[Press Conference: "Mayor Whitmire Announces New HPD Chief"]
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GOOD MORNING.IT'S A EXCITING DAY TO BE A HOUSTONIAN, CERTAINLY AN EXCITING DAY TO BE THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON.
'CAUSE I GOT A CALL AT SEVEN O'CLOCK THIS MORNING FROM THE PRESIDENT WITH CHEVRON'S PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION CONFIRMING THAT THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.
HE TOLD ME THEY DID THAT AFTER CONSIDERING ALL OF THE OPTIONS LEAVING CALIFORNIA SAN RAMON, THAT WE WILL SOON SEE A TRANSITION WHERE THEY WILL TAKE THEIR ENTIRE, ENTIRE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
LET ME REPEAT THAT, DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, HE TOLD ME THEY DID THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE BULLISH ON HOUSTON AND THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN MY ADMINISTRATION THAT WE WILL ADDRESS CHALLENGES THAT I INHERITED, LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALSO THE CITY FINANCES.
WE WILL VERY SOON HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS PUBLICLY WITH CHEVRON.
BUT SPEAKING OF ONE OF THEIR CONCERNS IN THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY HAD IN MY ADMINISTRATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, MOST OF YOU KNOW, HOUSTONIANS KNOW THAT THAT IS MY HIGHEST PRIORITY.
WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES, BUT IF WE DO NOT IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
THIS MORNING, I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ACTING CHIEF SATTERWHITE IS BEING REASSIGNED TO HOMELAND SECURITY.
HOMELAND SECURITY IS VITAL TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, THE PREPARATION, THE INTELLIGENCE, THE EXPERIENCE.
I'M SO PLEASED, AND I'M GONNA YIELD TO CHIEF SATTERWHITE 'CAUSE HE'S GOT A VISION, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY USING HIS DIRECTORSHIP AND HOMELAND SECURITY.
CHIEF SATTERWHITE, LET ME YIELD TO YOU.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND, AND, AND LET ME THANK YOU FOR HELPING HPD GET THROUGH SOME VERY CHALLENGING TIMES.
I RESPECT YOUR REVIEW THAT YOU GAVE.
COUNCIL DAY WAS THOROUGH, HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, AND YOU SHOWED REAL PROFESSIONALISM AND HOUSTONIANS, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU.
WELL, ACTUALLY, THE FIRST THING I WANNA DO IS, UM, THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, REAL FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, 34 YEARS, JUST INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.
I DID NOT GET WHERE I, WHERE I AM FINISHING MY CAREER WITH HPD ALONE.
I GOT HERE BECAUSE I HAD SO MANY FANTASTIC MEN AND WOMEN AROUND ME HELPING ME, SUPPORTING ME ALONG THE WAY.
UH, THEY WERE THERE AND, AND THE WORST OF TIMES AND THE BEST OF TIMES.
AND, AND I, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T KNOW FIRST SERGEANT SAY THAT I'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLE CAREER WITH HPD AND WITH THE MEN AND WOMEN, UH, IN ALL THE YEARS.
AND OF COURSE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE SUPPORT THAT I'VE RECEIVED, UH, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, BUT OVER YEARS AND HELP BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC, THE COMMUNITIES THAT I'VE WORKED WITH, THE RELATIONSHIPS, THE FRIENDS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CULTIVATE, UH, HERE LOCALLY AROUND THE STATE, AROUND THE NATION, AROUND THE WORLD.
I OWE ALL THAT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I OWE ALL THAT TO THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I CANNOT TELL Y'ALL HOW THANKFUL I AM FOR THAT, HOW BLESSED I AM TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE SUPPORTING ME.
I, IT'S ALMOST LIKE UNDESERVED.
BUT THEY HAVE JUST BEEN THERE FOR ME.
SO, WELL, THERE'LL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME TO TALK TO 'EM, BUT I WASN'T GONNA MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIRST JUST TELL YOU ALL THANKS, AND EVERYBODY HERE AND EVERYBODY OUT IN THE PUBLIC THAT, UM, IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE THING.
AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR, UM, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE IN PUBLIC SERVICE, TO CONTINUE TO HELP, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IS, IS TO, IS TO TRY TO BE A PART AND TRY TO HELP AND TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THE, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE MAYOR'S AFFORDING ME NOW TO MOVE ON TO THIS ROLE AND TO DO THAT, I AM, I AM CERTAINLY INDEBTED TO YOU, SIR, FAR, AND, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT ALL THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
THE MAYOR WANTED ME TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VISION.
UM, WE HAVE FANTASTIC, UH, PEOPLE AND CERTAINLY IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND, AND THEY DO
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INCREDIBLE WORK.AND I COULD LIST THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF AND HELP PLAN AND EXECUTE BETWEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT HURRICANE HARVEY, BUT LET'S GO BACK TO HURRICANE IKE.
UH, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT SUPER BOWLS AND NCAA AND VISITS AND, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HIT, WHETHER IT'S A NATURAL OR WHETHER IT'S A, IT WAS A MANMADE ISSUE, UH, OR IT WAS A MAJOR EVENT COMING TO THE CITY WHERE WE COULD SHOWCASE WHAT WE CAN DO HERE TO THE WORLD.
BECAUSE HOUSTON IS A FIRST CLASS CITY.
AND THE ABILITY TO SHOWCASE WHAT WE CAN DO IS WHY WE ARE GETTING EVEN MORE EVENTS.
WHY FIFA IS COMING IN 2026, AND THAT WILL BE 31 DAYS OF SUPER BOWL.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE TALKED TO ABOUT IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF FERVOR THAT'S COMING TO THE CITY AND THE ATTENTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND CONVENTIONS AND ALL OF THAT.
IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE A FIRST CLASS CITY AND WE KNOW HOW TO DO THINGS, AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA SEE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, THIS IS, THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THE CITY IN THAT REGARD AND HELP US BE PREPARED FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE COMING SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN AGAIN, SHOWCASE, YOU KNOW, NCAA FINAL FOUR CAME TO US THREE TIMES, AND EVERY TIME THEY CAME BACK, THEY SAID, BECAUSE HOUSTON DOES IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
THEY WERE JUST, UH, COMPLETELY IMPRESSED WITH HOW WE DID THINGS.
SO IT'S ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BUT ALSO WE CANNOT DENY IT BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT RESPONSE CAPABILITY, GREAT PREPARATION AND, AND OPERATIONS.
WE SHOWCASE, WE'VE DONE THOSE THINGS AND HELPED THE CITY THROUGH SOME VERY CRITICAL TIMES.
BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME GAPS IN OUR CITY.
THERE ARE STILL SOME WEAKNESSES THAT WE NEED TO CORRECT IN TERMS OF RESILIENCY THAT HAVE BEEN PLAGUING OUR CITY FOR PROBABLY DECADES THAT WE CAN WORK WITH.
WHETHER IT'S, WHETHER IT'S WORKING WITH UTILITIES ON POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MORE RESILIENT THERE, OR WORKING WITH OUR OWN FACILITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GENERATOR POWER AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WHETHER IT'S DEALING WITH OTHER ISSUES THAT CAN KIND OF PLAGUE A CITY, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WHETHER IT'S THE, THE WORLD IS GETTING MORE DANGEROUS, LET'S, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HOMELAND SECURITY JOB AND WE ARE SEEING MORE, MORE CONFLICT AND MORE PROBLEMS AROUND THE WORLD, AND THEY'RE COMING, THEY CAN COME TO OUR DOORSTEP.
SO WE NEED TO BE BETTER PREPARED FOR THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU THE, THE AFTER 34 YEARS, AND CERTAINLY IN MY RECENT DECADE OF MY CAREER, HAVING THE CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW EVERYBODY, HAVING A CHANCE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS LOCALLY WITH EVERYBODY IN THIS AREA REGIONALLY WITH THE STATE, WITH THE COUNTRY, WITH NATIONALLY, AND EVEN OVERSEAS, WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IN A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS WORLD THAT WE SEE AS WE ARE HERE RIGHT NOW.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED.
AND, AND PREVENTION IS ALWAYS THE VERY BEST.
GETTING OUT IN FRONT OF THINGS, MAKING US MORE RESILIENT, MAKING US MORE, MUCH BIGGER, MUCH, UH, TARGET HARDENING THE CITY AND THE REGION.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I SAY A CITY ALL THE TIME, BUT IF WE DON'T TELL TAKE CARE OF THE REGION TOO, AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THEN WE'RE STILL EXPOSED.
SO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE AREA, LIKE I SAID, I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALL THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE 'EM ALL ON MY PHONE AND THEY CALLED ME.
AND IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND THE LAST WEEK WHEN ALL THIS WAS COMING ABOUT AND COMING INTO FOCUS, IT'S BEEN NOTHING BUT PHONE CALL AND TEXT AFTER ONE, AFTER ANOTHER.
THAT'S THE KIND OF, UH, BLESSING THAT I HAVE, AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I BRING TO THE CITY AND WHAT I OFFER.
SO, WITH THAT, MAYOR, I DIDN'T WANNA HIJACK YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M GONNA STEP BACK AND LET YOU HAVE IT AGAIN.
YEAH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT HIJACKING MY PRESENTATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GOING FORWARD TO IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY.
I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FINDING A POLICE CHIEF THAT WILL MAKE THIS CITY SAFER.
A PUBLIC SERVANT, BUT SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE.
AND, AND LEMME TELL YOU QUICKLY THE PROCESS.
YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, I'VE CHAIRED CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
ALL I DID IN THE STATE CAPITOL, IN HEARINGS AND IN MY OFFICE WORK, MEET LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND EXPERTS ACROSS THE CITY AND ACROSS THE NATION.
SO WHEN I SAW THAT WE NEEDED A POLICE CHIEF WITH ALL THE CREDENTIALS THAT WE CAN DEPEND ON, I TALKED TO CHIEFS AROUND THE STATE, TALKED TO LEGISLATORS, TALKED TO SOME LOCAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND IT KEPT TAKING ME BACK TO NOI DIAZ AND NOI DIAZ AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER AND WORKED
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TOGETHER FOR 20 YEARS.HE WAS ASSIGNED TO HOUSTON AS A RANGER.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED VISITING ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THIS GREAT CITY, I NOTICED THAT HE HAS SUCH A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF EVERY COMMUNITY AND OUR NEEDS, HOW WE DO MORE WITH LESS, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED.
I WAS EXCITED WHEN HE GOT HIS OPPORTUNITY IN KATY.
SO THE KEY TO WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR IS SOMEONE THAT'S FAMILIAR WITH HOUSTON.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT AT THIS PERIOD IN TIME TO GO OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WHEN IT KNOWS THE DEPARTMENT FROM HAVING WORKED WITH 'EM ON TASK FORCE, NARCOTICS, INTELLIGENCE, OPERATIONS, VERY FAMILIAR.
AND I TALKED TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT, HPD WITH EMPLOYEE GROUPS, HPLU, WITH THE SHERIFF FAGAN IN FORT BEND, OUR CONSTABLES, THEY KEPT SAYING, NO, DIAZ IS THE REAL DEAL, A CRIME FIGHTER.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
SOMEONE THAT IS A NO NONSENSE CRIME FIGHTER WITH THE EXPERIENCE 23 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, 11 AS A TEXAS RANGER, THE RANGERS ARE THE BEST INVESTIGATIVE BODY IN THE WORLD.
