[Public Safety Committee on January 14, 2025.]
[00:00:21]
SAFETY COMMITTEE, AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 10:00 AM WE ARE JOINED TODAY IN CHAMBERS, UM, BY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER TWILA CARTER.
WE ARE ALSO JOINED IN CHAMBERS BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER AND VICE CHAIR, UM, TARSHA JACKSON'S OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN'S, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO'S OFFICE.
UM, COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN'S OFFICE AND VIRTUALLY, UM, BY COUNCIL MEMBER LETICIA PLUMMER'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION TODAY AND THAT WILL BE, UM, THE TABC ENFORCEMENT OVERVIEW FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND WE ARE JOINED BY LIEUTENANT JEFFREY WEISS.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME ON UP.
I CAN THINK YOU CAN STAND OR SIT HOWEVER YOU PREFER.
A LITTLE BIT, LITTLE BIT BETTER TO SEE IT.
PRESS AND THEN PRESS IT OFF AGAIN TO STOP IT.
EVERYBODY READY? WE ARE READY.
I'M WITH THE TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION.
UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF REAL QUICK.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR 24 YEARS.
UH, THE LAST 20 OF THAT HAS BEEN WITH THE TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION.
I STARTED MY CAREER OUT IN WEST TEXAS AND THEN KIND OF PROGRESSIVELY MADE MY WAY SOUTH, UH, AS I PROMOTED IN THE LAST, UH, FIVE YEARS OR SO.
SIX YEARS HAS BEEN HERE IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA WHERE I ACTUALLY GREW UP.
THE TABC OBVIOUSLY WAS CREATED AFTER PROHIBITION ENDED.
UH, AND WE BASICALLY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT MISSIONS.
WE REGULATE THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE INDUSTRY, UH, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
UM, WE ISSUE LICENSE TO ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES.
UM, WE ALSO APPROVE REGISTRATION OF NEW, UH, ITEMS, LABEL APPROVAL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA TALK A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I FOCUS ON THE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.
UH, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MISSION IS TO JUST ENSURE PEOPLE ARE OUT CONSUMING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN A SAFE WAY, UH, AND PROVIDE, UH, AN EXTRA ARM OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE ARE STATE POLICE OFFICERS AND WE ARE STATIONED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, WE ALSO INVESTIGATE ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT MAY TAKE PLACE AT ANY LICENSED PREMISE.
SO THAT COULD BE A, A BAR OR NIGHTCLUB OBVIOUSLY, IS WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF.
UH, BUT IT COULD BE A CONVENIENCE STORE, IT COULD BE A GROCERY STORE, IT COULD BE A WHOLESALER, UH, IT COULD ACTUALLY BE A PRODUCER OR, UM, UM, A DISTILLERY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, IT COULD ALSO BE A, A LARGE BALLPARK LIKE MINUTE.
UH, WHAT, WHAT'S NEW, UH, MINUTE MADE, UH, WHATEVER IT'S CALLED NOW, UM, SORRY,
UM, BUT IT COULD BE AT ANY OF THOSE LOCATIONS IF THEY SELL, SERVE, OR DELIVER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
UH, WE CAN DO INVESTIGATIONS THERE.
OBVIOUSLY, IF A HOMICIDE HAPPENS THERE, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE LEAD ON THAT INVESTIGATION.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LOOK TO SEE WHAT DID THE LICENSE ESTABLISHMENT DO TO EITHER MITIGATE THE HOMICIDE OR FACILITATE THE HOMICIDE.
IF, IF, IF THEY DID THAT, IF THEY DID FACILITATE IT VERSUS MITIGATE, UH, THEN WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS UP TO INCLUDING CANCELLATION OF THE PERMIT TO, TO PUT ON THOSE, UH, ON THE, UH, LICENSE ESTABLISHMENT.
UH, THERE ARE ROUGHLY 300 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, UH, IN THE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.
UM, AS WITH MOST LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE, WE ARE NOT FULLY STAFFED
UM, UH, BUT, UH, WE DO OUR BEST.
UH, WE HAVE ROUGHLY 230 POLICE OFFICERS STATEWIDE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S, IF YOU THINK OF HOW MANY COUNTIES THERE ARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S LESS THAN ONE PER COUNTY.
UH, SO, UH, AS AN AGENT, WHEN I HIRED ON, UH, IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, I COVERED SIX COUNTIES BY MYSELF.
UH, SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LOT OF TIME ON THE ROAD.
UH, WE HAVE SOME AGENTS DOWN HERE THAT WE COVER, UH, THAT COVER LOTS OF COUNTIES DUE TO THE HARRISON.
GALVESTON COUNTY IS SO LARGE THAT I, I AM ASSIGNED TO JUST HARRISON, GALVESTON COUNTY.
SO, UH, WE DO FOCUS ON THAT WITH THE LARGER POPULATIONS, LARGER, UM, UH, CENTERS OF, UH, LICENSED PREMISES.
UM, SOME OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE DO ARE JUST CONDUCT, UH, CONDUCT INSPECTIONS OF LICENSED PREMISES.
WE ARE LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE TO INSPECT LICENSED PREMISES.
UM, WE'VE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SINCE, UH, WHEN I FIRST HIRED ON TO WHERE WE USED TO JUST KIND OF RANDOMLY WALK INTO A LOT OF PLACES.
UH, NOW WE HAVE, UM, A COMPLAINT SYSTEM.
SO IF WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS, WE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUSED,
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DRIVEN ON THAT.AS FAR AS, BASICALLY, IF YOU HAVE NO COMPLAINTS IN YOUR HISTORY, YOU, YOU MAY NOT SEE AN AGENT WITH THE TABC.
YOU MAY SEE AN AUDITOR, UH, OR DEAL WITH OUR LICENSING DIVISION WHEN YOU RENEW YOUR PERMITS, OR YOU MIGHT RECEIVE AN AUDIT.
UH, BUT YOU MAY NOT NECESSARILY SEE ANYONE FROM THE, UH, ENFORCEMENT DIVISION BECAUSE WE ARE FOCUSING THOSE EFFORTS ON OTHER LOCATIONS THAT MIGHT NEED OUR HELP A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, DURING THOSE INSPECTIONS.
