVES HURT.
UH, SO PLEASE TALK TO THESE YOUNG MEN.
AND THEN FINALLY, TO THE YOUNG MEN, THERE'S NO REASON TO BE ROBBING ANYONE FOR ANY MONEY, UH, GET A JOB.
UH, IN FACT, UH, WE HAVE HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH.ORG, HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH.ORG.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW IS GO ONLINE AND WE WILL GIVE YOU A PAID SUMMER JOB.
AND THAT GOES FROM ANYONE FROM THE AGES OF 16 TO 24, JOIN THE OTHER 15,000 YOUNG FOLK, UH, FROM 16 TO 24, WHO HAVE ALREADY APPLIED, WHO ARE SET TO GO SET TO WORK AND PAID JOBS.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO ROB, JUST WORK, OKAY.
AND THEN, UH, YOU'LL PUT YOURSELF IN THE BEST POSITION FOR THE FUTURE.
HAVING SAID THAT, THAT MEAN I'LL YIELD TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN, EVER SHABA.
CERTAINLY THE TAP IS A GREAT CONCERN TO ME PERSONALLY.
I DO RIDE THE TAP AND I LIVE WITHIN A BLOCK OF THE TAP.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A WONDERFUL SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND, AND EXERCISE.
AND SO THE MAYOR HAS EXPRESSED EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS, AND THAT IS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUR LIVES.
THERE ARE SUPPORTS FOR YOU, JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO GO OUT SO THAT YOU CAN GET GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT OR CERTAINLY
[00:05:01]
TO GO INTO THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.I WANNA THANK THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ANY CITIZENS THAT PLAYED A PART IN GETTING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE IN CUSTODY.
OF COURSE, IT'S BITTERSWEET BECAUSE NOW THEY ARE IN CUSTODY AND THEY ARE IN THE SYSTEM.
AND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE THINKING OF PARTAKING IN THESE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES TO CHANGE YOUR LIVES.
SO PARENTS KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE, SEEK OPPORTUNITIES AT SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT GIVE THEM CHANCES TO GO AND DO THINGS THAT ARE POSITIVE.
AND SO, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INFORMATION.
AND, UH, WE ARE GLAD THAT THOSE THAT WERE IMPACTED OUR RECOVERING AND, UH, CAN PARTICIPATE ALSO IN THIS ACTIVITY LATER, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE REGAINED THEIR STRENGTH.
BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AGAIN TO CHIEF FENNER AND THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING SO SWIFTLY TO BE ABLE TO PUT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE IN CUSTODY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN AND, UH, MAYOR.
I WANNA THANK ALL CITIZENS AND DEFINITELY, UH, OUR MEN AND WOMEN ON THE FRONT LINE.
UM, THEY'VE SPOKEN ABOUT BETTERING YOURSELF AND GETTING A JOB, AND I, I WON'T LABOR ON THAT 'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID.
BUT WE ARE HERE AS A CITY, AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP THOSE WHO WANT TO BE HELPED.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THAT GROUP UP, AND I DON'T CARE IF IT'S ON COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL, UH, BIKE TRAIL, OR ANY ELSEWHERE ELSE IN OUR CITY, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE IT.
SO, UM, THIS IS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION AS WE SPEAK, UH, PEOPLE AND OUR TROOPS ARE OUT THERE ROUNDING PEOPLE UP.
UM, I ASKED ONE THING, AND EVERY TIME I'VE ASKED THE MEDIA, UH, FOR ASSISTANCE, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE Y'ALL PROVIDED IT, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE, UM, THE LIEUTENANTS, UH, BOTH ROBBERY DIVISION, UH, LIEUTENANT CONES, AND ALSO, UM, CORY CLOUD, LIEUTENANT CORY CLOUD FROM, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL, UM, CRIME SUPPRESSION UNIT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
BUT AS THE CHIEF, I'M ASKING ALL OF OUR MEDIA, BECAUSE CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED ON TWO OF THEM, TWO OF 'EM IN CUSTODY.
IT'S STILL SOME OUT THERE, AND WE STILL HAVE TO CONDUCT, UH, PHOTO LINEUPS.
SO PLEASE, NO PHOTOS ON THE MEDIA OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, GIVE OUR INVESTIGATORS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEIR JOB.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK STILL HAS TO BE DONE.
UH, WE WANT TO LET OUR PUBLIC KNOW CONTINUE TO RIDE ON ANY TRAIL IN, IN, IN, IN HOUSTON, BUT BE VIGILANT, RIDE IN GROUPS.