SO WHEN I APPROACHED DIAZ ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY, THE CHIEF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HE WAS SO KNOWLEDGEABLE.
SO I'M TOTALLY CONVINCED WITH THESE APPOINTMENTS THIS MORNING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE BEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE, CRIME FIGHTING TEAM IN THE NATION.
EVERYONE CAN HEAR MY VOICE LIVES HERE.
I KNOW THAT HOUSTONIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CERTAIN EVENTS.
SENIORS COME UP TO ME AT YALE STREET FARM AND SAY, SENATOR, BEFORE I BECAME MAYOR, YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
WE DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK.
THAT'S THE REASON I GOT IN THE MAYOR'S RACE.
I WAS RECRUITED BY HOUSTONIANS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR CONCERN ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO THE SUBURBS, IT'S BECOMING AN ECONOMIC ISSUE.
WE'RE GONNA DO RECRUITING, WE'RE GONNA DO THE COLLABORATION.
CHIEF DIAZ WAS IN OUR FIRST MEETINGS DEALING WITH COLLABORATION WITH 80 PLUS AGENCIES IN THE HOUSTON AREA, HOW WE COLLABORATED.
SO HE'S NOT GONNA MISS A BEAT.
I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM, AND I WANT HOUSTONIANS TO KNOW WE WILL HAVE, AND I WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SAFEST BIG CITY IN THE NATION.
LET'S GET IT DONE, BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I WANNA FEEL FREE TO GO TO THE KROGER STORE AT NIGHT ON WEST GRAY, HUGE PARKING LOT.
I USED TO GO THERE ON SUNDAY EVENING, STOCK UP FOR THE WEEK.
AND IT'S IMPACT IN OUR CO GREENSPOINT LOCKED THIS DOOR.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS A VIBRANT MALL.
IT'S CLOSED BECAUSE OF CONCERN FOR CRIME.
SO ALL I CAN SAY TODAY IS IT'S A, IT'S AN EXCITING DAY WITH THE TEAM THAT I PUT IN PLACE.
AND I WANT TO THANK CHIEF DIAZ FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE FOR SO MANY YEARS.
AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I THINK THE BEST IS, THE BEST IS IN FRONT OF US FOR HPD.
WE'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE BAD PRACTICES.
NO IDEAS, KNOWS HOW I FEEL ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
HE'S ACTUALLY WORKED IN PUBLIC CORRUPTION AS A RANGER NARCOTICS IN THE WHOLE FIELD.
HIS COLLABORATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES COULD NOT BE BETTER.
STARTING WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE SHERIFF ADRIAN GARCIA SAID, WHEN I WAS SHERIFF, I DEPENDED ON NO DIAZ TO HELP ME SOLVE CRIMES ACROSS HOUSTON.
BUT I'M EXCITED BECAUSE DURING THE CAMPAIGN, I SAID, I'M GIVING
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MYSELF AND THESE DIRECTORS AND CHIEFS SIX MONTHS TO SHOW THE PUBLIC WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER.THIS IS PART OF THAT COMMITMENT.
IT'S BEEN A COMMITMENT OF MINE SINCE I TOOK OFFICE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THESE APPOINTMENTS.
AND ALSO WE WILL FIND THE RESOURCES.
WE WILL FIND THE RESOURCES TO FUND ADDITIONAL OFFICERS TECHNOLOGY AND TO DO A FINE JOB.
LET ME, UH, YIELD TO CHIEF DIAZ AT THIS TIME.
UH, NOT A LOT MORE THAN I CAN SAY.
UH, LARRY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.
UH, I WANT TO THANK THE GREAT MAYOR FOR, UH, GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, TRANSITIONING INTO THIS POSITION.
I REALLY BELIEVED IN HIS VISION BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON A LONG TIME AT EVERY PART OF MY POLICE DEVELOPMENT, BE IT A TROOPER, A NARCOTIC AGENT, A RANGER, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE THAT'S SHARED INFORMATION THAT'S, UH, BEEN WILLING TO SHARE THEIR, THEIR, THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
I'M ONLY HERE BECAUSE OF MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR GRACE, THEIR PROFESSIONALISM THROUGH, THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, THROUGH DIFFERENT STORMS. UH, UH, I WAS WITH THE STATE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I TRULY BELIEVE IN THE MAYOR.
I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, THIS IS A VERY VIBRANT CITY.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA GET ON MY SOAPBOX ABOUT, ABOUT THE CRIME RATE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS CITY SHOULD BE THE PINNACLE OF, OF WHERE PEOPLE COME TO VISIT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT EVENTS.
YOU MENTIONED, UH, FIFA COME IN.
SO THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT EVENTS TO US.
UM, UH, THIS COMMUNITY'S BEEN VIBRANT, GREAT TO US, GREAT TO OUR FAMILIES.
UH, SO I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED.
UH, MY, MY VISION IS TO JUST BASICALLY GET BACK TO BEING A SERVANT, A SERVANT LEADER, UH, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES.
I'VE ALREADY HAVE THOSE EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS WITH EVERY AGENCY, EVERY CONSTABLE, EVERY POLICE CHIEF, EVERY SHERIFF WITH THE FBI, WITH THE DEA.
I STILL HAVE THE TOP SECRET CLEARANCE AT THE BUREAU, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
UM, UH, BUT I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE SOME PEOPLE HERE IN THE ROOM.
COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN, THANK YOU, UM, FOR ALWAYS HELPING 30 YEARS AS A PROSECUTOR BEFORE IN THE PAST.
SO, UH, I, I WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE, THE HPOU STAFF THAT'S IN HERE.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, UH, PUTTING ME, PUTTING ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I'M GONNA LEAN ON Y'ALL BECAUSE I'M ABOUT THE TRUTH, LIKE THE MAYOR SAYS.
