* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "Harris County Precinct 4 Gun Buyback Details"] [00:00:19] SO, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES TO BE FREE FROM GUN VIOLENCE. I TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AS A MOM OF THREE LITTLE GIRLS, AS A FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER WHO LOST STUDENTS BECAUSE OF GUN VIOLENCE. AND AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF CRIME SEVERAL TIMES, WE NEED TO BE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. NO ONE GUN BUYBACK EVENT, NO ONE POLICY ACTION WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF GUN VIOLENCE. WE ALL KNOW THAT. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE GOING TO BE TAKING A WHOLE HOLISTIC APPROACH AND PUSHING EVERY LEVER OF CHANGE THAT WE CAN. AND AGAIN, WE'RE SO THANKFUL TO PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION FOR SENDING US THIS MONEY TO MAKE THIS GUN BUYBACK POSSIBLE. WE INVITE YOU, THE COMMUNITY TO COME. THERE WILL BE NO QUESTIONS ASKED. YOU BRING A GUN, YOU WILL GET A GIFT CARD, AND WE WILL HAVE GUN SAFES. AND THIS IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE UNWANTED GUNS, UNUSED GUNS THAT MIGHT BE LYING AROUND ONE'S HOME, ONE'S VEHICLE. AND RATHER THAN HAVING US RUN THE RISK OF THEM GETTING INTO SOMEONE'S HANDS, SELL THEM BACK, GET A GIFT CARD, BRING THEM AND PICK UP A GUN SAFE WHILE WE'RE AT IT. WE ALL HAVE A SHARED COMMITMENT TO BEING RESPONSIBLE TO MAXIMIZING PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO MAKING SURE WE'RE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. NOW, WE WANT HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON TO BE LEADING FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE FRANK WHEN WE'RE LEADING FOR THE WRONG REASONS. HARRIS COUNTY LEADS THE STATE OF TEXAS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE HOMICIDES. WE KNOW THAT IN THESE HOMICIDES, 96% OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIED IN ONE OF THESE INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DIED BECAUSE OF A FIREARM BEING USED IN THAT INCIDENT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT 80% OF SCHOOL SHOOTERS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ACCESSED A FIREARM FROM THEIR OWN HOME OR FROM THE HOME OF A RELATIVE OR FRIEND. WE ALSO KNOW THAT AN ESTIMATED 82% OF ADOLESCENT FIREARM SUICIDES INVOLVE A GUN BELONGING TO A FAMILY MEMBER. SO AS WE THINK OF SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS, SAFETY IN OUR HOME, SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN, IF YOU MAY BE WATCHING AND YOU MAY HAVE A WEAPON AT HOME THAT YOU WANNA SAFELY GET RID OF, BRING IT TO OUR GUN BUYBACK EVENT. WE WILL BECOME SAFER IF WE DO THIS TOGETHER. AND AGAIN, HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO A HOLISTIC APPROACH, WHETHER THAT'S THE GUN VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION WORK WE'RE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, OUR HOLISTIC ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM TO ADDRESS MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE SYSTEM. SO MANY DIFFERENT CHANGES. THIS IS ONE OF THESE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO AGAIN, WE INVITE YOU SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH FROM 8:00 AM TO NOON. LET US ALL BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION BECAUSE ALL OF US DESERVE TO BE SAFE, AND ALL OF US ARE HOW WE ARE GONNA MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. SO WITH THAT, IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE MAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION. OUR PHENOMENAL MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, SYLVESTER TURNER. THANK YOU. LOOK, LET ME, LET ME START OFF BY THANKING, UH, COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIANIS, UH, FOR HER LEADERSHIP. UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED AND CONTINUE TO PARTNER ON, ON MULTIPLE LEVELS, ON BEHALF OF THE, OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT. AND THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UH, OF THAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, UH, THAT WILL, UH, PRODUCE DIVIDENDS, UH, FOR SO MANY FAMILIES. AGAIN, I'M ALSO HONORED TO STAND, UH, WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ AGAIN. UH, UH, HE TOO, HE AND I HAVE STOOD TOGETHER SEVERAL TIMES, SO I APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP AND WHAT HE'S DOING EACH AND EVERY DAY, UH, TO, UH, CHIEF HATCHER, WHO IS, UH, HERE REPRESENTING HPD AND CHIEF TROY FINNER. UM, AND ALL OF THOSE, UH, UH, THE OFFICERS WITH HPD, [00:05:01] UH, THESE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS ARE NO, I MEAN, IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO THEM, AND THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB. SO CHIEF HATCHER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. AND THEN SANJAY ROM, UH, THE SHERIFF METRO, AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER. SO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM HIM. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, TOUR MICHELLE, THE CITY LEGAL ATTORNEY, UH, THAT'S HERE, AS WELL AS BILL KELLY AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UH, THAT'S HERE. UM, UH, AS WELL AS CHRISTINE NOACK, WHO IS THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR, UH, GENERAL FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON. ALL OF THEM, THE GOVERNMENT TEAM, THERE'S CITY LEGAL AS WELL AS THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR ALL WORK HAND IN HAND ON THESE GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS. SO, UH, COMMISSIONER LES, WE ARE ALL IN 100%. UH, SO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING EVERYONE ON NOVEMBER THE 18TH. TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE NEXT GUN BUYBACK IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY. UH, WE KNOW THAT BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN SERVE MORE PEOPLE, PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES, AND WITH A MUCH BROADER OUTREACH. THE NOVEMBER 18TH EVENT EVENT, AND I WANT TO UNDERSCORE NOVEMBER THE 18TH, UH, STARTING AT EIGHT WILL BE THE FIFTH GUN BUYBACK. UH, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SINCE I, UM, SINCE WE LAUNCHED ONE SAFE HOUSTON INITIATIVE IN FEBRUARY OF 2022. UH, AND THERE ARE MANY FOCUSES FROM VIOLENCE REDUCTION, CRISIS INTERVENTION, YOUTH OUTREACH, AND BUILDING KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE EVENT. HOUSTON, UH, WILL BE WELL REPRESENTED. THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS COMMISSIONER BRO SAID, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL, UH, WILL PROVIDE, UH, ASSISTANCE TO THIS EVENT. THE HOUSTON, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEERS WILL BE THERE TO DISTRIBUTE 400 GUN SAFES AND TALK ABOUT, UH, STORING GUNS, UH, SAFELY. AND THE CITY IS ALSO PROVIDING APPROXIMATELY $170,000 WORTH OF GIFT CARDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED. OUR FIRST GUN BUY BACK IN 2022 WAS IN THE PARKING LOT OF WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH. WE WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE THE LINE OF VEHICLES STRETCHED AROUND THE CHURCH AND DOWN THE STREETS ABOUT TWO MILES LONG. WE COLLECTED, UH, MORE THAN 800 FIREARMS THAT DAY, AND WE LEARNED A LOT, WHICH EVENTUALLY SAID, UH, LED US TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION, NO GUS, UH, GHOST GUNS, NO GHOST GUNS. OUR SECOND GUN BUYBACK WAS HELD OCTOBER THE EIGHTH, UH, LAST YEAR AT THE METRO WEST CHASE. AND WE COLLECTED, UH, 1,208 FIREARMS. WE HELD ANOTHER WITH COMMISSIONER ELLIS, FEBRUARY THE 18TH, AT DO SOME'S PARK. AND THE FOURTH HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON GUN BUYBACK, UH, WAS HELD JUNE THE 10TH, UH, WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COLLECTING A RECORD NUMBER OF 1,446 FIREARMS IN THE YELLOW PARKING LOT OF NRG PARK, UH, COMMISSIONER WE ARE EXPECTING ON NOVEMBER THE 18TH TO COLLECT A WHOLE LOT OF GUNS AND, AND BEAT THE RECORD. UH, BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY GUNS, UH, THAT ARE IN PEOPLE'S POSSESSION IN THEIR HOMES. AND THEY QUITE FRANKLY, DON'T WANT THEM, DON'T NEED THEM, BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. SO WE ARE PROVIDING AN AVENUE BY WHICH THEY CAN, UH, UH, LET THOSE TURN THOSE GUNS IN. UH, I, I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT WHAT COMMISSIONER BREONNA SAID. I TOO WANT TO THANK THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, UH, THE OPERA, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS, UH, THAT'S MAKING ALL OF THIS, UH, POSSIBLE. THE SUCCESS OF THE GUN BUYBACKS DEMONSTRATE THAT PEOPLE WANT A SAFE SPACE TO DIS DISPOSE OF THEIR GUNS, AND WE ARE PROVIDING THAT SAFE SPACE. NOW, LEMME BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANYBODY'S GUN AWAY FROM THEM. WE'RE NOT TAKING THEM AWAY. BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE OR A PLACE IN WHICH THEY CAN TURN OVER THEIR GUNS, RECEIVE A GIFT CARD, WE ARE MAKING THAT POSSIBLE. AND, AND COLLECTIVELY WITH ALL OF OUR STRATEGIES, BOTH THAT THE COUNTY IS UTILIZING AND WHAT THE CITY'S UTILIZING, OUR NUMBERS ARE SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES BECAUSE VIOLENT CRIME IS TRENDING DOWN. IT'S NOT 100, IT'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT DOWN, BUT IT'S TRENDING DOWN AND WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND I THINK AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO PUT FORTH THESE MEASURES AS WELL AS OTHERS, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A SAFER ACCOUNTING AND A SAFER CITY, AND THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES WILL BE WELL SERVED. SO, UH, AGAIN, TO COMMISSIONER BRIANIS, LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE, CREDIBLE PARTNERSHIP. I MEAN, JUST AS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, LEMME TELL YOU, UH, SHE'S THE SERGEANT, COUNTY COMMISSIONER. I LOVE TO WORK WITH, [00:10:01] YOU KNOW, JUST BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE AND OF COURSE TO ED GONZALEZ, UM, GOOD FRIEND, AND SOMEONE WHO IS, UH, DOING A MARVELOUS JOB ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY, SAN JAMES METRO AND CHIEF HATCHER. UH, LET ME THANK YOU. AND HBD HAS SIMPLY BEEN, UH, TERRIFIC. I COULDN'T ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE. SO HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, LEMME YIELD BACK TO, TO THE, TO THE SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ . THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BRIANIS, UH, CHIEF HATCHER TO SANJAY AND EVERYONE THAT'S GATHERED HERE TODAY. UH, BEFORE GETTING STARTED, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE A FEW OF MY TEAMMATES THAT ARE HERE THAT REALLY DO THE HEAVY LIFTING. THERE'S A LOT OF PLANNING THAT GOES INTO THESE EVENTS AND WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, LIEUTENANT WYNN, MIKE WYNN, THAT'S HERE. CAPTAIN JOHNSON, SERGEANT WHITE. UH, YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, SERGEANT GARZA IN THE BACK AS WELL. UH, CHIEF OF STAFF, JASON SPENCER AND ANGELIQUE MYERS. BUT GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ. THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS PARTNERING WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER LESLIE BRIONES, PRECINCT FOUR, AND MAYOR SVOS TURNER AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON. TO ORGANIZE ANOTHER GUN BUYBACK EVENT. IT IS A PROACTIVE STEP, PROACTIVE OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY SAFETY. SUCH EVENTS ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO VOLUNTARILY TURN IN THEIR FARMS FOR COMPENSATION. THERE IS $170,000 IN GIFT CARDS APPROXIMATELY TO BE HANDED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THOSE CARDS ARE READY FOR IMMEDIATE USE. THIS INITIATIVE HAS SEVERAL POTENTIAL BENEFITS FOR ONE, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED OR UNSAFE FIREARMS. GUN BACK BUYBACK EVENTS CAN HELP GET UNWANTED OR UNSECURED FIREARMS OUT OF HOUSEHOLDS, REDUCING THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS, THEFT, OR MISUSE. OFTENTIMES WE'LL RUN INTO SOMEONE THAT SAYS, HEY, MY LOVED ONE PASSED AWAY. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE GUNS IN THE HOUSE. THEY'RE DANGEROUS PEOPLE COME OVER OR SOMEBODY COULD BREAK IN. THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO TURN THOSE GUNS IN IF THEY CHOOSE. UH, LAST TIME WE COLLECTED APPROXIMATELY 800 FIREARMS DURING ONE OF THE LAST BUYBACK EVENTS WE HAD, AND SOME OF THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL. SECOND REASON, PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP. ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS TO REVIEW FIREARM OWNERSHIP CAN LEAD TO MORE RESPONSIBLE GUN STORAGE AND USE PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS. REMOVING FIREARMS FROM HOMES FOR CHILDREN OR INDIVIDUALS AT RISK MIGHT HAVE ACCESS, CAN PREVENT ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS, ALSO REDUCING THE LIKELIHOOD OF STOLEN GUNS BEING USED TO COMMIT MORE CRIMES. GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FIREARMS THAT COULD BE STOLEN AND END UP IN THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS. ALSO, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THESE EVENTS PROMOTE DIALOGUE BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY, FOSTERING TRUST AND COLLABORATION. FIREARM EDUCATION, GUN BUYBACK EVENTS CAN INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS ON SAFE FARM HANDLING AND STORAGE. AND WE HAVE INCREASED THE STAFFING AND THE NUMBER OF INTAKE LANES TO DRAMATICALLY DECREASE WAIT TIMES FOR THE RESIDENTS. WE'VE LEARNED FROM EACH EVENT. THIS EVENT IS A PROACTIVE COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE AND CAN HAVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES AND PREVENTING AND ACCIDENTS AND PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP. ALL OF THE WEAPONS COLLECTED DURING THIS EVENT WILL BE DESTROYED AND WILL NOT BE RESOLD OR KEPT BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. AND FINALLY, FOR THOSE PLANNING ATTORNEY FIREARMS NEXT WEEK, DO NOT SELL YOUR FIREARMS TO SOLICITORS THAT MAY END UP OUTSIDE THE EVENT. YOU NEVER KNOW IF THAT FIREARM ENDS UP IN THE WRONG HANDS. LET US PROFESSIONALLY, UH, OUR PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED STAFF SAFELY DISPOSE OF THE FARMS. WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE AT THE EVENT ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH FROM 8:00 AM TO NOON AT THE WEST CHASE PARK AND RIDE 11,050 HARWIN DRIVE, HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 7 2. AND, UH, SOME REMARKS IN SPANISH. BU GON, [00:15:49] THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M SANJAY RAMON, CHAIR OF THE METRO TRANSIT AUTHORITY BOARD. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BRIANIS FOR INVITING ME TO JOIN YOU AS, UH, METRO GETS READY TO HOST THIS PROGRAM AT THE WEST CHASE PARK AND RIDE. AS YOU HEARD, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE ARE DOING THIS AT THE WEST CHASE PARK AND RIDE. I UNDERSTAND THE FACILITY WAS SO CONDUCIVE FOR THIS GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM THAT WE ARE GOING BACK THERE TO SEE IF WE CAN SET ANOTHER RECORD. UH, AND I'M NOT AS PROFICIENT IN SPANISH, SO I'M GONNA STICK TO ENGLISH. UH, SHERIFF , YOU'VE GOT YOU AT METRO SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR TOP PRIORITY, AND WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE. WE CANNOT TACKLE CRIME ON OUR OWN. IT TAKES COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS TO SEE RESULTS, AND METRO IS COMMITTED TO THAT GOAL. FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, THE METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL POLICING SERVICES TO KEEP OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM SAFE, AND TO ALSO IMPROVE MOBILITY ACROSS THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY REGION. WE ARE ONE OF THE SAFEST TRANSIT SYSTEMS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. WE NOT ONLY WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY, BUT WE WANT TO BUILD ON THOSE