UM, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED, UH, UM, TEAMS THAT WE, YOU'LL SEE OUT, UH, ON THE, UH, TRAILS, NOT ONLY COLUMBIA, BUT ALSO AROUND THE CITY.
SOME OFFICERS YOU WILL SEE AND RECOGNIZE IN UNIFORMS, SOME YOU WON'T.
AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT WE SENDING INTO, UH, ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS.
SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAM.
I WANT TO THANK ALL COMMANDERS.
BOTH ARE NOT HERE, UM, TODAY, UH, COMMANDER JOHNSON FROM, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION, AND ALSO COMMANDER SMITH FROM ROBBERY DIVISION FOR THE LEADERSHIP, UH, THAT THEY PROVIDED.
UM, QUICK MOVES ON, ON, ON GETTING A FEW OF THESE INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTODY IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
UH, COMMANDER HITMAN IS ALSO HERE.
AND WE'LL, UM, UM, DISCUSS SOME, SOME THINGS ON JUGGING.
UM, BUT, UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, UH, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO, UH, UH, CORY, LIEUTENANT CORY CLOUD, SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAM.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, AND, AND, UM, LIEUTENANT, UH, CAN SPEAK AS WELL.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
YOU ALL'S ENCOURAGEMENT IN THIS MATTER DURING THE, UH, PRESENT TIME ALONG THE COLUMBIA TAP TRAIL.
UM, I DO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE TWO MALES IN CUSTODY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RELEASE THE NAMES AT THIS TIME.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ZEALOUSLY WITH ROBBERY DIVISION, LIEUTENANT CONES FROM THE VIOLENT OFFENDERS UNIT FROM, UH, ROBBERY DIVISION.
UM, AND I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME OUT TO ALSO THANK THE SERGEANTS ON THE CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ZEALOUSLY THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
THE NAMES ARE DION, KRISTEN, UH, 17 YEARS OF AGE, AND WILLIE CARROLL, 17 YEARS OF AGE.
UM, THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING, SO PLEASE WORK WITH US IN REGARDS TO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN'T RELEASE A LOT OF DETAILS, BECAUSE THE LAST THING THAT WE WANT TO DO IS KEEP THE PUBLIC IN DANGER.
WE WANNA SUPPRESS THE DANGER AND ALLOW THE BIKE
[00:10:01]
TRAILS TO BE A TIME OF HAPPINESS, EXERCISING, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GOOD TIMES.SO PLEASE WORK WITH US ON THAT.
UM, NEXT, I LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, THE AREAS OF THE BIKE TRAILS THAT WE HAVE SATURATED, WE'RE USING BIKES, WE'RE USING ATVS, WE'RE USING, UM, E-BIKES, WHICH ARE BASICALLY ELECTRIC BIKES TO BASICALLY RIDE ON.
UM, SO LET'S TURN A PRESSING TIME INTO A TIME OF RELATIONAL POLICING.
LET'S GET TO KNOW THE OFFICERS ON THE TRAIL.
LET'S HAVE CONVERSATIONS, AND LET'S TRY TO USE THIS TIME AS A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND LET'S TRY TO BRIDGE THOSE GAPS.
SO LET'S NOT ALLOW, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WAS CRIMINAL, THAT OTHERS WERE DOING THAT WERE NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW, HURT OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA REMAIN PROACTIVE, WE'RE GONNA REMAIN VIGILANT, AND WE'RE GONNA BE OUT THERE.
UM, AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO YIELD TO LIEUTENANT CONES FOR, UM, MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION.
I'M LIEUTENANT CONES WITH ROBBERY DIVISIONS, VIOLENT OFFENDER SQUAD.
I JUST KINDA LIKE TO REITERATE WHAT THE CHIEF AND THE MAYOR HAVE SAID.
THIS IS AN ACTIVE AND ONGOING INVESTIGATION, SO WE DON'T WANNA REVEAL TOO MUCH ABOUT IT THAT COULD POSSIBLY JEOPARDIZE THE OUTCOME OF THE INVESTIGATION.
WE'RE CURRENTLY, I, I WORK FOR THE VIOLENT OFFENDER SQUAD, VERY SKILLED IN KNOWLEDGEABLE GROUP.
WE'RE ACTIVELY RIGHT NOW TRYING TO TIE THESE CASES TOGETHER.
THERE'S FIVE TOTAL ROBBERY CASES THAT OCCURRED ON THE, ON THE TAP TRAIL.