RIGHT? SO, I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS AND OUR, OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR FRIENDS GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
'CAUSE YOU NEED TO KNOW IF I NEED CARS WHERE I'M GONNA ASK FOR CARS.
IF I NEED MEN AND WOMEN, WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR THEM, RIGHT? SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, UH, IN A NUTSHELL, UH, WHAT, WHAT I, WHAT I ENVISION FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
I'M, I'M, I GUESS I'M GRATEFUL THE MAYOR IS, UH, UH, VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AND SO AM I.
SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, YOUR HONOR.
CHIEF DIAZ, KEVIN, KNOW BACK YOU, YOU WANT, YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND, OKAY.
UH, FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING AUDIENCE, UH, MS.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING SO KIND.
KEVIN BECK FROM ABC 13, CHIEF SOURCES AT HPD WHO WORKED ALONGSIDE YOU, APPLAUD YOU.
THEY CALL YOU A PHENOMENAL COP, PHENOMENAL INVESTIGATOR, EXCEPTIONAL GUY.
BUT WE'RE HEARING THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT YOU'RE COMING FROM A DEPARTMENT OF JUST 91 PEOPLE AND ABOUT TO LEAVE ONE OF 6,091 RIGHT.
TO THOSE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AT H HP DO, WHO ARE ROOTING FOR YOU, BUT WORRIED THERE'S GONNA BE A HUGE LEARNING CURVE HERE WITH SUCH A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT DO YOU WANNA SAY TO THOSE OFFICERS? KEVIN? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
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YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, UH, SOMETHING THAT I TAKE LIGHTLY.IT'S, IT'S ABOUT SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
WHETHER YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE AT YOUR JOB, AT YOUR, AT YOUR COMPANY, OR YOU HAVE 6,200, RIGHT? UH, TREATING PEOPLE WITH RESPECT, WITH DIGNITY, GIVEN THE AUTONOMY FOR GIVEN PEOPLE THE AUTONOMY TO DO GOOD.
'CAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE GOOD, RIGHT? THERE'S ONLY ONE, RIGHT? THERE'S NOT VARIATIONS OF IT.
SO FOR ME, THAT'S MY ANSWER IS THAT THIS, THIS IS, UH, FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO INCLUDE THE CIVILIAN STAFF THAT ARE NEVER ACTUALLY APPLAUDED OR DISPATCHERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE FLEET MAINTENANCE PEOPLE THAT ARE PICKING UP THE PATROL CARS, DRIVING THE WRECKERS, THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S, THEY'RE PART OF THE TAPESTRY OF THIS OFFICE, OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO, AS FAR TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I I ANSWER IT WITH THAT, THAT I'M A SERVANT LEADER.
UM, UH, I, I THINK OF YOU FIRST BEFORE MYSELF.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
AND THE BUCK STOPS WITH ME, RIGHT? THE BUCK STOPS WITH ME.
DID YOU LOOK AT THAT AS A CONSIDERATION, MAYOR? I, I LOOKED AT, I LOOKED AT ALL THE FACETS.
I LOOKED AT EXPERIENCE, COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW, YES, HE'S IN KATY.
THAT WAS A STOPPING OFF POINT, AND THEY DO NOTHING BUT SING PRAISE OUT THERE.
BUT I'VE TALKED TO HBD OFFICERS AND THEY'VE WORKED WITH HIM ON TASK FORCE ACROSS THIS CITY, AND THEY RESPECT HIM AND WANT TO WORK FOR HIM.
SO HE WILL HAVE A COMMAND STAFF.
CHIEF SATTERWHITE IS NOT GOING VERY FAR.
HOMELAND SECURITY PLAYS A VERY VITAL ROLE.
WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY TOGETHER TODAY TO SHOW WHAT A SMOOTH TRANSITION IS TAKING PLACE.
SO, UH, NO, HE'S PATROLLED THE STREETS.
HE'S WORKED WITH OTHER COMMAND STAFF.
SO NO, I, I CONSIDERED EXPERIENCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY, CAN'T DO ANY BETTER THAN THIS GENTLEMAN.
AND HE'S NOT AFRAID TO ASK FOR ADVICE IN COUNSEL.
AND WE WILL DEFINITELY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE PUBLIC.
I THOUGHT IT WAS TOUGH FOR ME TO LEAVE AUSTIN BECAUSE OF WHAT I GET DONE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
WE'RE GONNA BE SPEAKING THE NEW CHIEF.
I'VE TOLD HIM, LET'S TALK ABOUT, PART OF OUR PROBLEMS ON THE STREET IS REPEAT FELONS, MURDERERS AND CAPITAL MURDERS ON BOND.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT THAT OUR OFFICERS RANK AND FILE, PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, DO A GREAT JOB, TAKE 'EM OVER THERE, AND GET 'EM CHARGED.
AND WITHIN 24 HOURS, MURDERS, REPEAT, VIOLENT OFFENDERS OR RELEASE.
IF WE DON'T SOLVE THAT, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
SO IT'S, IT'S A MULTITUDE OF QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMITMENT THAT THE CHIEF BRINGS.
NOT NECESSARILY A NUMERICAL NUMBER, BUT IT'S LEADERSHIP AND VISION.
YOU KNOW, HE WILL WORK WITH THE CURRENT COMMAND STAFF.
HE'LL FIND HIS OWN INDIVIDUALS.
AND IT'S ALL GONNA BE ABOUT GET IT DONE.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA BE DRUG THROUGH A MESS THAT I INHERITED THAT SHOOK PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE.
260,000 CASES THAT WERE NOT SU SUSPENSION, THAT WERE NEVER EXAMINED.
THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY FROM HERE TODAY.
