[00:00:01]
UH, AT 2:00 PM[ Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee on July 20, 2023.]
EXCUSE ME, 2:02 PM TODAY WE ARE GONNA HAVE ONE PRESENTATION ON THE PROPOSED FIREARM INJURY, UH, DATA INTEGRATION PROGRAM THAT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED BY OUR HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HPD.UH, WE, AT FIRST, I WANNA RECOGNIZE WE'RE JOINED BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE, UH, THOMAS'S OFFICE, ROBINSON'S OFFICE, GALLEGOS OFFICE, UH, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER CIRO'S OFFICE, AND ONLINE BY COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER'S OFFICE IS, DID I MISS ANYONE? OKAY.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THAT ARE TRAVELING ABROAD WITH THE MAYOR RIGHT NOW, SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S ATTENDANCE.
UH, WE DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WATCHING ONLINE AND ON HTV.
PLEASE NOTE THE PRESENTATIONS ARE UPLOADED ON THE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE AS WELL.
GIVEN THE HEAT, I WANNA REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT YOU CAN SEEK, UH, COOLING AND AIR CONDITIONING AT OUR CITY, MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS AND LIBRARIES DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS.
TO FIND THE NEAREST COOLING CENTER LOCATION OR AN AIR CONDITIONED FACILITY, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL 3 1 1 FOR MORE INFORMATION.
UH, PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY SENIORS RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU SEE SOMEONE, UH, OVERHEATING, STOP, CHECK ON THEM.
BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER AND BE SAFE.
UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE OFFICER, DR. LAUREN HOPKINS, AND UTMB, PEDIATRIC SURGEON AND TRAUMA EXPERT, DR.
UH, IF Y'ALL WOULD PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
AND THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UM, ASSISTANT CHIEF MARTIN.
WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AS WELL.
UH, HOW THIS WILL WORK IS, UM, OUR GOOD DOCTORS WILL BE PRESENTING.
FIRST I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE HOLD ALL QUESTIONS UNTIL, DO Y'ALL HAVE SEATING IN CHAIRS? CAN WE GET SOME CHAIRS FOR THEM? THANKS.
SO WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT, UM, I'LL JUST SAY AFTER THEY PRESENT, WE'RE GONNA JUMP RIGHT INTO HPDS, UH, REMARKS AS WELL, BECAUSE IT PERTAINS TO THE SAME EXACT PRESENTATION.
THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AFTER THAT AND WE CAN LOWER.
SO, WE'RE ABOUT TO, UM, HEAR, UH, ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL IF, UH, MANY OF YOU WILL RECALL, WE BROUGHT THIS TO, UH, THE FULL CO COUNCIL AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT DURING THE COMMITTEE, UH, BUDGET HEARING PROCESS.
AND THIS IS A PROPOSAL, UM, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO, TO HOUSE BASICALLY THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UH, FIREARM INJURY DATA INTEGRATION, UH, DASHBOARD AND PROGRAM.
SO, WE'RE GONNA BE HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONS THAT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD, UH, BUT I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS, UH, ITEM GIVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING NATIONWIDE AND GIVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR CITY IN TERMS OF FIREARM INJURIES AND DEATHS.
UH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME, UH, WITH THAT, DR. HOPKINS, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THIS TODAY.
I'M THE CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE OFFICER FOR THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND I'M HERE WITH, UM, DR.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA, UH, PRESENT THIS, UH, UM, PROPOSAL OR THE INFORMATION BEHIND THAT, UM, ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY, UM, SUPPORTING, UM, THE COMMITTEE, UH, SUPPORTING PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY THROUGH THIS FIREARM INJURY DATA INTEGRATION PROJECT.
AND WHILE WE'RE GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, DR.
BINDI, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND INTRODUCING YOURSELF AT THE FRONT BEGINNING OF THIS AS WELL? ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR OF, UM, THIS PODIUM.
MY NAME IS, UH, BINDI NIKE MATRIA.
I'M A, UH, PEDIATRIC SURGEON AND A TRAUMA SURGEON.
PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS AT BAYLOR.
AND, UM, I WORK WITH, I'VE BEEN ON THE MAYOR'S, UH, COMMISSION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE, UM, AND, UM, AND WORK WITH, UM, DR. HOPKINS IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO FIRST OFF, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
UM, AT THAT GOES TOWARDS THE NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF PROJECT, UM, DESPITE INTRODUCING, UM, UH, REDUCED FIREARM RELATED DEATHS AND, AND REDUCING NON-FATAL FIREARM RELATED INJURIES, UM, AS A GOAL FOR THE HEALTHY PEOPLE 2030, UM, WE REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN IMPROVEMENT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, SINCE 2020, DEATH FROM FIREARM IS NOW THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CHILDREN, UM, MORE THAN FROM MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES OR ILLNESS, FIREARM,
[00:05:01]
SUICIDE AND HOMICIDE HAS INCREASED FOR BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN.AND ALL TRAUMA CENTERS IN HOUSTON HAVE SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN FIREARM INJURY VICTIMS SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
AND THIS HAS JUST BEEN STEADILY RISING SINCE 2018, REGARDLESS OF, UM, ALL THE EFFORTS THAT PEOPLE ARE PUTTING INTO IT.
THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF FIREARM INJURIES, UH, AND NONFATAL INJURIES, OR TWO TO THREE TIMES MORE THAN, UM, MORE COMMON THAN THE FATAL INJURIES.
UM, AND I, I THINK A, A REALLY BIG THING TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT, UH, ALL INJURIES ARE IMPORTANT AND THEY COULD BE DIFFERENT.
UM, AND THEY'RE JUST NOT ALL, UH, NOT ALL HOMICIDES.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FROM A HEALTH DEPARTMENT STANDPOINT AND HOW THAT CAN AFFECT THE INTERVENTIONS.
WHAT WE HOPE TO HAVE, UH, WITH THIS WORK IS A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND WHY FIREARM RELATED INJURIES AND DEATHS OCCUR.
UM, WE NEED THIS INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN REALLY TARGET PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, THE WORD INTERVENTION, YOU KNOW, LIKE ACTIONS THAT WE WOULD TAKE TO STOP THIS CHAIN OF EVENTS.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN BREAK THE, THE TREND OF THIS INCREASING FIREARM VIOLENCE AND, AND REDUCE IT.
SO THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT COLLECTS AND ANALYZES AND PRESENTS, UM, DATA ACROSS DISPARATE DATA BASES AND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS TO DEFINE, UM, WHO IS THE MOST VULNERABLE FOR A FIREARM EVENT.
UH, WHAT TYPES OF FIREARM EVENTS ARE OCCURRING.
AND THAT GOES TO INTENT, UM, OF REALLY KEY, UM, UNDERSTANDING FOR THE TARGETING OF PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS.
WHERE AND WHEN ARE THE FIREARM EVENTS MOST OFTEN OCCURRING? AND THEN WHY ARE THE FIREARM EVENTS OCCURRING, LIKE RISK FACTORS IN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS? UM, SO THAT WOULD BE THE APPROACH OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE, WE, AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVE A, UH, TRACK RECORD OF, UM, OF DOING THIS WORK ACROSS VARIOUS, UH, DATA SOURCES OF INTEGRATING ALL TYPES OF DATA SOURCES SO WE CAN GET THE FULLEST UNDERSTANDING OF A PROBLEM.
AND WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT.
OF COURSE, OUR COVID RESPONSE, UM, INVOLVES, UH, INTEGRATION ACROSS MULTIPLE DATA SETS, WHICH YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF, INCLUDING VACCINE WASTEWATER DATA, OUR POSITIVITY RATE AND HOSPITALIZATIONS, ICU BED USE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT ANOTHER KEY EXAMPLE, WHICH YOU MIGHT NOT, UM, UH, REMEMBER AS WELL, IS, UH, WHERE WE TOOK DATA FROM OUT OF HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST.
WE ANALYZED THE DATA ACROSS THE CITY.
WE FOUND HOTSPOTS OF CARDIAC ARREST.
WE THEN ANALYZED THE CPR RATES BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE SURVIVAL FROM CARDIAC ARREST.
AND WE FOUND, UM, NOT ONLY ARE CARDIAC ARRESTS OCCURRING AT, UH, CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY AND HOTSPOTS, BUT PEOPLE ACTUALLY DYING AT A HIGHER RATE IN THOSE HOTSPOTS.
SO IT'S NOT EQUAL, IT'S DISPARATE ACROSS THE CITY.
AND WITH THAT INFORMATION, UM, WE, UH, INITIATED A REALLY BIG CAMPAIGN INTO THOSE HOTSPOT AREAS TO, UM, INCREASE BYSTANDER CPR, UM, INTERVENTIONS SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS IN THE CHAIN OF SURVIVAL.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO WITH THIS, UH, THIS SYSTEM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO, MY RESEARCH, SHE AND I, UM, TRY, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT ONE PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO AND FIND ALL THIS DATA, OKAY? SO WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE HOMICIDES.
HPD COLLECTS A LOT OF THAT, UM, EXCELLENT DATA, BUT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE, THE, UM, ADULTS AND CHILDREN THAT GET SHOT AND DON'T DIE.
AND, UM, THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
THEY LEAD TO LONG TERM DISABILITY, ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS. UM, WE HAVE TO, IF WE WANNA PREVENT THESE INJURIES, WHICH IN THE END IS THE GOAL, WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EVERY TYPE OF INJURY THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND SO IN ORDER TO, THERE'S NOT ONE PLACE THAT THAT DATA IS COLLECTED.
SO WE, UM, PROPOSED A, UM, SYSTEM THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE CDC.
WE WERE THE ONLY CITY THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE CDC IN 2020 TO STUDY THIS.
AND BASICALLY, WE COMBINED DATA FROM ALL THE LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTERS IN HOUSTON.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RECORDS, THE DEATH RECORDS OF EVERYONE THAT DIED BY FIREARM AND THE POLICE RECORDS.
WE COMBINED ALL OF THIS IN A PERFORMED GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS USING THE CENSUS BUREAU AND THE, UH, REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY, AND IDENTIFIED NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL RISK FACTORS AND HOTSPOTS.
YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA THAT YOU CAN GET FROM THESE DIFFERENT, UM, SOURCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRAUMA CENTERS WILL GIVE YOU DATA ON THE, BOTH THE DEATHS AND THE NON DEATHS, ALL THE INJURIES TO FROM WHERE PEOPLE GOT SHOT, WHERE THEY LIVE, WHAT THEIR RISK FACTORS MIGHT HAVE
[00:10:01]
BEEN, WHAT THE SHOOTING INTENT WAS, A SHOOTING TYPE.SO IT'S VERY DIFFERENT TO PREVENT INJURIES FROM SUICIDE VERSUS HOMICIDE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THEN FROM THE DEATH RECORDS, UM, WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE DEATHS, AND AGAIN, WHERE THESE PEOPLE LIVE, WHERE THEY WERE SHOT, AND, UM, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE POLICE RECORDS ALL CRIMES WITH A GUN, INCLUDING SHOOTING LOCATIONS.
SO BY COMBINING ALL OF THIS DATA, WE, WE, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I THINK, GAINED A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF, UM, THE PROBLEM OF FIREARM INJURY IN HOUSTON.
BUT THIS WAS ONLY FOR THREE YEAR, A THREE YEAR PERIOD, 2018 TO 2020.
AND THIS WAS ALL MANUAL, MANUALLY COLLECTED.
AND, UM, IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK.
SO NOW WE'RE PROPOSING PUSHING THIS FORWARD.
SO WHAT DID WE FIND? WE FOUND THAT BETWEEN 2018 AND 2020, THERE WAS A 76% INCREASE IN CHILD, UH, FIREARM INJURY, DEATHS AND INJURIES, AND A 67% INJ, UH, INCREASE IN ADULT FIREARM DEATHS AND INJURIES.
AND WE KNOW THAT SINCE 2020, IT'S EVEN HIGHER.
OKAY? SO THIS IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND, UM, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS UNREMITTING IN OUR CITY.
WE FOUND BY COMBINING, UH, UH, UH, CRIME DATA FROM NOT JUST HPD, BUT ALL THE, UH, POLICE, UH, JURISDICTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY, THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES, WE FOUND A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING DATA.
1800 FIREARM DEATHS, 8,600 FIREARM INJURIES.
SO AGAIN, THE MORE DATA THAT YOU CAN INTEGRATE, THE, UH, MORE WE CAN UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM, WE FOUND SOME HOTSPOTS.
THESE ARE FIRST LEVEL, SECOND LIBERAL HOTSPOTS.
SOME OF THESE HOTSPOTS ARE KNOWN, AND, AND WE ALREADY HAVE EXCELLENT COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND THESE, BUT SOME OF THESE ARE NEW.
AND SO, AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS ALL ACTIONABLE DATA TO PREVENT INJURIES.
WE FOUND, UM, WHEN WE BROKE IT DOWN BY SHOOTING TYPE OR SHOOTING INTENT, WE FOUND SOME INTERESTING DIFFERENCES.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, THE BYSTANDERS, A LOT OF CHILDREN, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE JUST SHOT IN THE LINE OF FIRE, SHOT AT JUST STANDING IN THE PARK OR AT A BUS STOP OR THROUGH, ARE SITTING IN THEIR HOMES, AND A BULLET COMES THROUGH THE WALL.
WE FOUND THAT, UM, THE LOCATIONS WHERE THESE PEOPLE LIVE THAT ARE BY SHOT BY, BY AS BYSTANDERS, AND THEN SHOT BY ASSAULT OR HOMICIDE, WERE, WERE THE SAME.
AND THOSE ARE THE, YOU KNOW, THE QUOTE UNQUOTE DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, BUT THE ACCIDENTAL INJ, UH, SHOOTINGS, THE, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONES WHERE A CHILD FINDS A GUN AND SHOOTS THEMSELVES OR EVEN IN AN ADULT.
UM, THOSE HAPPEN IN BOTH THE, UH, URBAN AND THE SUBURBAN AREAS, KIND OF ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
AND THEN, INTERESTINGLY, THE SUICIDES, BY FAR, BOTH IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN, ARE HAPPENING MORE IN THE SUBURBAN AREAS, ESPECIALLY OUT BY, ON THE, UH, WEST SIDE OF THE CITY.