WE'RE TYING THOSE TOGETHER, TRYING TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL SUSPECTS.
SAID WE HAVE THREE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED, BUT WE HAVE, WE THINK THAT THERE'S MORE OUT THERE.
UM, THE PUBLIC WAS KEYING THIS INVESTIGATION.
WE'RE ASKING THE PUBLIC AGAIN, IF ANYONE WAS OUT THERE, SAW SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS, THE POLICE CONTACT ROBBERY DIVISION 7 1 3 3 0 8 0 700.
IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL DI VICTIM THAT DID NOT COME FORWARD, PLEASE COME FORWARD NOW.
UH, IF ANYONE HAS ANY KIND OF INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ROBBERY DIVISION.
WHAT WERE THEY CHARGED FOR THAT DEAL? UH, YEAH, SO I CAN, UM, SPEAK TO THAT.
BOTH SUSPECTS WERE CHARGED WITH, UH, ROBBERY AND EVADING ARREST.
SO AGAIN, BOTH WERE CHARGED WITH ROBBERY AND EVADING ARREST.
SORRY, CAN YOU SPELL THE NAME? YES.
UM, THE FIRST IS D-E-I-O-N, LAST NAME C-H-R-I-S-T-T-E-N.
THE SECOND IS WILLIE, TRADITIONALLY SPELLED INDIAN, IE WILLIE.
AND LAST NAME IS CAROL, C-A-R-R-O-L-L.
ALRIGHT, UH, MARIN, BEFORE WE, UH, MOVE ON, UM, I, I, I WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS, UM, SOME CITYWIDE STATS, ALTHOUGH THEY HADN'T WENT THROUGH STAFF REVIEW, SO THEY'RE NOT OFFICIAL STATS, BUT YEAR TO DATE, UH, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.
AND LET ME PAUSE AND BACK UP JUST FOR A MOMENT.
UH, CUNY HOMES, UM, UM, THIS IS NOT AN INDICTMENT ON THEM, AND I WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THAT QUESTION COMES UP.
UH, AND WE'VE HEARD IT BEFORE, YOUR CHIEF, YOUR MAYOR, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, AND ALL OF US, WE SUPPORT THE GREAT PEOPLE AND, AND THAT GREAT.
A LOT OF US WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WASN'T BECAUSE OUR FATHERS AND OUR MOTHERS AND OUR GRANDPARENTS WAS RAISED STILL A STRONG.
SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP OVER THERE.
AND THESE SUSPECTS, AND THE QUESTION MAY COME UP, DO THEY RESIDE? DO THEY LIVE THERE? THEY HANGING OUT, DEFINITELY HANGING OUT IN THOSE AREAS.
BUT THAT'S NOT AN INDICTMENT OF THOSE GREAT PEOPLE OVER THERE.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY HOW MUCH WE LOVE YOU AND RESPECT YOU.
HARDWORKING INDIVIDUALS, VERY PROUD.
SO, UH, LET'S GET THAT MESSAGE OUT.
BUT REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY, I I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OVERALL STATISTICS.
YEAR TO DATE, UH, WE'RE STILL, UH, AGAIN, A FEW DAYS AWAY FROM STAFF REVIEW, BUT MURDER, UH, IS DOWN 22%.
ROBBERY IS DOWN 13%, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, SHOOTINGS OR DOWN 15% IN OUR CITY.
OVERALL, VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN 14%.
UH, MY NEXT TOPIC I WANNA MOVE TO IS, UM, JUGGING.
AND, UH, I WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, A FEW DAYS BACK, THERE'S SOME STATS WERE RELEASED.
THOSE JUGGING INCIDENTS ARE UP, UM, IN, IN OUR CITY.
UM, THERE IS NO ACTUAL CATEGORY, NATIONAL CATEGORY THAT THEY KEEP STATS ON FOR JUGGING, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING MORE OF THE A METHOD OF OPERATION.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUGGING, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TARGETED AFTER THEY'RE LEAVING JEWELRY STORES, GUN STORES, OR HIGH-END STORES, OR THE BANK.
UH, SOMETIMES IT ENDS UP IN, UH, BURG OF A MOTOR VEHICLE.
BUT LET THE PUBLIC KNOW AND A MESSAGE TO THE CRIMINALS WE ARE ESTABLISHED IN A CITYWIDE TASK FORCE, WHICH IS GONNA INCLUDE, UM, OTHER PARTNERS IN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT FIELD.