RESPECT THE RANK AND FILE AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY'RE PROTECTED, BUT THEY'RE HARD WORK SHOWS THE RESULTS WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
BEFORE WE TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANTED TO HAVE, ANNA BELIEVE MAYOR, MAKE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS IN SPANISH.
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TEXAS RANGERS.YOU WANT ME TO SAY IT IN ENGLISH? OKAY.
UH, BUT, UH, I DO LIKE THE NAME.
HER, HER QUESTION FOR US WAS, UH, ABOUT THE SUSPENDED FILES.
I TOLD HER THAT I WASN'T, UH, GOING TO COMMENT.
I WAS GONNA LET THE PROCESS WORK OUT.
I THINK, UH, CHIEF SATTERWHITE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
I MEAN, HE'S, HE'S A SAGE HERE AT THE OFFICE, SAID HE, HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UH, YOU GUYS HAVE READ THE REPORT.
I'M GONNA LET THE PROCESS CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH IT.
UH, I KNOW THE MAYOR'S ASSEMBLED A FINE GROUP OF PEOPLE TO LOOK AT IT.
AND, UH, NO ONE HERE'S GONNA HIDE ANYTHING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND THAT MAY REQUIRE STAFFING CHANGES THAT MAY REQUIRE, UH, CHANGES IN THE WAY WE DO OUR REPORT WRITING.
AND, UH, JUST GRANULAR, UH, POLICE WORK RIGHT THERE WHERE THAT'S NOT HAPPENING, BUT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE STAFFING.
I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU DIFFERENT, UH, STAFFING IS LOW, BUT I KNOW THIS MAYOR IS READY TO COMMIT.
CITY COUNCILS ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY'RE READY TO COMMIT TO HIGHER STAFFING.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ FOR, FOR ADDING THAT EXTRA, UM, TRAINING ACADEMY.
I MEAN, IT, IT, IT IS A GREAT RESOURCE.
THIS IS A PHENOMENAL CITY WITH A FANTASTIC POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO FOR THE CITIZENS, I, I'D ASK THAT YOU TRUST IN US.
UM, LET US DO OUR JOBS, LET US SERVE YOU IN EVERY CAPACITY, AND WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS, UH, THIS, THIS SUSPENDED FILE, UH, APPROPRIATELY.
AND, UH, WE, WE'LL MAKE DECISIONS AFTER.
IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL SHAKEN OUT.
CHIEF, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND CHIEF SENATOR WHITE, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ASCENSION.
UM, WHAT DO YOU VIEW AS THE DEPARTMENT'S GREATEST STRENGTH? AND WHAT ATTRACTED
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YOU AND WHAT DO YOU VIEW AS THE GREATEST AREA FOR OPPORTUNITY? NOT A CHALLENGE, BUT GREATEST AREA OF OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU.WE ARE IN THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF THE STATE.
SIMPLY SAID, THIS IS A VERY WELL-FUNDED POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR MORE FUNDING.
SO IT'S THE PARENTS THAT ARE AT HOME WATCHING THIS.
IF YOU HAVE A 19 OR 20-YEAR-OLD CHILD IN YOUR HOME THAT'S NEEDING A JOB, PLEASE CONTACT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE WANNA PULL FROM PEOPLE HERE.
WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY, AND I WANT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REFLECT IT, RIGHT? I WANT THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GROW.
UH, THEY, THEY, THEY PUT THE RESOURCES TOGETHER.
IT'S GONNA BE OUR JOB, OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FILL IT.
SO FOR ME, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE'RE IN A GREAT PLACE, UH, WITH, WITH SOME PHENOMENAL PEOPLE, SOME PHENOMENAL YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, AND, AND JUST RESIDENTS THAT REALLY CARE ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD A CHIEF IN RECENT TIMES SAY EXACTLY.
LAST QUESTION IN THE MAYORAL RECORD.
YOU SAID A COMMENT THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM OTHER CHIEFS.
YOU ACTUALLY SAID, HEY, I WANNA RECRUIT YOUNG KIDS HERE.
I WANNA BRING PEOPLE IN FROM HOUSTON.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW, ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS OUR HOME.
AND WHO BETTER TO FILL THE RANKS THAN THE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY? WE HAVE SOME FABULOUS UNIVERSITIES HERE IN TOWN.
UH, WE NEED TO PULL FROM THE GROUP OF KIDS, THESE GREAT KIDS, UH, IN, IN INTO OUR RANKS.
I MEAN, THE, THE, THE TALENT IS HERE.
SO, UH, I HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT WITH CHIEF FATTER.
I, I DON'T NEED TO GO TO TAMPA, FLORIDA, HAVE A RECRUITING TRIP WHEN I HAVE THE STAFF HERE AND THE TALENT HERE.
AND, AND, AND THE FOCUS WILL BE ON HIRING PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, THAT ARE VESTED HERE, THAT ARE, THAT, THAT ARE, THAT THEIR PARENTS ARE HERE, UH, TO, TO, TO MAKE, UH, UH, THE COMMUNITY JUST BETTER.
UH, I WANNA ALSO MENTION IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I'M TALKING TO THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS.
YOU HAVE TO BE 21 NOW TO, UH, JOIN HPD.
WHEN I CAME OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL, SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS IMMEDIATELY GOT IN A CADET CLASS AFTER PROPER PROFILES AND, UH, BACKGROUND CHECKS.
CHIEF HOLLAND, UH, CAPTAIN HOLLAND, ONE OF THE BEST OFFICERS WE'VE EVER HAD.
SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WHEN THEY'RE COMING OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL TO PUT 'EM IN SOME HPD PROGRAM.
BECAUSE MANY OF 'EM ARE INTERESTED.
THEY COME OUTTA THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY GO TO THE ARMY, THEY GET A JOB, AND WE'RE LOSING A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT THE CHIEF'S TALKING ABOUT.
