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COMMANDER HERE WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMANDER OVER THE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, AND IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU ALL ON TODAY.AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WE ARE HERE TO ANNOUNCE TODAY A MULTI-AGENCY TRAFFIC SAFETY INITIATIVE, WHERE OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON IMPAIRED DRIVERS AS WELL AS THOSE INDIVIDUALS OPERATING VEHICLES THAT ARE UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
OUR DWI TASK FORCE WILL BE OUT IN FULL FORCE.
AND I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SEVEN AGENCIES THAT ARE HERE HELPING US WITH THIS INITIATIVE TODAY.
AND THEY INCLUDE THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT, HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCTS, ONE, FOUR AND FIVE CONSTABLE'S OFFICES, AND BEL AIR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE JOINED US TODAY, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, AS WELL AS OUR CHIEF NOAH DIAZ, ALSO REPRESENTING AND SPEAKING.
TODAY WE'LL BE REGIONAL DIRECTOR AJ L BROWN WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALSO MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVERS.
SENIOR VICTIMS SERVICES ADVOCATE, MS. ROSA VILLANUEVA.
AND ALSO HERE TO TELL HER STORY WILL BE MS. BRENDA SANCHEZ MARTINEZ.
I'D NOW LIKE TO BRING UP MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR HIS REMARKS.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE JOINING US IN THIS INITIATIVE.
A DWI, MULTI-AGENCY INITIATIVE ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S A CONTINUATION OF MY ADMINISTRATION MAKING PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
IT'S VERY REWARDING THAT MAD REPRESENTATIVES ARE WITH US TODAY.
YOU PLAY SUCH A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR ENFORCEMENT PREVENTION AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH YOU FOR MANY YEARS IN LEGISLATURE AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR STATUTES AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE.
WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE MULTI-AGENCY COLLABORATION.
WE'RE SEEING THIS IN MY FIRST YEAR IN THE SURGES THAT WE'VE DONE IN EVENTS PATIENT CORRIDOR, DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, MOST RECENTLY IN THE WASHINGTON DURHAM CORRIDOR WHERE THE FORCE MULTIPLIER OF AGENCIES COMING TOGETHER.
AND I'LL LET THE CHIEF ELABORATE, BUT WE JUST COULDN'T BE HERE THIS MORNING WITH THE STRONGEST STATEMENT AS WE CAN MAKE ABOUT ENFORCEMENT AND ALSO PREVENTION.
AND I WANNA MENTION TO THE ESTABLISHMENTS, THE BUSINESSES YOU'VE GOTTA RUN YOUR BUSINESSES RESPONSIBLY.
HAVE YOUR BARTENDERS, YOUR WAITRESSES.
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE'S IMPAIRED, DO NOT LET THEM LEAVE YOUR ESTABLISHMENT BECAUSE THESE AGENCIES WILL BE ON THE STREET.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HIDE FROM 'EM.
SO MUCH OF THIS IS ABOUT PREVENTION, COLLABORATION, THE MESSAGING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS MORNING.
I COULD GO THROUGH AND NAME THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
THEY'RE SO VISIBLE HERE THIS MORNING.
I'M GONNA LET THE CHIEF TALK ABOUT HOW HPD WAS ABLE TO BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER THIS MORNING FOR A FORCE MULTIPLIER BECAUSE WE'RE DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT, WE DO NOT WANT DRINKING WHILE IMPAIRED DRIVING.
WHILE IMPAIRED IS PREVENTABLE, IT'S GONNA BE ENFORCED.
AND WE WILL ASK HARRIS COUNTY COURTS AND THE PROSECUTORS TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, LENDING YOUR TIME.
I KNOW HOW BUSY A SCHEDULE YOU HAVE.
BUT FIRST, I WANNA THANK THE MEDIA, THE PARTNERSHIP.
I WANNA THANK THE MEDIA FOR SHOWING UP TO SHARE THIS MESSAGE 'CAUSE IT'S VITAL IN PROTECTING OUR OVERALL COMMUNITY.
I WANNA THANK THE PARTNER AGENCIES.
THIS IS ONE EVENT THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY, BUT THIS IS AN EVERYDAY COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP THE ENTIRE HOUSTON AREA SAFE.