WE FOUND SOME VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS HELPFUL FOR TARGETING, UM, UH, RESOURCES TO, UM, TO THESE POPULATIONS.
SO ABOUT 54% OF OUR, UH, POPULATION WAS BLACK, HOWEVER, THAT WAS MOSTLY FOR THE ASSAULT.
AND, UM, UNINTENTIONAL ONES FOR THE SUICIDES, THE MAJORITY WERE ACTUALLY WHITE, NON-HISPANIC, 59%.
ALTHOUGH YOUNG CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED AS WELL.
I, I WANT YOU TO ALL REMEMBER THAT 16% OF THE, UM, OF THE, UH, PEOPLE THAT WERE SHOT IN HARRIS COUNTY IN THIS THREE YEAR PERIOD WERE UNDER AGE 12.
AS A PEDIATRIC SURGEON, I'M TIRED OF SEEING THESE CHILDREN COME IN EVERY DAY TO THE ER.
I'M TIRED OF HOLDING THEM AS THEY DIE, AND AS THEY SUFFER, UM, 62% OF THEM WERE UNMARRIED, 93% OF THEM HAD LOW INCOME.
UM, AND THEN ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE WAS A FACTOR IN SOME OF THESE CASES.
WE, UH, LOOKED FOR WHERE THESE SHOOTINGS OCCURRED, AND WE FOUND ABOUT HALF OCCURRED IN THE CAR.
AND THESE, THIS IS, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, COMMON FOR ASSAULTS AND THEN ALSO FOR, UM, SUICIDES AND ACCIDENTAL INJURIES.
27% IN SIDEWALKS, 19% IN PARKING LOTS.
AND THAT'S, UM, QUITE ACTIONABLE BECAUSE IF YOU, UH, NOW TAKE THESE PARKING LOTS IN THE HOTSPOT AREAS AND ADD LIGHTING, FOR EXAMPLE, OR CAMERAS, POTENTIALLY, THAT COULD BE A WAY TO REDUCE SOME OF THESE SHOOTINGS.
AND WE FOUND THAT MOST OF THEM HAPPEN AT NIGHTTIME.
UM, 12% HAPPEN IN HOMES, 9% IN APARTMENTS, 7% IN STORES.
AND ABOUT A THIRD OF THEM OCCURRED WITHIN 300 FEET OF AN ALCOHOL SERVING ESTABLISHMENT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SHOOTING INTENT, THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT PEDIATRIC DATA.
THIS IS, AGAIN, JUST THE, I'M JUST GIVING YOU EXAMPLES TO SHOW YOU WHY THIS DATA IS IMPORTANT.
AND SO, UM, EVERYONE THINKS OF, YOU KNOW, UM, STREET VIOLENCE OR MAYBE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACCIDENTAL DEATHS OR INJURIES, IT WAS 19%.
AND THEN IF YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE SUICIDES, ABOUT A THIRD OF THESE CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED FROM BEING SHOT OR KILLED, UM, BY JUST SECURING A GUN SAFELY IN THE HOMES.
AND SO, AGAIN, THIS GIVES US MORE, UM, DATA TO PROMOTE AWARENESS, RAISE AWARENESS, AND, UM, MAYBE, UM, ADJUST SOME OF OUR POLICIES OR, UH, PUT OUR RESOURCES IN THE RIGHT PLACES.
[00:15:01]
SLIDE, PLEASE.SO, UH, WHAT ARE SOME INJURY PREVENTION TARGETS, BESIDES THE ONES THAT I JUST MENTIONED? SO, PROMOTE SAFE FIREARM, UM, HOUSEHOLD STORAGE, EDUCATION, AND AWARENESS TO PARENTS OF ALL RACES, BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT THIS OCCURRED ACROSS RACES IN BOTH URBAN AND SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UM, DOING THINGS LIKE LOCK GIVEAWAYS, WE'VE DONE SOME GUN BUYBACKS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ALSO HELPS.
NEXT, NEXT, UH, COULD YOU PLEASE CLICK IT? THANK YOU.
SO FOR THE, UM, ASSAULT AND BYSTANDER INJURIES IN INCREASING COMMUNITY LAW ENFORCEMENT ENGAGEMENT AND HOTSPOT NEIGHBORHOODS, INSTALLING PARKING LIGHT, UM, LOT AND STRIP MALL LIGHTING AND CAMERAS, ESPECIALLY NEAR ALCOHOL SERVING ESTABLISHMENTS, LIMITING ACCESS TO PARKS AFTER SIX O'CLOCK IN HOTSPOT NEIGHBORHOODS.
'CAUSE WE FOUND A LOT OF THEM WERE HAPPENING THERE.
INCREASED GREEN SPACES IN HOTSPOT NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEN INCREASED SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME BLACK AND HISPANIC FAMILIES, WHICH WERE THE MOST AFFECTED BY, BY THAT PARTICULAR SHOOTING TYPE.
AND THEN FOR SUICIDE, IDENTIFYING DEPRESSED CHILDREN, IT STARTS AS, AS YOUNG AS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UH, THE YOUNGEST AGE WAS, UH, 12 MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
AND ESPECIALLY IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE FOUND MORE OF THE SUICIDES IN THE SUBURBAN AREAS, IN THE, IN THE VULNERA WITH THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, INCREASING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN SCHOOLS AND FOR VETERANS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM AS WELL.
AND THEN MAYBE PROMOTING OUT OF HO OUT OF HOME FIREARM STORAGE, OR PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN STORE THEIR, UM, FIREARMS TEMPORARILY DURING TIMES OF CRISIS.
SO THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE, THE TARGETS.
WE'RE ALREADY DOING SOME OF THIS IN OUR CITY, BUT I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW WE COULD BE DOING A LOT MORE, OBVIOUSLY.
'CAUSE THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO INCREASE.
AND THIS IS ALL DIRECTLY, UH, FROM THE DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED.
SO WE GAIN VALUABLE DATA FROM THIS, BUT WE IDENTIFY THESE PROBLEMS. FIRST OF ALL, WE, WE IDENTIFY THE TRAUMA CENTERS OF VERY VALUABLE SOURCES FOR DATA, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MISSING DATA.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO STANDARDIZE THAT AT OUR MAJOR TRAUMA CENTERS.
SECONDLY, MANUAL DATA COLLECTION IS WAY TOO TIME CONSUMING.
THERE'S, WE DID THREE YEARS AND THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD DO ANYMORE.
UM, SO I CAN, I'M SHOWING YOU DATA FROM 2020, THAT'S ALREADY THREE YEARS AGO NOW.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, THERE'S MISSING DATA FROM NON-TRAUMA CENTER HOSPITALS AND URGENT CARES WHO, WHERE WE KNOW SOME, UM, SOME OF THESE, UH, VICTIMS ARE ALSO TAKEN TO.
AND SO WE, WE, WE ARE KINDA NOT COLLECTING THAT DATA.
SO THEREFORE, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO, UM, PROPOSE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY, WHICH IS LINKING EVEN MORE DATA, BUT DOING IT IN A REAL TIME AUTOMATED FASHION.
UM, LINKING DATA FROM BOTH THE TRAUMA CENTERS AND THE EMERGENCY ROOMS AND URGENT CARES, UM, FROM THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, FROM NINE ONE ONE CALL LOGS AND FROM POLICE RECORDS.
THIS WILL ALL BE DONE IN AN AUTOMATED FASHION, AS DR. HOPKINS WILL DESCRIBE, UM, AFTER THIS.
AND, UM, PUTTING IT TOGETHER KI AND THEN DOING SIMILAR ANALYSES TO THE ONES I SHOWED YOU AN EXAMPLE OF.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WORKING WITH CITY LEADERSHIP AND OF, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, PARTNERS TO, UM, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, INCREASE RE RESOURCES AND, UM, DATA TO ACTION.
SO WHAT WE PROPOSE TO DO AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE HAVE, UM, SOME PROTOTYPES FOR THAT I WILL SHOW YOU IS, UH, TO PICK UP ON DATA SOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, ACCESS TO, THAT WE USE FOR VARIOUS THINGS AND INTEGRATE THEM.
UM, AND SO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THAT WILL BE AUTOMATED, UM, AND IT WILL BE AS REAL TIME AS POSSIBLE.
UH, SOME OF THE DATA SOURCES ARE, ARE, ARE REALLY RAPID, LIKE WE'LL KNOW, YOU KNOW, TODAY, THIS HOUR THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED.
UM, AND, UM, AND THE DATA WILL BE, YOU KNOW, REGARDING FIREARM INJURY, DEATH, VICTIM DEMOGRAPHICS, UM, SHOOTING INTENT AND CONTEXT, UH, LOCATIONS AND HOTSPOTS OF CONCERN, UM, RISK FACTORS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TRAUMA CENTER AND, UM, TEMPORAL TRENDS.
SO SPATIAL TEMPORAL TRENDS AND ANALYSIS OF ALL OF THAT TYPES OF DATA.
SPECIFICALLY, THE, UH, DATA SOURCES THAT WE RUN IN MY GROUP, UM, INCLUDE THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, UM, ESSENCE DATA SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR SYNDROMIC SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET LIVE FEED FROM EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND SO FOR THAT, WE WILL JUST BE PICKING UP ANYTHING THAT SAYS GSW GUNSHOT WOUND, AND THAT WILL GO IMMEDIATELY INTO OUR SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, UH, WE HAVE ACCESS TO OUR EMS 9 1 1 DATA SYSTEM.
AND THAT INFORMATION WILL GIVE US MORE ABOUT THE LOCATION, UH, OF THE EVENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE HOUSTON HEALTH, UH, DEPARTMENT, ACTUALLY, WE ALSO, WE HAVE VITAL STATISTICS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'LL KNOW ABOUT, ABOUT DEATHS AND THE CATEGORIES OF THOSE DEATHS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, WE WILL BE GETTING, AND WE HA WE HAVE ACCESS TO, AND, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DATA.
AND THEN, UM, HOPEFULLY WITH THE ADDITION OF, UH, FUNDING FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES, WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO CONTINUE THAT TRAUMA
[00:20:01]
CENTER EVALUATION DATA THAT WE WOULD INTEGRATE, UM, ONCE THAT DATA IS AVAILABLE.AND JUST QUICKLY ON THE, THE TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT WE HOPE TO GET FROM THE TRAUMA CENTERS, UM, HAVE TO DO WITH THESE RISK FACTORS ANALYSIS REGARDING, YOU KNOW, UM, VERY DETAILED INFORMATION, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS QUESTIONNAIRE ABOUT THE FAMILY STRUCTURE, THE INTENT AND DETAILS, THE COMPANY, THE EDUCATION, THE ADDRESSES, RECALL, VIOLENCE, MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, SUICIDE STRESSORS, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WILL BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US, UM, INTEGRATING WITH OUR STANDARD DATA SOURCES.
UM, SO THE, THE REASON WHY WE HAVE TO INTEGRATE ALL OF THESE DATA SOURCES, JUST BECAUSE, AS DR.
BENNY INDICATED, UH, NOT ONE DATA SOURCE PROVIDES US EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.
OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, UM, ESSENCE DATA IS EXCELLENT DATA, AS I SAY, REAL TIME FEED, BUT IF SOMEONE WAS TO, UM, UH, ACTUALLY BE DIE ON THE SCENE, THEY WILL NOT SHOW UP IN THAT DATABASE.
UM, AND SO WE'LL NEED THE 9 1 1 EMS DATA TO REALLY GET THAT.
AND THE NINE ONE EMS DATA, UM, WILL ALSO PROVIDE US WITH A LOCATION OF THE SHOOTING, WHEREAS THE ESSENCE DATA ONLY GIVES YOU THE HOME ADDRESS.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE, EVERY SYSTEM HAS A PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT WE WANT, UM, BUT IT'S NOT ALL TOGETHER.
SO IT WILL, OUR JOB HERE WITH THIS PROJECT IS TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER SO IT IS FAST AND ACTIONABLE, UM, AND FOR INTERVENTION, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY WORK IN MORE REAL TIME ON, ON, UM, SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
AND I ALREADY DESCRIBED THIS EXAMPLE.
I MEAN, THE, THE POINT BEING THAT IF WE CAN BRING IN, UM, THAT THERE ARE KEY FACTORS THAT ALLOW US TO LINK THE DATA SYSTEMS A ACROSS.
SO AN INDIVIDUAL COULD SHOW UP IN MULTIPLE DATA SYSTEMS, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LINE DESCRIBING EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT PERSON.
AND THEN WITHIN OUR, UM, DATA GATHERING AND AGGREGATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SPECIFICS BY INTENT.
SAY, IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CHILDREN OR YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SUICIDE, OR YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT A CERTAIN PART OF TOWN, YOU WOULD HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION FOR THAT RECORD.
OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL A PROTECTED INFORMATION, SO IT WOULD ONLY BE RELEASED IN AN, IN A WAY THAT IS PROTECTIVE OF AN INDIVIDUAL.
AND SPECIFICALLY, THE KINDS OF DATA ANALYSIS THAT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT FOR, FOR GENERAL USE WOULD BE, UM, THE TRENDS ACROSS DEMOGRAPHICS, THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT DR.
BENDY, UH, DID WITH HER CDC GRANT FOR THREE YEARS.
WE WILL BE DOING, UH, ON A ROUTINE BASIS AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO WE'LL LOOK AT, UM, THE, THE TRENDS ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS, UM, AGE, SEX, RACE, AND ETHNICITIES TO REALLY TARGET IN WHO IT IS THAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, UM, UM, PUT OUR IN, UH, INTERVENTION EFFORTS TOWARDS.
UH, WE HAVE, I HAVE ONE TO SHOW YOU, UM, THAT WE DID, UM, PRIOR TO THIS IN, UM, PRESENTATION SO THAT YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE SPATIAL ANALYSIS LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN STRATIFY THE SPATIAL ANALYSIS BY THE INTENT.
AND, UH, WE'LL ALSO OVERLAY, UH, OUR INFORMATION WITH OTHER INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.
AND YOU WANNA REMEMBER THAT AS PART OF THE, UH, MAYOR'S COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND OUR WHOLE, UM, MECHANISM, HOW WE DEAL WITH, UM, WORKING TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF HOUSTONIANS.
WE DO IT ON EMPLOYEE SPACE METHOD.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO ALL OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROGRAMMING, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO LOOK AT IT.
