[Press Conference: "Sgt. Harold Preston Police Station Ribbon Cutting"]
[00:00:21]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.AND, UM, LET ME, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE PRESTON FAMILY, UH, HIS MOTHER WHO'S LOOKING, I MEAN, JUST RADIANT THIS MORNING.
GIVE IT UP TOMORROW TO THE PRESTON FAMILY, TO CHIEF THINNER HIS EXECUTIVE STAFF TO ALL OF THE POLICE OFFICERS, UH, AND PEOPLE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO ARE PRESENT.
UH, THANK YOU ALL, UH, TO SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER, HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY KIM OG, UH, TO THE VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEK TATUM, AND I BELIEVE WE ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT, UH, AS WELL.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER, SALLY ALCORN.
UH, SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO ALL OF THEM.
ON A A A 70 DEGREE DAY, UH, DAY, UH, WE GATHER HERE TO ONE OF THE MEMORY OF A TRUE HERO.
ONE OF HPDS FINEST, UH, SERGEANT HAROLD PRESTON, WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
UH, WHILE SERVING THIS CITY, HE SO DEEPLY LOVED.
AND WHILE OUR HEARTS MAY BE HEAVY, I AM HONORED TO STAND HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT A MAN WHO WAS THE EPITOME OF WHAT HOUSTON WANTS, UH, UH, IN THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO REPRESENT A MAN WHO LOVED HIS FAMILY, HIS TEAM, AND HIS CITY.
EVIDENT BY HIS 41 YEAR CAREER SELFLESSLY, SERVING HOUSTONIANS FOR 41 YEARS, FROM APRIL 23RD, 1979, UH, TO HIS END OF WATCH ON OCTOBER 20TH, 2020, HE FAITHFULLY SERVED HOUSTONIANS, NEVER HESITATING TO PUT HIMSELF IN HARM'S WAY TO PROTECT AND SERVE OTHERS.
AND WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
AND THAT IS WHY ON JULY 12TH, 2023, THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO RENAME THE SOUTHWEST DIVISION PATROL STATE STATION TO THE HAROLD L. PRESTON SOUTHWEST POLICE STATION.
AND WHILE SERGEANT PRESTON'S LEGACY INCLUDES ONE ASSISTANT CHIEF COMMENDATION, 11, SUPERVISOR COMMENDATIONS, TWO EMPLOYEE COMMENDATIONS, AND EIGHT CITIZEN LETTERS OF COMMENDATIONS, HIS COLLEAGUES REMEMBER HIM FOR THAT AND SO MUCH MORE.
LIEUTENANT JULIE MADRE REMEMBERS HIM FOR HIS UNWAVERING POSITIVE ATTITUDE HE BROUGHT TO EVERY ASPECT OF HIS LIFE.
AND SHE SAYS THAT SHE CAN STILL HEAR HIM SAYING, HEY, GOD, HEY SARGE.
AS A SERGEANT, HE SERVED AT THE NORTHEAST AND NORTH DIVISION AND SERVED HIS LAST 21 YEARS AND FIVE MONTHS AT THE SOUTHWEST DIVISION.
HIS ROLE AS A TRAINING SUPERVISOR ALLOWED HIM TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BY MOLDING AND NURTURING NEW OFFICERS, INSTILLING IN THEM THE VALUES OF HONOR, INTEGRITY, AND RESPECT THAT HE HIMSELF EMBODIED THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE CAREER.
AND BEFORE I TAKE MY SEAT, LET US ALSO NOT FORGET THE FAMILY.
HE SO DEEPLY CHERISHED THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT, ENABLE HIM TO SERVE THE CITY.
AND FOR THAT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO HIS DAUGHTER, ALLISON PRESTON, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A SPECIAL LIKING FOR DAUGHTERS SINCE I GOT ONE.