SUCCESSES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WE KNOW THAT CRIME PREVENTION BEGINS BY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHY METRO HAS PUT FORWARD THE METRO CONNECT MPD CONNECT APPS SO THAT CUSTOMERS AND RESIDENTS OF OUR REGION, WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING, THEY CAN SAY SOMETHING AND ALERT METRO POLICE TO ISSUES THAT REQUIRE POLICE ATTENTION. WE ALSO HAVE LIGHT BOXES ACROSS OUR PARK AND RIDES AND AT OUR TRAIN STATIONS FOR CUSTOMERS TO USE. AND NOW WE ALSO HAVE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS WITH LIVE FEED ON MANY OF OUR BUSES WITHIN THE TRANSIT FLEET. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. THAT'S THE REASON WE ARE HERE TODAY, SUPPORTING OUR FRIENDS AT THE CITY, MAYOR TURNER AT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER BRIANIS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, UH, SHERIFF, UH, GONZALEZ AND CHIEF HATCHER WITH HPD, AND ALONG WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS BECAUSE FIGHTING CRIME, WE BELIEVE TAKES TEAMWORK, AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS TEAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. AND CHIEF HATCHER. OH YES, PLEASE WELCOME HPD ASSISTANT CHIEF HATCHER. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF CHANDRA HATCHER, AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT CHIEF TROY FINNER, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. I'M ALWAYS HONORED TO STAND IN HIS PRESENCE AND TO BE HERE TO REPRESENT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE PROUD IN HOUSTON AND WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. HOMICIDES ARE DOWN 18% THIS YEAR, AND VIOLENT CRIME IS TRENDING DOWNWARD, AND WE EXPECT TO CONTINUE THAT TREND THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR. ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DOING IS PAYING OFF. AND WE WILL BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT THANK OUR MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, FOR ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT HE HAS PROVIDED TO US THROUGH THE ONE SAFE HOUSTON INITIATIVE. SO WE THANK HIM AND ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HELPING US TO ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE DO NOT LIVE INSIDE OF A BUBBLE. AND VIOLENT CRIME IS NOT JUST CONTAINED WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ITSELF. AND SO IN 2023 AND BEYOND, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE SMART AS WE ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SAFER COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE. SO AGAIN, I'M HONORED TODAY TO STAND HERE, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK COMMISSIONER BRIANIS, SHERIFF GONZALEZ, AND ALSO METRO THROUGH SANJAY FOR ALL OF THE PROACTIVE STEPS THEY'RE TAKING AND CONTINUE TO TAKE TO ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME. [00:20:01] THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HAPPY TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY WE CAN BECAUSE A SAFER COUNTY IS A SAFER, HOUSTON IS A SAFER CITY FOR ALL OF US. SO PLEASE, FOR EVERYONE THAT'S LISTENING OUT THERE, PLEASE COME OUT. THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, TO HELP CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GET THOSE UNWANTED WEAPONS OFF THE STREET IN A RESPONSIBLE AND SAFE WAY. SO WE'LL SEE YOU ON NOVEMBER 18TH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER UNTIL ALL OF OUR VIOLENT CRIME IS ERADICATED. THANK YOU. I HAD NOW LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS FOR THE MEDIA FOR ANY OF THE FOLKS STANDING OUT HERE. MAYOR, THE CHIEF JUST TOUCHED ON THIS WHEN YOU LAUNCHED ONE SAFE HOUSTON, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR, WHEN YOU LAUNCHED ONE SAFE HOUSTON, IN FACT IN FEBRUARY OF 2021. YES. I KNOW YOU WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE IN WANTING TO SEE THE POSITIVE RESULTS. FIRST OFF, NUMBER ONE, DID YOU EXPECT TO SEE THESE NUMBERS TO WHERE THEY'RE AT TODAY RIGHT NOW? AND THE SECOND