UM, UH, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE MORE OF INVESTIGATIONS THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE, LIKE I SAID A MINUTE AGO, ABOUT, UH, IF AN ASSAULT HAPPENED, IF A SALE A MINOR HAPPENED, IF THERE MIGHT BE DRUG ACTIVITY, UH, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UM, PROSTITUTION.
WE LOOK AT ALL THOSE THINGS, UH, TO SEE, UH, IF THOSE ARE EITHER HAPPENING AT THE LICENSED PREMISES, UM, OR IN AND AROUND THE LICENSED PREMISES.
OBVIOUSLY, OUR AUTHORITY, OUR MAIN AUTHORITY IS GONNA BE AT THOSE LICENSED PREMISES.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE, UH, MORE AUTHORITY THAN LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, IF SOMEONE HAS LOUD NOISE, TRASH, UH, VAGRANCY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AT, AT A LOCATION, UM, WE'RE GONNA KIND OF DEFER THAT OVER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO NOISE ORDINANCE LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE WITH THE CITY IN THE ALET BEVERAGE CODE.
UM, SO WE, WE ARE GONNA FOCUS WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST, MOST AUTHORITY UNDER THOSE, UNDER THE LICENSE, UH, UNDER THE LICENSED PREMISES.
UM, WE DO HAVE A PRIORITY LOCATION THAT'S, OR WE DO HAVE PRIORITY LOCATIONS.
THOSE ARE GONNA BE NEW BUSINESSES.
UM, AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THOSE ONES WITH OPEN COMPLAINTS, UM, AND MAINLY A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.
IF THEY, IF WE HAVE, WE CAN SHOW A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, UH, AT THOSE LOCATIONS, THEN WE WILL EITHER OPEN OUR OWN COMPLAINTS OR WE WILL OPEN THOSE COMPLAINTS BASED ON, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM UH, PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELF.
UH, IF WE RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL OPEN THOSE COMPLAINTS AND WHEN WE'LL, UH, WE CAN EITHER DO, UH, ASSIGN THAT TO OUR INVESTIGATIONS TEAM, WHICH MAY GO OUT AND, AND, UH, CONDUCT INTERVIEWS, REVIEW VIDEO, UM, JUST DO, DO WHAT YOU WOULD THINK WOULD BE A, A REGULAR INVESTIGATION.
UH, I CAN ASSIGN IT OUT TO MY UNDERCOVER TEAM.
MY UNDERCOVER TEAM WOULD GO OUT AND JUST DO AN UNDERCOVER OPERATION AT THE LOCATION.
UH, WE CAN DO MULTIPLE OPERATIONS.
WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT WE FIND WHEN WE GET THERE, UH, ON, ON THE FIRST TIME.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF LEGWORK ON THE, IN THE VERY BEGINNING TO SET UP THAT UNDERCOVER OPERATION.
UH, AND THEN THE UNDERCOVER OPERATION ITSELF TAKES A LOT OF RESOURCES.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WITH THOSE, WHEN WE DO THOSE UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS, UM, WE CAN BASICALLY HIT MAYBE THREE TO FOUR TO FIVE LOCATIONS A NIGHT.
UM, AND IN THE GREATER HOUSTON SCENARIO WHERE THERE MAY BE 20,000 PERMITS, UH, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY A LOT OF COVERAGE, JUST, WHICH IS WHY WE REALLY FOCUS DOWN ON THE, KIND OF THE WORST OF THE WORST ON, ON THE LOCATIONS WHERE WE DO INVESTIGATIONS.
THE, UM, THE 170 AGENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I WOULDN'T BE, I WOULDN'T BE COUNTED IN THAT 170 AS A LIEUTENANT, BUT THE, OUT OF THE 170, UH, AGENTS THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ILLEGAL ALCOHOL SALES.
WE DO LOOK AT LOCATIONS THAT ARE NON-LICENSED THAT ARE SELLING ALCOHOL WITHOUT A PERMIT.
THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT ENDS UP BEING A PURE CRIMINAL CASE.
SO I DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY TO FILE AGAINST A PERMIT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PERMIT.
OBVIOUSLY, IF SOMEONE HOLDS A PERMIT AND THEY SPEND A LOT OF MONEY FOR THAT PERMIT, OR THEY INVEST A LOT OF MONEY IN THEIR BUILDING AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, THEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE APT TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
AND IF I WALK IN AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, HERE'S THIS CASE, WE MAY FILE A CASE ON YOU, OR, OR, HERE'S THE CASE, HERE'S SANCTIONS AGAINST YOUR PERMIT.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE APT TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
THE UNLICENSED LOCATIONS, UH, IS A LITTLE BIT OF A STRUGGLE BECAUSE IT IS A PURE CRIMINAL CASE.
UH, AND BASICALLY THEY'RE SELLING ALCOHOL WITHOUT A LICENSE, WHICH IS ROUGHLY A CLASS B MISDEMEANORS GENERAL PENALTY UNDER THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CODE.
UM, UNDERAGE COMPLIANCE OPERATIONS, THOSE ARE WHAT WE USED TO CALL MINOR THINGS.
WE ACTUALLY EMPLOY A MINOR, SOMEONE WHO IS UNDER 21.
UM, THEY ARE UNDER 18, OR THEY'RE 18 OR BELOW.
WE DO NOT USE ANY MONEY, UM, OVER, OVER THE AGE OF 18.
UM, THEY WALK INTO A BUSINESS, THEY ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE.
THEY USE THEIR TRUE AND CORRECT ID.
UM, AND THEY, UH, THEY'RE, WE DON'T TRY TO TRICK ANYBODY BECAUSE BASICALLY, IF I TRICKED SOMEONE INTO SELLING AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TO MY MINOR, I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
I'VE, I'M THE ONE WHO HAS VIOLATED THE LAW.
SO WE HAVE A VERY, VERY STRICT PRO, UH, UM, POLICY ON SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR THE, UH, FOR THE, UM, UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS.