[00:15:01]
UH, AND, AND THE MESSAGE, JUST KEEP DOING IT, IF YOU MAY, AND WE'RE GONNA GET YOU, WE'RE GONNA FIND YOU, WE'RE GONNA PUT YOU IN JAIL AS AS WELL.UM, SO I HAVE COMMANDER, UH, HITMAN HERE, UH, WITH OUR AUTO THEFT DIVISION.
SHE'S GONNA GO OVER A FEW SAFETY TIPS AND A FEW THINGS, MORE THINGS, UM, CONCERNING THE JUGGING.
UM, AS THE JUGGING NUMBERS INCREASE, ATIC CONFERRED NUMBERS DECREASE.
OKAY? SO THAT, THAT MAY BE A CORRELATION IN THAT SOME OF THOSE SUSPECTS AFTER LAWS ARE CHANGED AND WE'RE CRAMP CLAMPING DOWN ON IT.
PRECIOUS METALS, PRICES GOING DOWN.
UM, SO THEY MAY BE MOVING OVER, AND IT'S MY JOB AS THE CHIEF AND OUR JOB AS A TEAM TO MOVE WITH THEM.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN THIS CITY.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE SOME RESULTS HERE PRETTY SOON.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME'S DANA HITMAN.
I'M THE COMMANDER OF THE AUTO THEFT DIVISION.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT JUGGING.
AND JUGGING IS A TERM THAT WE USE HERE IN HOUSTON, UH, TO DESCRIBE A TYPE OF PREDATORY THEFT.
UH, BASICALLY THESE SUSPECTS, THEY WILL SPEND HOURS, UH, CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE.
AGAIN, THEY DO THAT AT MOST COMMONLY AT BANKS, AT GUN RANGES, AT HIGH-END RETAIL, UH, STORES AND AT JEWELRY STORES.
THEY WILL SIT OUTSIDE, TYPICALLY IN VEHICLES WITH DARK TINTED WINDOWS.
SOMETIMES THEY WILL GO IN THE BANK AND POSE AS A CUSTOMER.
UH, BUT THEY WORK IN TEAMS. THEY CONDUCT HOURS OF SURVEILLANCE, AND THEY ARE WATCHING FOR CITIZENS WHO MAYBE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, WALK OUT OF THE BANK WITH A, A BANK DEPOSIT BAG, UM, OR GUNS FROM A GUN RANGE.
AND SOMETIMES CITIZENS, UH, INSTEAD OF GOING DIRECTLY HOME OR TO THEIR PLACE OF BUSINESS TO MAKE THAT BUSINESS TRANSACTION, THEY'LL GO STOP AT A RESTAURANT AND LEAVE THAT MONEY IN THEIR CAR OR THEIR GUNS IN THEIR CAR.
UH, AND MOST COMMONLY, THESE JOGGINGS OCCUR AS A BUR BURGLARY OF MOTOR VEHICLE, UH, WHERE THEY BREAK INTO THE CAR AND STEAL THOSE VALUABLE ITEMS. OBVIOUSLY, THESE CRIMES ALSO, UH, INCREASE IN CONFRONTATION SOMETIMES AND LEAD TO ROBBERIES.
UH, AND WE'VE EVEN, YOU KNOW, UH, HAD A HOMICIDE A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, WITH A JUGGING INCIDENT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY IS CITIZENS TO BE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
UH, WHEN YOU LEAVE THOSE TYPE OF PLACES, PLEASE, UH, PAY ATTENTION TO IF YOU'RE BEING FOLLOWED, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BEING FOLLOWED, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR STOP BY YOUR NEAREST POLICE STATION.
UH, WE, WE DON'T WANT ANY CITIZENS TO GET, UM, TO BE TARGETED BY THIS.
AND WE WANNA TAKE ACTION TO, TO, UH, GET THESE SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY.
UM, SOME OTHER THINGS I, I WANTED TO MENTION, UH, IN TERMS OF BANK TRANSACTIONS, PLEASE COMPLETE THOSE TRANSACTIONS ELECTRONICALLY, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UH, AND THEN, UM, AGAIN, PLEASE TRY TO GO FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
UH, IF IT'S A BUSINESS TRANSACTION, TRY TO, UH, GO TO THE BANK AND DO THE BUSINESS TRANSACTION.
PLEASE DON'T STOP IN BETWEEN, AT, UH, AT RESTAURANTS OR OTHER LOCATIONS.
UM, AND THEN AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED, WE ARE STARTING A, A TASK FORCE FOR THIS.