SO TO ALLISON, SO VERY PROUD, SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND DAD MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, HE'S VERY MUCH PRESENT TODAY.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THESE POLICE OFFICERS, ALL OF THEM, THEY REPRESENT SO MUCH OF YOUR FATHER.
SO LOVE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU.
AND THEN TO HIS MOM, RUBY'S SMART, NO, I'M SORRY.
TO ALLISON'S MOTHER, RUBY SMART, AS WELL AS HIS, AS HIS PARENTS, ANNIE MAY AND ROBERT PRESTON, ALONG WITH HIS AUNTS, COUSINS, AND NUMEROUS FAMILY MEMBERS.
IF YOU ARE A FAMILY MEMBER, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT? AND THERE ARE MANY OF THEM HERE FOR THIS SPECIAL DAY.
[00:05:01]
AS WE WALK THROUGH THESE DOORS NOW, BEARING SERGEANT HAROLD PRESTON'S NAME, MAY WE REMEMBER HIS SACRIFICE, UH, THAT CHERISH, CHERISH HIS LEGACY.AND LET US ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT HE TRULY INSTILLED THE VALUES OF HONOR, INTEGRITY, AND RESPECT.
WHAT A GREAT DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT IT'S BEEN MADE EVEN GREATER BECAUSE HE LIVED AND HE SERVED AND HE SERVED EXTREMELY WELL.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER UP THE MICROPHONE TO MRS. ANNIE MAE PRESTON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THE MAYOR JUST SAID MANY THINGS THAT I WAS GONNA SAY
AS HE SAID, I'M HAROLD PRESTON'S MOTHER.
AND HE HAS, I HAVE ONE GRANDDAUGHTER THAT I DEARLY LOVE.
HAROLD WAS A GENTLE YOUNG MAN.
HE LOVED PEOPLE AND HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD FOR THEM.
I ASKED HIM FREQUENTLY, SON, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA RETIRE? HIS DAD RETIRED FROM, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL AFTER, AFTER 30 YEARS.
AND I RETIRED FROM AL DEAN AFTER 41 YEARS.
SO, I KNOW YOU GONNA WORK AS LONG AS YOUR MOM OR YOUR DAD.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GONNA WORK A FEW MORE YEARS.
AS HE WENT TO WORK EVERY MORNING I STOOD AT THAT WINDOW AND LOOKED, LORD LET MY SON COME BACK TO IT.
BUT ONE DAY HE DIDN'T COME BACK, BUT HE GAVE HIS SACRIFICE.
AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SO NICE SINCE WE LOST HIM.
I WENT TO ONE OF THEM, PUT ONE OF THEM, TOOK ME TO DINNER ONE DAY, AND I GUESS HE HAD BEEN THERE FREQUENTLY.
THE WAITER SAID, WHO IS THAT? HE SAID, THIS IS MY GRANDMOTHER.
AND FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, I'M GRANNY TO HIM AND TO MANY OF THE POLICEMEN, I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR HELPING ME THROUGH SINCE I HAD NO MAN.
MY HUSBAND DIED, I'M SORRY, SIX WEEKS AFTER MY SON WAS KILLED.
SO THAT LEFT ME WITH NO MAN IN THE HOUSE.
BUT I GOT ONE, I'M NOT GONNA CALL, HE'S NOT IN THE HOUSE.
BUT HE AND HIS WIFE ARE THIS, WELL, HE TOLD US, UH, SERVER, THIS IS MY GRANNY.
AND THAT WAS SHORTLY AFTER MY SON DIED.
AND BELIEVE ME, HAS, HE HAS BEEN A GRANDSON.
YOU KNOW, I CALL HIM FOR ANYTHING THAT I REALLY NEED.
AND HE TELLS ME FREQUENTLY, GRANNY, GET YOU A BOTTLE OF WATER AND GO IN THE HOUSE AND SIT DOWN.
YOU KNOW, HE IS SO FUNNY, BUT SO NICE.