UH, AND WE FOLLOWED THAT POLICY FOR THE 20, 20 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WITH YOU, WITH THE COMMISSION, UH, AND ALWAYS HAD GREAT RESULTS FROM THAT.
SO, UH, WE DO WORK SPECIAL EVENTS.
I'VE PERSONALLY WORKED, UM, LARGE EVENTS SUCH AS THE RODEO, THE SUPER BOWL, THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS, WORLD SERIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE, WE PUT TOGETHER OPERATIONS.
WE WORK THOSE, UH, VERY CLOSELY WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
[00:10:01]
WITH, UM, I, I MEET WITH HPD.UM, THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY I WAS OUT, UH, ON SATURDAY NIGHT, UM, WORKING WITH THE GUYS, UH, WITH THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVE.
SO, UM, I TAKE A LOT OF THAT, UH, TO HEART.
I KNOW I'VE SEEN A FEW OF YOU GUYS AT THE, UM, UM, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
UH, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING.
I VIEW IT AS, UH, ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
IF I CAN GET OUT AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND EDUCATE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
UH, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE ONE, TWO YOUR 10 STEPS AHEAD.
UH, IF EVERYBODY KNOWS, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING ON WHAT PAGE WE'RE ON, UH, THE COOPERATIVE OPERATIONS, THAT IS SOMETHING, LIKE I SAID, JUST WHAT WE DID SATURDAY NIGHT.
WE MET UP WITH H-P-D-D-P-S, HARRIS COUNTY, THE FIRE MARSHALS.
THERE WAS A WHOLE, WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
WE WENT OUT AND WORKED THE, UH, COVERED IT.
WE DO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FOCUSED ENFORCEMENT.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S JUST OUR, OUR WAY OF ASSISTING LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT, AND THAT SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT FOCUSES ON LONG-TERM INVESTIGATIONS.
AND THOSE MIGHT BE, UH, DRUG INVESTIGATIONS.
UH, PRIMARILY, UH, IN THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS, IT'S BEEN, UH, THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ELEMENT THAT'S, THAT'S TAKEN OVER TEXAS.
UM, A LOT OF PLACES, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, CAN, CAN THRIVE.
A LOT OF PLACES THAT WE LICENSE CAN THRIVE IF THEY ARE, UH, UH, EMPLOYING THAT, THAT, UH, THAT FORCED LABOR.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A, A KIND OF A UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO THOSE BUSINESSES.
AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE TIP OF THE SPEAR, SO TO SPEAK ON THAT.
UH, LOOKING FOR THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WE HAVE A TRACE UNIT.
UM, IT'S WHAT WE USED TO CALL SOURCE INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, BUT BASICALLY IF THERE IS A, UH, TYPICALLY THEY ARE CAR, UH, FATAL CAR CRASHES THAT WE LOOK AT, UM, OR WHERE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
UM, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, SHOOTING, STABBING MURDERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF THE PERSON THAT DID THAT WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, WE LIKE TO TRY TO FIND THAT OR, UH, SEE IF WE CAN TRACE THAT ALCOHOL BACK TO A LICENSED PREMISE.
AGAIN, IF THIS PERSON MAYBE HADN'T BEEN SOLD AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL, MAYBE THE SITUATION WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WAS AT A LICENSED PREMISE, AND WE CAN PROVE THAT SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TO AN INTOXICATED PERSON.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE, THE CATCH ON THAT IS WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT THE PERSON WAS INTOXICATED, WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF INTOXICATION.
SOMEONE WAS IN A POSITION WHERE SOMEONE OF AUTHORITY IN THE BAR, NIGHTCLUB CONVENIENCE STORE WAS IN A POSITION WHERE THEY COULD, UM, SEE THOSE SIGNS OF INTOXICATION AND CHOSE TO SELL TO THEM ANY, REGARDLESS VERSUS NOT SELLING.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S KIND OF A DIFFICULT TASK, BUT WE, WE DON'T LET THAT STOP US.
UH, WE HAVE A FINANCIAL CRIMES UNIT.
WE MONEY LAUNDERING, UH, TAX FRAUD, BUSINESS FRAUD.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY A CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINER MYSELF.
UM, WE HAVE A CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT, UH, AND THEY CAN DIG INTO THINGS ON THE INTERNET THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WAS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THO THOSE GUYS WORK FOR US, BECAUSE I WOULD BE LOST WITHOUT 'EM.
UH, SOMETIMES WHEN WE NEED INFORMATION, IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH INFORMATION IS OUT THERE IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC, UH, THAT IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK AND YOU CAN FIND IT.
UH, LIKE I SAID A MINUTE AGO, WE ARE PEACE OFFICERS.
WE ARE AT THE SAME LEVEL, SAME PAY SCALE AS THE DPS TROOPERS, GANG WARDENS, UH, SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR WITH THE AGS OFFICE.
THE ONLY, UH, JURISDICTION THAT WE HAVE IS THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, THIS GOES KIND OF INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, DETAIL THAN, THAN I WOULD WANNA GET INTO ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR STUFF.
BUT BASICALLY, ANYTIME WE, UH, GO OUT AND PATROL, UH, WHICH LIKE I SAID, WE, WE, WE ARE VERY FOCUSED, DRIVEN.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY JUST PATROL AROUND.
UH, WE GO OUT AND WE FIND A VIOLATION.
WE'RE GONNA WRITE THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS INTO, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN, IN OUR JURISDICTION.
AND IF THEY GO TO A HEARING, IT WOULD GO TO THE STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS.
IF WE DO WRITE CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS, THOSE GO THROUGH THE CHAIN, JUST LIKE, UM, UH, A, A COUNTY DEPUTY MAY WHERE THEY FILE IT WITH THE JP P'S OFFICE OR THE COUNTY COURT, OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
UH, HERE'S A WAY TO, UH, GET IN CONTACT WITH T THE TABC.
UH, THIS KIND OF WRAPS UP WHAT I WAS GONNA, UH, TALK ABOUT.
UH, AND I'M, I'M DEF DEFINITELY OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
I ACTUALLY WELCOME ANY, ALL QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO KIND OF HEAR ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TO QUESTIONS, WE WERE JOINED, UM, BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER OFFICE.
