* 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. [00:00:19] THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE WRONGFUL COATING, A THOUSAND OF ALLEGED INCIDENTS. UH, I WANTED TO BE HERE WITH CHIEF NER, HIS COMMAND STAFF AND THE RANK AND FILE THAT ARE WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO REVIEW THE INCIDENT REPORTS, SEE IF THEY REACH THE, AND INCLUDE THE ELEMENTS THAT WOULD MAKE IT A CASE. UH, I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN RESOURCES OFF THE STREET IN TERMS OF RADIO PATROL. UH, WE'RE STILL GONNA BE FIGHTING CRIME, MAKING EVERY HOUSTON COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT WE HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE VICTIMS OF THE INCIDENTS, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL HOUSTONIANS TO BE TRANSPARENT, MEET WITH YOU, TO DISCUSS OPERATIONS. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I FEEL A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. WE HAVE POLICE OFFICERS THAT PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EACH AND EVERY DAY. THEY ARREST INDIVIDUALS THAT COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE AGAINST THAT REACH THE LEVEL OF AN INVESTIGATION AND OR INCIDENT. AND I WANT THEM TO KNOW THEIR HARD WORK IS FOR THE RIGHT REASON, THAT WE DO FOLLOW UP ON INCIDENT REPORTS. WE WILL HOLD ACTORS RE ACCOUNTABLE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS BEING OUR MOST SERIOUS CONCERN AND CERTAINLY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I'M GONNA LEAVE THE OPERATION DETAILS TO CHIEF FINNER WHEN HE SPEAKS TO YOU IN A MOMENT. BUT I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED PLACES RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE CITY, BUT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS RESPONSIBILITY, THE PROGRESS, AND THE WORK IN FRONT OF US. WE WILL NOT REST UNTIL EACH AND EVERY INCIDENT REPORT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THESE MEN AND WOMEN OVER MY SHOULDER. THAT IS THE FIRST MAJOR STEP TO REVIEW THE INCIDENT REPORTS, SEE IF IT REACHES THE ELEMENTS THAT WOULD OPEN A CASE, AND ACTUALLY GO TALK TO VICTIMS, THE COMPLAINANTS, AND GET THEM THE JUSTICE THAT THEY DESERVE. WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH THE WOMEN'S CENTER. A, A REAL, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE TO YOU HOW IMPORTANT THE WOMEN'S CENTER IS TO ALL HOUSTONIANS IN OUR REGION AS A STATE SENATOR. I'VE WORKED WITH THEM ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN AUSTIN TO GIVE WOMEN THE SUPPORT. THE WOMEN THAT HAVE THE COURAGE, LIKE SO MANY OF THE INCIDENT REPORTS, REFLECT THE COURAGE TO COME FORWARD AND HAVE AN OUTCRY OR A POSITIVE PROTECTIVE RESULT. SO THANK YOU EMILY WHITEHURST AND MS. CROWES FOR BEING HERE. I'VE INVITED THEM TO BE PARTNERS IN THIS SURGE, AND I'M GONNA CALL IT A SURGE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT OVER A HUNDRED OFFICERS WORKING AT FIVE LOCATIONS, LOOKING AT THE INCIDENT REPORTS. WE WON'T REST UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THE ENTIRE WRONGFULLY CODED INCIDENT REPORTS. WE WANT TRANSPARENCY. WE WANT CREDIBILITY, AND YES, ACCOUNTABILITY. WE NOT ONLY WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED, YOU'RE WITNESSING WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT IT, AND THEN HOW DO WE PREVENT IT IN THE FUTURE. I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW WE ARE ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON THIS MORNING PROTECTING HOUSTONIANS. IT IS ALARMING WHEN I HEAR THE REPORTS FROM THE WEEKEND, WAY TOO MANY ILLEGAL [00:05:01] GUNS ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. WAY TOO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE. THE TRAGEDY OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS, HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS THAT'LL NEVER GO THROUGH GRADUATION BECAUSE OF DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS IN NORTH SHORE THIS WEEKEND, DRIVE-BY SHOOTING AT A CLUB IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON. WE ARE COMMITTED. THE MEN AND WOMEN OF HPD, CHIEF FINNER ME, WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING HOUSTON THE SAFEST LARGE CITY IN AMERICA. I KNOW WE CAN DO IT. WE NEED THE HELP OF THE COUNTY COURTS THAT ONCE OUR FINE OFFICERS ARREST SOMEONE, THAT THEY DO NOT CONTINUE AT THE COUNTY TO RELEASE VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDERS. WE HAVE TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEAL WITH THE BACKLOG. AND LET ME CLOSE STRONGLY BY SAYING WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR HPD. THIS FOOLISH DUMB CODE CAME ABOUT BY SOMEBODY IN 2015. YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THAT 2015, SOME DUMB INDIVIDUAL SAID, WELL, WE CAN'T GET TO 'EM. SO LET'S JUST SAY WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF WRONG. YOU SOUND THE ALARM LIKE WE ARE TODAY. WE NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THIS CITY. YOU GIVE US ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. I