HE PLANTED MY FLOWERED AND HE WAS OUT THERE WATERING IT BY DUST DARK.
AND I WENT OUT AND SAT DOWN, GRANNY, I WAS JUST ENJOYING THIS.
WHY DID YOU COME OUT HERE AND WANT TO S SPOIL IT?
AND I APPRECIATE HIM AND HIS WIFE.
NOW, HE MIGHT MISS CALLING ME ONE DAY, BUT HIS WIFE NEVER DUG.
SO I LOVE THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I ASKED HIM, MY SON, WHY DON'T YOU GET AN OFFICE JOB AND GET OFF THE STREET? HE SAID, I LOVE PEOPLE.
I LOVE TO TALK TO YOUNGSTERS THAT I STOP.
SOMETIMES I GIVE 'EM A TICKET, SOMETIMES I DON'T.
HE LOVED YOUNG PEOPLE AND OLD PEOPLE, ALL RIGHT? HE, THE ELDERLY HE WOULD HOLD CONVERSATIONS WITH AND THE YOUNGSTERS.
SO THOSE WERE TWO THAT HE REALLY LOVED.
I WONDER WHERE HE GOT THAT FROM
[00:10:01]
BUT HE SERVED 41 YEARS AND HE LOVED IT.IF YOU CAN WORK EVERY DAY, GO TO WORK AND LOVE IT LIKE HE DID, AND TO MAKE A LIVING BY DOING THAT IS A BONUS.
OKAY? SO HE MADE A LIVING BY DOING WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.
I PASSED BY THE SHRINE WE HAVE FOR HIM, HER SON, HER HUSBAND.
AND, BUT HE DID WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AND HE LEFT WHEN IT WAS HIS TIME.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING, MAYOR, CHIEF, ALL THE POLICE STAFF.
I CAN'T SAY HOW NICE THEY ARE TO ME.
SOMETIMES I SEE 'EM LIKE IN LOUIES OR UH, GROCERY STORE AND THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING.
HELLO YOUNG MAN,
HOW ARE YOU DOING? AND SOMETIMES THEY, THEY KIND OF AROUND AND I'M TRYING TO GET UP OR DOWN AND THEY DON'T OFFER 'CAUSE THEY DON'T SEE THEY'RE TALKING.
I SAY, UH, OKAY,
SOMETIMES I JUST TELL MY SON, PUT YOUR UNIFORM ON AND LET ME SEE YOU
AND I LOVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DUG FOR ME.
MY SON IS GONE, BUT I HAVE ANOTHER SON AND A GRANDDAUGHTER.
SO THANK YOU MAYOR, CHIEF, AND EVERYONE, THE COMMITTEE WHO MADE THIS AFFAIR POSSIBLE.
I LOVE YOU AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
BUT UH, NEXT UP IS CHIEF THINNER.
YOU DON'T FOLLOW IT, YOU JUST GET IN LINE.
AND I, I LOOK AROUND AND I LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY AND, UH, THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT HAR I, I CAN'T ADD TOO MUCH TO IT, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE LOVE OF OUR AGENCY.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL MAYOR AND OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALL OUR ELECTED OF OFFICIALS HERE FOR UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS HAD TO HAPPEN.
AND, UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS, UM, BECAUSE DURING THAT TIME, SEVERAL MEMBERS LOST THEIR LIVES.
BUT NO ONE OTHER THAN SERGEANT HAROLD PRESTON, ALL THE UNIONS, ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY, WE GOTTA GET HIS NAME ON THIS BUILDING.
SO I THANK GOD FOR TODAY THAT HAS HAPPENED.
BUT I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I SAID IT WAS HOT AND WE GONNA KEEP THIS THING ROLLING.
ALLISON AND MAMA PRESTON, I DON'T CALL YOU GRANITE TOO MUCH 'CAUSE YOU LOOK TOO GOOD TO BE A GRANITE, OKAY? THAT'S JUST YOUR CHIEF TALKING.