WE WORK AT IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UH, WE COLLABORATE ON DIFFERENT ASSIGNMENTS, NOT JUST, UH, THE THE IMPAIRED DRIVING, BUT EVERYTHING CRIME RELATED.
KNOW THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, UH, THE, THE SMALL MUNICIPALITIES, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, OR WORKING CLOSELY EVERY SINGLE DAY TO KEEP THIS COMMUNITY SAFE.
SPEAKING TO THE IMPAIRED, DRIVING, PLEASE, PLEASE HAVE A PLAN IF YOU'RE GONNA GO OUT AND SOCIALIZE, UH, A LITTLE FRIENDSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP.
WE WANT YOU TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS, BUT THE HOLIDAYS ARE, ARE A TIME OF, OF FESTIVITIES, UH, NOT A TIME FOR TRAGEDIES.
AND TOO OFTEN WHEN WE OVERCONSUME ALCOHOL OR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, UH, WE MAKE BAD DECISIONS.
AND THOSE BAD DECISIONS TRULY AFFECT PEOPLE'S LIVES, RIGHT? THERE'S, THERE'S A COST WITH IT.
NOT ONLY YOU GOING TO JAIL, PRESUMABLY FOR A LONG TIME, BUT YOU CATASTROPHICALLY AFFECT FAMILIES, INNOCENT FAMILIES.
UH, THERE ARE SO MANY RIDE SHARE
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COMPANIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.PLEASE PUT THEM, DOWNLOAD THEIR APP AND MAKE SMART DECISIONS.
THAT 60 OR $70 RIDE WILL SAVE YOU A 10 OR $15,000 BILL WHEN ONE OF THESE GUYS OR GIRLS GETS YOU A DWI BECAUSE YOU MAKE A BAD DECISION.
LAST YEAR, THIS YEAR WE'VE HAD 33 FATALITIES.
UH, LET'S PLEASE, PLEASE THIS WEEKEND.
HAVE A SAFE ONE AND DIMINISH THOSE NUMBERS, RIGHT? UH, SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'VE HAD 33.
LAST YEAR WITH IT, THERE WAS 39 FATALITIES.
EXCUSE ME, THIS IS NO, THIS IS NO REFUSAL WEEKEND.
BE SAFE, BE SMART, AND DRIVE SOBER.
SO I'LL GIVE MY TIME TO THE GOOD MAJOR HERE, OR REGIONAL COMMANDER GERALD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, THE, THE CITIZENS OF THE, OF THIS REGION IS, IS OWED THE RESPONSE, OWED OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
SO THANK YOU CHIEF DIAZ AND, AND BOTH CHIEF DIAZ FROM HARRIS COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE HPD AND ALL THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT ARE HERE TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THIS INITIATIVE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
OVER THE LAST 24 YEARS, AT LEAST ONE PERSON HAS DIED ON OUR TEXAS ROADWAYS.
I SAY THAT THIS YEAR WE MAKE, THAT WE MAKE THE CHANGE TO MAKE, TO REDUCE THOSE NUMBERS.
I SAY THAT WE START WITH THE, THIS, THIS COMING NEW YEAR, THAT THIS NEW YEAR THAT THIS REGION HAS NO FATALITIES.
WE, LAST YEAR OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY MADE, WROTE OVER 100,000 CITATIONS AND WARNINGS FOR DIFFERENT TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA UP THE PACE AS IT AS IT RELATES TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU'LL SEE ACROSS THE ROADWAYS AND HIGHWAYS IN THE, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU WILL SEE A, AN UPTICK IN, IN NUMBER OF TROOPERS.
THE THE IS, THE, THE, THE, THEIR MISSION IS TO REDUCE TRA, REDUCE TRAFFIC CRASHES THROUGH SPEED, REDUCING YOUR SPEED.
ALSO MAKING SURE WE TRY TO GET, UH, VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.
WE'D RATHER HAVE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE THAN WRITE A TICKET.
SO WE WISH THAT NO ONE IS HARMED THIS, THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
UM, OUR, THE, THE CHIEF'S ALREADY SAID IT.
THERE'S SO MANY, SO MANY RIDE SHARES OUT THERE.
AND NOW I'M BRINGING UP MS. ROSA VILLANUEVA WITH, UM, MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING.