UM, SO AS FAR AS THE UNLICENSED LOCATIONS, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THERE'S NOT THE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY FOR THE UNLICENSED LOCATIONS.
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HPD THOUGH ON INVESTIGATIONS OR ANY OTHER ASPECTS FOR THOSE UNLICENSED, UM, LOCATIONS THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER BUT COULD STILL OFFER SOME EXPERTISE IN? ABSOLUTELY.I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO GUYS THAT ARE ASSIGNED THAT HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
UH, THEY GO OUT, THEY GATHER INTELLIGENCE.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, A PERSON WHO WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH HPD, UH, AND WITH THE, UH, DRT TEAM AND WITH THE VICE UNIT, THEY GO OUT AND WORK, UH, DO, UM, THEY CAN, THE CITY SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO, FOR, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT, FIRE MARSHAL'S, OFFICE, ALL THOSE GOOD, ALL THOSE LOCATIONS OR ALL THOSE, UH, UH, DEPARTMENTS.
UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE, WE WORK VERY CLOSE WITH THAT.
UH, I ACTUALLY MET UP WITH SOME GUY SATURDAY NIGHT, AND WE ARE GOING TO WORK EVEN CLOSER.
SO, UM, AND IT, A LOT OF IT'S JUST GONNA BE TO LEAD, UH, TO LEND OUR EXPERTISE AS FAR AS THE SALE WITHOUT A LICENSE.
WHAT WE GENERALLY FIND IS THE SALE WITHOUT A LICENSE IS KIND OF THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS THERE.
UH, AND LIKE I SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SALE WITHOUT A LICENSE IS, IS WHAT WE CALL A GENERAL PENALTY, JUST EARLY A CLASS B MISDEMEANOR.
AND, AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S FILED ON THE PERSON THERE THAT NIGHT, WHICH MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE PERSON THAT WE REALLY WANT TO, TO GET THE CASE ON.
BUT LIKE I SAID, YEAH, TO, YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE DO.
AND CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH A LITTLE BIT FROM THE TIME WHERE YOU FIND, UM, FOR THE LICENSED LOCATIONS, THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF VIOLATION, UM, THROUGH TO WHEN MAYBE YOU'RE TAKING AWAY THEIR LICENSE OR SHUTTING THEM DOWN? WHAT ALL HAS TO HAPPEN IN THOSE STEPS, UM, TO GET TO THAT POINT? YES.
SO BASICALLY, AND I'LL JUST USE, UM, UH, SELL TO INTOX OR WHAT WE CALL SELL TO INTOX, SELL ALCOHOL, EVERY SINGLE INTOXICATED INDIVIDUAL, IT IS AGAINST A LAW IF SOMEONE IS INTOXICATED, TO CONTINUE TO SELL TO THEM.
SO WE DO AN UNDERCOVER OPERATION.
MY UNDERCOVER, UH, AGENT SEES SOMEONE WHO'S OBVIOUSLY INTOXICATED.
THEY'RE SHOWING SIGNS, BARTENDERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF 'EM, THE BARTENDER'S INTERACTING WITH THIS PERSON.
UH, THEY WOULD NOTIFY OUR OPEN TEAM, OPEN TEAM COMES IN, WE EXCHANGE SOME PAPERWORK, UM, LATER THAT MONTH, I WOULD GIVE THEM A CALL AS A LIEUTENANT AND SETTLE THE CASE WITH THE OWNER OF THE, OF THE BUSINESS OWNER, PRESIDENT OF THE CORPORATION, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THE CASE MAY BE.
UM, TYPICALLY IN THAT THEY ARE OFFERED EITHER AN, UH, ANYWHERE FROM AN EIGHT TO 12 DAY SUSPENSION OR A CIVIL PENALTY, WHICH IS CALCULATED AT $300 A DAY.
SO AN EIGHT DAY, $2,400, 3,600 FOR 12 DAY.
UM, THEY GO ON WHAT WE CALL THAT PRIORITY LIST.
WE MAY GO BACK, SAY SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, WE GO BACK, WE SEE THE EXACT SAME THING.
UM, I CALL THE OWNER, YOU HAVE THE OPTION NOW, BUT NOW THE PENALTY HAS DEALT.
SO YOU'RE EITHER CLOSED FOR 24 DAYS, OR YOU'RE PAYING, UH, UH, THAT CIVIL PENALTY FOR THE 20, THE $300 A DAY.
TYPICALLY, THAT THIRD VIOLATION WITHIN A 36 MONTH PERIOD, WE CAN SEEK CANCELLATION OF THE PERMIT.
UM, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE THAT THIRD VIOLATION TO, TO SEEK CANCELLATION DEPENDING ON HOW EGREGIOUS THE CRIME IS.
IF THERE HAS BEEN SHOOTING, STABBING MURDER, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THIS BUSINESS AND SAY, CONTINUED OPERATION OF THIS LOCATION COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, THEN WE CAN GO IN AND DO A, UH, 90 DAY SUSPENSION OF THE PERMIT, UH, THAT IT BECOMES EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO APPEAL THAT, TAKE THAT BEFORE THE SOA JUDGE.
UH, THEY USUALLY GRANT THOSE, UM, HEARINGS WITHIN, UH, I THINK IT'S FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS.
UM, I KNOW HERE IN THE PAST THAT WE'VE HAD VERY GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, WHERE WE, UH, WE DON'T USE IT VERY OFTEN, WHICH IS WHY WE USE IT WITH THE MOST EGREGIOUS PLACES.
UM, AND THOSE 90 DAY SUSPENSIONS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY, UH, HAVE WORKED OUT VERY WELL FOR US.
UH, AND, UH, WE'VE ALSO HAD THE JUDGES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOK AT IT, THE JUDGES LOOK AT IT AND SAY, YEP, THIS LOOKS GOOD.
WE'RE GONNA LET THE 90 DAY STAND.
AND TYPICALLY THAT ENDS UP THE, THE PERSON ENDS UP TURNING THEIR PERMIT IN.
UH, IT CAN BE A LONG PROCESS, UM, JUST DOWN WASHINGTON AVENUE.