LET'S GRAB 'EM WHILE THEY'RE FIRED UP, GIVE 'EM A MENTOR AND LET 'EM GET AN HBD CAREER STARTED YOUNGER.
NOW, THE DIFFICULTY IS WHY THEY CAN'T GO AHEAD AND BECOME AN OFFICER AT 1919 IS YOU HAVE TO BE 21 TO CARRY A FIREARM.
SO THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED UNDER, WITH PROPER SAFEGUARDS, TRAINING, BACKGROUND CHECKS.
WE COULD PROBABLY PICK UP LARGE NUMBERS, CERTAINLY AT THE JUNIOR COLLEGE LEVEL.
BUT TO FOLLOW UP ON THE STAFFING QUESTION, THOUGH, IN YOUR REPORT ON WEDNESDAY, CHIEF SAIDRIGHT, I MEAN, YOU WERE VERY OPEN AND HONEST, THAT YOU STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS SURE.
AND YOU REALLY STRESS BOTH THE PROPERTY CRIMES HERE ARE GONNA SUFFER.
SO CHIEF DIAZ, YOU'RE INHERITING THIS, RIGHT? I, I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD HIM SAY REPEATEDLY, HE NEEDS 2000 MORE OFFICERS.
HIS PREDECESSOR ALSO STRESSED.
YOU'RE ONLY GONNA GET ABOUT 200 MORE IN THE NEXT BUDGET, RIGHT? YOU'RE WALKING INTO THAT.
LIKE, THAT'S NOT, YOU DON'T SET THE BUDGET.
SO HOW DO YOU TACKLE THAT KNOWING WE HAVE AN APARTMENT WHERE IF YOUR CAR IS BROKEN INTO, IF YOUR HOME IS BROKEN INTO, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE AN HPD INVESTIGATOR LOOK INTO IT, RIGHT? WELL, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE REALITY OF, OF, OF BEING UNDER UNDERSTAFFED, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING, UH, UH, DIFFICULT TO, FOR, FOR THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND.
WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TURNING OUT ON A SHIFT, WHEN WE'RE SHORTHANDED, WHERE WE'RE LACKING CARS, UH, THAT'S THE REALITY THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS FACED.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK, I THINK THE MAYOR INHERITED ALL THAT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TRY EVERYTHING, UH, THERE.
THERE'S, IT'S A NO HOLDS BARRED.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THE TALENTED KIDS 'CAUSE OF THE UNIVERSITY.
THEY ALL HAVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS. THEY NEED TO COME AND VISIT WITH US FIRST, AND WE NEED TO TAKE, UH, FIRST CRACK.
AND THAT STARTS WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WITH THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WHOLE.
WE HAVE TO IN COLLABORATION, PLEASE.
WE HAVE TO, WHEN I GOT THERE IN JANUARY, AND I DIDN'T NEED TO GET TO BECOME MAYOR IN JANUARY TO KNOW THE SHORTAGE, I WORKED WITH THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS AND THE RANK AND FILE FOR YEARS, IT'S BEEN KNOWN.
IT'S JUST PEOPLE WERE KICKING A CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
SO I CAME UP WITH A VISION AND THE PRACTICE, THE FIRST WEEK, COLLABORATION,
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OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL ASSOCIATE WITH US, GIVE US RESEARCH DURING THE, THE FREEZE, NOT THE FREEZE, CERTAINLY THE FREEZE, BUT DURING THE STORM, WE GOT A HUNDRED OFFICERS FROM AROUND THE STATE.SO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE CONSTABLES, THE SUBURBAN POLICE DEPARTMENTS, UH, ARE GONNA LEND US A HAND.
DPS, LET ME JUST TELL YOU WHAT, WITH THE CHIEF'S CONTACTS WITH BPS, WE'RE GONNA GET AIR COVER, WE'RE GONNA GET REFILL IN THE FORENSICS.
BUT WE DO KNOW WE HAVE CHALLENGES.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, SHE SAT, HER WIFE DOCUMENTED IT, SO WELL, GOING BACK 10 YEARS.
IF WE ADDITIONAL CADET CLASS COLLABORATION AND OVERTIME, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING.
THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEBODY'S HOME BEING BROKEN INTO AND SOMEBODY'S CAR BEING BROKEN INTO.
OKAY? SO THERE'S THAT BURGLARY OF A HABITATION INTO SOMEBODY'S DOMICILE IS VERY SERIOUS.
AND IF THERE ARE WORKABLE LEADS, THOSE ARE GONNA GET PRIORITIZED, RIGHT? IN THAT, IN THAT PROPERTY AND FINANCIAL CRIMES DIVISION AND EVERYTHING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS IN THINKING THAT MY HOME IS GONNA BE BURGLARIZED AND NO ONE'S GOING TO COME AND NO ONE'S GOING TO HELP, OR NO ONE'S GONNA LOOK AT THAT.
AND I SAY THAT EVEN THE OTHER CRIMES ARE NOT BEING SHELVED AS MUCH AS THEY JUST, THEY MAY NOT GET TO THEM.
BUT A BE A CAR BREAK INTO, OR A PA, SADLY, A BICYCLE STOLEN OFF OF A LAWN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ISN'T GONNA HAVE THE SAME.
AND I'M JUST, JUST TRYING TO BE AS HONEST AS I CAN WITH THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE SO SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TRIAGE AND PRIORITIZE VIOLENT CRIMES.
AND EVEN, I WOULD SUGGEST PEOPLE'S HOMES GETTING BROKEN INTO THOSE ARE MUCH MORE SERIOUS.
CHIEF, THIS IS SORT OF THE TWO PART QUESTION, BUT I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU GOT 2000 MORE OFFICERS POLICING SORT OF THE NUMBERS GAME, YOU WOULD'VE TO PRIORITIZE THINGS.