KNOW THE OFFICERS WANT TO GO GET THE BAD GUYS. THEY WANNA WORK FOR MAYOR WHITMEYER AND CHIEF FINNER. EVERYBODY CAN HEAR MY VOICE. WE HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARE READY TO DO THEIR JOB, ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE RESOURCES, THE OVERTIME, AND WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF RECRUITING. SO WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH THIS CHALLENGE. WE'RE ON TOP OF IT. WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH IT. WE'RE GONNA HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TR UH, TRANSPARENCY WITH THAT. CHIEF FINN, PLEASE DESCRIBE IN TERMS THAT ARE RESPECTFUL FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE BROUGHT INTO THESE INCIDENTS, UNFORTUNATELY, AND THANK YOU, THE WOMEN'S CENTER. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT'S DEALING THIS. CHIEF FINN. THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST WANNA SAY GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE. AND, UH, I WANT TO ECHO SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR HAS SAID. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO, UH, HAVE THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER, UM, MS. WHITEHURST AND MS. CORRALES, UH, TO STAND WITH US. UM, NOT SO MUCH IN IN UNITY BECAUSE THEY HURT. AND I SAID THAT WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. UH, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR MANY YEARS AND THEY KNOW THE COMMITMENT, THE OVERALL COMMITMENT OF, OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. ALSO, UH, DIRECTOR JULIE PLEASANT, IT'S OVERALL VICTIM SERVICES. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WE CAN CHANGE OUR PROCESSES. WE CAN DO SOME THINGS, BUT IT'S INCOMPLETE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE INPUT FROM HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER AND ALSO JULIE PLEASANT. THAT'S A BIG PART OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING GOING FORWARD. BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD. AND THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING AT A SHORT NOTICE, UM, IN THE FORM OF BEING TRANSPARENT, BUT ALSO HOLDING UP TO THE PROMISES THAT I STOOD UP, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO AND SAID, AND I WANT US TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR ON ONE THING. AND I NEED HELP FROM MEDIA PARTNERS WITH INTEGRITY. I REALLY NEED HELP. THIS IS NOT 44,017 CASES. THERE ARE INCIDENT REPORTS, WHICH I PLEDGE. I SAID, ANY INCIDENT REPORT THAT HAD THAT THAT HAD A SEXUAL ASSAULT, UH, CONNOTATION ON THERE. I DIDN'T WANNA LEAVE NEITHER, NOT ONE VICTIM BEHIND. I MADE THAT PROMISE. AND I SAID THAT WE WOULD GO AND LOOK AT EACH REPORT. THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE, AS THE MAYOR STATED, FIVE LOCATIONS WITH OVER A HUNDRED INVESTIGATORS ALL AROUND OUR CITY. SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE HAVE REVIEWED, AND LET'S GO BACK TO THE SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENT REPORTS OF THE 4,017. AND JUST IN A FEW WEEKS, WE HAVE REVIEWED OVER 3,100. NOW WHAT'S THE PROCESS BEHIND US? AND I GOT CHIEF, UH, 10, THANK YOU AND THANK EVERYBODY. THOSE OFFICERS SITTING BACK THERE AND, AND INVESTIGATORS, THANK Y'ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO OF FIVE LOCATIONS. THE PROCESS IS YOU OPEN UP THOSE REPORTS, YOU REVIEW 'EM. IF IT DOES NOT FIT THE ELEMENT OF THE CRIME, OR IT WAS IMPROPERLY CODED, WE CAN CLOSE IT THEN. BUT YOU DON'T. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL [00:10:01] YOU REACH OUT AND YOU MAKE CONTACT WITH ALL OF THE, THE COMPLAINANTS. SO THIS IS JUST THE FIRST LINE. YOU REVIEW IT IF IT'S EVEN CLOSE TO THE ELEMENT OF CRIME, IF IT MEETS THE ELEMENT OF CRIME, THEN IT'S ASSIGNED TO AN INVESTIGATOR. THAT PROCESS IS YOU MAKE THE CALL, YOU SEND AN EMAIL, YOU SEND A TEXT. IF THAT'S UNACCEPT UNSUCCESSFUL, THEN WE SEND OUT OFFICERS TO THE LAST KNOWN ADDRESS. I THINK EVERYBODY DESERVES THAT. AND THAT IS THE RESPECTFUL THING TO DO. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THAT THROUGH. WE'VE, TO THIS DATE, WE'VE COMPLETED, UH, 752, UH, HOME VISITS OF THE LAST ADDRESS. NOW, YOU MAY ASK, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE STATS AND WHAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW. WE JUST HAVE GENERAL NUMBERS OF OF, OF WHAT WE'VE DONE. UM, UNTIL WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO THESE COMPLAINANTS AND GET 'EM THEIR RESPECT, THAT WAS LOST ON THE FRONT END WITH SOME OF THEM BECAUSE IT'S IMPROPERLY COATED. AND SOME OF THE CASES WERE PUT ASIDE. AND Y'ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW HOW MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FEEL ABOUT IT. AS THE MAYOR SAID, YOU TELL PEOPLE WHY. WE'RE INVESTIGATING WHY, AND YOU FIX IT. AND MORE, MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU TELL PEOPLE HOW YOU'RE GONNA PREVENT IT FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN. AND