I WON'T USE ANY SPECIFICS, BUT JUST DOWN WASHINGTON AVENUE, WE HAD A PLACE, WE FILED THE CASE.
THEY, WE, UH, IT CAME UP FOR RENEWAL.
WE PROTESTED THE RENEWAL, THE, THE CI THE CITIZENS PROTESTED THE RENEWAL.
UM, AND BASICALLY IT WENT ON DOWN TO WAITING FOR A, A JUDGE TO RULE ON IT FROM SOA.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IN THAT TIME, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE, UH, UH, UNTIL THAT RULING HAPPENS.
SO AS LONG AS THEY PAY THE CIVIL PENALTY OR SAY PAY THE, UM, UH, APPLICATION FEES, THEN THEY CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNTIL THAT, UM, UH, HEARING HAPPENS.
SO SOMETIMES WE'RE AT THE MERCY OF SOA.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES IT MAY BE JUST A DISCUSSION WITH BETWEEN ME AND THE BAR OWNER AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS MAYBE NOT THE GREATEST LINE OF WORK HERE, AND MAYBE WE CAN CANCEL THIS PERMIT, UH, DEPENDING
[00:20:01]
ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SO IT, IT COULD BE FAIRLY QUICKLY, IT COULD BE EXTREMELY LONG IN SOME, IN SOME CASES.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
UM, DO YOU KNOW LAST YEAR ABOUT HOW MANY PERMITS WERE EITHER COMPLETELY REVOKED OR IN THE 90 DAY HAD A 90 DAY SUSPENSION IN HARRIS COUNTY? I WOULDN'T EVEN WANT TO GUESS.
I DO NOT KNOW THAT ANSWER, BUT I CAN GET THAT.
AND BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU BEGIN, WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KINGMAN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, LIEUTENANT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE OVERWORKED, AND FRANKLY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR MISSION IS TOO, TOO BROAD, FRANKLY.
MAYBE YOU COULD BE DIVIDED UP INTO TWO, TWO SEPARATE AGENCIES IN AN IDEAL WORLD.
BUT YOU WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO YES, SIR.
UM, YOU MENTIONED 230 PEACE OFFICERS.
HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE ASSIGNED TO HOUSTON, EITHER FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME? UH, WE HAVE NO PART-TIME.
UH, AND WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT 20 TO 23.
AND SOMETIMES THAT JUST FLUCTUATES.
UH, BUT WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT 20, ABOUT, I'LL SAY 2023, UM, HERE IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
UH, NOW THAT IS JUST ENFORCEMENT.
WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT, UH, AND THERE'S A HANDFUL OF THOSE GUYS.
UH, BUT THEY, BUT WE DO COVER, UM, WE AREN'T JUST ASSIGNED TO JUST HOUSTON.
SO THAT, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
WE HAVE ROUGHLY, I THINK IT'S 29 COUNTIES HERE.
AND, UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ABOUT BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE WITHOUT A LICENSE, AND YOU SAID ALL YOU CAN DO THERE IS FILE A CRIMINAL CASE FOR THE ACT OF SELLING WITHOUT A LICENSE BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO LICENSE TO PULL.
HOWEVER, WHEN, WHEN YOU FIND AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT HAS SOLD, UH, ALCOHOL WITHOUT A LICENSE, CAN YOU, UH, PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING A LICENSE IN THE FUTURE IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO? YES, WE TYPICALLY DO THAT, UH, THAT, UH, BECAUSE, UH, ONCE WE HAVE THAT, WE CAN ENTER THAT, UH, ENTER THAT INFORMATION INTO OUR SYSTEM.
IF THAT PERSON, UH, THAT LOCATION, UH, TYPICALLY WE TRY TO DEAL WITH AN ADDRESS.
IF THAT ADDRESS POPS UP IN OUR SYSTEM, UH, WE HAVE A WAY TO PUT, UM, UH, KIND OF A MANAGEMENT REVIEW ON THAT.
AND WE WOULD LOOK AT IT, SEE IF IT'S THE SAME ACTORS.
UM, IF IT'S NOT THE SAME ACTORS, WE MAY ALLOW IT TO GO THROUGH.
UM, AND WE ONLY LICENSE WHOEVER THE CITY WOULD SIGN OFF ON.
SO IT WOULD BE THE CITY, COUNTY, WHATEVER.
AS LONG AS THEY SAY IT'S OKAY, WE MAY LICENSE IT.
BUT YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, ABSOLUTELY MM-HMM
AND, UM, LET'S SAY YOU GET A COMPLAINT ABOUT A BUSINESS SELLING ALCOHOL WITHOUT A LICENSE.
UM, WILL THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A LICENSE STOP YOU GUYS FROM CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION? OR WILL YOU STILL IN INVESTIGATE ANY CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS? WE WILL STILL LOOK INTO IT.
UM, IT, WE DO HAVE TO, UM, UNDER THE ALET BEVERAGE CODE, IF YOU HAVE A PERMIT, YOU CANNOT TELL ME NO.
WHEN I WANT TO ENTER THE BUILDING, I WALK UP THERE, TELL 'EM WHO I AM, STATE POLICE OFFICER.
UH, AND IT'S, AND ANY PEACE OFFICER CAN, IT, IT SHALL DO THE, UH, INSPECTION AT THE LOCATION.
SO ANY PEACE OFFICER IS, IS COMMANDED TO ENFORCE A CODE.
UH, BUT IF THEY HAVE THAT PERMIT, THEY CANNOT SAY NO.
IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A PERMIT, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY ARE OPERATING, THAT THAT LOCATION, UH, THEY MAY LOCK THE DOOR AND SAY, SORRY, THIS IS, THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY AND YOU CAN'T COME IN HERE.
AND I WOULD'VE TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS OF PROVING THAT IT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THAT, BUT THERE AGAIN, THAT INVOLVES JUDGES, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, A A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE TO SAY, NO, THIS IS A PUBLIC PLACE AND THEY'RE OPERATING AS A PUBLIC PLACE.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, IT, IT, IT'S, IT IS POSSIBLE.
IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT, UM, WHEN THEY DO NOT HAVE A PERMIT.
AND, AND YOU DO INVESTIGATE VIOLATIONS, UH, OF ALCOHOL BEING SOLD DURING PROHIBITED HOURS, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO YOU GUYS DO WORK AFTER 2:00 AM? YES, SIR.
NOW, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW THE CITY MIGHT BETTER COLLABORATE WITH TABC? AND I'LL LISTEN TO YOUR ANSWER, AND THEN I'LL GO BACK IN THE QUEUE.
HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE BETTER WITH TABC? UM, I, I THINK WE ACTUALLY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB RIGHT NOW.
UH, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S ONE OF MY PASSIONS IS TO DEAL WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, LOCAL CITY GOVERNMENTS.
UH, I, IT'S, IT'S, I, THE BEST WORD I CAN USE IS PASSION FOR IT.
UM, I DO A LOT OF TIME, I DO A, I SPEND A LOT OF TIME AWAY FROM MY FAMILY TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, I TRY TO PUSH THAT AS MUCH AS I CAN, UH, THE EDUCATION, BUT WORKING WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH I, UM, I HAVE, UH, DEALT WITH A LOT WITH THE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA CONTINUE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN, UH, UH, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD HELP MORE IS JUST TO CONTINUE THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, IF WE HAD MORE PEOPLE ALL THAT STUFF, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND, AND, AND SOMETIMES IT, IT'S THE, UH, UH, UH, UH, POOL OF PEOPLE THAT, UH, PUT IN FOR US.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA LOWER OUR STANDARDS.
[00:25:01]
IT, IT IS WHAT IT IS.I'M HAPPY TO DEFER TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE IN QUEUE IF HE WANTS TO FINISH.
WERE, WERE YOU DONE OR DID YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? NO, I HAVE A FEW MORE.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, LIEUTENANT, IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.
UH, CHAIR, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT C, UH, WITH WASHINGTON AVENUE, SHADY ACRES, UH, PARTS OF MIDTOWN.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN THIS.
SO, CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, LIEUTENANT.
UM, YOU ARE VERY, VERY, VERY ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, RESIDENTS KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU COME TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UH, BUT YOU'RE ALSO ON THE STREETS, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, SO APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP.
I ALSO HAVE, IF YOU HAVE TIME AFTERWARDS.
A FEW MINUTES TO HUDDLE JUST ON A FEW THINGS THAT I DON'T WANNA AIR OUT IN, UH, NAMING CERTAIN ESTABLISHMENTS, MA, PUBLICLY.
UM, BUT YOU SAID TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S QUESTION, YOU HAVE ABOUT 20 TO 23 FROM THE LAW ENFORCE ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE WITH TABC FOR THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
HOW MANY ESTABLISHMENTS, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY 20,000, BUT UNDER, HOW MANY ESTABLISHMENTS FALL UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION FOR THAT? I BELIEVE THERE'S ROUGHLY 20,000 PERMITTED LOCATIONS.
NOW, THAT WOULD BE EVERYTHING THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
CONVENIENCE STORES, GROCERY STORES, NOT CLUBS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE GOTTEN IT EVER BROKEN, BROKEN IT DOWN.
UH, MAINLY BECAUSE THE, YOU HAD THE SAME PERMIT AT A RED LOBSTER, SO TO SPEAK, OR, UH, FOR INSTANCE AT A, A NIGHTCLUB, SO, TO BE THE SAME.
I MEAN, I GOT MY TABC CERTIFICATION WHEN I WAS WORKING AT PAP BURGER, SO, YES.
UM, THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE FACING, ONE, IT'S VERY EYEOPENING TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, 20 TO 30 LAW ENFOR, 23 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS COUNCIL, WE SHOULD BE, UM, LOOKING AT AND ADVOCATING AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR MORE OF THOSE RESOURCES, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN GET TO ALL OF THAT, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE TRYING AS HARD AS YOU CAN.
AND AGAIN, AT A GREAT PERSONAL SACRIFICE AS WELL, UM, TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS IT RELATES TO LOCATIONS.
UH, WE HAVE MORE BARS COMING ONLINE, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE STRAIN ON Y Y'ALL, YOU, WE ALSO HAVE THE ISSUE OF THE STRAIN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM AN HPD PERSPECTIVE AND OTHER PARTNERS.
UH, IT, IT'S GETTING OUT OF HAND TO WHERE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO ADDRESS ALL OF THAT AND THE URGENT NEEDS THAT A RESIDENT, UM, HAS.
WE HAVE MORE BARS COMING ONLINE IN AREAS THAT CAN'T NECESSARILY HANDLE ANYMORE.
UM, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IF WE HAVE AN AREA WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS SAID WE JUST CAN'T HANDLE ANYMORE, IS THAT SOMETHING TABC WILL LOOK AT IN THE LICENSING PROCESS? WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COULD ACTUALLY LOOK AT, UH, AS, AS FAR AS LICENSING, UH, THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE SIGNS OFF ON THE LOCATION SAYING IT IS WEPT FOR THIS PARTICULAR AREA, OR IT IS IT THAT, IN MY EXPERIENCE OF WORKING OUT IN WEST TEXAS AND IN NORTH TEXAS, UM, THE CITIES AND COUNTIES AND THOSE AREAS ACTUALLY HOLD A PRETTY SPECIAL NOTE WHEN THEY CAN GO IN AND SAY, UH, ONCE THEY SIGN OFF ON THAT, THEY SAY BASICALLY, YES, IT'S LEGAL FOR THIS PLACE TO OPEN UP AND THEN WE LICENSE IT.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES BEING WE DON'T HAVE ZONING.
SO IF THERE'S A, OH, I'M SORRY.
WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY, I HAVE SEEN LOCATIONS WHERE THEY GO OUT AND COUNT PARKING SPACES, UH, OR CITIES WE'LL DO THAT.
THEY GO OUT AND SAY, WELL, YOU, OR YOU'RE ONLY MEASURED FOR X NUMBER OF PARKING LOCATIONS.