I'M A VICTIM SERVICES SPECIALIST WITH MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING.
UM, AS WE APPROACH THE END OF THE YEAR, LIKE THEY HAVE SAID, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.
IF YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CELEBRATIONS ARE GONNA INCLUDE ALCOHOL, HAVE A PLAN.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA GET HOME BACK, UM, BACK HOME SAFELY.
UM, EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE OPTIONS.
LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO GO PICK THEM UP IF THEY'RE ANYWHERE PARTYING.
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SHARING THEIR ROADS WITH OTHER PEOPLE, THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD TO KEEP US SAFE.
SO WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART TO SUPPORT THEM AND HELP THEM.
UM, NO FAMILY SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT HAVING TO PLAN A FUNERAL OR DEAL WITH THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE DURING THE HOLIDAYS.
THE HOLIDAYS IS A TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO COME TOGETHER, SPEND TIME TOGETHER, CREATE BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES, CELEBRATE WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE HOLIDAYS.
SO WHY SHOULD WE TAKE THE RISK? AND JUST FOR NOT MAKING A PLAN FOR NOT MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION, PUTTING OUR FAMILY IN DANGER AND OTHER PEOPLE IN DANGER.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO MAKE IT HOME SAFELY.
AND WE WANT EVERYBODY TO START THE NEW YEAR WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACES, NOT CRYING, NOT WORRYING ABOUT WHAT WE JUST MENTIONED.
THEY DESERVE TO GO BACK HOME AFTER THEIR SHIFT AND SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL.
SO, MATT, IT'S HERE NOT JUST TO DELIVER THIS MESSAGE, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT AND TO PROVIDE HELP TO THE VICTIMS OF THIS HORRIBLE CRIME.
DRINKING AND DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED IS A CRIME.
IT'S 100% PREVENTABLE AND THERE'S NO EXCUSE THESE DAYS.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT YOU CAN PLAN YOUR TRIP BACK HOME SAFELY.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THAT SO MANY YEARS WITH SO MANY, UH, VICTIMS LIKE BRENDA SANCHEZ, WHICH IS GONNA SHARE HER STORY TODAY.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE SHARING THIS MESSAGE, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU CARRY THESE ON INTO THE NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
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THANK YOU, ROSA.I AM A SURVIVOR AND VICTIM, UM, EXCUSE ME, UM, FOR MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE TODAY, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME AND, UM, JOINING US FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE.
UM, I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TO SHARE MY STORY WITH EVERYONE TODAY.
UH, I'M BLESSED TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT GET, UM, DUE TO OTHERS BAD DECISIONS.
UM, DURING THE HOLIDAYS, MANY CHOOSE TO SPEND THEIR TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES ACCOMPANIED WITH A FEW SPIRITS.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE MY STORY AND WHY THIS MATTER IS SO IMPORTANT.
IN, IN THE EARLY HOURS OF LABOR DAY WEEKEND OF 2021, MY LIFE WAS FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN.
WE WERE ONLY MINUTES AWAY FROM HOME WHEN SOMEONE'S POOR DECISION MAKING, UH, ENDED THE LIFE OF MY HUSBAND.
THANKFULLY, WE WERE ONLY US TWO IN THE VEHICLE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN WORSE.
ALL IN ALL, WE LOST MY HUSBAND.
I'VE BEEN LEFT TO PICK UP THE PIECES IN PIECES FOR MY CHILDREN.
IT, UM, IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT SINCE THE ACT, THE CRASH.
WE'VE HAD TO ENDURE VERY HARD MOMENTS.
NOT ONLY THAT, I'VE HAD TO RELEARN HOW TO WALK AND DO EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE TAKES FOR GRANTED AND DOESN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT.
MY MESSAGE TO EVERYONE TODAY IS PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU TAKE THE KEYS TO A CAR AFTER DRINKING OR BEING INTOXICATED UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T JUST THINK ABOUT YOURSELF.
THINK ABOUT EVERYONE'S LIVES THAT YOU'RE PUTTING AT RISK.
WE LOST THE LIFE OF NOT JUST A FATHER, A FRIEND, A PARTNER, A SON, A HUMAN.
THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING CONCERNING FOR EVERYONE ON THESE STREETS DRIVING.