AND AS PROMISED, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU A COUPLE OF SLIDES OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR.
UM, THIS, THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL EFFORTS THAT, UM, WE SPENT FOR CDC.
THIS IS, UM, EXAMPLES OF THE, THE DATA THAT WE BROUGHT TOGETHER.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS, UM, THE TOTAL FIREARM INJURY ED VISITS, AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SLIDING SCALE.
YOU CAN LOOK AT IT IN TIME AND SPACE.
UH, UM, THIS IS ON THE VITAL STATISTICS TAB, SO YOU CAN LOOK, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY BY, UM, BY INTENT AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT, UH, IS AFFECTING THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
SO WHEN WE WERE, UM, ANALYZING THE DATA THAT CAME, UM, TO US FROM, UM, FROM THE MEDICAL EXAMINER, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SAID THAT HOI HOMICIDES ACCOUNT FOR 69.3% OF, UH, THE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, OF, OF THE EVENTS.
AND WE THOUGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, AS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN THAT 69%.
[00:25:01]
SO DEEP DIVE GOING INTO THOSE AND REALLY SEPARATING THEM OUT AS, AS WAS DONE IN THIS PREVIOUS GRANT.SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT PORTIONS OF THOSE ARE GANG RELATED, DOMESTIC DISPUTE, ALTERCATION, DRIVING RELATED ROBBERY DRUGS OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE, CHILD INVOLVED ASSAULT.
THIS INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY FOR THE, THE, THE PURPOSE OF INTENT, WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE, UM, EVENT OCCURRED.
YOU WILL DEFINITELY NOT INSTITUTE A, UM, UM, A HEALTH INTERVENTION FOR SUICIDE, UM, THAT WOULD BE THE SAME AS YOU WOULD FOR GANG VIOLENCE.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE TO REALLY MAKE A DENT HERE.
AND AS PROMISED, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF OUR, UM, SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF SOME OF THAT PRELIMINARY DATA THAT, THAT WE'VE INVESTIGATED.
AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, THAT WE HAVE HOT SPOTS.
THESE ARE, UM, WHAT WE CALL JITTERED.
SO THERE'S NOT ACTUAL LOCATIONS.
THEY'RE WITHIN A MILE OF THAT.
SO THIS IS, UM, NOT IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, BUT, BUT THE, THE, THE RED SPOTS ARE AREAS OF CONCERN FOR US.
AND THIS IS IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, SHOOTING LOCATIONS FOR HOTSPOTS.
SO THIS KIND OF INFORMATION IS GONNA BE AVAILABLE, UM, AND, UM, WE THINK THAT IT COULD BE A VERY VALUABLE TOOL IN MAKING THE CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO SEE HERE IN HOUSTON.
IT'S A CENTRALIZED, UM, LOCATION FOR THIS DATA.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE, UM, ALL THE ENTITIES, INCLUDING THE TRAUMA CENTERS, AND ALSO, UM, HPD HOUSED IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT HEALTH.
SO, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THE, THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THIS WORK ARE GOING TO GO TOWARDS, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY INTERNAL DATA TO ACTION EFFORTS WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SHARING THOSE, UH, THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHER COALITIONS THAT WILL ALSO SEEK TO, UM, WORK MORE ON THEIR EFFORTS AND OR HELP THEM TARGET BETTER THEIR EFFORTS FOR, UH, VIOLENCE, UH, PREVENTION.
AND THEN THE, THE REGULAR, UM, PROGRAMS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ONE, SAFE, HOUSTON, HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HISD, THEY WILL ALL BE USING THIS INFORMATION.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS OF HOW THIS DATA HELPED THEM IN TIME AND HOW TO E EVOLVE IT SO THAT WE CAN EVEN DO BETTER GOING FORWARD.
ONE THING THAT, UM, WHAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE IS, IS THAT THE, THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT GOES INTO CREATING THIS, UM, WILL, UM, OUR INTENT, WHICH IS, IS WHAT WE, WE DO WITH MANY PROGRAMS, IS THAT WE WILL USE THIS INFORMATION TO SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, SO WE WILL, WE, WE THINK OUR PARTNERS WILL USE THE INFORMATION TO SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
HPD WILL, UM, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF THE FUNDING.
YOU REALLY CANNOT GET VERY COMPETITIVE FUNDING WITHOUT HAVING THE DATA TO BACK IT UP.
AND THIS WILL BE A, YOU KNOW, A VERY BIG STEP TO GETTING THAT.
AND A REMINDER, UM, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE A FEW FOLKS THAT CAME IN, UH, BUT I, I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE, WE'RE GONNA HOLD QUESTIONS UNTIL HPD PRESENTS SO THAT WE GET THE FULL PICTURE AND THEN, UM, ASK AWAY.
UH, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE WHILE, UH, CHIEF MARTIN'S COMING UP.
UH, WE, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND ALCORN, WELCOME TO CHAMBERS.
WE ALSO HAVE ONLINE COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, AND THEN STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, UH, MAYOR PROTON, MARTIN AND COUNCIL MEMBER, EXCUSE ME, VICE CHAIR KNOX'S OFFICE.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, MAINLY WE'RE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND KEITH, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE MIC, LITTLE MORE MIC, LOWER THIS CHAIR DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UH, WE'RE HERE IN SUPPORT OF WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S TRYING TO DO, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OVER THE YEARS AND WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOWS IN THE MODERN ERA NOW, IS THAT DATA-DRIVEN APPROACHES ARE WHAT HELPS WITH COMBATING VIOLENCE DISORDER CRIME AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, GOING OUT THERE AND JUST RUNNING AROUND FIGURING YOU'LL SOMEHOW COME ACROSS SOMETHING AND SOLVE A PROBLEM DOESN'T WORK.
YOU NEED INFORMATION, YOU NEED DATA.
WELL, WE HAVE A CERTAIN POOL OF DATA AS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TALKED ABOUT.
THERE'S, THERE'S POOLS OF DATA THAT COME FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT SOURCES.
AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE ACTUALLY, 'CAUSE I'VE GOT SOME BULLETS UP THERE ON THIS.
UH, BUT WE HAVE ONLY ONE PIECE OF THE DATA.
WE HAVE WHAT PEOPLE TELL US WHEN THEY CALL 9 1 1.
WE HAVE WHAT VICTIMS TELL US WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO OR WILLING TO SPEAK TO US.
BUT HAVING THIS INFORMATION FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT SOURCES, ESPECIALLY THE TRAUMA CENTERS AND AREAS WHERE WE CAN SHOW THE IMPACT OF THE INJURIES FROM THESE TYPES OF CRIMES, UH, IS GONNA BE INVALUABLE, I THINK, TO THE CITY, TO SEEING THE BIG PICTURE OF GUN VIOLENCE.
UH, WE DO NOT LOOK AT IT JUST IN TERMS OF HOMICIDE.
HOMICIDE IS OBVIOUSLY THE ULTIMATE VIOLENT CRIME BECAUSE
[00:30:01]
SOMEONE HAS LOST THEIR LIFE.BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THESE SHOOTINGS WHERE SOMEONE DID NOT DIE, IN REALITY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY FOR LACK OF INTENT BY THE PERPETRATOR.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF SOMEONE SHOOTS SOMEONE, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY THINKING, UH, I'M GONNA SHOOT THIS GUY AND, AND JUST HURT HIM AND SEND HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
MOST OF THE TIME SOMEONE PICKS UP A FIREARM AND SHOOTS SOMEONE, THEIR INTENT IS TO EITHER VERY SERIOUSLY HARM OR KILL THAT INDIVIDUAL.
UH, WE SEE THIS IN ROBBERIES WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO DISCHARGE THAT WEAPON AND, AND SHOOT SOMEONE, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ASSAULTS, DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY CHANGED A LOT IN MY CAREER, OF COURSE, THAT'S A LONG TIME 'CAUSE I'M OLD.
BUT, UH, IN THE 30 PLUS YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE SEEN A CHANGE FROM WHERE OUR HOMICIDE DIVISION USED TO HOUSE ALMOST ALL OF OUR, UH, GUN VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE, UH, INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS.
WE HAD A SQUAD WITHIN HOMICIDE THAT INVESTIGATED MAJOR ASSAULTS, WHICH WAS YOUR NON-FATAL ASSAULTS.
WE HAD A SQUAD WITHIN THE HOMICIDE DIVISION THAT INVESTIGATED FAMILY VIOLENCE.
AND THAT HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.
UH, I HAVE WITH ME TODAY, ACTUALLY, HE'S NOT SPEAKING, BUT HE'S WITH HERE IN SUPPORT, UH, COMMANDER JONATHAN HOLIDAY, WHO IS THE COMMANDER OF OUR MAJOR ASSAULTS AND FAMILY VIOLENCE DIVISION.
UH, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT NOW HAS AN ENTIRE DIVISION.
THAT SOLE PURPOSE IS TO LOOK AT THESE NON-FATAL ASSAULTS, THESE NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS AND FAMILY VIOLENCE INCIDENTS TO, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PUT A LOT MORE EMPHASIS ON THOSE TYPES OF CRIMES.
HAVING AN ENTIRE DIVISION DEDICATED TO JUST THAT THAN WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, WHERE IT WAS A SUBSET OF OUR HOMICIDE DIVISION WHOSE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS OBVIOUSLY MURDERS, UH, AT THE TIME.
SO THAT, THAT'S A CHANGE THAT HAS HAPPENED WITHIN MY CAREER.
UH, TO PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON THE NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS AND THE NON-FATAL INCIDENTS, BECAUSE IN REALITY, AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S ALREADY STATED THIS, THEY HAPPEN MUCH MORE OFTEN THAN THE MURDERS DO.
THANK GOODNESS WE DON'T WANT MORE MURDERS, BUT WE DON'T WANT, WE DON'T WANT MORE, WANT MORE SHOOTINGS EITHER.
UH, FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE, CHARLES MCCLELLAN USED TO ACTUALLY SAY THAT A ROBBERY, UH, WITH A FIREARM WAS JUST ONE BAD DECISION AWAY FROM A MURDER BECAUSE, UH, EITHER THE VICTIM FIGHTING BACK IN THE WRONG WAY, OR THE PERPETRATOR MAKING A DECISION, OR EVEN AN, UH, MOMENTARY LAPSE AND AND DISCHARGING THAT WEAPON COULD CAUSE THAT CRIME TO BECOME A MURDER OR A SHOOTING WHERE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT GUN CRIME AS A WHOLE.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT CRIMES WHERE PEOPLE PICK UP A FIREARM AND USE IT TO VICTIMIZE SOMEONE AS A UNIT.
IF SOMEONE CHOOSES TO PICK UP A FIREARM AND USE IT TO VICTIMIZE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS, WE TAKE THAT EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.
SO THE DATA DRIVEN STRATEGIES ARE WHAT WE NEED.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THESE ARE HAPPENING.
WE NEED TO KNOW HOW OFTEN THESE ARE HAPPENING.
AND WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, OUR DATA, WHICH IS WHEN PEOPLE CALL 9 1 1 AND TELL US AND MAKE A REPORT.
BUT LOOKING AT THE INJURIES, LOOKING AT WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS LIVE AND CLUSTERS ARE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMIZED IN THEIR HOMES? ARE THEY BEING VICTIMIZED OUT IN BUSINESS LOCATIONS, NEAR CLUBS? THAT'S AN INTERESTING, UH, DATA POINT WHERE THEY SAID THAT, UH, NEARLY A THIRD OF THESE HAPPEN VERY CLOSE TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENTS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO KNOW BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT USING THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION FOR DEPLOYMENT OF RESOURCES WHERE WE NEED TO PUT OUR PATROL PERSONNEL TO BEST IMPACT VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY.
AND IMPACT OF VIOLENCE IS THE NEXT BULLET I HAVE DOWN THERE.
WE CAN SEE THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF VICTIMS, NUMBER OF CRIMES THAT OCCUR, UH, THE NUMBER OF TIMES SOMEONE REPORTS TO US THAT THEY'VE BEEN SHOT.
BUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE TRAUMA CENTERS CAN SEE THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE IN TERMS OF COST TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THE COST IN TERMS OF LIVES, THE COST IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, UH, TO, OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INJURED SERIOUSLY BY GUN VIOLENCE, THEY SEE THAT MUCH BETTER THAN WE DO.
SO HAVING A BIGGER PICTURE OF THE, THE TRUE IMPACT OF THIS LEVEL OF VIOLENCE ON OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, DATA SETS LIKE THIS AND DASHBOARDS, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ONE TOOL IN THE BOX.
AND WE'LL TAKE ANY TOOL THAT WE CAN TO, TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO STOP, PREVENT OR OTHERWISE ADDRESS THESE TYPES OF CRIMES.
UH, WHEN SOMEONE, AGAIN, PICKS UP A FIREARM OR ANY TYPE OF WEAPON, BUT SPECIFICALLY A FIREARM AND USES IT TO VICTIMIZE ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE PUT THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE ON.
THE LAST THING I WANTED TO MENTION, UH, WE SAY QUITE OFTEN IN-HOUSE, AND WE ALSO SAY IT, UH, PUBLICLY AS WELL.
VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST A POLICE DEPARTMENT PROBLEM.
WE ACTUALLY ARE ONE TOOL IN THE BOX TO COMBAT VIOLENCE.
WE'RE THE ONES THAT GO OUT THERE AND RESPOND TO THE INCIDENT WHILE IT'S IN PROGRESS.
WE'RE THE ONES THAT GO OUT THERE AND RESPOND TO THE INCIDENT RIGHT AFTER IT HAPPENED.
WE'RE THE ONES THAT TRY TO GO AND DETERMINE WHO THE PERPETRATOR IS AND, AND GET THAT PERSON OFF THE STREET SO THEY CAN'T VICTIMIZE SOMEONE ELSE.
BUT THERE'S SO MANY OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED.
THE TRAUMA CENTERS, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR EMS, UH, I CREDIT OUR EMS SERVICES IN THE CITY, UH, WITH THE REASON WE DON'T HAVE MORE MURDERS.
UH, WE OFTEN HAVE SAID THAT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE
[00:35:01]
THE LEVEL OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY, WE'D HAVE A LOT MORE MURDERS.'CAUSE THEY GET THERE QUICKLY AND THEY TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO SAVE LIVES.