YOUR OCCUPANCY IS ONLY X BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY HAVE PARKED 10 VEHICLES OUT FRONT.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A, I KNOW THAT'S A, A BIG ISSUE, ESPECIALLY, UH, WHERE YOU ARE, UH, WHERE PEOPLE ARE PARKING IN DRIVEWAYS OR YARDS OR WHATEVER ELSE.
UM, BUT I'VE SEEN THINGS LIKE THAT IN OTHER AREAS.
SO I, I, AGAIN, WE'LL HUDDLE OFFLINE, UM, AND I WELCOME ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER TO JOIN US AS TO KIND OF GETTING A LIST FROM TABC, SO WE CAN SIT DOWN WITH THE CITY AND SEE WHAT ARE WE NOT LOOKING AT AS MORE BARS ARE COMING ON.
BECAUSE AGAIN, I'VE SPOKEN WITH EVEN FIRST, UH, EMS AND THEY'VE SAID WHEN THEY'RE HAVING THESE EVENTS, WE CAN'T COVER ALL OF THIS AND IT'S NOT SAFE.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO OCCUPANCY, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE BAR, AND I KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS BAR THAT IS, UH, A REPETITIVE BAD ACTOR ALSO DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE AN OCCUPANCY PERMIT.
UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, CAN TABC ENFORCE OCCUPANCY? NO, MA'AM.
UM, SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CITY ORDINANCES THAT ARE CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS BY LAW.
I'M THINKING OF THE NOISE ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY.
UM, YOU HAVE SAID YOU CAN ENFORCE CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS WITH SOME NEXUS TO ALCOHOL
[00:30:01]
SALES.UH, WHAT WE FIND IS THAT A LOT OF OUR NOISE VIOLATORS ARE CLUBS THAT SELL ALCOHOL.
UM, CAN TABC ENFORCE CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS, UH, THAT ARE CITY ORDINANCES, LIKE, LIKE NOISE VIOLATIONS? NO, SIR.
I'M A STATE POLICE OFFICER AND I ENFORCE STATE LAW AND THIS, SO THE CITY ORDINANCES WOULD BE AT A LOCAL LEVEL, UH, BY THE, UH, HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, COULD YOU NONETHELESS USE A NOISE ORDINANCE VIOLATION THAT'S A CRIMINAL VIOLATION TO, UH, PULL A LICENSE OR, OR DENY RENEWAL OF A LICENSE? YES.
IT, THOSE, THOSE HAVE TO HAVE, UH, CONVICTIONS.
SO WHAT WE FOUND IN THE PAST, I KNOW WE, WE LOOKED AT THIS IN THE PAST, UM, AND SOME OF THOSE VIOLATIONS ENDED UP BEING, THEY WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS NIGHT AFTER NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, THEY WOULD'VE VIOLATIONS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN IT CAME DUE TO, UM, BE CONVICTED OR PLEAD OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, A LOT OF THOSE WERE WRAPPED INTO 1 1 1 VIOLATION AND OR ONE CONVICTION.
AND THAT DOESN'T EXACTLY LOOK GREAT WHEN, IF WE WERE TO GO TO A HEARING WITH A, A STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING JUDGE AND SAY, WELL, THIS PERSON HAD ONE VIOLATION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE ON PAPER.
SO WE, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE CAN USE THOSE TO, IT'S REALLY BEST TO USE THAT IN, IN A PROTEST IT, WHERE A BODY SUCH AS YOURSELF COULD PETITION OR, UH, TELL THE COMMISSION, WE DO NOT WANT THIS LOCATION DUE TO ALL OF THESE VIOLATIONS.
AND THEN WE WOULD DO AN INVESTIGATION.
WE ARE IMPARTIAL TO, TO THE, TO THE INVESTIGATION.
WE JUST COLLECT ALL THE DATA, PRESENT IT TO THE, TO THE JUDGE.
BUT THAT WOULD BE DATA THAT WE WOULD USE IS THE NOISE VI NOISE VIOLATIONS, ANY OTHER COST FOR SERVICE, MAYBE BREACHES DRUG ACTIVITY, WHAT, WHATEVER, WHATEVER, ANYONE ELSE.
WE TYPICALLY GO BACK A, A YEAR OR MAYBE EVEN TWO YEARS TO DO THAT INVESTIGATION TO TRY TO FIND ANY AND ALL VIOLATIONS TO BASICALLY PROVE WHAT YOU SAY IS THAT IT'S A BAD LOCATION.
AND SO THAT WAY WE DON'T JUST SAY, YEAH, WE AGREE WITH YOU GUYS.
WE PROVE IT ON PAPER AND SAY, YES, IT IS.
HERE'S WHY WE, WE AGREE WITH IT.
OR, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE AGREE WITH IT OR NOT.
WE SEND IT UP TO THE, SO JUDGE.
AND SO, I I, I'M GUESSING YOUR CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS THAT YOU ENFORCE CAN BE FOUND NOT ONLY IN THE PENAL CODE, BUT IN THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CODE? YES.
WE TYPICALLY EN ENFORCE ANYTHING, OBVIOUSLY ANYTHING IN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CODE.
UH, BUT WITH THE DRUGS, OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE IN DIFFERENT CODES MM-HMM
ARE THERE, ARE THERE ADMINISTRATIVE VIOLATIONS THAT YOU CAN ENFORCE THAT MIGHT BE FOUND, LET'S SAY IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE? OR, OR NOT? THE, THE ONES THAT WE ENFORCE MOST OF THE TIME ARE IN THE AATE BEVERAGE CODE ITSELF.
UH, BASICALLY ANY, ANY OF, ANYTIME THERE'S A VIOLATION AT THAT LOCATION, A CRIMINAL VIOLATION, IF THEY HAVE A PERMIT, IF IT'S A LICENSED LOCATION, THEN IT'S GONNA BE A VIOLATION OF THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CODE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVELY AS WELL.
SAY, LIKE I SAID, FOR INSTANCE, SELL SELL OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TO A MINOR, WE ARE GONNA FILE A CRIMINAL CASE ONTO ON THE PERSON WHO ACTUALLY SOLD ALCOHOL TO A MINOR.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA FILE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION AGAINST THE, YEAH, THE PERMIT.