JUST KNOW ONE THING, YOUR FATHER, YOUR SON, HE LIVES ON.
AND OUR SPIRIT AND OUR MINDS AND OUR HEARTS.
BECAUSE 41 YEARS OF SERVICE AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND 20 YEARS ON THE NORTH SIDE, 21 YEARS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
THAT'S WHY THAT NAME IS GOING UP ON THIS, THIS BUILDING.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY, UH, TO OLD BE NUT, WHICH IS NOW, UH, SOUTHWEST, THAT HISTORY AND ALL THE RETIRED OFFICERS I SEE OUT HERE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY MAN AND WOMAN, UH, THAT PUT ON THAT UNIFORM AND THOSE MEMBERS IN, IN SUPPORT FOR BEING A GREAT FAMILY.
THAT WE ARE STANDING IN THE GAPS PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO.
AND WE'RE GONNA HONOR THAT NAME.
BUT ALLISON, ANYTIME AND WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR KIDS, YOUR KIDS BABY, YOU BRING THEM BY HERE AND YOU SHOW 'EM THAT NAME BECAUSE WE ALL PROUD OF IT AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE TOO.
SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH AND WE, LET'S CUT THESE RIBBONS.
IN CLOSING, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYBODY FROM THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE COMMUNITY WHO IS OUT HERE IN FORCE.
HE MENTIONED HOW HAROLD WAS A TRAINING SUPERVISOR.
[00:15:01]
THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HE TRAINED, THAT I SHARED A CAR WITH, SHARED A LUNCH TABLE WITH WAY BACK IN 2013.SO I MEAN, HIS, HE, HE WAS FELT IMMENSELY THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON THROUGH EACH OF US THAT WAS SHARED.
UH, YOU KNOW, A TABLE WITH HIM, A STATION WITH HIM, AND HIS MEMORY LIVES ON AT THE CROSS BACK IN THE ROSE GARDEN.
HIS PICTURES ADORNING THE WALLS HERE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I THANK VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASSICK TATUM FOR BEING HERE.
THE MAYOR, THE CHIEF, THE EXECUTIVE STAFF CHIEF PENA FROM HFD.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVAN SHABAZZ, LETICIA PLUMMER, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN ABBY CAYMAN, WHO COULD NOT MAKE IT.
I KNOW THAT I'LL BE FORGETTING SOME NAMES, BUT ALSO I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE THAT HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER.
ALLISON HUDSON, OUR AMAZING PIO AND HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER.
SHE, SHE REALLY DID EVERYTHING HERE.
SO I, I WANT TO THANK ALLISON.
UH, I WANT TO THANK JIM HUDKINS FROM GSD, UH, DIRECTOR CJ MESSIAH, WHO REALLY PUSHED A LOT OF THIS FORWARD AND HELPED US GET THIS DONE ON A CONDENSED TIMEFRAME.
UH, TIMES CONSTRUCTION, WHO ACTUALLY DID THE WORK.
OUR PARTNERS AT STARBUCKS, HEB AND SAM'S CLUB, WHO SO GRACIOUSLY DONATED A LOT OF THE FOOD INSIDE THAT WE CAN PARTAKE WITH, UH, WHEN WE'RE DONE HERE.
AND AS WELL, COUNTLESS OTHERS THAT, UH, HELPED PARKS AND REC DIVISION THAT HELPED BEAUTIFY CAMBRIDGE PARK.
UH, MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS THAT REALLY HELPED PUT THIS TOGETHER AS WELL.
AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE COME FORWARD, MAYOR TURNER, CHIEF FINN, THE EXECUTIVE STAFF AND THE PRESTON FAMILY OVER TO THE WALL SO THAT WE CAN CUT THE RIBBON.
AND OFFICIALLY NAME THIS, THE HAROLD L. PRESTON SOUTHWEST POLICE STATION.