THIS TEAM THAT'S ASSEMBLED TODAY, THE TEAM BEHIND US, THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. LET ME SPEAK TO, AS MY MAYOR DID, OUR MAYOR STAFFING, WE CANNOT, I JUST LEFT ALL THE LEADERS OF OUR AGENCY JUST BEFORE I CAME HERE OVER AT HEADQUARTERS. I PROMISED THEM THE MAYOR WAS COMMITTED. AND I, AS THE CHIEF, AM COMMITTED TO TALKING ABOUT STAFFING. WE GOT OVERTIME. IT'S A TEMPORARY FIX. THERE HAS TO BE A FUND AND SOURCE. WHEN OUR MAYOR GOES, UH, AND THEY ASK THE CITIZENS AND OTHER POLITICAL LEADERS AND WE ASK FOR A, A FUNDING AND SOURCE. YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE TODAY WE'RE HERE WITH THIS PROBLEM. AND I'M NOT GOING TO BLAME IT ON STAFFING THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. WE CANNOT, WE HAVE TO INVESTIGATE VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS. AND DEFINITELY ANY, ANY INCIDENT REPORT THAT WE GET. AND REMEMBER, AGAIN, I WANT TO PUT EMPHASIS ON THAT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REVIEWING RIGHT NOW. INCIDENT REPORTS. EVEN THE 264,000, EVERYBODY AROUND OUR NATION AND ALL OUR MEDIA SAYING CASES, CASES, THEY'RE NOT CASES UNTIL THEY BECOME CASES. AND WE'RE GOING TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU WHEN THEY BECOME CASES. SO PLEASE, THIS IS HOUSTON. ALL I ASK YOU TO DO IS JUST TELL THE TRUTH. NOT A FEW IN INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE CLIQUES. THAT'S NOT RIGHT BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH REAL PEOPLE. AND I CAN THINK OF NOBODY THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT. AND I SHARED THAT WITH OUR COMMAND STAFF THIS MORNING. NOBODY'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOSE SURVIVORS, TRUE SURVIVORS, THEIR FAMILIES. THAT'S WHO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT. I'M NOT CONCERNED WITH GOING BACKWARDS AND FORWARD. AND I SHARED THAT. AND I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY 'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S HERE. AND HOUSTON IS LISTENING, LISTENING. I SAID THAT WE'RE A SOPHISTICATED CITY AND WE REALLY ARE. WE'RE HURTING RIGHT NOW. BUT NOBODY'S HURTING MORE THAN THOSE SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. I WANT TO GIVE THEM THE RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE. AND THERE WILL BE ACCOUNTABILITY. AND EVEN TODAY, IT'S NOT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO COME UP WITH A WHOLE LOT OF STATS THAT'S COMING. AND I, AND I TOLD YOU, AND I PROMISED THE MEDIA, AND THEY'RE ALL OUR CITIZENS. WE'LL GET THERE. WHEN THAT TIME COMES, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE UPDATES. I WANTED ALL CITIZENS TO SEEK BEHIND THE SCENES WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND WE'RE JUST NOT TALKING ABOUT IT. WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT IT. IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GO THROUGH EIGHT YEARS OF INCIDENT REPORTS, EIGHT YEARS. I WANT TO CLOSE AND I'M GONNA BRING THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER UP. I ALWAYS APOLOGIZE WHEN WE FALL SHORT. I GOT SO MUCH LOVE AND SO MUCH PRIDE IN OUR CITY AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. ALWAYS GOING TO APOLOGIZE AND DEFINITELY AS A CHIEF, BUT WE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND I PROMISE ONE [00:15:01] THING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BETTER BECAUSE OF THIS AND THAT PROMISE HOLDS TRUE. AND, UM, I, I JUST WANT US, WE NEED A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR MEDIA. PUT THE TRUTH OUT THERE. SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY LEAVING HERE TODAY AND SAYING THAT I DIDN'T SAY IT BECAUSE I SAY IT AT EVERY PRESS CONFERENCE. FINAL THING. IT'S NEVER AN EXCUSE TO NOT INVESTIGATE, TO MAKE SURE THAT FRONT END CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS ROBUST AND IN PLACE. WE FAILED IN THAT AREA. WE'RE GONNA TIGHTEN IT UP AND I'LL MAKE YOU A PROMISE ON THAT. BUT, UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE AND UH, WE'LL BRING YOU UP, MS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS EMILY WHITEHURST. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER. UH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE SHARED IN THE HORROR AND OUTRAGE OVER THE REVELATION THAT, UH, INCIDENT REPORTS CASES , UH, OVER 4,000 SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENT REPORTS HAD NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED. UH, BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON TODAY. UH, THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER, OUR PRIMARY ROLE IN THIS COMMUNITY IS TO CENTER AND LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF SURVIVORS, PROVIDE THEM TRAUMA SUPPORT. MM-HMM TRAUMA RECOVERY AND FREE CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCES TO ANY AND EVERY SURVIVOR WHO REACHES OUT TO US. UH, WE ARE VERY PROUD TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOICES OF SURVIVORS ARE CENTERED IN THE PROCESS THAT HPD IS IMPLEMENTING. UH, WE