IT'S A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF EVERY PART OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THIS DASHBOARD IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
UH, THIS IS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT STEPPING UP TO PROVIDE DATA AND PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE CITY, UH, FOR A BIG PICTURE ON GUN VIOLENCE.
AND I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY, UH, IMPORTANT THAT WE GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
AND THAT'S ALL I THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO, SINCE YOU'RE ALREADY UP HERE, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO STAY UP OKAY.
TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
FIRST UP, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, FIRST, AS FAR AS HOW THIS DATA WILL BE USED, RIGHT, UM, I'M STILL KIND OF TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT BECAUSE I KNOW WE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM HPD.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE EVERYTHING THAT THIS DATABASE WILL, WILL TAKE IN.
BUT WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT AFTERWARDS? SO, AND IS IT GONNA SHOW SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ALREADY KIND OF KNOW JUST FROM HPD DATA? THAT'S ACTUALLY, I THINK THE QUESTION THAT IT'S GONNA ANSWER.
IS, IS THERE SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT EITHER THE TIME, THE LOCATION, AND WHERE THESE EVENTS ARE OCCURRING? UH, IS THERE INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T KNOW? IT, IT'S FILLING A GAP AS FAR AS IMPACT OF CRIME ON THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE.
AND GI THEY'RE NOT, I KNOW THEY'RE NOT GONNA, BECAUSE OF HIPAA INFORMATION, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, VICTIM DATA SPECIFIC ADDRESSES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT KNOWING WHERE THE VICTIMS LIVE IN GENERAL, WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE FROM, WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT'S GOING ON, IF IT CAN BETTER HELP US TARGET RESOURCES, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT OUR CALL AND CRIME DATA SAYS, THEN THAT'S GONNA BE BENEFICIAL TO US BECAUSE THE, THE BIGGER PICTURE AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCURATE DATA SETS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT IT REPEATEDLY HERE.
SHE TALKED ABOUT THE MANUAL COLLECTION OF DATA, OUR CURRENT RECORD KEEPING SYSTEMS. OBVIOUSLY IT'S, IT'S A VERY MANUAL PROCESS TO SORT SOME OF THIS STUFF OUT, ESPECIALLY ON SHOOTINGS.
WE DON'T HAVE A BUTTON THAT JUST SAYS SHOOTING, BUT WE HAVE TO GO IN AND SAY, SHOW ME THE SERIOUS ASSAULTS WHERE A FIREARM WAS USED AND SOMEONE IS INDICATED AS BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED AND PUT THOSE TOGETHER TO DETERMINE IF THAT WAS A SHOOTING OR NOT.
AND IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, WE HOPE TO BE BETTER OFF IN THE FUTURE, UH, ONCE WE'VE FIXED THAT ISSUE.
BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
SO ANYTHING THAT CAN GIVE US MORE DATA, WE, WE SEE THAT AS A BENEFIT.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE DATA SOURCES, UM, RECEIVED FROM THE TRAUMA CENTERS, UM, WHO DO WE KNOW WHO'S ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE VICTIM? IS IT THE DOCTOR? IS IT SOMEONE THAT WE'RE TRAINING TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS? THAT I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR DR.
I KNOW THEY MENTIONED, UH, THERE BEING, UH, TRYING TO STANDARDIZE THE DATA COLLECTION, RIGHT.
OF THAT INFORMATION COUNSEL, WHICH WILL PROBABLY BENEFIT US IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO'S ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE ASK QUESTIONS OF THE VICTIMS WHEN THEY'RE ABLE OR WILLING TO SPEAK TO US.
BUT YEAH, WE DO HAVE TO OFTEN RUN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE THE VICTIM IS NOT WILLING TO SPEAK TO US.
UH, A LOT OF TIMES IN SOME OF OUR GANG SHOOTINGS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA TALK TO US.
UH, BUT SOMETIMES THEY'LL TELL THE DOCTOR MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE IT CAN IMPACT THEIR SURVIVING OR THEIR MEDICAL TREATMENT.
UH, SO WE MAY GET INFORMATION THAT WE OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, HECK, WE CAN ASK THAT OF, UM, THE DOCTORS WHEN THEY COME BACK UP.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT FUNDING TOO.
SHOULD I WAIT ON THAT? THEN? YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK IT.
AND IF YOU CAN'T ASK IT, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET A RESPONSE BACK.
UM, THE QUESTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING INFORMATION NOT JUST NECESSARILY FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON, IF THEY'RE COMING INTO A HOSPITAL, THEY MAY NOT LIVE IN HOUSTON.
SO HAVE WE LOOKED AT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR FUNDING? 'CAUSE IT'S GOING TO NOT JUST BE HOUSTONIANS THAT THIS WOULD IMPACT.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE A GRANT MIGHT BE A BETTER SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WE HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY OURSELF, WE WERE, WE WERE ASKED TO COME IN AND, AND COMMENT ON AND SUPPORT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT WITH BOTH DATA AND JUST INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THIS COULD BENEFIT, UH, A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO, UH, COMBATING VIOLENCE.
BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT SPECIFICALLY SOUGHT GRANTS ON THIS.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S, WE'RE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE FUNDING THIS PROJECT.
IT'S BEING FUNDED THROUGH OTHER SOURCES AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
HECK, MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, DR. HOPKINS, I THINK CAN RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION AS WELL.
PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SHOW THE DATA SETS, JUST SIMILAR WITH HPD GRANTS, RIGHT? WHY THERE'S A NEED, WHY, HOW THIS IS WORKING, YOU CAN'T DRAW DOWN THOSE DOLLARS.
SO THERE'S GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THE DATA IN THIS TWO YEAR PROCESS IS NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT FOR THOSE GRANTS.
THAT'S, IT'S KIND OF, UH, A CATCH 22, SO TO SPEAK.
SO, UH, BUT I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT DR. HOPKINS ALSO ANSWERS THAT.
DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? NOPE, THAT WAS IT.
UM, SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I HAVE A FEW FOR YOU, CHIEF.
UM, I, I THINK YOU EXPLAINED HOW THIS HELPS HPD RIGHT? REALLY WELL, UH,
[00:40:01]
FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, IT'S, YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THIS DATA.THIS ALLOWS YOU TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING A BETTER, IN A BETTER WAY.
UM, I PERSONALLY HAVE SAID, AND I, I'LL SAY THIS AGAIN, UH, WE ASK POLICE OFFICERS TO DO TOO MUCH A LOT OF THE TIME.
UM, DO YOU, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS AT COUNSEL PREVIOUSLY, RIGHT? SOMEONE HAD SAID, WELL, HPD ALREADY HAS ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.
CAN YOU FOR THE RECORD, SAY WHETHER OR NOT HPD HAS THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION? I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT RE WHEN IT COMES TO INJURY DATA AND DATA FROM THE, THE INFORMATION SHE'S TALKING ABOUT GETTING FROM TRAUMA CENTERS, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT.
OUR HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS, IF SOMEONE IS DECEASED, OBVIOUSLY GOES AND TALKS TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER.
SO WE DO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT THE MAJORITY OF OUR STATISTICAL DATA THAT WE USE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAPPING OUT CRIME AND PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC COMES FROM THE CALL FOR SERVICE ITSELF AND THE INITIAL REPORT THAT THE OFFICER MADE.
SO A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE ON THE INJURIES, THE IMPACT OF THE INJURIES, THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES, WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE.
WE'LL OFTEN HAVE THE LOCATION, I MEAN, TRAUMA CENTERS AND HOSPITALS ARE REQUIRED TO CALL THE POLICE.
IF SOMEONE SHOWS UP WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND, UH, THEY HAVE TO LET US KNOW.
UH, BUT OFTENTIMES, DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURIES OF THE VICTIM OR THEIR COOPERATION, WE MAY NOT KNOW WHERE IT HAPPENED.
UH, IT USED TO BE, AND THIS IS NOT IN THE REALM OF GUN VIOLENCE, BUT, UH, IT USED TO BE, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE STATISTICAL DATA, THE MEDICAL CENTER IN THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT WAS THE BIGGEST HOTSPOT IN THE CITY FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MANY OF THE VICTIMS CAME TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND IF THEY COULDN'T SAY WHERE IT HAPPENED, OFTENTIMES THE HOSPITAL ADDRESS WAS USED FOR THE INITIAL REPORT JUST TO DETERMINE SO THAT WE COULD GET THE REPORT IN THE SYSTEM.
AND SO YOU HAD A SITUATION WHERE IT LOOKED LIKE BEN TOP WAS A SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTSPOT, AND IT ACTUALLY WASN'T.
SAME THING WITH THE SHOOTINGS.
IF WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO EITHER DOESN'T, WON'T, OR CAN'T TALK TO US, BUT WE'RE CALLED TO THE HOSPITAL ABOUT THE GUNFIRE, THAT ADDRESS MAY BE USED TO CAPTURE THAT REPORT.
BUT THEN IF, IF IT DOESN'T GET CHANGED LATER IN THE SYSTEM, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THAT CRIME OCCURRED.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO ASKING HPD TO DO A LOT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I, I THINK DR.
BINDI TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT I'LL ASK HER TO SPEAK TO THIS AS WELL.
UM, Y'ALL CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE AND Y'ALL CAN'T BE WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FILE A REPORT NECESSARILY, GET ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IN DETAILS, YOU'RE NOT COMING BACK TO THE HOSPITAL NECESSARILY.
AND THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, DOESN'T NECESSARILY, OR SHOULD IT BE HP D'S ROLE.
UH, THIS IS HELPFUL CONTEXT FOR ME.
UM, I DON'T THINK COUNCILMAN PECK, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAD ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THAT THE CHIEF COULD ANSWER FOR YOU.
SO WE WON'T HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP FOR YOU, UM, AT THIS TIME.
BUT THANK YOU AND COMMANDER, THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOU WORK A LOT WITH OUR HOSPITALS, UM, IN THIS TYPE OF EFFORT, SO WE APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, WITH THAT, I LIKE TO CALL BACK UP.
UH, THANK GO OUR GOOD DOCTORS WELCOME BACK.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, DID YOU WANNA GET US STARTED? NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, WE CAN.
SO MY QUESTION WAS, SORRY, MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT, UM, GRANT FUNDING AND I THINK THE CHAIR KIND OF ANSWERED IT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ABOUT THAT.
UM, I WOULD, I, I WOULD, UH, JUST EMPHASIZE THAT THIS, UH, DR.
BINDI DID HAVE A GRANT AND GOOD WORK CAME OUT OF IT THAT WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE AND WE WERE CONNECTED AND, UH, DID A LITTLE BIT OF THIS BACKGROUND WORK.
UM, AND FOR A PROPOSAL THAT WASN'T, THAT WE WERE NOT AWARDED.
AND SO I THINK THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTERESTED, UH, NOT TO SUPPORTING THIS WORK.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE STAND.
I DO THINK THAT WHAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN SAID IS, IS CORRECT AND IN SUBMITTING A A COMPETITIVE PROPOSAL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME EXAMPLE OF THE WORK AND THE BENEFIT FROM IT, SORT OF LIKE A PILOT.
SO IT COULD BE THAT, UM, WE DO THIS WORK AND THEN THAT SHOULD OPEN UP DOORS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING ONCE WE UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT WE HAVE AND THE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.
UM, I MEAN, SO MUCH WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT INTO THIS.
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO APPLY FOR A GRANT.
WE, WE DID USE THAT WORK TO APPLY FOR A BIG GRANT THIS YEAR, AND IT WAS NOT FUNDED.
[00:45:01]
GRANT FUNDING FOR FARM RESEARCH AT A FEDERAL, FEDERAL LEVEL, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW.AND THERE'S NO, UH, OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M NOT SURE, UM, WHY IT WASN'T FUNDED.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, FEEDBACK ON THAT YET.
BUT MY GUESS IS, IS BECAUSE IT IS SPECIFIC TO HOUSTON, IT'S, IT'S, UM, THE, THE GOAL IS TO MAKE HOUSTON SAFER.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IS GENERALIZABLE TO OTHER CITIES.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN, UM, OTHER S****Y CITIES HAVE DI IT'S JUST DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, SO IT'S HARD TO COMPARE, BUT THAT MIGHT BE WHY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE, UM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, YOU KNOW, CAME IN THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, THINK ABOUT AT A HOUSTON LEVEL.
UM, AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP WITH HISD.
ARE YOU ALSO GOING TO INCLUDE ALL THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON? YEAH, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.
CHAIR AND, AND THANK YOU DOCTORS.
AND FORGIVE ME THAT I STEPPED IN A LITTLE BIT LATE.
I, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FOLLOW UP TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN THAT YOU DID.
SO I'M, I'M JUST ON THE BACKGROUND ON THAT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE AMOUNT, UM, THAT YOU NEED TO COMPLETE THIS, HAVE THIS COMPLETED IT.
THE PROPOSAL IS FOR, UM, $120,000 FOR THE FIRST YEAR, $120,000 FOR THE SECOND YEAR.
WE WERE TOLD BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT TWO YEARS IS WHAT'S NEEDED TO THEN BE ABLE TO GET THIS GOING SO THAT THEY CAN THEN SUBMIT FOR FEDERAL GRANTS AND DRAW THOSE DOWN.
SO IT'S TWO YEARS OF FUNDING FOR $240,000 OUT OF A $6.8 BILLION BUDGET.
BINDI, THE OTHER THING WAS, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, AND YOU BOTH, DR.
BINDI, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, PREVIOUSLY Y'ALL WERE ABLE TO DO THIS, BUT IT WAS ALL MANUAL MM-HMM
AND THIS FUNDING IS NEEDED TO AUTOMATE EVERYTHING.
IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO CONTINUE TO JUST PIECE BY PIECE PULL THAT.
SO IT'S THE AUTOMATION AND THE, THE DATA.
DR. HOPKINS, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FRAME THE, THE TERMINOLOGY, BUT TECHNOLOGY TO DO SO, YEAH.
IT'S TO AUTOMATE AND TO INCREASE THE SOURCES THAT GO INTO IT.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ALREADY COLLECT.
IT IS, UM, MUCH MORE ENHANCED THAN WHAT WE ALREADY COLLECT.