KNOWING THAT YOU'RE INTOXICATED, YOUR DECISIONS AFFECT US ALL.
I TILL THIS DAY, SUFFER FROM PAIN AND OTHER ISSUES SUSTAINED FROM THIS CRASH IN LABOR DAY OF 2021.
EVERYONE'S DECISIONS COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS HAVING A PLAN, AS MS. ROSA SAID.
UM, I THANK EVERYONE AGAIN FOR TAKING PART IN VIEWING THIS MESSAGE AND HOPEFULLY THIS REACHES HOME TO ANYONE OUT THERE THAT'S PLANNING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND HAVING SOME DRINKS, THINK ABOUT THE LIVES THAT YOU'LL PUT AT RISK.
THINK ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT DECISION.
LET ME THANK YOU FOR BEING SO BRAVE.
AND YOUR WORDS WILL HOPEFULLY PREVENT OTHERS FROM MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE.
I WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE NAME ALL THE AGENCIES THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE HERE TODAY.
CERTAINLY HPD IS PROVIDING THE COLLABORATION EXHIBITED HERE TODAY.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, CONSTABLE PRECINCT ONE AND FOUR.
I'VE SEEN METRO, THE BELL AIR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE WITNESSING IN REAL TIME IS JUST UNPRECEDENTED COOPERATION IN OUR REGION AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND I DIDN'T NAME THE DPS 'CAUSE I WANNA SPEND A MOMENT THINKING THE DPS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A LITTLE CONTROVERSY CONTROVERSIAL DURING MY CAMPAIGN WHEN I SAID I WANTED TO WORK WITH THE DPS ACROSS HOUSTON.
IT'S THE NUMBER ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN OUR STATE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE RANGERS ARE THE BEST INVESTIGATORS IN THE WORLD.
BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED IN HOUSTON, WHILE WE DO A SERIOUS RECRUITMENT EFFORT, WE NEED THE COLLABORATION
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OF ALL OF OUR AGENCIES AND WE ALSO NEED THEIR RESOURCES.THE DPS PROVIDES US AIR COVERAGE SO WE CAN CUT BACK ON THE NUMBER OF DANGEROUS CHASES, THEIR FORENSICS, THEIR GANG TASK FORCE, THEIR DRUG TASK FORCE.
SO I'M SO EXCITED HAVING SPENT A NUMBER OF YEARS IN LEGISLATURE TO SEE THE DPS WELCOMED BY MY ADMINISTRATION INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO WE COULD HAVE AGGRESSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES SUCH AS WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
BUT I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY AGENCY.
IF I LEFT OUT SOMEONE, PRECINCT FIVE, PRECINCT FIVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COLLABORATIONS, SIR.
PRECINCT DATA, HOW ABOUT ALL THE CONSTABLES? LIKE I SAID, I'M EXCITED BECAUSE I RAN WITH A PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE.
WE HAVE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS OUR REGION.
AND THE BAD ACTORS DO NOT RECOGNIZE CITY LIMITS OR COUNTY LINES.
THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND THIS IS WHAT IS REPRESENTED HERE THIS MORNING.
AND UH, AGAIN, TO THOSE THAT ARE GONNA CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR'S, DO IT RESPONSIBLY TO THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE WELCOME TO YOUR ESTABLISHMENTS, YOU BE RESPONSIBLE.
IF NOT, THIS MULTITASK FORCE IS GOING TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE AND WE URGE THE COURTS AND THE DA TO DO THEIR JOB AS WELL.
CHIEF, I'LL YIELD TO YOU AT THIS TIME.
ALRIGHT, RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA BRING THIS YOUNG LADY UP FOR A FEW COMMENTS IN SPANISH.
UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID.
LET'S TRY TO END THIS YEAR SAFELY FOR EVERYONE.
MADAM, ANY QUESTIONS? UBER? YES MA'AM.
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THANK YOU, DAISY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.
UH, JUST TO CONFIRM THE NUMBERS THAT YOU CITED EARLIER, 33 DWI RELATED FATALITIES SO FAR THIS YEAR.
IS THAT WITHIN HOUSTON? CIVILIAN? YES, SIR.