THAT'LL BE, UH, WITH OUR INVESTIGATIVE DIVISIONS AND OUR PATROL CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS. UH, THESE OPERATIONS, WE ALREADY WORK, UH, REACTIVELY AND PROACTIVELY.
THEY'RE VERY MANPOWER INTENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF SURVEILLANCE THAT THESE SUSPECTS DO.
UM, BUT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THEM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THESE CRIMES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMANDER.
UH, BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS REALLY QUICKLY, UH, UH, WHERE'S MY COMMANDER? COME ON UP HERE AND DO THIS TRANSLATION IN SPANISH.
HE'S CHIEF, I'M SORRY, CHIEF GARCIA.
I'M DEMOTING YOU, HUH? NO, NOT, NO.
IT'S NORMALLY COMMANDER, Y'ALL KNOW WHO NORMALLY DOES IT BY COMMANDER, CHIEF OF STAFF, BUT HE, HE, HE'S OFF ALSO.
WELL, WHEN GARCIA, HOUSTON, CHIEF
[00:21:00]
PHOTOS, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.AND WE'LL OPEN UP FOR, UH, QUESTIONS.
UH, I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS A TIGHT SCHEDULE, UH, TO GET TO ANOTHER EVENT, BUT, UH, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GO? YES, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, SO I, AND WE'LL GET TO, WE'VE RECENTLY REPORTED THAT, UH, ONE OF THE SUSPECTS TRIED TO USE, TOOK ONE OF THE PHONE CALLS, VENMO, TO PAY THEMSELVES.
DID THAT HELP? WE'RE NOT GONNA GO OVER.
I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT ALL QUESTIONS, BUT AT THIS TIME IT'S TOO ACTIVE RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO INTO ANY DETAILS.
WE SIMPLY WANTED TO COME OUT AND LET ALL PUBLIC KNOW THERE HAS BEEN MOVEMENT ON THIS CASE.
UH, WE GOT TWO ARRESTED, UH, ONE THAT WE WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND SOME ADDITIONAL, SO WE CANNOT GO INTO ANY DETAILS.
CAN I HAVE A QUICK FOLLOW UP? YES, GO AHEAD.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT HAD TO BE DONE SPECIFICALLY FOR SUMMER PREVENTION AGAINST THESE TYPE OF INCIDENTS? SAME THING.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU'LL SEE, UM, OFFICERS OUT ON THE BIKE TRAILS ON E-BIKES, ON ON ATVS.
AND SOME OF 'EM YOU WON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE, UH, UH, UNDERCOVER, UH, OFFICERS.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE MILES AND MILES.
THIS IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND WE CAN'T COVER, SO WE CALL UPON OUR PUBLIC.
IF YOU SEE ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
THESE, UH, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY'S BEEN CALLING FOR, THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM
[00:25:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN'S OFFICE, WHERE IS HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AT IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTING THOSE SAFETY FEATURES? HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS SAYS IT'S UP TO HPV TO START A PROGRAM AND LOOK INTO THAT.WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? CALL BOX'S LIGHTING CAMERAS.
I'LL LET THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SPEAK TO THAT.
YOU THINK I BETTER MAYOR? OKAY, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, UM, UH, OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE UNDER ONE SAFE HOUSTON.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND PUBLIC WORKS.
ALL OF THAT IS FLOWING THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION.
I AM REVIEWING ALL OF THAT, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S, UM, THERE ARE A LOT MORE DETAILS INVOLVED, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IMMEDIATELY IS TO HAVE MORE POLICE OFFICERS, BOTH IN UNIFORM, THOSE ARE NOT IN UNIFORM, UH, LOOKING AT WAYS OF PUTTING UP MORE CAMERAS ON THESE TRAILS ON ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST ON ANY PARTICULAR ONE.
SO WE ARE ASSESSING, UH, ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT AND HOW QUICKLY WE CAN DO THAT.
SO THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS, BUT IT'S JUST A LOT MORE INTRICATE, UH, THAN JUST SAY, LET'S GO AND PUT UP SOMETHING.
ANYBODY ELSE? ARE YOU, ARE YOU ENCOURAGING THE BUDDY SYSTEM PERHAPS ON THE TRAILS OR, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE WITH YOU WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING, PERIOD, WHEN YOU'RE WALKING AND, AND, AND GOING THROUGH ANY PLACE IN THE CITY.
AND CERTAINLY IF YOU ARE ALONE, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION TO YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY OR SOME SYSTEM.