BUT MOSTLY OF WHAT WE COLLECT FROM HPD CURRENTLY IS THE, THE LOCATION OF THE SHOOTINGS.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL AND INDIVIDUAL LEVEL RISK FACTORS.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE IMPORTANT FOR, UH, RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND FOR INJURY PREVENTION.
SO, SO WITH THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING, YOU WOULD REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU HAD A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK YES.
AT WHAT THIS FIREARM SITUATION IS IN HOUSTON? COMPREHENSIVE IN REAL TIME.
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS GOING FROM THE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS ARE, ARE NOW CREEPING INTO THE, WHAT PREVIOUSLY USED TO BE SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS IS CHANGING ON A YEARLY BASIS.
AND SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE REAL TIME INFORMATION.
AND, AND I BELIEVE A QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER PECK HAD EARLIER IS, IS THE WHO EXACTLY IS COLLECTING THE DATA AT THE HOSPITAL? YEAH, SO AT TRAUMA CENTERS, UM, IT'S PRETTY ROUTINE ALREADY TO, TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL FACTORS AND, UM, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TYPE OF INJURY, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED, WHY WE SHOT STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT'S USUALLY THE DOCTORS, UM, OR THE NURSES.
BUT WHAT, WHAT'S, UM, WHAT WHAT, WHAT WE FOUND WHEN JUST LOOKING BACK AT THESE CHARTS IS IT'S NOT CONSISTENTLY COLLECTED AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT CONSISTENTLY CONVEYED BACK TO POLICE OR BACK TO CITY LEADERSHIP.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WORK IN SILOS.
AND THE POINT OF THIS IS TO LINK, LINK ALL OF THAT DATA SO THAT WE, UM, UNDERSTAND, UM, WHO THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE, UH, THAT ARE SHOT AND SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, UM, PREVENT THOSE FROM HAPPENING.
SO, SO HPD FOLLOWS UP ON EVERY SHOOTING WITHIN CITY OF HOUSTON.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CALLED BY THE TRAUMA CENTERS AND, BUT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ALL, THEY MIGHT NOT GET ALL THE STUFF THAT THE DOCTORS WOULD GET.
I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY, I MEAN, UH, THAT WOULD BE AN ANSWER.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR HPD.
I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU THAT SHOULD I DON'T, I THINK THAT THEY JUST KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE.
ANYBODY, THEY LIVE OR DIE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE DATA THAT'S SHARED.
BUT I MEAN, I MEAN, CHIEF YOU WANNA COME UP TO THE MIC REAL QUICK? YEAH, I'LL HIT THE MIC.
UH, WE ARE CALLED, I MEAN, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT THAT WE BE CALLED IF SOMEONE IS SHOT AND THEY SHOW UP AT THE HOSPITAL, OFTENTIMES WE'RE ALREADY AWARE AND WE'RE FOLLOWING UP ANYWAY.
BUT AS FAR AS ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S COLLECTED, OFTENTIMES WHAT WE GET IS WHAT OUR INVESTIGATORS OR OFFICERS GET FROM SPEAKING TO THE VICTIM.
WE WILL ASK QUESTIONS TO THE DOCTORS AND NURSES IF THE VICTIM CANNOT SPEAK, BUT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY GET.
AND, AND I'D BE WILLING TO VENTURE THAT IN A LOT OF CASES, YOU'RE GONNA FIND THAT PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE FORTHCOMING WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL SOMETIMES THAN THEY ARE WITH US.
IT'S BEEN A TRAUMATIC INCIDENT.
SOMETIMES THEY, THEY ARE EITHER FRIGHTENED, TRAUMATIZED, OR MAYBE EVEN JUST DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO US AT THAT POINT.
[00:50:01]
IS, IS GOOD TO HAVE.BENNY, WE'RE HOME TO THE LARGEST MEDICAL CENTER, UH, IN THE WORLD, BUT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAID IS, RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO STANDARD UNIFORMITY WHEN IT COMES TO HOW OUR MEDICAL FACILITIES OR HEALTH PROVIDERS COLLECT THIS INFORMATION.
SO AM I CORRECT IN SAYING LIKE, IF, IF BEN TODD IS COLLECTING INFORMATION ON DATA POINTS, A, B, AND C, RIGHT? YES.
WHERE, WHERE DID IT OCCUR? WHERE DO YOU LIVE? DID YOU KNOW OR NOT KNOW? BUT THEN AN ANOTHER HOSPITAL, I'M JUST USING MEMORIAL HERMANN'S, NOT OFFICIAL.
UM, IS IS SAYING COLLECTING MAYBE TWO OF THOSE DATA POINTS, BUT SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
HOW ARE YOU, CAN, HOW ARE YOU WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT? AND DOES THIS EFFORT HELP WITH THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE NEED FUNDING TO DO THAT.
WE ABSOLUTELY NEED FUNDING TO DO IT.
WE NEED TO, WE HAVE A STANDARDIZED DATA COLLECTION TOOL THAT DR. HOPKINS PRESENTED THAT, UM, THERE'S, THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND TO DO THAT IN THESE REALLY BUSY TRAUMA CENTERS REQUIRES FUNDING.
AND THEN THAT DATA HAS TO BE COLLECTED, AND THEN IT HAS TO BE DUMPED INTO THE, YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO BE SENT OVER TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND ALL AUTOMATED AND PUT TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN THEN MAKE SENSE OF IT.
AND CAN YOU, IT WAS ASKED PREVIOUSLY, UM, WE ALREADY DID THIS, RIGHT, THIS ONE STEP PREVIOUSLY, WE'VE ALSO HEARD, WELL, WE KNOW THAT FIREARM DEATHS OR THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR YOU PERSONALLY? WHY IS THIS AN IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR? OH, OH, WOW.
UM, IT'S VERY, UH, IT'S VERY CLOSE AND PERSONAL TO ME.
I MEAN, AS A, AS A SURGEON, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE FORGET HOW INTIMATELY INVOLVED WE ARE WITH THE, WITH THE VICTIMS. I MEAN, WHEN WE ARE LITERALLY HAVE OUR HANDS INSIDE THEIR ABDOMENS TRYING TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.
AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT DON'T, THE ONES THAT DIE, WE HAVE TO TELL THEIR PARENTS THAT THEY DIED.
I HAD ONE, UM, CHILD WHO WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR EIGHT MONTHS, A 3-YEAR-OLD JUST SHOT SITTING AT HOME, YOU KNOW, BULLET CAME THROUGH THE DOOR AND, UM, AND THAT KID SUFFERED SO MUCH, BUT THAT'S NOT THE END OF IT.
THEY HAVE LIFELONG DISABILITY AND, AND WE, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SEE THIS HAPPENING OVER, OVER AGAIN IN YOUR CITY.
UM, AND NOT TO MENTION THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, THAT A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE JUST INNOCENT BYSTANDERS OR, UH, SHOT ACCIDENTALLY, BUT THAT'S THE CHILDREN.
I MEAN, EVEN THE ADULTS THAT, THAT ARE SHOT, WE ALL TAKE CARE OF 'EM.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY HEARTBREAKING TO SEE.
AND IT'S GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO HOME.
EVERYONE KNOWS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SHOT OR INJURED.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO HOME.
IT'S NO LONGER JUST, OH, IT JUST HAPPENS IN THOSE DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME.
AND SO THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A, A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, UM, ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE AT LEAST OUR OWN CITY SAFER.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT TALKING AT A NATIONAL LEVEL HERE.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT OUR OWN CITY HERE.
SPEAKING OF WHICH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER CITIES THAT ARE PROPOSING OR DOING RIGHT NOW THIS TYPE OF EFFORT? AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, NO.
AND I'M PRETTY CONNECTED WITH, UM, THE RE UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION RESEARCHERS IN THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES.
IN FACT, DENVER HEARD ABOUT THIS AND, AND WAS VERY INTERESTED IN, IN STARTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON THEIR OWN, SO.
AND, UM, IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE 10, UH, WHEN YOU LISTED, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THE VULNERABLE POPULATION SLIDE.
UM, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, IS THAT DEATHS INJURIES OR BOTH? BOTH.
SO THAT, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE DATA THAT THE, THE RETROACTIVE LOOKING BACK DATA THAT YOU PULLED FROM THE PILOT 1.0? YES.
AND THEN ON THE, UH, TWO SLIDES AFTER THAT, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
SO WHAT, BASED ON WHAT YOU FOUND, ONE THIRD OF PEDIATRIC RELATED INJURIES AND DEATHS WERE RELATED TO EITHER ACCIDENTAL OR SUICIDE, WHICH IS A DIRECT NEXUS WITH THE NEED FOR SAFE STORAGE PRACTICES.
AND WE ALSO FOUND, WE HAVE DATA ON WHERE THEY OCCURRED, UM, ALMOST, UM, MOST OF THEM OCCURRED AT HOME WITH A, YOU KNOW, HOUSEHOLD FIREARM.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE NATIONAL DATA, FOR EXAMPLE, ON ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS AND CHILDREN, THEY JUST, IT JUST TALKS ABOUT DEBT.
CDC DOES, UH, TO THIS POINT, STILL DOESN'T COLLECT DATA ON NON-FATAL INJURIES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT SO FAR IT'S JUST DEBTS.
IT'S, UM, THE ACCIDENTAL, UM, DEATH RATE FOR FIRE BY FIREARM IS LESS THAN 5%.
SO PEOPLE MAY SAY, WELL, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, WHY
[00:55:01]
IS, SAY SAFE STORAGE PROMOTION IMPORTANT? WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REAL DATA, THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE DATA YOU SEE IS ACTUALLY MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT.AND IF ONE IN THREE CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM BEING SHOT, UM, THEN WE KNOW THAT WE COULD PUT MORE RESOURCES INTO A SAFE STORAGE.
AND, UM, IF WE COULD GO TO ONE MORE SLIDE, SLIDE 15.
IT'S THE DIAGRAM, UM, THAT SHOWS HOW THE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE SAW, 'CAUSE WE WERE GOING THROUGH IT PRETTY QUICKLY.
THIS IS HOW THE ACTUAL SYSTEM OF INTEGRATION WILL WORK.
IS THAT CORRECT, DR. HOPKINS? YES.
AND THE DATA TO ACTION AT THE BOTTOM, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH BASED INTERVENTIONS.
SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH BASED INTERVENTIONS.
AND IS THAT, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND ALCORN WEREN'T HERE, AND WE HAD SOME OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLINE JOIN US.
CAN YOU TALK, EXPLAIN ONE MORE TIME? IS THIS A STANDARD THING IN THE HEALTH COMMUNITY TO DO BETWEEN LOOKING AT DATA, DATA TO ACTION? OH, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, WHAT I, I HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE DO THIS IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHERE WE INTEGRATE DIFFERENT DATA SYSTEMS AND THAT HELPS US REALLY TARGET INTERVENTIONS.
AND WE'RE, UM, SOME OF THE, I, I GUESS WE'RE LEADING THAT EFFORT IN TERMS OF COVID WITH OUR, OUR, WE'RE RECOGNIZED AS A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR WASTEWATER, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES FOR INTEGRATING DATA.
UM, THE OTHER EXAMPLE THAT I HAD WAS OUR BYSTANDER CPR CARDIAC RISK, UH, UM, UH, PROGRAM.
AND THEN I, I THINK I WOULD JUST ADD THAT WHAT I MAY NOT HAVE MADE CLEAR WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT USING THIS FOR FUTURE FUNDING IS THAT WE, WE DID THIS WORK AS PART OF THE GRANT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE WERE NOT AWARDED.
UM, BUT REALLY THE FUNDING THAT, THAT I WOULD THINK WOULD COME OUT OF IT THAT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL WOULD BE THAT ONCE WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT REAL TIME DATA ON THINGS LIKE, UM, THIS CHILDHOOD PEDIATRIC, UM, SUICIDE, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THOSE INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS COULD BE FUNDED SPECIAL EFFORTS FOR WHAT WE SEE ARE HOTSPOTS OR TARGETED AREAS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOURCES THAT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY CURRENTLY, UM, PROPOSING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO WE WOULD NEED THAT INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THAT KIND OF WORK.
AND LASTLY, UM, COUNCILLOR ALCORN, ARE YOU BACK IN THE QUEUE? OKAY.
JUST, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STATEMENTS ON THE PIA THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FOR THE, YOU AS A, AS A DOCTOR, UM, ON THE PEDIATRIC STATISTICS.
UM, THESE ARE PERCENTAGES, BUT DO WE HAVE AN IDEA IN, IN PURE NUMBERS, UM, AN ANNUAL BASIS IN HOUSTON? YEAH, SO IF YOU GO TO THE KEEP, KEEP GOING BACK, IT'S PROBABLY, DID I MISS IT? KEEP, UH, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING.
ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE GRAPH? YES.
OH, YEAH, THERE IT'S, SORRY, IS THAT, BUT THAT ALL, NO, ONE MORE, ONE MORE BACK.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE CRIME DAY.
SO RIGHT HERE, IT, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE P RIGHT HERE, UM, OH, IT'S CUT OFF, BUT I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 200 ON THE Y AXIS.
AND THEN THE P PEDIATRIC, I'M ASSUMING IS ANY, EVERYBODY UNDER 18, ZERO TO 17.
AND THEN IS, IS, IS THERE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF THOSE, LIKE MAYBE MORE IN THE TEEN? YES.
SO, UM, HIGH SCHOOLERS FOR SURE, UH, MAKE UP LIKE 75%.
BUT, AND THEN THERE'S DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO YOU COULD IMAGINE THE ACCIDENTAL ONES ARE MORE IN THE YOUNGER CHILDREN.
THE SUICIDES ACTUALLY THE HIGHEST IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE, WHICH IS REALLY ALARMING.
AND AGAIN, THIS AGAIN GOES BACK TO UNDERSTANDING THAT DATA AND, UM, THEN TARGETING THOSE, THOSE THAT AGE POPULATION.
AND THEN THE, UH, ASSAULTS AND, UH, BYSTANDERS ARE MOSTLY FOR THE OLDER.
AND ON THIS, JUST TO CLARIFY, SO FROM 2018 TO 2021, WE HAD 8,600 FIREARM INJURIES THAT WE KNOW OF THAT, BUT THAT'S ONLY THE DATA FROM, IS THAT COMPREHENSIVE DATA, OR IS THAT JUST FROM, THIS IS COMBINING ALL OF THOSE POLICE JURISDICTIONS.