I MEAN, WHAT IS YOUR PRIORITY COMING IN AS CHIEF AND THEN RELATEDLY, YOU'VE MENTIONED TECHNOLOGY, SORT OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROMISING PIECES OF TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE THAT YOU THINK COULD HELP COMPENSATE? GREAT QUESTION.
UH, LARRY JUST SAID IT, RIGHT? SO BRIDGING THE TECHNOLOGY GAP, UH, BE IT, WE, WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, HAVING A, A ROBUST DRONE PROGRAM TO, TO HELP AND PATROL REMOTELY, UH, THAT, THAT WORK THAT'S FUNCTIONAL, THAT CAN GIVE US GOOD INFORMATION, GOOD LEADS, UH, TO, TO MAKE US A BETTER SWIFTER CLEANER DEPARTMENT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THOSE THINGS.
I'LL SHARE WITH YOU, I, I WAS UP ALL NIGHT, TWO OR THREE IN THE MORNING BECAUSE MAYOR SAID IT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
WHEN YOU'RE HOME, UH, BE IT, BE IT TOMBALL, KATY PEARLAND, IT'S, IT IS A COMPLETE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
UH, LAST NIGHT, WE, WE, WE ROUNDED UP PEOPLE, LIKE YOU SAY, COMMITTING CAR BURGLARIES, RIGHT? WHEN WE HAVE THE STAFFING, WHEN I CAN CALL DPS AT THE REGIONAL OFFICE, AND THEY SEND A 12 MAN TEAM.
SO WE SATURATE AREAS AND WE CATCH GUYS.
THE MAYOR ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT PEOPLE OUT ON BOND.
AND I'LL SHARE THIS STORY AND I'LL, AND I'LL CUT IT SHORT.
THREE WEEKS AGO, THE UNITED STATES MARSHAL'S OFFICE WAS IN KATY, TEXAS, AND THEY ARRESTED A GUY WITH THEIR TEAM, AND THEY, THEY'RE A VERY EFFECTIVE TEAM.
UH, THE GUY WAS PINNED IN THE OFFICE, PINNED IN A HOTEL ROOM, HE WAS ARRESTED LAST NIGHT.
HE WAS OUT ALREADY, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE ALL THAT RESOURCE, ALL THE DANGER THAT THE MARSHALS WENT THROUGH.
AND THEN IN TWO WEEKS, HE, HE'S BACK IN A HOTEL ROOM DOING THE SAME STUFF.
SO, SO IT, IT, IT IS, IT IS A, UH, WORK IN PROGRESS.
UH, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE.
UH, I I'M READY FOR THE CHALLENGE.
I KNOW, I, I, I, UM, I'M SO THANKFUL, AGAIN FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE DOING IT EVERY NIGHT.
FOR THE GUY IN CLEAR LAKE OR GIRL IN CLEAR LAKE WORKING NIGHT SHIFT WITH TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS OFF, RIGHT.
THAT, THAT'S MY FOCUS, THE END USER.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHO I, THAT'S WHO'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
YOU OUGHT TO DO A STUDY SOMETIME.
THE THOUSANDS OF PEACE OFFICERS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, NOT HPD, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN START THERE WITH FIVE.
GO TO THE MED CENTER, TSUU OF H, THE PORT, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
IF WE EVER MARSHAL AND HAVE LEADERSHIP THAT WILL GET THEM TO GO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN HARRIS COUNTY.
AS I STAND AND TALK TO YOU, WE, THE SHERIFF'S RESPONSIBILITY START AT THE HOUSTON CITY LIMITS.
THERE'S THOUSANDS, LIKE 8,000 PLUS IF WE JUST HAD THE LEADERSHIP TO COLLABORATE, IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE.
METRO 300 OFFICERS I TALKED ABOUT MERGING WITH HPD THAT GOT SIDETRACKED DURING THE SUSPENDED CASES.
IT GETS A LITTLE COMPLEX BECAUSE OF BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE SHORT OVERALL IN
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LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINALS DON'T RESPECT CITY LIMITS.I TALKED LAST NIGHT WITH SHERIFF FAGAN, FORT BEN WANTED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THE FINE COLLABORATIONS HE'S HAD WITH CHIEF DIAZ WHEN HE WAS IN THE DPS AND THE RANGERS.
SO PEOPLE ARE EXCITED, THEY UNDERSTAND HOUSTON IS UNDERSTAFFED, BUT THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND WE'VE GOT CRIME ISSUES ACROSS THE REGION, AND THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT WORKING.
MY ADMINISTRATION, THE MORALE OF HPD IS VERY HIGH.
THE BEST RECRUITER, HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN A POLICE OFFICER.
YES, THAT WOULD GET A BROTHER, A NEPHEW, OR A SON ON THE FORCE THAT'S BEEN REVIVED, THAT WOULD SUGGEST ALSO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF SMART CRIME FIGHTING THAT'S FIXING TO TAKE PLACE.
MAYOR WHITMEYER, DID YOU SERIOUSLY CONSIDER ANY INTERNAL CANDIDATES, INCLUDING I, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW
I WOULD ACCEPT AND DRAFT ANYONE THAT I THOUGHT WAS GONNA BE THE BEST CRIME FIGHTER.
THIS GENTLEMAN IS THE BEST CRIME FIGHTER BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE, COLLABORATION, AND COMMITMENT TO THE JOB.
SO YES, I CONSIDER IT ALL POSSIBILITIES.
HOW WILL YOUR BE AND MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WEIGH IN AFTER THIS ON THE SAME QUESTION.
BUT CHIEF, UM, IN SPEAKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT NATIONWIDE, AND EVEN AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN MAJOR CITIES, THEY'VE ALWAYS CONVEYED THE FACT FACT THAT HAVING AN INVESTIGATIVE BACKGROUND IS KEY.