UM, ANY UPDATE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE AND, UH, IS THERE ANY SORT OF, UH, I GUESS INCREASED EFFORTS OVER THERE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON? SURE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, D DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
HOUSTON'S A LARGE CITY AS YOU KNOW, SO WE'LL SPREAD OUR RESOURCES.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THE COLLABORATION.
SO IT'S NOT A, UH, ONE TIME OR TWO TIME THING.
WE'RE ACTUALLY IN PLANS TO MAKE THE WASHINGTON CORRIDOR, UH, UH, I CALL IT THE JOHN WHITMEYER INITIATIVE, UH, ON THE CORRIDOR TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE HAVE A PRESENCE THERE.
THAT WE ARE SEEKING COOPERATION FROM THE CLUB OWNERS AND NOT COMPLIANCE.
I THINK COLLECTIVELY WE WANT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO COME HANG OUT FELLOWSHIP AND SOME FRIENDSHIP, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT THEM TO BE RESPONSIBLE SO THAT, UH, THEY CAN GO HOME AND BE SAFE AND IT'LL CUT, CUT DOWN ON, ON, ON THE, ON THE NUISANCE STUFF THAT HAPPENS, THE NOISE AND WHATNOT.
BUT WE'RE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO I WON'T GIVE IT UP 'CAUSE WE'RE WORK KIND OF IN THE THROES OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA SPREAD THE MODEL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, DIFFERENT AREAS BASED ON, ON TRENDS THAT WE HAVE AND BE PRECISION DRIVEN AS OPPOSED TO JUST, UH, DRIVING AROUND AND, AND, AND NOT, NOT, UH, BEING SPECIFIC, UH, TO THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE AS A POLICE AGENCY.
WELL, YOU MENTIONED YOUNG PEOPLE, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I MEAN, IS THERE GONNA BE, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRUNK DRIVING TODAY, RIGHT? BUT, UH, CONSIDERING THAT THAT SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED AT THAT MAKESHIFT TEEN CLUB POPUP PARTY, IS THERE GONNA BE ANY SORT OF PARTICULAR ENFORCEMENT EFFORT REGARDING YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERAGE DRINKING OTHER THAN MESSAGING? RIGHT.
SO YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE A PARENT AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GIVING YOUR YOUR CHILDREN MONEY, 'CAUSE THOSE, THOSE FACILITIES OPERATE THROUGH, UH, CASH APP OR DIFFERENT MONEY SHARE THINGS, THAT'S HOW THEY KNOW ABOUT IT.
PLEASE LET US KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU HAVE ONE IN THE COMMUNITY, LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN VERIFY AND, AND SEND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
THOSE THINGS ARE VERY HARD FOR THE POLICE TO, UH, TO POLICE.
THEY COULD, THEY, THEY POP UP TONIGHT AND WE ARE RUNNING CALLS IN, IN, IN THAT, THAT GIVEN AREA.
AND IF YOUR CHILD IS IN ONE OF THOSE FACILITIES AND YOU KNOW THEY'RE THERE, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE NOT LETTING THE POLICE KNOW, THEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT HELPING THE POLICE TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS.
AND OFTENTIMES, THE UNDERAGE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA SUFFER THE MOST THROUGH DWIS AND MAKE THE BAD DECISIONS.
KNOW WHERE THAT THEY'RE AT, AT ALL TIMES TO AVOID THOSE KINDS OF CATASTROPHIC EVENTS, THOSE TRAGEDIES IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS JUST A LOSS IS, IS, IS HEARTFELT FROM OUR OFFICE, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE MAKING, UH, STRIDES TO, TO ENSURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
WELL, THE QUESTION, THE QUESTION WAS THAT A LOT OF PARENTS ARE ENABLERS.
A LOT OF PARENTS ARE, UH, GIVING, UH, THEIR YOUNG TEENS, UH, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
AND, UH, MY, MY ANSWER TO THAT IN ENGLISH IS THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE, UH, INTRODUCING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO, UH, A, A PRETEEN, A TEEN ONLY SETS THEM UP TO, TO MAKE BAD DECISIONS LATER WHEN THE PARENTS AREN'T AROUND.
SO, UH, THE IN SPANISH, UH, YES, AS PARENTS, LOS, THANK YOU.