SO REMEMBER OUR, OUR WORK WAS IN ALL OF HARRIS COUNTY, NOT JUST CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO IT'S COMBINING, YOU KNOW, HPH, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BAYTOWN AND PASADENA.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED FROM DR. HOPKINS.
AGAIN, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU BOTH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, UM, FOR YOUR WORK, YOUR COMMITMENT TO, UH, PREVENTING, UH, DEATH AND INJURIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE COSTS, RIGHT? THE TRAUMA THAT LINGERS DR.
BUT AGAIN, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE
[01:00:01]
BOTH OF YOUR WORK, NOT ONLY IN THIS, BUT IN ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE SPACE OF HEALTHCARE, UH, AND HEALTH INTERVENTIONS.WITH THAT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, WE HAVE A LONG LIST TODAY.
UM, I, IT JUST FULL DISCLOSURE, I MAY NEED TO STEP OUT AT A CERTAIN POINT.
IF SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK IS GONNA TAKE OVER.
UM, HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY SPEAKERS, UH, SOME HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ON, UH, THE AGENDA ITEM THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THOSE SPEAKERS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO TO, UM, THE OTHER ITEMS AS LISTED BASED ON THAT, UM, EACH PERSON WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AND WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, UH, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE DR. BARRY TO BE FOLLOWED BY SAMMY.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, SO MY NAME IS CHERIE BERRY.
I'M COMING TO YOU AS A TRAUMA SURGEON.
I'M ALSO THE REGIONAL TRAUMA DIRECTOR FOR HCA HEALTHCARE.
AND SO WE HAVE SIX TRAUMA CENTERS HERE IN HOUSTON THAT ARE LEVEL TWO AND LEVEL THREE.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO THE TRAUMA MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT HOUSTON NORTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH HAPPENS TO HAVE OUR HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF GUN RELATED INJURIES.
IT'S ACTUALLY THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
SO THEY'RE, A QUARTER OF OUR PATIENTS COME IN FROM FIREARM OR, UM, UM, ANY PENETRATING, UM, INJURY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M COMING TO YOU BECAUSE I SEE THIS EVERY DAY.
UM, AND DURING COVI, WE ACTUALLY ANTICIPATED TO SEE A DECREASE.
UM, AND SO NOT JUST IN FIREARM INJURIES, BUT ALSO IN RECIDIVISM.
SO REPEAT VICTIMS OR PATIENTS COMING IN THAT HAD BEEN, UM, INJURED FOR, FROM A FIREARM.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO THAT END, WE, UM, REALIZED THAT AS A HOSPITAL, THAT WE HAD TO DO MORE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY I TREAT THE PHYSICAL AILMENTS OF FIREARMS. BUT AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WE HAD TO REALLY BE INVOLVED AT THE ROOT CAUSE.
AND SO WE PARTNERED WITH HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY TO LAUNCH THE FIRST HOSPITAL LINKED VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM.
AND I'M MENTIONING THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE COLLABORATION IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN WE START TO TALK ABOUT COMING UP WITH STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, GOING BACK TO WHAT THEY PRESENTED FOR EVERYONE TO BRING THEIR DATA TOGETHER.
AND I'LL JUST SAY WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN WHEN, UH, A PERSON IS SHOT IS THAT THE POLICE ARE NOTIFIED.
BUT LIKE LAST NIGHT WHEN WE HAD FOUR PEOPLE SHOT, NOT AT BEN TOP
SO, UH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THOSE PATIENTS 'CAUSE THEY WERE DROPPED OFF BY FRIENDS.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT ALLOWS, SO WE GET INFORMATION AS BINDI AND, UM, THE ASSISTANT, UM, CHIEF WERE MENTIONING WE CAN GET INFORMATION AS PHYSICIANS THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET, UM, FROM, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY'RE UNDERSTAFFED THERE, THERE'S NO WAY THEY KNOW ABOUT EVERY GUN VIOLENT VICTIM.
SO TWO OF THOSE PATIENTS ENDED UP GOING HOME THIS MORNING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE COPS WERE ABLE TO GET THERE IN TIME TO ASK THEM THE QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO I'M JUST TRYING TO, TO ADD THAT IN REAL TIME OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENS.
UM, BUT PATIENTS LOVE TO TELL ME ALL THE DETAILS.
AND WE GATHER, WE, SO WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE, UM, VIOLENCE CENTER PREVENTION PROGRAM, WE GATHER THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BUT THE GOAL IS FOR US TO COLLABORATE WITH ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTION, UM, TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WHAT YOU ALL ARE PROPOSING HERE IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER, USE ALL OF THE DATA, UM, AND AS A PHYSICIAN, EVERYTHING WE DO AS A PHYSICIAN IS DATA DRIVEN.
WE GO BASED ON EVIDENCE BASED, NOT ON ASSUMPTION OR WHAT WOULD SEEM TO BE COMMON SENSE, BUT WHAT THE DATA SHOWS.
AND SOMETIMES THAT SURPRISES YOU.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT SHE JUST REPORTED, I WOULDN'T THINK THAT, UM, MOST SUICIDES HAPPEN AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE LEVEL.
BUT WHEN YOU GET THE DATA AND YOU SEE IT, THEN YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
AND SO I SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE, UM, JUST 'CAUSE I SEE IT EVERY DAY.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN THE WORK WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I WANTED TO SEE, UH, I HAD ONE QUESTION OR TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
[01:05:01]
SOMEONE HAD POINTED OUT PREVIOUSLY, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAUMA, WHEN YOU'RE IN, UH, THE FIELD THAT YOU'RE IN, YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.UM, SO IS THIS PLACING AN UNDUE BURDEN ON YOU ALL THE STANDARDIZATION OF THE REPORTING? OR IS THAT ALREADY HAPPENING? CAN YOU JUST TALK THROUGH WHETHER OR NOT, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF STANDARDIZATION, KIND OF WHAT YOU MENTIONED BEFORE.
EVERY HOSPITAL DOES SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GATHERING THAT INFORMATION, PHYSICIANS, UM, PAS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR IT TO BE STANDARDIZED AND IN REAL TIME, NOT JUST FOR THE, I MEAN WE, WE, WE JUST KNOW THIS FROM ALL OF THE DATA WE COLLECT IN VARIOUS PROJECTS WITHIN MEDICINE.
IF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN REAL TIME, THEN YOU CAN MAKE REAL CHANGE.
BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT 2020 DATA KNOWING THAT IT'S INCREASED FROM 2020, THEN WE'RE KIND OF BEHIND THE CURVE, THE CURVE BALL.
AND, UM, I SEE YOU'RE IN YOUR SCRUBS.
DID YOU JUST COME FROM WORK? I DID.
UM, YOU MENTIONED YOU SEE THIS PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW? SO IT'S, IT'S TROUBLING WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
SO EVERY, I DEAL WITH A GUN VI A, A GUN VICTIM EVERY DAY, AND ALL OF IT IS NOT VIOLENCE.
AS YOU MENTIONED, A LOT OF ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE.
I DEAL WITH ADULTS MOSTLY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS WITH CHILDREN, WE HAVE TO STABILIZE THEM BEFORE WE CAN SEND THEM TO THE PEDIATRIC CENTER.
IT'S EVERY DAY AND IT'S AN INCREASE.
AND WHAT'S MORE TROUBLING IS THE INCREASE IN THE REPEAT VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE DECIDED AS A, AS A GROUP, AS A TRAUMA SURGEON GROUP, THAT WE HAVE TO DO MORE THAN JUST AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
IT REALLY, I MEAN, IT REALLY IS.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, PERFORMING SURGERY.
WE HAVE TO HELP, UM, IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN CURVE, YOU KNOW, THIS TREND.
UH, NEXT SAMMY BI, I'M, I'M SO SORRY IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING ANYONE'S NAMES.
PLEASE CORRECT ME WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE MIC TO BE FOLLOWED BY ASSIA TIA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
I'M THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM ARTUR LIVES HOUSTON, AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY SAFE SCHOOLS COMMISSION.
OFTEN WHEN FIGHTING AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE, WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN THE DEATH TOLL THAT WE FORGET HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED.
WE FORGET HOW MANY HAVE BEEN SCARRED FOR LIFE AND TRAUMATIZED BY GUN VIOLENCE.
WE FORGET BECAUSE WE TRULY DO NOT KNOW IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT ALL IMPACTS AND CAUSES OF GUN VIOLENCE ARE FULLY UNDERSTOOD.
SO THIS ISSUE CAN BE ADDRESSED PROPERLY AND TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT BECAUSE THIS ISSUE ISN'T JUST A NONPARTISAN ISSUE, IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
FIRST RESPONDERS, WHETHER IT BE TRAUMA SURGEONS, POLICE OR EMTS, ARE BURDENED WITH GUN VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND OFTEN HAVE TO WITNESS ITS HORRIFIC EFFECTS.
MARCH LIVES HOUSTON APPLAUDS THIS EFFORT TO VISUALIZE DATA AND UNDERSTAND GUN VIOLENCE FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE EFFECT OF THIS ACTION EXTENDS FAR BEYOND HARRIS COUNTY AS THE THIRD MOST POPULOUS COUNTY IN THE NATION.
THESE STEPS PAVE A PATH FOR OTHER CITIES ACROSS OUR NATION TO FOLLOW AS WELL.
WITH THE BEST DATA SYSTEMS, WE HOPE WE CAN EFFECTUATE THE BEST SOLUTIONS.
AND THE STATE AGGREGATION SYSTEM IS THE FIRST STEP IN THAT PROCESS.
WE URGE THIS COMMITTEE TO FUND DATA COLLECTION BECAUSE THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT DOESN'T JUST SAVE HUMAN LIVES, IT SAVES TIME, MONEY, AND IT ESPECIALLY SAVES OUR COMMUNITY FROM HAVING TO WITNESS AND DEAL WITH THE RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF THE SYSTEMATIC ISSUE.
WE HOPE THIS INITIATIVE CAN WORK IN CONFLUENCE WITH FUTURE RESEARCH BASED LEGISLATION TO REDUCE FURTHER FIREARM RELATED DEATHS.
UM, AND THEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY MAY WYNN, UH, IF SHE'S, I BELIEVE JOINING VIRTUALLY, I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S ON
SO FIRST I WANNA THANK EVERYONE, UM, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THE DOCTORS, NURSES, PARAMEDICS, EMT PROFESSIONALS AND POLICE OFFICERS WHO TIRELESSLY WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY AND SEE THE ACTUAL EFFECTS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN REAL LIFE AND SO OF USE.
I'M SIA, THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR MARCH FOR LIVES HOUSTON.
AND I GIVE MY SUPPORT, COMPLETE SUPPORT TO THE FIREARM INJURY INTEGRATION PROGRAM AS GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION ADVOCATES.
WE'VE SEEN AND HEARD SO MANY MASS SHOOTINGS, BUT WHAT'S NOT REALLY ADDRESSED
[01:10:01]
IS HOW MULTIFACETED THIS ISSUE IS.IT'S NOT JUST A MASS SHOOTING HERE AND THERE.
IT'S INJURIES AND IT'S SUICIDE.
UM, IT'S ASSAULTS AND WHETHER SOMEBODY'S SHOT AS A BYSTANDER OR ACCIDENTALLY.
AND IT'S SO MULTIFACETED, WHICH IS WHY IT IS SO CRUCIAL FOR US TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM.
EVERY SINGLE DAY WE SEE THE NUMBER FIREARM INJURIES AND DEATHS RISE.
BUT WHAT THESE NUMBERS DON'T CONVEY IS THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS WHO LOSE THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO LOSE THEIR SIBLINGS.
AND A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN TORN APART, A BEAUTIFUL LIFE THAT WAS STOLEN FROM AN INNOCENT HUMAN BEING.
WE CAN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE UNLESS WE HAVE THE DATA TO MAKE SURE OUR SOLUTIONS CAN COMBAT THIS VIOLENCE IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER.
WE SEE OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR PEOPLE DYING EVERY DAY AND SIMPLY, WE JUST NEED TO PUT A STOP TO IT.
NO MATTER WHAT PARTY YOU VOTE FOR OR WHAT POLITICAL BELIEFS YOU MAY HOLD.
A LIFE IS A LIFE WE CAN'T HINDER PRO REAL PROGRESS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES A PROBLEM THAT IS PUT ON A POLITICAL PEDESTAL AND USES A TOOL TO GARNER VOTES.
THERE'S NOT NOTHING POLITICAL ABOUT IT, WANTING TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO THIS IS WHERE YOU GUYS COME IN AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF HIS CITY OF HOUSTON, THE PIONEERS THAT WE ARE.
WE NEED TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CITIES, AND WE ARE ON THE BRINK OF SOMETHING INCREDIBLE, ACTUALLY COMBATING GUN VIOLENCE IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER.
AND THIS COMES FROM UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT A GUNSHOT WOUND, IT'S A GUNSHOT WOUND WHO'S ATTACHED TO A PERSON WHO'S A PART OF A COMMUNITY.
SO WITH THESE, WITH THIS DATA THAT WE COLLECT FROM THIS PROGRAM, WE CAN IMPLEMENT ACTUAL ACTION DRIVEN PROGRAMS THAT, UH, PREVENT THIS VIOLENCE FROM CONTINUING TO OCCUR.
UH, SO AGAIN, I GIVE MY SUPPORT.
OR YOU CAN HIT STAR SIX AND THEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY HENA PANIA.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A FAILING PHYSICIAN EDUCATOR AND SCIENTIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, FERTITA FAMILY, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND BOARD MEMBER OF DOCTORS FOR AMERICA.
SPEAKING IN MY PERSONAL CAPACITY IN SUPPORT OF CREATING A PUBLIC HEALTH REGISTRY OF GUN INJURIES IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, I CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN I WAS A MEDICAL STUDENT ROTATING THROUGH BEN TOP, I ENCOUNTERED A PATIENT WHO WAS SHOT.
AND WHEN YOU'RE A MED STUDENT, EVERYTHING'S NEW AND EXCITING.
WEEKEND NIGHTS IN THE ER ARE ESPECIALLY EXCITING BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE OFTEN GET INTO TROUBLE.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR A CODE COMING OVER THE SPEAKER SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, NURSES, STUDENTS, X-RAY TECHS, PHYSICIANS, PEOPLE SCURRY TO THE SHOCK ROOM TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW ARRIVAL.