AND SO IT'S GONNA BE INCUMBENT ON PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE MOVING ABOUT TO BE VIGILANT AND CERTAINLY TO GIVE OTHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AT ALL TIMES.
WHAT TYPE OF VIOLENCE WAS INVOLVED IN THESE INCIDENTS THAT THEY KNOW THEY USED A GUN IN ALL OF 'EM, OR NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO DETAIL WITH THEM RIGHT NOW.
AND ONCE WE MAKE THOSE ARRESTS AND ALL OF THEM, WE'RE GONNA GIVE Y'ALL A COMPLETE UPDATE.
I, I PROMISE YOU SOMEBODY OVER HERE.
WAIT, BEFORE WE GET BACK, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING OVER HERE FOR A FINAL QUESTION? WE'LL GET TO YOU.
SPEAKING OF, HOW MANY SUSPECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? AND COULD THIS BEGIN RELATED? WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS TIME, AND I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH SPECULATING RIGHT NOW, BUT I, I CAN TELL YOU THIS, UH, WE'RE LASER FOCUS ON, UH, GETTING EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED IN THESE CRIMES AND ANY OTHER CRIME IN OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES VIOLENCE.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS ARE TERRORIZING PEOPLE, UH, WE WILL NOT TOLERATE IT.
AND OUR, OUR MAYOR, UH, HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH SUPPORT OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ONE SAFE HOUSTON, A LOT OF OVERTIME DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING THOSE RESULTS.
SO AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN, BUT WE NEED THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IN IT.
LEMME JUST, LEMME JUST GO AHEAD VERY QUICKLY.
LEMME LEMME JUST EMPHASIZE, UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO UTILIZE THE TRAIL, SO PLEASE UTILIZE THE TRAILS.
OKAY? UH, I'LL BE OUT THERE ON THE TRAILS.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'RE GONNA RUN INTO.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING WRONG, I MEAN, THE PERSON RIDING THAT BIKE COULD BE A COP, OKAY? THE PERSON RIDING THAT BIKE COULD BE THE MAYOR, OKAY? SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO UTILIZE THE TRAILS.
BY AND LARGE, OUR TRAILS ARE SAFE.
OKAY? SO I DON'T WANT TWO OR THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE JUST MAKING BAD DECISIONS, UH, UH, TO STOP THE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS FROM UTILIZING TRAILS WHERE WE ARE CREATING CONNECTIVITY, A WALKABLE, FRIENDLY, PEDESTRIAN BIKEABLE CITY.
AND, UH, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT, UH, UH, TO PEOPLE THAT WE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BEEF UP RESOURCES DURING THE SUMMER.
SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO, UH, THESE YOUNG PERSONS OUT HERE, EXERCISE, GOOD JUDGMENT.
OKAY? DON'T MAKE A FOOLISH, SILLY MISTAKE, YOU WILL BE CAUGHT.
UH, AND THEN I JUST ASK THAT ONCE WE CATCH THEM, THAT JUDGES BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT, UH, THAT THEY PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY DON'T JUST PUT PEOPLE BACK OUT.
THERE IS A COST WHEN YOU COMMIT A CRIME, YOU DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF COMMITTING A CRIME AND THEN BEING OUT AND THEN GOING AND DO IT AGAIN.
SO LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER AND THEN I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VERY SAFE CITY.
AND THEN ON THE HOMICIDES, I JUST HAVE TO POINT OUT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I'M SORRY.
WE ARE 43 HOMICIDES LESS THAN WE WERE IN 2022.
AND WE ARE 43 HOMICIDES LESS THAN WHERE WE WERE IN 2021.
OKAY? SO WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I WANT TO THANK CHIEF NER.
I WANNA THANK THE WHOLE COMMAND STAFF.
I WANNA THANK THE 5100 5200 POLICE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE.
I WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND EVERYONE WHO'S PARTICIPATING BECAUSE WE ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN WE DEAL WITH THESE INCIDENTS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS
[00:30:01]
AND, AND WE WILL DO THAT.WERE YOU ABLE TO SAY IF THE BOYS WERE REMORSEFUL AT ALL WHEN ARRESTED? OR? I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANNA, 'CAUSE I'M GOING ON.
THIS IS THE LAST QUESTION THOUGH.
ONE, THE THREE SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED, TWO CHARGED, CORRECT? YES, YES, YES, YES.
ARE YOU ASKING US NOT TO USE PHOTOS? PLEASE DON'T.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND HEY, THAT'S WHY I LOVE OUR MEDIA HERE.