KNOW THAT THESE CRIMES CAN BE EXTREMELY, UH, TRAUMATIC AND HAVE LONG LASTING, UH, IMPACT. AND IT IS NOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT EIGHT YEARS OF POTENTIAL NEGLECT TO SURVIVORS FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM THAT THEY TURN TO. UH, IN THE MEANTIME, UH, WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING SURVIVORS DAY IN DAY OUT THROUGH OUR HOTLINES AND OUR SPECIALIZED COUNSELING TEAM. AND BOTH OUR HOTLINE COUNSELORS AND OUR SPECIALIZED COUNSELING TEAM ARE ON CALL TO PARTNER SO THAT THE VICTIM NOTIFICATION PROCESS IS RESPECTFUL AND TRAUMA INFORMED. AND AS WE DO THAT, I BELIEVE WE WILL BE LEARNING THE CRITICAL LESSONS THAT WE NEED TO LEARN FROM THIS, UH, UNFORTUNATE SITUATION SO WE CAN PUT IN PLACE THE RIGHT PROCESSES GOING FORWARD SO THAT SURVIVORS WHO COURAGEOUSLY SPEAK UP, GET THE KIND OF RECEPTION, UH, THAT THEY DESERVE AND THAT THIS COMMUNITY OUGHT TO DEMAND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SIGN GOOD. ALRIGHT. YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THE, UH, WOMEN'S CENTER LEADERSHIP FOR BRINGING TO MY ATTENTION THAT WE NEED THE LEGISLATURE PROVIDED FOR SEXUAL RESPONSE TEAMS, UH, IN HPD. SO WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS CHALLENGE. WE'RE GONNA SIT DOWN AS WE GO FORWARD AND HAVE A SEC HPD SEXUAL RESPONSE TEAM. IT'LL BE THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY. THEY'LL BE TRAINED AND SENSITIVE TO RESPOND TO INCIDENT REPORTS IN A REAL TIME SITUATION. SO THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE, FOR PROVIDING THE, THE INPUT AND THE, UH, ADVICE AND COUNSEL. AND THEY WILL, AS ALL HOUSTONIANS, HOLD US ALL ACCOUNTABLE WITH OUR TRANSPARENCY AND OUR ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, OF HOW WE GOT IN THIS MESS. CERTAINLY HOW WE GOT OUT OF IT, AND HOW WE PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. ANY QUESTIONS OF ANY OF, UH, OF STANDING BEFORE YOU, MR. CROW? NO. GOOD. WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM TALKING TO THE FOLKS BACK THERE? UM, THEIR HARD WORK, THEIR COMMITMENT AND, UH, THEIR DEDICATION. THEY'RE, THEY'RE FIRED UP. YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO BE A CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER. IT TAKES A CERTAIN PERSON TO BE AN HPD OFFICER. YOU KNOW, HOW I FEEL ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE. I THINK IT'S A CALLING. AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT. I'M TALKING ABOUT, QUITE FRANKLY, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, CERTAINLY OUR OFFICERS, WE ALL HAVE A DUTY TO MAKE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE. I JUST DON'T THINK, UNLESS YOU'VE REALLY BEEN AROUND POLICE OFFICERS, WHAT IT DOES TO THEIR FAMILIES, TO THEIR LIVES. THEY HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO WANT TO BE A PEACE OFFICER. UH, CAPTAIN HOLLAND'S WIFE, DELINDA WAS MY SECRETARY BACK IN THE SEVENTIES. HER FIRST EIGHT YEARS OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL. I WATCHED A PATROLMAN'S WIFE COME TO WORK EACH DAY, [00:20:02] STRESSED OUT BECAUSE OF HIS JOB. THEN HE WENT TO HOMICIDE AND MY SECRETARY MARRIED TO A HOMICIDE. YOUNG OFFICER WOULD COME TO WORK BARELY AWAKE BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET HOME TO FOUR 'CAUSE HE WAS WORKING A CASE ALL NIGHT LONG. I DON'T THINK WE REALIZE THE DEDICATION OF POLICE OFFICERS. AND QUITE FRANKLY, THEY KNOW HOW I FEEL. AND THAT'S THE REASON OUR MORALE HAS SO IMPROVED SINCE I WAS SWORN IN. AND IT'S ONLY GONNA GET BETTER. BUT TWO THINGS. WE OWE 'EM. WE OWE 'EM SUPPORT, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE STAFFING THAT THEY NEED. THEN WE GOTTA HOLD THE BAD PLAYERS, ACTORS ACCOUNTABLE. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO ARREST VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDERS IN HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY. WE'LL BE SPEAKING OUT ON THAT AS WE GO FORWARD. BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT OFFICERS ARE ARRESTING SOME OF THE SAME VIOLENT OFFENDERS OVER AND OVER. AND THAT'S GOTTA COME TO A HALT. WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THIS AND WE'RE GONNA BE BETTER. AS THE CHIEF SAYS, WE'RE ALL LEARNING, WE'RE ALL REALIZING THAT WE'VE GOT TO PROBABLY BE MORE INSPECT OF OUR OWN OPERATION. WE GOTTA DO OUR OWN REVIEWS. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT THIS CODING STARTED IN 2015. I MENTIONED THE OTHER DAY, I'VE BEEN CHAIRMAN OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE THE LAST 30 YEARS IN AUSTIN. DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN I MEET WITH POLICE OFFICERS, THEIR LEADERSHIP, THE RANK AND FILE AND THEIR UNION? NOT ONE PERSON IN THE LAST, SINCE 2015 HAVE MENTIONED IT. I GET EVERY KIND OF INDICATION IN AUSTIN AS CHAIRMAN OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. SOMETHING'S BROKEN. NO ONE BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION. AND IT'S A HUGE ORGANIZATION. I'VE CHALLENGED THE CHIEF AND HIS COMMAND. I'VE TALKED TO PREVIOUS CHIEFS. HOW DID THIS EXIST WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE? MM-HMM . IT WAS KEPT FROM US. IT WAS A CODE THAT NO ONE REALLY BROADCAST OR SHARED. WELL, IT HAS BEEN NOW, AND IT'S STOPPED. IT'LL BE CORRECTED. PEOPLE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. WE'LL BE TRANSPARENT. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE VICTIMS, THE COMPLAINANTS ARE GONNA BE CONTACTED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. WE'RE GONNA RESPECT THEIR PRIVACY. SOME HAVE MOVED ON IN THEIR LIVES AND WE'RE GONNA RESPECT THAT IF THEY HAVEN'T REVEALED IT TO THEIR CURRENT FAMILY OR THEIR PARENTS, OR EVEN THEIR CHILDREN. TAKES SO MUCH COURAGE. AND THANK GOODNESS FOR THE WOMEN'S CENTER AND OTHERS THAT HAVE TAKEN THE CALLING OF PUBLIC SERVICE THAT I MENTIONED, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE STRONGER. WE'RE GONNA GET THEM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. AND, UH, THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT WE'RE UP TO IT AND WE'RE GONNA BE VERY TRANSPARENT. MAYOR AND CHIEF, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE TWO OF YOU. UM, WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S TWEET THAT HE PUT OUT? HE WAS YESTERDAY. I'LL BE GLAD TO SPEAK TO THAT. THE WORST THING WE CAN DO, 'CAUSE I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, IS POLITICIZE THIS. MM-HMM . THE VICTIMS DESERVE BETTER. OUR RANK AND FILE HPD OFFICERS DESERVE BETTER. HOUSTONIANS DESERVE BETTER. WE UNDERSTAND THE SERIOUSNESS TO THIS. YOU CAN'T SAY IT ANY STRONGER THAN I HAVE. WE'RE GONNA REVIEW IT, BE TRANSPARENT, HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, CORRECT THE, THE, THE MEASURES AND GO FORWARD. SO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T CONTROL OTHERS, BUT I DO RECOGNIZE POLITICS WHEN I SEE IT. I'VE BEEN IN IT 50 PLUS YEARS. THERE'S A TIME FOR POLITICS THAT'S AT THE ELECTION DAY AND DURING THE CAMPAIGN SEASON. NOW IT'S A TIME TO SERVE AND WORK AND PROTECT HOUSTONIANS AND A LOT OF POLITICAL RHETORIC DOES NOT GET US WHERE WE NEED TO GO. AND CHIEF YOU COMMENT ON THAT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY MY FIELD THAT I UNDERSTAND. I'VE SPENT 51 YEARS PLUS. I, I HURT WHEN HOUSTONIANS HURT. I LISTENED TO 'EM. THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE SO FIRED UP THIS MORNING TO GET THIS CORRECTED AND MOVE FORWARD AND DO BETTER WITH A SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM. THAT'S WHAT LEADERSHIP'S ABOUT. DON'T ME SAYING, OH, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND HOLD PEOPLE RESPONSIBLY. WE'VE ALREADY SAID THAT, GOVERNOR, WHAT WE NEED IS A PARTNER IS GONNA HELP US GET MORE RESOURCES, TRY TO BE TRANSPARENT, SUPPORT [00:25:01] WOMEN'S CENTER. THEY GOTTA, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE BILLIONS. BILLIONS WITH A B SURPLUS NEXT SESSION. SEND US A FEW MILLION FOR HPD, SEND US A FEW MILLION FOR THE WOMEN'S CENTER. LET 'EM HAVE MORE RESIDENTIAL. I KNOW FOR A FACT, MOST DAYS THEY'VE MAXED OUT WITH THEIR RESIDENTS. I, AS A SENATOR, HAVE REFERRED PEOPLE TO THE WINDMAN CENTER, NOWHERE TO GO. IN FACT, I'LL EVEN TELL YOU HOW CHALLENGING IT IS, NOT ONLY FOR 'EM TO FIND A RESIDENCE FOR 'EM, BUT I HAD A CONSTITUENT WOULDN'T GO INTO THEIR CENTER BECAUSE OF THE LOVE FOR HER DOG. HER DOG WAS PART OF HER FAMILY. MM-HMM . SO I GOT HOLD OF ONE OF OUR FRIENDS THAT HAVE AN ANIMAL SHELTER AND I HAD TO ASSURE HER SHE NEEDS TO BE IN THE WOMEN'S CENTER AND I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE DOG THROUGH A VOLUNTEER. AND ANIMAL FRIENDS FOR LIFE TOOK THE, THE PET. SO THIS IS NOT EASY WORK GOVERNOR. AND IT'S WAY TOO IMPORTANT TO POLITICIZE. I'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE HOUSTON LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, CONGRESSIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE CALLED ME EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERNS. I'VE REASSURED HIM THAT CHIEF FINN AND HIS COMMAND STAFF AND HIS RANK AND FILE ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK. THAT'S ALL YOU CAN ASK SOMEBODY TO DO. WORK AROUND THE CLOCK, GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, FIX IT, AND LET'S MAKE CERTAIN IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. BUT WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR POLITICS. SO WORST THING YOU CAN DO IN A SENSITIVE MATTER LIKE THIS CHIEF, YOU WERE, I MEAN, NOT CHIEF, BUT MAY YOU WERE REALLY HEATED TALKING ABOUT THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL FROM 2015 REFERRED TO THAT PERSON AS JOHN. YEAH. COULD YOU TELL US WHO THIS PERSON IS? WELL, I JUST TOLD YOU I DON'T LIKE POLITICS. THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR HIM TO BE NAMING NAMES. I'LL LEAVE THAT TO THE INVESTIGATION THAT'S GOING FORWARD. IT'S AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION. WE'RE GONNA REVIEW. IT'S AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION. YES. PEOPLE ARE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE DUMB PERSON THAT CAME UP WITH THAT CODE WITHOUT SOUNDING AN ALARM. I WANT MY POLICE OFFICERS AND MY CHIEF AND MY MAN STAFF TO SAY, WE NEED HELP. AND DON'T BE, YOU KNOW, HAVING PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS GOING AROUND AND SAYING, OH, ONE SAFE HOUSTON. YOU KNOW, LET'S DO A BUYBACK. AIN'T THE FIRST CROOK TURNED IN HIS GUN AT A BUYBACK. WE GOT TO HAVE RESULTS. WE'VE GOTTA BE TRANSPARENT AND, AND EVERYONE'S GOTTA DO WHAT I'M DOING. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. WE CANNOT HAVE FEWER OFFICERS TODAY THAN WE HAD 25 YEARS AGO. I WANT THIS SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM. I NEED RESOURCES TO MAKE THAT BE THE TEAM THAT HOUSTONIANS AND SURVIVORS DESERVE. SO, NO, I'M NOT GONNA NAME FOLKS TODAY, BUT, UH, YOU'LL FIND OUT ON THAT NOTE, WHAT, WHAT AREAS ARE YOU LOOKING TO GET? MORE RESOURCES. WHATEVER IT TAKES. WHATEVER IT TAKES, WHAT TYPE I'M, I'M GONNA COLLABORATE CERTAINLY WITH THE COUNTY, THESE OTHER AGENCIES THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS. BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU SOMETHING. HOUSTONIANS KNOW WE HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGE. I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES IF WE HAVE TO GO ABOVE THE REVENUE CAP FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. AND DON'T FORGET OUR FIREFIGHTERS. WE WANT A SAFE COMMUNITY. HOUSTONIANS WANT ONE AND DESERVE ONE AND GONNA GET ONE WHEN WE LAY OUT AND BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE CHALLENGE. Y'ALL KNOW IT AS WELL AS ANYONE. MM-HMM. YOU KNOW WHAT THE RESPONSE TIME LOOKS LIKE. YOU KNOW WHAT A CRIME SCENE LOOKS LIKE. YOU'RE HOUSTONIANS. YOU GOT FAMILY MEMBERS YOU CARE ABOUT AND YOU'RE COMMITTED TO THE PUBLIC. WE'VE GOT TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC THAT THERE'S NO FREE LUNCH. I WANT MORE POLICE OFFICERS. I WANT GREATER RESOURCES. I WANT MORE FIREFIGHTERS. I SPOKE AT A FIRE CADET CLASS TWO WEEKS AGO. ANYBODY WANT TO GUESS HOW MANY GRADUATED WHEN YOU USED TO COULDN'T. YOU HAD TO TURN DOWN HUNDREDS. THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE IN MY PUBLIC CAREER WORKING WITH FIREFIGHTERS. YOU'D HAVE SEVERAL THOUSAND APPLY FOR A HUNDRED POSITIONS. WE BARELY HAD 31. WE HAD 31 FIREFIGHTERS GRADUATE THE OTHER DAY. AND THE SAD NEWS IS MOST OF 'EM ARE ALREADY LOOKING FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO GO TO WORK FOR. THEY'LL END UP IN PEARLAND, SUGARLAND, KATY, HUNTSVILLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT. WHEN I GOT IN OFFICE AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEIR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE. FIREFIGHTERS, PUBLIC SAFETY, EMS, WE HAVE A GREAT CITY, REALLY GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME CHALLENGES THAT THIS INCIDENT IS A REFLECTION OF LACK OF [00:30:01] RESOURCES. BUT THE WAY THEY HANDLED IT WAS ABOUT AS BAD AS YOU CAN HANDLE SOMETHING TO COME UP WITH A CODE THAT SAYS YOU'RE NOT GOING TO INVEST AN INCIDENT BECAUSE WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED. GIVE ME A BREAK. IF THAT PERSON WAS STILL IN THE DEPARTMENT, HE OR SHE WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. SHOULD HOUSTONIANS EXPECT FURTHER CUTS AND MORE BECAUSE THE LACK OF RESOURCES IS STILL THERE. WE STILL HAVE A LACK OF STAFFING. SO AS Y'ALL PUT MORE PEOPLE TO INVESTIGATE AND HANDLE THESE CASES, WHERE SHOULD WE EXPECT FURTHER CUTS TO COME? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE FURTHER CUTS. IN FACT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE LAW AGAINST CUTTING PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING. BUT WHAT IS REQUIRING PEOPLE TO WORK HARDER AND LONGER HOURS? AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO BE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER OF A POLICE OFFICER TO KNOW WHAT THAT DOES TO THAT INDIVIDUAL. IT'S SUCH A THING AS CALLED BURNOUT. AND I KNOW SOME REALLY FINE OFFICERS, I COULD START NAMING THEM THAT SAY, I JUST CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. I GOT A SERGEANT FRIEND THAT WAS IN HOMICIDE AND COULDN'T HANDLE THE BABY KILLINGS. SHE JUST SAID, I CAN'T DO IT. I'M GOING BACK ON THE STREETS. NEXT THING I KNOW THIS PERSON SAYS I CAN'T HANDLE IT. ONE OF THE OTHER SERGEANTS ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO WAS HIT BY A DWI DRIVER ON THE NORTH BELT. A SERGEANT AT A SCENE WAS HIT BY A DWI DRIVER AND HIS BODY PARTS WENT EVERYWHERE. THIS FRIEND OF MINE SAID SHE HAD TO GET A GARBAGE BAG TO START PICKING UP HIS ARMS, LEGS, AND BODY PARTS. SHE HAS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND SHE'S NO LONGER A MEMBER OF HPD FOLKS. THIS IS DANGEROUS CHALLENGE AND WORK. I THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE TWO PERSON PATROL CARS. I CAN GO ON AND ON. I THINK WE NEED TO GET AFTER THE VIOLENT OFFENDERS LIKE NEVER BEFORE. SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE BACKLOG AT THE COURTHOUSE AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA COLLABORATE WITH ALL THE SURROUNDING AGENCIES. CRIMINALS DON'T RECOGNIZE CITY LIMITS OR COUNTY LINES. MAYOR, WE TAKE TWO MORE, TWO MORE. MAYOR, UH, I'M SORRY I GET TO PREACHING THIS MORNING. UH, HAVE THEY FOUND CHILDREN WHO WERE ALSO VICTIM OF ABUSE? I'M SORRY, WHAT? SORRY. WERE THERE ANY TRUE, UH, CHILD CASES IN THE NO. ZERO. LET ME ASK YOU THAT. YEAH. HERE, THIS IS NOT A, UH, AND WE SAID THAT IN THE PREVIOUS, AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE ASKING THAT. UM, WE FOUND ZERO INCIDENTS OR REPORTS INVOLVING A KID OR A CHILD, UH, USING THIS CODE. SO THANKS FOR ASKING THAT. WE'LL TAKE GO AHEAD. ONE SECOND. GO AHEAD. CAN YOU CLARIFY, I I DON'T THINK ANY OF US MEANT TO MISLEAD, UM, WHO WE USED MM-HMM . INCIDENT REPORT IN CASES. GOOD. CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT IT BECOMES? ABSOLUTELY. UM, SO WHEN A POLICE OFFICER PATROL OFFICER GOES OUT TO A CALL FOR SERVICE, UH, IT CAN BE INVOLVED IN AN ASSAULT, IT CAN BE INVOLVED IN STOLEN PROPERTY, THERE IS A REPORT THAT'S GENERATED. IT'S CALLED AN INCIDENT REPORT. OKAY. SO ANY INCIDENT REPORT THAT WAS GENERATED OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS THAT HAD THAT CODE ON IT, AND I WANNA REMIND PEOPLE, I'M THE ONE THAT WENT TO THE MAYOR AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS CODE WAS USED IN THE WRONG WAY. I WANNA OPEN UP EVERYTHING. UM, ANY INCIDENT REPORT IT WAS USED ON. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THAT HUGE NUMBER. OKAY? UM, BUT ONCE IT GOES TO AN INVESTIGATIVE UNIT, THEY LOOK AT IT, DOES IT MEET THE ELEMENTS OF CRIME? DOES IT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION? SOME OF THEM DIDN'T, BUT THEY LEFT THEM IN A STACK. SO IN BEING THOROUGH, TRANSPARENT, AND GIVING THEIR RESPECT TO ALL THE POT POTENTIAL VICTIMS AND DEFINITELY THE TRUE SURVIVORS, I SAID, WE ARE GONNA LOOK AT ALL THOSE REPORTS AND IT'S A LONG, TEDIOUS PROCESS, BUT THAT'S WHAT ALL CITIZENS DESERVE. SO IT'S NOT A CASE UNTIL IT IS REVIEWED BY INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION AND THEN THEY MAKE IT A CASE. NOW, SOME OF THEM, LET'S BE HONEST, SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE A CASE YEARS AGO, BUT WE GOTTA SORT THAT OUT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING. SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR ASKING. AND AS DAYS TO COME AND WEEKS TO COME, WE WANT TO BE TRUE IN THAT. OKAY? BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THEY'RE HURTING ENOUGH. AND, AND, AND TO ANSWER YOUR YOUR QUESTION, HOW I FEEL ABOUT, I'M SO FOCUSED [00:35:01] ON THE VICTIMS AND THE SURVIVORS AND GIVING THEM THE JUSTICE. I DON'T EVEN REALLY SEE ANY OF THAT STUFF. I WANT ACCOUNTABILITY. I WANT US TO WORK OUR WAY OUT OF THIS. AND I WANT US TO ASSURE THE PUBLIC NOT JUST TALKING THAT THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. AND OTHER AGENCIES AND THE BEAUTY OF PAIN, OTHER AGENCIES IN OUR COUNTY AND OUR AREA AROUND THE NATION, THEY'RE CHECKING THE BACK END OF THE CODING PROCESS. MM-HMM. MM-HMM . THAT'S THE WIN. AND I DON'T EVER WANT US TO FORGET ABOUT IT BECAUSE IF WE CAN PREVENT ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, ANOTHER GROUP OF WHOEVER'S RESPONSIBLE AND I WILL NOT GET AHEAD OF THE INVESTIGATION AND WE CAN PREVENT THAT AND HELP THEM CLEAN IT UP. THAT'S THE GOAL. AND THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS CHIEF, HAVE YOU STOP. THERE'S A TIMEFRAME. GO AHEAD TO BE DONE WITH THE REVIEWING. I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A TIMEFRAME ON IT. I WANT US TO BE THOROUGH. UH, THE BIGGEST MISTAKE WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE, HAVE TO OCCUR IF WE MOVE SO FAST THROUGH THIS THING JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD. I WANT OUR CITIZENS FEELING BETTER, BUT I WANT THEM HAVING THE CONFIDENCE IN US AND BUILDING BACK THE TRUST THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I WISH WE COULD FINISH EVERYTHING UP LIKE YESTERDAY, INCLUDING OUR IED INVESTIGATION. AND WHEN WE ASK ABOUT NAMES AND I RESPECT ALL QUESTIONS, I'M NOT GOING TO DRIP, DRIP INFORMATION. IT DOESN'T HELP ANYONE THAT THAT INVESTIGATION GOES. AND I PROMISE TRANSPARENCY, AS I SAID IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, I DON'T KNOW, UM, ALL OF THE, THE, THE STATE LAW WHEN YOU'RE DOING INVESTIGATIONS OF POLICE OFF, WHEN POLICE OFFICERS, UH, CODE 1 43 IS WHAT WE GO BY. WHATEVER WE CAN RELEASE. AND I'M SO GLAD THAT THE MAYOR HAS AN INDEPENDENT PANEL THAT'S LOOKING AT IT. THAT LENDS CREDIBILITY. AND IT'S ALSO A, A THIRD EYE IF YOU, IF I CAN SAY, HELPING US TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE, INCLUDING OUR PARTNERS. AND THIS IS TO ME PERSONALLY, THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERS RIGHT HERE STANDING TO MY LEFT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE EXPERTS. WHAT WE SHOULD DO, HOW WE SHOULD INVESTIGATE, HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND. THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. ONE FINAL QUESTION Y'ALL. AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA GET, GET TO WORK 'CAUSE THEY NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK AND THEY NORMALLY, NOT THIS QUIET, BUT UH, YEAH, GO AHEAD. WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE THOSE OFFICERS BEING PULLED FROM AND IS THAT CAUSING ANY ISSUES WITH WHATEVER CASES OR, YOU KNOW, THINGS NEED TO GET DONE WHEREVER THEY'RE USUALLY, UH, STATIONED. THEY'RE NOT COMING FROM, UH, PATROL CALL FOR SERVICE LOOP. WE STILL HAVE TO POLICE OUR CITIZENS. AND I WANT TO SAY THIS TOO, UH, AND TO THE CRIMINALS. 