WHEN YOU HEAR IT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL CODE, EVERYONE GOES, EVEN THE CHAPLAIN.
THE PATIENT I SAW WAS A TEENAGER SHOT IN THE SPINE WHO COULDN'T FEEL HIS TOES.
AND AFTER THE TEAM FINISHED DOING WHAT WE COULD TO STABILIZE HIM, WE STEPPED OUT TO PREPARE TO TRANSFER HIM TO A HOSPITAL FLOOR.
AND THAT'S WHEN HIS MOTHER WAS ALLOWED IN.
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THE SIDE OF THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER, SURROUNDED BY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, DISCARD SUPPLIES IN THE SHOCK ROOM, WHICH IS NOW SILENT EXCEPT FOR THE SOUND OF QUIET CRYING.
AND THIS MEMORY DRIVES ME TO ADVOCATE FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
GUN VIOLENCE IS A PROBLEM IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
WHILE MASS SHOOTINGS CAPTURE THE MOST ATTENTION, GUNS ARE INVOLVED IN MORE COMMON SITUATIONS.
ALMOST EVERY TIME I OPEN UP THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, THERE'S AN ARTICLE ABOUT CHILD WHO HAS INJURED HIMSELF, A GUN OWNER WHO HAS INJURED THEMSELF, OR AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER WHO WAS SHOT WHILE THEY WERE IN THEIR CAR OR AT THEIR HOME, OR A TARGETED SHOOTING INVOLVING A GUN.
AND THESE INJURIES, WOUNDS, AND DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE.
IF YOU CAN'T GOOD GET GOOD DATA, YOU CAN'T PERFORM GOOD RESEARCH.
AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THESE INJURIES ARE HAPPENING TO WHOM AND HOW SO THAT WE CAN KNOW WHERE TO DIRECT RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE SURVIVE AND SAVE LIVES.
THE SAME WAY HOUSTON HAS BEEN MONITORING WASTEWATER FOR COVID AND NOW OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES OR LIKE TRAUMA CENTERS ALREADY TRACK AND REPORT HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES.
THIS WILL BE ONE OTHER CONDITION TO MONITOR.
WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS MEDICAL CENTER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE SEEING WARTIME GUNSHOT WOUNDS IN EVERYDAY AMERICA.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SHOT, SURVIVE, THEY FACE YEARS OF DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH DISTRESS.
HAVEN'T WE HAD ENOUGH? PLEASE SUPPORT THIS GUN INJURY REGISTRY.
UH, NEXT HENA PONYA TO BE FOLLOWED BY SUSAN LOWEN.
I BELIEVE HENA WAS TRYING TO JOIN US VIRTUALLY.
WE DON'T SEE HER IN RIGHT NOW.
SO WE WILL GO TO SUSAN LOWEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, DR. KIM MURPHY.
I AM THE MOTHER OF SIX GRANDCHILDREN, ALL ABOUT READY TO VOTE.
AND I, UM, I'M A VOLUNTEER FOR MOMS DEMAND ACTION.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF INVESTING IN THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION DASHBOARD PROPOSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
I DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE.
[01:15:02]
WHEN GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVORS TELL ME THEIR PERSONAL STORIES.THEY SHARE THE PHYSICAL AND THE EMOTIONAL PAIN FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE FINANCIAL PAIN.
BUT SINCE CITY COUNCIL IS CONCERNED ABOUT BUDGET IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DASHBOARD, LET'S TALK MONEY THROUGH DATA GATHERED BY REPUTABLE SOURCES LIKE CDC.
EVERY TOWN FOR GUN SAFETIES, GUN VIOLENCE COST CALCULATOR ESTIMATES THAT THE COST OF ONE SINGLE UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTING IN TEXAS IS OVER $13,700,000.
THIS INCLUDES COST TO SURVIVORS FAMILIES, DIRECTLY AFFECTED EMPLOYERS, GOVERNMENT, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY TAXPAYERS FOOT 30 3008, UH, OF THE BILL FOR MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE, FIRST RESPONDERS, AMBULANCE P, POLICE RESPONSE, AND INVESTIGATIONS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES NATIONWIDE.
EACH GUN DEATH COSTS TAXPAYER PAYERS ABOUT $274,000 MORE THAN THE COST OF THE PROPOSED GUN VIOLENCE DASHBOARD.
IF OUR REGULATED, IF OUR REGIONAL LEADERS COULD USE DATA TO PREVENT JUST ONE UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTING, WHICH TYPICALLY INVOLVES A CHILD, OUR CITY GOVERNMENT AND HOUSTON CITIZENS WILL SAVE BOTH MONEY AND LIVES.
UH, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU LIKE FIVE SECONDS OR 10 SECONDS TO WRAP UP.
I URGE CITY COUNCIL TO INVEST IN GIVING OUR LEADERS ACCESS TO THE DATA THEY NEED TO PREVENT FIREARM INJURIES AND DEATHS IN OUR REGION.
A VERY MODEST INVESTMENT IN PREVENTION WILL ALLOW HOUSTONIANS TO STOP PAYING FOR GUN VIOLENCE DAMAGE CONTROL, AND FUNNEL THE FUNDS IN, UH, TO IMPROVING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
UH, NEXT, UH, IF, UH, IF DONNA IS ON VIRTUALLY YEAH.
SHE'S ON TO BE FOLLOWED BY BOB C***E.
I'M A LOCAL NEUROLOGIST, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, AS WELL AS E SAUD.
I WANTED TO THANK THE PUBLIC, UH, SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE FOR INVITING DR.
NICK MATHIA TO ADVOCATE FOR A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO STUDYING GUN VIOLENCE RELATED DEATH AND INJURY.
I AM HERE ALSO TO AFFIRM THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTING DATA ON FIREARM INJURY SPECIFICALLY, WHICH AS A NEUROLOGIST, I HAVE WITNESSED TOO OFTEN.
AND AS A PHYSICIAN AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, I APPRECIATE A CAUSE FOR PROFOUND DISABILITY, INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA, AND CHRONIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL TALK.
MY FIRST SIX MONTHS AS A NEUROLOGY ATTENDING, I TOOK CARE OF A MAN WITH EPILEPSY WHO HAD BECOME A DEPENDENT OF HIS PARENTS AFTER LOSING HIS TWO CHILDREN AND ALMOST LOSING HIS OWN LIFE TO GUN VIOLENCE IN A DOMESTIC DISPUTE.
GUN VIOLENCE INJURY AS WELL AS DEATH SHOULD BE REGARDED AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WORTHY OF THIS KIND OF STUDY AND TARGETED INTERVENTIONS THAT FOLLOW.
I WOULD ASK ADDITIONALLY THAT IN CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE TO INFORM THESE INTERVENTIONS, THAT WE ARE MINDFUL TO CREATE PROCESSES TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE TO PARTNERS FROM COMMUNITIES WHO MAY BE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.
THIS WORK SHOULD BE COMMUNITY CENTERED, DONE EQUITABLY AND IN WAYS THAT HELP RESTORE AND PROTECT NOT TO CRIMINALIZE.
UH, BOB C***E TO BE FOLLOWED BY, I BELIEVE ONLINE, UM, DR.
I APPLAUD THIS EFFORT AND I'M GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A, A DOUBT THAT DATA EVEN EXISTED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I TRACK DATA EVERY WEEKEND FROM THE COMMUNITY CRIME MAPS WEBSITE THAT WAS RECOMMENDED ME BY MELISSA C*****G WITH HPD.
THERE'S CERTAINLY NO PARDON UPON SILVER BULLET TO THIS WHOLE THING.
I THINK ONCE YOU FIGURE, JUST EVEN LOOKING AT THE DATA WE SAW TODAY, THE SCREENS, IT'S A SOCIETAL, IT'S A LIFESTYLE AND MADE, I DARE SAY IT, PARENTING ISSUE.
IF YOU TOOK ALL THE YOUNG SINGLE BLACK MALES AND KEPT THEM AWAY FROM BARS, THAT'S PROBABLY A 30 YEAR ISSUE RIGHT THERE, ACCORDING TO WHAT WE SAW ON THE SCREEN.
NOW, WE'VE SEEN THE DATA FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS.
LET'S FORGET OUT ABOUT THE PAST AND LET'S GO FORWARD WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, THIS PAST THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE WERE 130, 130 CASES OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT COVERS, GUNSHOTS, KNIVES, PIPE WRENCHES, WHATEVER THE PERSON WAS AGGRAVATED OR ASSAULTED WITH 68 OF THOSE OCCURRED IN THE HOMES.
I I THINK THIS IS DOABLE, AND IT MAY REQUIRE SOME VOLUNTEERS FROM THE MOMS DEMAND ACTION GROUP
[01:20:01]
TO MAYBE DO SOME DATA ANALYSIS AT HOME.AS CHIEF MARTIN SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE REPORT AND YOU, YOU SEE GUNSHOT, UH, AND AS A HPD LIEUTENANT EXPLAINED TO ME THE OTHER DAY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE GUNSHOT WAS.
WAS IT SOMEBODY DEFENDING THEMSELVES? WAS IT SOMEBODY, UM, WHO SHOT WHO? EXACTLY.
BUT AT LEAST YOU, AT LEAST YOU COULD.
AT LEAST YOU CAN START BOILING IT DOWN.
AND THAT'S, AND I'D BE THE FIRST IN LINE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP ANALYZE THIS DATA IF THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.
I, AND YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT UP AT THE MIC.
I DO WANNA, UM, EMPHASIZE I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WAS PRESENTED THAT SAID THAT, UM, BLACK MEN IN BARS ARE THE CAUSE AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
UM, WE, WE DON'T DO, WE DON'T DO CLAPPING IN COUNSEL.
YOU'RE, I'M NOT MISINTERPRETING.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU MISINTERPRETED WHAT I SAID.
BUT I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, AND THAT THE, IT WAS STRIKING TO ME THAT, UH, IN THE DATA PRESENTED, THERE'S ACTUALLY A VERY LARGE PORTION OF ADULT MEN THAT ARE DYING BY SUICIDE, ESPECIALLY IN OUR SUBURBAN AND RURAL AREAS THAT ALSO NEED ATTENTION.
SO I JUST WANNA CAUTION US IN TERMS OF LABELING THIS, UM, IN TERMS OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT THE DATA IS SHOWING BY OUR, OUR HEALTHCARE EXPERTS.
AUDREY NATH TO BE FOLLOWED BY JUST MAKING SURE WE STICK TO BUDGET AMENDMENT FIRST.
CHRISTINA PROPS WILL BE AFTER HER.
I AM A NEUROLOGIST AND CLINICAL AT, I'M VOICING MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR A COUPLE OF POST FIREARM INJURY DATA INTEGRATION PROGRAM.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO HEAR YOU.
UM, I'M GONNA SEE IF YOU CAN, I'M GONNA PAUSE THE CLOCK.
UM, BUT IF, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK A LITTLE CLEARER.
GUN VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
AND LIKE ANY OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM, FIGHT WITH THE DETECT DATA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND USE THIS DATA TO INFORM POLICY.
NICK MATRIA, CDC FUNDED RESEARCH TO BREAK DOWN GUNSHOT DATA FROM HPD AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS IS EXCELLENT.
AS A NEUROLOGIST, I'M CONCERNED FOR MY COMMUNITY WHEN TREATING HEAD INJURIES AND SEIZURES RESULTING FROM GUNSHOT INJURIES.
AS A MOTHER, I AM THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING.
IT WA IT WAS HARD TO HEAR YOU.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SEND US YOUR REMARKS, WE WILL CIRCULATE THOSE, UM, TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CALLING IN.
AND THEN, UM, IF JULIE MARIN MARINUCCI IS HERE, UM, SHE'LL BE NEXT.
CHRISTINA PROPS HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
WE WILL TRY TO COME BACK TO HER ONE MORE TIME, BUT, UH, SINCE WE HAVE RIGHT HERE, UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD JULIE.
UM, MY NAME IS JULIE MARINUCCI.
I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA, WHICH AS SUSAN NOTED, WAS AN ORGANIZATION THAT ADVOCATES FOR EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS PER FOR PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE.
I'M ALSO A CONSTITUENT OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PAX.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF INVESTING IN THE GUN VIOLENCE DASHBOARD PROPOSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
WHEN I JOINED, UH, MOMS DEMAND ACTION IN 2016.
AT THE TIME, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAD RECENTLY PASSED OPEN CARRY AND JUST UNDER A HUNDRED PEOPLE A DAY WERE KILLED WITH GUNS IN THE UNITED STATES.
WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT NUMBER HAD RISEN TO OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE A DAY.
IN 2021, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE PASSED PERMITLESS CARRY.
THIS WAS JUST ONE YEAR AFTER FIREARMS BECAME THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN AN AVERAGE YEAR, 3,996 PEOPLE DIE.
AND 5,556 PEOPLE ARE WOUNDED BY GUNS IN TEXAS.
AS OF FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, EVERY TOWN FOR GUN SAFETY, WHICH IS AN INDEPENDENT NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO UNDERSTANDING AND REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE
[01:25:01]
REPORTS THAT EVERY DAY 120 MIL, 120 AMERICANS ARE KILLED WITH GUNS AND MORE THAN 200 ARE SHOT AND WOUNDED.CLEARLY WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WITH RESPECT TO FIREARM DEATHS AND INJURIES AND IT'S GETTING WORSE.
AND WE NEED CLEAR EVIDENCE AND CONSISTENT DATA TO BEGIN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM.
EVERY TOWN RESEARCH.ORG WEBSITE NOTES AND I QUOTE, IN ORDER TO ILLUSTRATE THE MAGNITUDE OF EVERYDAY GUN VIOLENCE, EVERY TOWN HAS GATHERED THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA.
STILL SIGNIFICANT DATA GAPS REMAIN A, A RESULT OF UNDERFUNDED INCOMPLETE DATA COLLECTION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS.
FILLING THESE GAPS IS NECESSARY TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA.
END QUOTE, HOUSTON CAN BE A LEADER IN FILLING THIS INFORMATION GAP IF THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES A EXPENDITURE OF $240,000 TO FUND.