WHEN YOU HAVE A TOP COP IN AN APARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S POLICE COMMISSIONER IN NEW YORK, OR POLICE CHIEF IN LA, IF THEY HAVE THAT INVESTIGATIVE BACKGROUND THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREER, REALLY WORKING HARD CASES, CONSIDERING THAT YOU HAVE THAT BACKGROUND WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS AND THEY'RE KNOWN FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO THE FINE DETAILS THAT THEY HAVE TO, TO RESOLVE THEIR CASES.
CONSIDERING THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEPARTMENT IN CERTAIN INSTANCES OF LATE IN RECENT YEARS HASN'T REALLY BEEN ATTENTION OF THAT CAREFULLY ATTENTION DETAIL.
HOW DO YOU THINK THAT BACKGROUND WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IN HELPING UNDERSTAND, CONVEY THAT MESSAGE TO THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT? WELL, I'M JUST VERY FAMILIAR IN EVERY DISCIPLINE OF THE POLICE BUSINESS, BE IT THE PATROL DIVISION, WHICH IS OUR BREAD AND BUTTER, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE THE, THEY'RE WHO I'M GONNA BE JUDGED THROUGH THAT LENS, RIGHT? THE, THE RANK AND FILE.
UH, MY, MY, MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE VERY BEST EQUIPMENT, THAT THEY'RE THE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE BEST TRAINED AND ALL THAT.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING LIKE, LIKE THE SUSPENDED FILE HAPPENS, UH, I KNOW THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS, UH, EVERY ASPECT OF IT, THE, THE FENTANYL CRISIS IS REAL IN OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? SO I KNOW THE NARCOTIC DIVISION PROBABLY MORE.
SO I WAS ACTUALLY, UH, HOUSED ON THE SIXTH FLOOR FOR MANY YEARS AT HPD WHEN I WAS A NARCOTIC AGENT, RIGHT? SO, UH, I'M, I'M INTIMATELY, UH, UH, INVOLVED WITH EVERY PROCESS.
UH, ONLY THING I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IS FLY A HELICOPTER, BUT I'M GONNA WORK ON IT.
SO IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I'M TRYING TO, UH, UH, ALWAYS GARNER INFORMATION, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND, AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES, WHICH IS THE VISION THAT THE MAYOR HAS POLICE SERVICES.
YOU WANNA TRANSLATE? UH, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? SO, SO GIVE THE ENGLISH VERSION.
SHE ASKED, SHE, SHE ASKED ME WHAT I FELT ABOUT, UH, LEAVING KATIE.
MAYOR, DUSTY THEO HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL, UH, LEADER.
THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR BY BEARER, JUST A VERY DISCIPLINED MONEY GUY THAT, THAT HAS THE VISION, THAT HAD THE VISION OF LETTING ME COME IN AND MODERNIZING THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT LACKS NOTHING.
IT IS THE MOST MODERN, UH, AND, AND, AND FOR A SMALL COMMUNITY, IT IS A LOT OF THE GOLD OR THE TREASURE THAT THE COMMUNITY ENTRUSTS IN THE POLICE.
SO FOR ME, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I BRING THAT HERE.
THAT, THAT, THAT THE, THE, THE, THE BUDGET IS DIFFERENT, BUT, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN ENGLISH, I, I, I'M SADDENED,
[00:45:01]
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT, IT IS, IT IS, UH, BEEN A, MY LIFE HONOR TO SERVE THE PEOPLE IN KATY.MY DAD'S NOT HERE, SO, UH, UH, BUT NO, WE GOTTA GO TO WORK.
ON THE CHEVRON ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY'RE MOVING HERE.
WE DISCUSSED THIS IN THE PAST, YOU AND I, IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU GOT ELECTED, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HAVING MAJOR CORPORATIONS.
AND MAYBE DO YOU VIEW THIS AS A NO, I, I SAID BEFORE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS A PART OF THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM.
SO CHEVRON, LOOKING AT MY MISSION STATEMENT WAS VERY, VERY PLEASED.
DO YOU THINK THAT THEY WILL, THIS WILL HELP BRING OTHERS? OH, I DON'T THINK IT'S A DOUBT.
CORPORATIONS, THEY LIKE MY CAN-DO ATTITUDE AND PUBLIC SAFETY TEAMS. THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A BETTER ONE IN THE NATION.
10 SECONDS AND AUSTIN'S GONNA SUPPORT US AS WELL.
HOW SIGNIFICANT IS TODAY FOR YOU? HOW SIGNIFICANT IS TODAY CONSIDERING YOU HAVE THE EXCELLENT ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE CHIEF AS I START OUT, IT'S AN EXCITING DAY TO BE A HOUSTONIAN.
IF YOU LISTEN TO THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE TRANSPARENCY, IT'S EXCITING FOR ME TO BE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS IS WHY I RAN NOT ONLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE GOT MULTITUDE OF ISSUES.
THE HOUSING I ADOPTED, AND CAN YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, PEOPLE WERE GETTING 2000, $10,000 WATER BILLS.
WE GOT WORK TO DO, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE THAT CAN-DO ATTITUDE AND PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT WORKING IN MY ADMINISTRATION.
ONE CHEVRON FOLLOW UP, ARE YOU CURRENTLY TALKING TO OTHER COMPANIES, DO YOU THINK MORE WE'RE ON THE CUSP OF MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND CAN YOU THAT'S, THAT'S OUR GOAL.
AND I'M WORKING WITH CENTRAL HOUSTON AND HOUSTON FIRST, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.
AND, AND THERE'S SOME, SOME BIG NAMES.
CAN YOU NAME NAMES? NO, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT
I, I REALLY HAVE TO GO TO WORK.