'CAUSE THEY LOOK AND THEY LISTEN. THEY LOOK AT THE NEWS. DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RUN RAGGED IN OUR CITY. THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE GOT THE SAME AMOUNT OF PATROL OFFICERS OUT THERE AND CRIME SUPPRESSION TEAMS ARE OUT THERE. SO REMEMBER THOUGH, THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE'RE SHORT AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. AND YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE. AND I MADE A PROMISE IF I GOT A PULL FROM OTHER INVESTIGATIVE DIVISIONS, IF I GOT A PULL FROM COMMUNITY SERVICE, IF I HAVE TO PULL FROM OUR DRT, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TRAINING TO BE INVESTIGATORS. THAT'S WHAT WE GONNA DO. BECAUSE I TOLD YOU, NO SIDESHOW WITH ME. I'M LASER FOCUSED ON MAKING, UH, THESE VICTIMS AND THESE SURVIVORS WHOLE, WHOLE. SO THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR COMING. YES. SO GO AHEAD. JUST ONE MORE. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I JUST WANTED TO SAY VERY, UM, HI EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME IS SONYA CORRE AND I'M THE DEPUTY CEO AT THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER. AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT IS HOW, UH, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE BOTH CRIMES THAT ARE VERY UNDER-REPORTED SO PEOPLE DON'T COME FORWARD ALREADY. RIGHT? IT'S ALREADY DIFFICULT ENOUGH BECAUSE AS WE'VE ALREADY STATED, IT'S VERY TRAUMATIC AND WE WANNA AGAIN, UPLIFT THOSE VOICES. BUT IF YOU ARE A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHAT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. IT IS NOT YOUR, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. AND HELP IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE COME FORWARD. WE DO NOT WANT TO CONTINUE TO SILENCE THIS CRIME AND WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO LIVE IN, IN SILENCE EITHER. PLEASE COME FORWARD. HELP IS AVAILABLE. THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER HAS A 24 HOUR HOTLINE. WE HAVE COUNSELING. HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A PRETTY ROBUST, UM, VICTIM SERVICES UNIT. PLEASE COME FORWARD AND, AND REPORT YOUR CRIME OR COME TO US [00:40:01] IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO REPORT OR EITHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. THANK, THANK YOU THAT THAT'S A PERFECT GAME. HOW DO YOU RESTORE THE CONFIDENCE OF SOME OF THESE VICTIMS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE THE VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD AND SHARE WHEN YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SET TOLD THIS ISN'T A CASE. SORRY. YEAH. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AT THE HOUSTON AREA WOMEN'S CENTER AND WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, THIS HELPS SURVIVORS, UH, NAVIGATE THOSE SYSTEMS, RIGHT? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW JUST BASED ON OUR RESEARCH, BASED ON OTHER TASK FORCES THAT WE SIT ON, IS THAT WE ASK ALWAYS SURVIVORS WHAT THEY THINK. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS MENTIONED IS WE WANT AN ADVOCATE. WE WANT AN ADVOCATE BY OUR SIDE. AND SO WORKING ALONGSIDE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES MEAN THAT IT MEANS THAT THEY'RE CONNECTING SURVIVORS TO RESOURCES. IT MEANS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO COME IN AND HELP AND WORK WITH THE VICTIM SERVICES TO HELP THOSE SURVIVORS NAVIGATE, NAVIGATE THOSE, NAVIGATE THOSE SYSTEMS. THE OTHER THING THAT THE MAYOR, UH, BRIEFLY MENTIONED IS THAT HARRIS COUNTY DOES HAVE A SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE STATEMENT. PART OF THAT RESPONSE TEAM IS NOT ONLY HELPING INCREASE THE VICTIM SAFETY OVERALL AND JUST COMMUNITY SAFETY, BUT ALSO THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY NOT ONLY OF THE PERSON WHO'S COMMITTING THE CRIMES, BUT ALSO OF SYSTEMS. RIGHT? SO HOW ARE WE HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE? AND ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS THAT WE ARE REVIEWING CASES AND WE WILL, WE WILL REVIEW THOSE CASES, UM, SO THAT THOSE SYSTEMS ARE, ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. SO ARE YOU, FINAL QUESTION, ARE SURVIVORS FROM ANY OF THESE CASES THAT'VE BEEN REVIEWED SO FAR? OH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. MM-HMM . THANKS TEAM. * 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.