QUESTION, SIR, DID YOU ANTICIPATE STILL HAVING TO FUND THE PROGRAM AS FAR AS YOU HAVE THUS FAR? WELL, I DON'T THINK THE F UH, THE FUNDING JUST STOPS, STARTS AND STOPS. I THINK IT HAS TO BE CONTINUOUS AND ONGOING. SO, UM, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NEVER IT MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. OKAY. UM, ONE SAFE HOUSTON, UH, WORKING IN COLLABORATION, I ALWAYS TELL YOU WITH THE COUNTY, UH, HAS WORKED AND IT'S WORKING. UH, WE STARTED IT IN FEBRUARY OF 2022. UH, BUT I WILL TELL YOU AS OF THIS MORNING, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THERE ARE 119 FEWER HOMICIDES THAN IN 2021 AND 72 FEWER HOMICIDES THAT IN 2022. UM, YEAH. AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, AS OF THIS MORNING, HOMICIDES 20% DOWN. SO VIOLENT CRIME CONTINUES TO TREND DOWN. UM, SO YES, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE, WE ARE PLEASED WITH THOSE NUMBERS. I THINK WE WILL ALL QUICKLY TELL YOU ONE CRIME IS ONE CRIME TOO MANY, WHETHER IT'S VIOLENT OR NONVIOLENT. UM, BUT IT TAKES, IT TAKES A, A, A MULTIPLE, UM, ELEMENT STRATEGY IN ORDER TO GET IT DONE. AND, UH, THE GUN BUYBACK INITIATIVE, UH, STANDING ALONE, YOU CAN'T SEE IT, BUT STANDING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE BOTH AT THE CITY OF THE COUNTY IS WORKING. SO WHEN COMMISSIONER BRIANNA, FOR EXAMPLE, REACHED OUT AND WANTED TO DO ANOTHER GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, I REALLY SAID YES, BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE GUNS, UH, IN OUR CITY, IN OUR COUNTY THAN THERE ARE PEOPLE. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE UNWANTED GUNS THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEM, BUT THEY NEED A SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE PLACES. CHIEF HATCHES HAD TO PLACE THEM. SO, UM, WHAT WE ARE FINDING WITHOUT TAKING ANYBODY'S GUN AWAY, UH, PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP AND THEY'RE EXCHANGING THEIR GUNS FOR A GIFT CARD, AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT LIFE YOU MAY BE SAVING BECAUSE THAT GUN IS NO LONGER IN THE HOME. AND CAN YOU SPEAK, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SEEN THIS DECREASE WITH CO INVOLVING GUNS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT HAS BEEN ALSO PROACTIVE PROVIDING NODDING HEAD BEHIND ME, SHE KNOWS TO PROVIDING THOSE LONG BOXES INITIALLY WAS ABOUT 12,000, I BELIEVE IT WERE 6,000 HEAD DOWN. HOW EFFECTIVE DO YOU THINK THAT'S BEEN? WELL, I THINK NUMBER ONE, PEOPLE HAVE GUNS, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT STORED IN A SAFE WAY, UM, UH, THEY CAN GET IN THE WRONG HANDS. OR QUITE FRANKLY, UH, CHILDREN CAN GET AHOLD OF THEM OR, YOU KNOW, UH, EVEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH SOME SORT OF MENTAL EMOTIONAL CRISIS, YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE THEM READILY AVAILABLE. YOU WANNA MAKE IT, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT. SO THESE GUN SAFES, GUN LOCKS ARE WORKING. UH, WE JUST NEED TO ENCOURAGE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE, UH, NOT TO LEAVE THEIR GUNS IN CAR, IN THEIR CARS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY A LOT OF CARS HAVE BEEN BROKEN INTO. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE GUNS. SO GUN SAFES, GUN LOCKS, PROPER STORAGE WILL ALL GO A LONG WAY, UH, WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE CITY, WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE COUNTY. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M OPTIMISTIC. I THINK WE ARE LASER FOCUSED, WE ARE LASER FOCUSED, WE'RE WORKING AS A TEAM. AND, UM, I'M GRATIFIED AND, AND I KNOW IT WILL, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE SHORT END OF MY STAY, BUT, UH, I'M, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THESE TOP SORT OF EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE GOING INTO 2024 AND THE FINANCIALS VERY QUICKLY. WHEN WE LAST SPOKE ABOUT THIS, I, YOU TOLD IT WAS AROUND 64 TO 66 MILLION ON 40, 48 MILLION. IS THAT CORRECT? I'M LOOKING AT MY TEAM. [00:25:01] I THINK ON ONE SAFE, HOUSTON, WE HAVE SPENT 77 MILLION. THANK YOU. UM, UH, WE HAVE SPENT $77 MILLION ON ONE SAFE HOUSTON. AND, UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, IT HAS BENEFITED, UH, THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY. UH, I MEAN, EVERY CITY, EVERY SINGLE DIME HAS BEEN WELL SPENT AND, AND WORTH IT. AND THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. HOUSTONIANS, WHO OBVIOUSLY YOU SAID YOU SHORT, SIR, IS THAT BAKED FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE TERMS, WE'RE, IS ONE SAFETY INITIATIVE WITH FUNDING FOR MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS IN TERMS OF OVERTIME, IS THAT BAKED IN FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 12 TO 16 MONTHS? WELL, A LOT OF THESE DOLLARS, AS COMMISSIONER BREONNA SAID, UH, ARE DUE. UH, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THEIR OFFER FUNDING. UH, THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS THAT EVEN WHEN THE OPERA DOLLARS GO, THAT'S FOR OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD. SO MANY OF THE DOLLARS, UM, UH, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE DOLLARS IN ONE, SAY HOUSTON WILL COVER THREE YEARS, TWO TO THREE YEARS. SO THEY'LL GO THROUGH 24, UH, GOING TO 25. THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS ON CRISIS INTERVENTION. THOSE ARE MULTIPLE YEAR, UH, INITIATIVES. AND THE FUNDING IS MULTI-YEAR, UH, WITH UPPER FUNDING. BUT THE GOOD NEWS ALSO IS WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IS THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. AND SO AT THE END OF, UM, AT THE END OF MY TERM, UH, THE NEXT MAYOR, WHOEVER THE NEXT MAYOR IS, WILL INHERIT A FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT $420 MILLION. SO YEAH, WITH, WITH GOOD MANAGEMENT, I THINK THEY CAN KEEP THINGS GOING, YOU KNOW, UH, SO I'M, I'M VERY CONFIDENT WITH THAT. UH, THEY WON'T INHERIT THE, THE FINANCIAL, UH, CLIFF THAT I INHERITED. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, YOU CAN LEAVE A BILLION DOLLARS, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD MANAGEMENT, THE BILLION DOLLARS WILL GO VERY QUICKLY. BUT LEAVING, IF I HAD $420 MILLION 80 YEARS AGO WHEN I CAME IN, UH, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE JUMPING AROUND WITH A CANDY STICK, YOU KNOW, SO I'M, I'M OPTIMISTIC, BUT THEN, BUT THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR COLLABORATION. AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, THANK AND, UH, UH, GIVE PROPER CREDIT TO THE COMMISSIONERS AT HARRIS COUNTY. OUR RELATIONSHIP, THE CITY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HARRIS COUNTY HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL. AND COMMISSIONER BRIANS HAS COME IN AND, UH, REALLY TAKEN THAT RELATIONSHIP TO ANOTHER LEVEL. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THAT. UH, THE COUNTY JUDGE, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONAL WORKING WITH THE CITY AT A LEVEL THAT HAS BEEN UNSEEN. THE SHERIFF WORKING WITH, UH, CHIEF FINN AND HPD, INCREDIBLE. SO OFTENTIMES WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON FOCUSING ON THE MONEY. I THINK WE'LL SPEND, UH, WE WILL, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO SPEND OUR TIME FOCUSING ON THE RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE WHERE ONE DOESN'T HAVE THE OTHER MAY, AND WE ARE NOT OPERATING IN SILOS, AND WE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY IS A, IS IS A PART OF THE WHOLE. SO I VALUE THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY IS WORTH A, UM, A POUND. I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S GOLD AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR IT. AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING IN THE CITY THAT WOULD NOT BE TAKING PLACE, BUT FOR THE SUPPORTIVE COMMISSIONER BRIANIS. SO I DON'T, I'M NOT GONNA FOCUS A WHOLE LOT ON THE MONEY. I AM GOING TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, UH, IN ENHANCING THE RELATIONSHIP. EVERYTHING ELSE WILL FOLLOW. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.