AND HERE I'M QUOTING COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FROM JUNE 6TH, THAT A COMPREHENSIVE DASHBOARD THAT INTEGRATES ALL AVAILABLE FIREARM INJURY DATA INTO ONE PLACE TO GUIDE HEALTH EXPERTS IN PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION.
I'M GONNA PAUSE YOU, UM, 'CAUSE YOUR TIME IS UP, BUT I DO SEE COUNCIL MEMBER PECK IN THE QUEUE.
DID, DID YOU WANNA WRAP UP YOUR SURE.
JUST VERY QUICKLY, I JUST HAVE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND RESEARCHERS NEED THE UNIFORMITY AND DATA FOR THIS DASHBOARD TO PROVIDE THE BEST THE, TO PROVIDE THE BEST DATA TO SERVE HOUSTONIANS AND I URGE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FUND THIS MUCH NEEDED TOOL THAT COULD BE A REAL GAME CHANGER IN IDENTIFYING COMMON SENSE MEASURES TO REDUCE OR PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE IN HOUSTON AND ALSO POTENTIALLY THE UNITED STATES.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE JULIE, SHE DOES SOME AMAZING WORK FOR THE INWOOD AREA AND, UM, VOLUNTEERS FOR TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER AND SAY THANKS FOR COMING.
ALRIGHT, NEXT, UH, BELLA CAR RA IF SHE IS HERE.
UH, WE'LL GO BACK REALLY QUICKLY.
NEXT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT, I THINK THAT IS EVERYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.
IF, IF YOU DIDN'T LIST IT AS BUDGET AMENDMENT, WE WILL STILL GET TO YOU.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE, UH, LAURA GALLAGHER.
LAURA, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, UM, TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, EITHER MARIE OR MARY PUSAN.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AROUND POLICE MISCONDUCT.
I'VE REPORTED TO THIS COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL.
I REPORTED THE CONDUCT TO OPRAH IN JUNE, 2022.
OPRAH INFORMED ME IN WRITING THAT THE ALLEGATIONS WERE SUSTAINED AND THE OFFICERS WERE DISCIPLINED.
I'VE CONTINUED TO ASK THE FOLLOWING THREE QUESTIONS WITH NO ANSWERS PROVIDED.
ONE, WHAT WERE THE INFRACTIONS? TWO, WHAT WERE THE RANGE OF DISCIPLINES? THREE.
DID ANY OFFICERS REPORT THE MISCONDUCT IN RESPONSE TO AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST? I RECEIVED THE REPORTS FILED BY THE 12 OFFICERS INVOLVED AS WELL AS THEIR DISCIPLINARY HISTORY.
THESE DOCUMENTS SHOW NO EVIDENCE THAT MY COMPLAINT WAS INVESTIGATED.
OPRAH RESPONDED BY SENDING ME LAWS INDICATING THAT SOME DISCIPLINE CAN BE KEPT SECRET.
MY COMPLAINT DOES NOT FALL IN THOSE CATEGORIES.
HOWEVER, HPD DENIED MY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION.
I'VE APPEALED THAT DECISION TO THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OPEN GOVERNMENT OFFICE.
THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OFFICER'S REPORT AND MY CONTEMPORANEOUS EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT.
THE POLICE REPORT NOTES THE PRESENCE OF A FIREARM.
I HAVE A PHOTO OF THE SUSPECT CARRYING A BRIGHT RED WATER GUN.
THE POLICE REPORT SUGGESTS THE SUSPECT CONTINUOUSLY RESISTED ARREST.
MY EYEWITNESS REPORT SAID HE OFFERED NO RESISTANCE, AND IN FACT, APPEARED TO BE UNCONSCIOUS AND POSSIBLY DEAD.
IN ADDITION TO MY THREE ORIGINAL QUESTIONS, I NOW HAVE MORE.
ONE, WHY WERE 12 OFFICERS ON THE SCENE MOSTLY DOING NOTHING WHEN HPD ARE CLAIMING TO BE UNDERSTAFFED, SLOW RESPONSE TIME, AND IN NEED OF A LARGER BUDGET.
HOW WAS THE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED? THREE.
WHY WAS I NOT CONTACTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION? FOUR.
WHY DO THE OFFICER'S EMPLOYEE COMPLAINT HISTORY LIST SOME COMPLAINTS AGAINST THEM BUT NOT MINE? FIVE.
WHY WAS OPRAH IN CHARGE OF THE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM? WHEN THEY TELL ME REPEATEDLY THEY'RE UNDERSTAFFED? YEAH.
I'M GONNA, I KNOW YOU'RE OUTTA TIME, BUT I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND Q SO SHE, WE MAY GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU ABOUT 10 SECONDS TO WRAP UP.
[01:30:01]
ME IN DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING A COMPLAINT.AND I KNOW LAURA, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOU, UM, TO TRY TO HELP FACILITATE RIGHT, SOME OF THE MEETINGS YOU'VE HAD WITH OPRAH, CONNECTING YOU WITH HPD, HELPING YOU THROUGH THE TPIA PROCESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU STILL HAVE, UM, OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WENT AHEAD AND DID IS, UH, SONIA, IF YOU DON'T MIND RAISING YOUR HAND, UH, SONIA RIGHT HERE IS, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK BEHIND YOU, THERE'S SONIA.
UM, SHE CAN SPEAK WITH YOU AFTERWARDS AS WELL ABOUT FOLLOWING UP ON SOME OF YOUR ADDITIONAL INQUIRIES.
UM, I KNOW WE HAD JUST RECENTLY SUBMITTED ANOTHER EMAIL SAYING, HEY, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, TO OUR CONSTITUENT, YOUR DISTRICT C CONSTITUENT, UH, WHY INFORMATION CAN BE PROVIDED, CANNOT BE PROVIDED, ET CETERA.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THAT.
UM, OF COURSE WE DO NOT, WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, UM, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU, CAN WE BE DOING TO ASSIST YOU? UH, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE DOING THAT AT ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALQUAN HAS BEEN ADVOCATING WITH THE OPEN RECORDS PEOPLE TO GET MY REQUESTS REPLIED TO.
BUT YOU, NOBODY TOLD ME IT WOULD'VE BEEN GOOD TO KNOW.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW I HAD THAT SUPPORT.
AND, UM, SECONDLY, IT WOULD BE NICE TO, UM, HAVE YOUR SUPPORT IN APPEALING IT TO THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
WELL, I, I BELIEVE YOU'RE CC'D ON THOSE EMAILS, BUT AGAIN, UH, SONIA CAN TALK WITH YOU IN THE BACK ABOUT HOW WE CAN ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION, NOT ONLY WITH OPRAH, BUT WITH HPD.
UM, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED SOME ANSWERS, BUT I KNOW YOU WANT, YOU WOULD LIKE MORE.
SO WE'RE AGAIN, CONTINUING THAT.
AND SONIA, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TO SPEAK WITH, UM, LAURA ON THAT.
MAY I SAY ONE MORE THING? SURE.
OPRAH EMAILED ME JUST EARLIER THIS WEEK AND YOUR OFFICE THAT THEY HAVE TOLD ME EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TELL ME.
AND THAT'S WHY WE REACHED OUT TO HPD.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THIS.
I DID ASK, UH, DIRECTOR KORA FOR, TO ALSO BE PRESENT.
SHE COULDN'T, BUT SHE SAID IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FOLLOW UP THAT SHE CAN DO, UM, SHE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AS WELL.
SO WE MADE THAT ASK OF HER TOO.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UM, AND SONIA CAN MEET WITH YOU IN THE BACK.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, MARIE PUSAN.
COME ON UP TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOY DAVIS.
OKAY, SO, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR CALLING OUT THAT COMMENT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU DID THAT.
I WAS PULLED, PUT BACK BY THAT AS WELL.
UM, SECOND OF ALL, I, I SUPPORT, UH, DATA DRIVEN SOLUTIONS.
UM, ALSO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, SHOTSPOTTER, WE ARE PAYING $3.5 MILLION FOR THAT.
WHY? BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET RID OF THAT.
IT'S PUTTING, IT'S PUTTING PEOPLE IN, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE UNDERFUNDED, THAT ARE HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED AT RISK FOR POLICE VIOLENCE.
BECAUSE WHEN POLICE SHOW UP LATE AND THERE'S NOBODY AROUND, AND MAYBE IT WASN'T EVEN A GUNSHOT, IT WAS A BACKFIRED CAR, AND THEN SAY THERE'S THREE BLACK GUYS OVER HERE HANGING OUT.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE COPS COME FOR SHOT SPOTTER AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE COPS COME OVER HERE AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, THEY THINK IT'S THESE GUYS.
RIGHT? AND THAT, THAT, THAT PUTS A REALLY BAD SITUATION THAT COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SITUATION GOING ON WITH THE CULTURE AND COPS, WE, WE SHOULD AVOID THOSE KIND OF INTERACTIONS THE BEST WE CAN.
SO ALSO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FREEZE HPDS BUDGET.
UM, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE USING THAT MONEY TO RESOURCE COMMUNITIES.
IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT CRIME IN GENERAL.
THOMAS, MY DEGREES IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND MY MINORS IN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES.
I TOOK A LOT OF DIPLOMACY CLASSES.
THE MAIN THING THAT WE WERE TAUGHT IS THAT SCARCITY BREEDS CONFLICT.
THIS IS UNDERSTOOD IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
IF WE RESOURCE COMMUNITIES, THERE WILL WILL BE LESS CRIME.
THERE WILL BE LESS NEED FOR THE COPS.
[01:35:01]
COPS DON'T PREVENT CRIME.THEY, THEY HELP FIND JUSTICE AFTERWARDS OR WHATEVER, RIGHT? BUT THEY DON'T PREVENT THE CRIMES FROM HAPPENING.
WHAT PREVENTS THE CRIMES FROM HAPPENING IS PEOPLE HAVING THE RESOURCES THEY NEED SO THAT THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO DO THE CRIMES.
NEXT, UH, I'M GONNA CALL JOY DAVIS ONE MORE TIME.
I'M HERE SPEAKING ABOUT POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE ABUSE WITNESS BY LAURA GALLAGHER CAUSED BY HPD OFFICERS.
UH, THE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTING PHOTOS CONTRADICT WHAT WAS STATED IN THE REPORTS FILED BY THE HPD OFFICERS.
NOW, WE KNOW POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE UNCOOPERATIVE OR RESISTANT WHEN IT COMES TO RELEASING INFORMATION, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT CONCERNS POLICE MISCONDUCT.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE ALSO HESITANT TO RELEASE THIS INFORMATION THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S GOING TO BE PUBLIC BACKLASH OR CRITICISM.
UH, NEGATIVE PUBLICITY WILL ALSO BE DAMAGING TO THE REPUTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT AND ITS OFFICERS.
BUT SHIELDING OFFICER MISCONDUCT OR CONTROVERSIAL INCIDENTS TO PREVENT PUBLIC EXPO EXPOSURE OR THE POTENTIAL WRONGDOINGS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND VERY DAMAGING.
AND THEN IT ALSO SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE.
THE MESSAGE THAT PROTECTING HPD OFFICERS FROM ACCOUNTABILITY, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE WRONG, WHEN THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, WILL ALSO PROVE VERY COSTLY.
THIS IS GOING TO DESTROY THE LACK OF TRUST THAT HPD HAS BEEN TRYING TO BUILD WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST HPD OFFICERS BY MS. GALLER, AND SHE HAS YET TO RECEIVE A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE.
AND WHAT KIND OF IN INVESTIGATIONS OR ANY KIND OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO THOSE, UM, TAKEN TOWARDS THE OFFICERS.
UH, WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS LEFT, SANJU SAMUEL, UH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY HILLARY HAYNES SANJU.
IF YOU'RE ON VIRTUALLY, PLEASE HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, HILLARY HAYNES.
UM, I'M A MEMBER OF PURE JUSTICE HERE TO SPEAK, UM, ALSO AGAINST THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER AND DEMAND ITS DISUSE.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, I LEARNED, LEARNED THAT THE CITY HAD RENEWED THE $3.5 MILLION CONTRACT FOR SHOT SPOTTER.
THIS GUNSHOT DETECTION SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR TWO YEARS, AND PER AVAILABLE DATA RELEASED ONLY LED TO AROUND 20% OF ALERTS RESULTING IN AN OFFENSE SUPPORT.
THIS IS ONLY ABOUT HALF OF TRADITIONAL 9 1 1 CALLS.
THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE REPORTED JUST LAST WEEK, THAT OFFICERS ARE INCREASINGLY PRIORITIZING SHOT SPOT OR ALERTS SOMETIMES AT THE EXPENSE OF RESPONDING TO 9 1 1 CALLS ABOUT GUNFIRE USING THIS INEFFECTIVE SYSTEM, THEREFORE HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SAFETY.
ADDITIONALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE SYSTEM, UM, CAUSES HARM, WHICH ETHAN ALLUDED TO BASED ON HPDS TRANSPARENCY HUB.
THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE REPORTED ON HOW BLACK RESIDENTS MAKE UP 22% OF HOUSTON'S POPULATION, BUT THEY ACCOUNT FOR 72% OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED SERIOUS BODILY INJURIES AT THE HANDS OF POLICE.
AND 63% OF PEOPLE WHO DIED AS A RESULT OF POLICE USE OF FORCE.
UM, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2020 SHOT SPOTTER INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN POLICE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WHEN SUCH A HIGH NUMBER OF FALSE ALERTS ARE INVESTIGATED.
THE FUNDS FOR SHOT SPOTTERS SHOULD BE USED FOR INTERVENTIONS THAT IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY BY MEANS OTHER THAN POLICING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CHILDCARE, HEALTHCARE, FOOD ACCESS, UM, ET CETERA.
ALSO, AS A NEUROLOGIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST WHO WORKS WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE SPINAL CORD AND BRAIN INJURIES FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS, I SUPPORT THE BUD BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS, UM, TO OUR PRESENTERS AND COUNT MEMBERS AND STAFF FOR, UH, BEING IN ATTENDANCE.
UH, WITH THAT, THE, UH, MEETING IS, I'M JUST MAKING SURE I GET THE LANGUAGE RIGHT.
I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS RECORDING AND THE PRESENTATION ARE ONLINE, UM, ON OUR COMMITTEE WEBSITE AND ON HTV THANKS TO IT.
AND HTV, UH, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 3:42 PM THANK YOU ALL.