UH, THE WESTERN CORRIDOR IS JUST ONE OF MANY AREAS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD SURGES SEVERAL MONTHS AGO IN EMANCIPATION ALAMEDA, A NEIGHBORHOOD OF THIRD WARD.
WE WERE DOWNTOWN WITH A SURGE.
UH, EVEN WHEN WE DO THE WASHINGTON QUARTER, WHEN I'M RIDING WITH THE CHIEF, HIS OFFICERS GO TO SHADY ACRES.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AT THE 19TH AND 20TH STREET ESTABLISHMENTS, WE ACTUALLY, SO CHIEF 10, WE SAW METRO OFFICERS PATROLLING SHADY ACRES LAST FRIDAY NIGHT.
SO THE GOAL IS, IS PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS HOUSTON.
THE WASHINGTON CORRIDOR IS A BUSY AREA FOR CLUBS AND ENTERTAINMENT.
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THE CHALLENGE IS THE ESTABLISHMENTS ARE RIGHT NEXT TO CONDOS.SO WITH NO ZONING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE HAVE TO ASK FOLKS TO HAVE COMPLIANCE.
THEIR NOISE, THEY'RE UNDERAGE DRINKING THEIR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENTS.
SO THE THE EXCITING THING IS WE'VE TAKEN THIS VERY SERIOUSLY, THIS MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT.
WE'VE BEEN ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON SEVERAL WEEKENDS RECENTLY, AND WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
ALL THE AGENCIES ARE IN HEAVY RECRUIT RECRUITMENT AS MOST AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE AND THE NATION ARE.
BUT THIS IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER.
NEVER BEFORE HAVE WE SEEN THE COOPERATION BETWEEN METRO AND HPD, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE DPS, THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, THE, THE, THE CONSTABLES.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, HOPEFULLY THE BAD FOLKS KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SERIOUS AS WE CAN BE.
CERTAINLY THE ESTABLISHMENTS CAN DO SO MUCH MORE AND WE'RE INTO ASKING THEM FOR COMPLIANCE.
IF NOT, WE WILL BE PULLING LICENSEES.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE TABC, THOSE POPUP PARTIES, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THOSE.
THOSE JUST KINDA SPRING UP ON A FRIDAY AT SCHOOL WHERE THE BARCODE, UH, EVERYONE JUST AGREES.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FIELD PARTY OR A BACKYARD PARTY.
SO WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT 'EM AHEAD OF TIME, BUT WHEN WE DO, WE WILL ADDRESS UNDERAGE DRINKING.
UH, DRUGS ARE OFTEN INVOLVED IN THE TRAGEDY SHOOTING ON JENSEN.
WHAT'S PREVENTABLE? ONE, WE HAD A 13-YEAR-OLD SHOT.
IF, IF THE FAMILIES WILL KNOW WHERE THEIR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AT ALL TIMES.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THIS IS, UH, I THINK GREAT NEWS FOR OUR REGION.
UH, QUICK MESSAGE, UM, ON SEVERE WEATHER TODAY, ANY MESSAGE FOR THE COMMUNITY ON WEATHER? YES, I WOULD SAY, I WOULD SAY STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE WEATHER BUREAU YOUR, YOUR MEDIA ADVISEMENTS.
THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE STORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON, BUT NOT ANYTHING THAT'S NEW TO THE HOUSTON AREA.
SO THERE AGAIN, LOWER YOUR SPEEDS.
LEMME TELL YOU ANOTHER THING WE HAVEN'T REALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON, 'CAUSE THE DWI INITIATIVE IS WHAT OUR FOCUS IS THIS MORNING.
BUT JUST, JUST TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL.
TALKING ABOUT SPEED, TALKING ABOUT PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS.
SO THERE AGAIN, HOUSTON IS SEEING A FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
HOUSTON, OUR REGION, HARRIS COUNTY AND OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES, BY THE WAY, ARE FOCUSING ON TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
THE CITIZENS ARE GONNA SEE OFFICERS PULLING PEOPLE OVER FOR VIOLATING TRAFFIC LAWS.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL BROUGHT COLLABORATION TOGETHER.
CERTAINLY WE HAVE THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF MAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, ALL I CAN SAY IS LET'S GO TO WORK THIS MORNING.