AND, AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S POINT ABOUT NEEDING MORE, UH, OFFICERS, UH, WORKING FOR TABC.
WHAT, WHAT IS STARTING PAY FOR A-T-A-B-C AGENT? I BELIEVE IT WAS, IT'S 56, I THINK.
AND THEN IT CHA AND THAT'S, YOU STAY THERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND THEN YOU JUMP, UM, UH, AT, YOU'RE A PROBATIONARY AGENT FOR ONE YEAR, AND THEN AFTER THAT YOU'RE AN AGENT ONE.
AGENT TWO, EVERY, EVERY FOUR YEARS, THERE'S A STEP.
WHERE, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S THE SAME PAY SCALE AS THE TROOPERS, EXCEPT DON'T WORK 50 HOUR A WEEK, 56,000 I BELIEVE SO.
AND WHAT, WHAT ARE THE ED EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, IF ANY? UH, WE TYPICALLY, IT IS A COLLEGE DEGREE.
UH, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE IF YOU HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND IF YOU ARE IN MILITARY, I THINK THAT'S WAIVED AS WELL.
AND I, SORRY, I FORGOT TO ANNOUNCE WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY OUR VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, UM, LIEUTENANT AGAIN.
WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCEMENTS OR LICENSE SPECIFICALLY, JUST SO THE PUBLIC'S CLEAR, IS THAT LICENSE AFFILIATED WITH JUST THE ADDRESS OR THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT ADDRESS? IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR.
AND THE RE THE REASON I'M ASKING, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A GOTCHA.
IT'S A, WE, I BELIEVE, HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE WE KNOW THAT THERE'S REPETITIVE ISSUES AT ONE LOCATION.
AND, UH, IT IS BEING CHALLENGED AT TABC, UH, BY RESIDENTS, BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, BY EVERYONE SAYING, NO, THIS CANNOT CONTINUE.
THEY'RE CIRCUMVENTING THE PROCESS BY THEN OPENING UP, UH, UNDER A NEW NAME OR, BUT IT MAY BE THE SAME OWNERSHIP, OR IT MAY BE YES.
[00:35:01]
YES.WE UNDERS WE LOOK AT THAT, UH, IF IT IS THE SAME, UH, SAY THEY CHANGE THE CORPORATION, BUT IT'S THE SAME PRESIDENT, UH, WE, WE LOOK AT THAT AND WE WILL, WE WILL ALSO DENY, WE, WE DON'T NECESSARILY DENY, WE WOULD SUGGEST, UH, OR WE WOULD ALSO BASICALLY JOIN THAT PROTEST AND SAY, DUE TO THIS INFORMATION, WE FOUND THIS, IT STILL HAS TO GO.
OR UNLESS THEY WITHDRAW, IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO TO A HEARING.
UH, BUT YES, BASICALLY WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION AND SAY, THIS PERSON IS THE SAME PERSON AS OPERATING THIS LOCATION.
UH, OR LIKE I SAID, THE SAME PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, WHATEVER.
THE, THE, THE ONE THING WE CANNOT DO IS PUT SANCTIONS ON A BUSINESS BECAUSE SAY MAYBE WHO THEY HIRE AS A BARTENDER.
OR A MANAGER OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND JUST, I ALWAYS SAY THIS UPFRONT BUSINESS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY, IT'S GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BAD ACTORS YES.
THAT ARE MAKING IT UNSAFE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, THE, WITH THAT, I KNOW YOU, WE WILL, WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THE CITY CAN BE DOING IN TERMS OF OUR ENFORCEMENT, MORE FROM A REGULATORY ANGLE.
WHAT CAN RESIDENTS BE DOING MORE OF THAT LIVE IN THESE AREAS? THEY KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING WHAT YOU CAN, BUT WHAT CAN RESIDENTS BE DOING IN IT AND ALL PERSONAL PLUG PUSH AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR MORE RESOURCES FOR TABC? YES.
BUT WHAT ELSE CAN THEY BE DOING? UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I TALK ABOUT AT THE, UH, DEFINITELY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WHEN I GO TO THE, THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS IS I NEED AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN GET.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS IN A COMPLAINT, UH, A LOT OF TIMES THEY SAY, WELL, THEY'RE SELLING TO KIDS DOWN AT JOE'S BAR AND GRILL.
AND IT, WELL, THAT'S VERY, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ME TO OPEN A COMPLAINT.
UH, BUT ACTIONABLE INFORMATION IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL IT WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER.
THEY'RE SELLING IT JOE'S AT ON THURSDAY NIGHTS AND IT'S BILL WHO'S A TALL GUY WITH A MUSTACHE.
THEN I KNOW TO FOCUS MY RESOURCE, SINCE MY RESOURCES ARE SO LIMITED, I KNOW TO FOCUS THOSE, MAYBE GO DOWN THERE THURSDAY NIGHT, LOOK FOR A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL, UH, CERTAIN TIMES, IT, IT, THAT, THAT ACTIONABLE INFORMATION.
OBVIOUSLY SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
WE'LL TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE, UH, BUT IF YOU HAVE IT, THAT'S GREAT.
ONE OTHER WORD OF CAUTION, UH, I'VE, BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE HEARD THIS AT SOME OF THE, THE MEETINGS IS, IS THEY SAY, WELL, YOU'RE OKAY.
YOU CALL TOMORROW AND THEN YOU CALL TOMORROW AND YOU CALL TOMORROW AND YOU CALL.
AND THEN WE GET A FLOOD OF 50 COMPLAINTS.
WHILE THAT LETS ME KNOW THAT THERE MIGHT BE A A, A LARGER ISSUE, OF COURSE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY IT WOULD DO JUST AS WELL TO CALL ME UP, SAY, HEY, I WANNA MEET WITH YOU, AND THEN I'LL MEET WITH EVERYBODY AND, AND, AND TAKE SOME INFORMATION.
BECAUSE ALL THAT'S GONNA DO IS CLOG UP OUR COMPLAINT SYSTEM AND IT'S GONNA RESULT IN ONE INVESTIGATION, UH, OF THE LOCATION.
SO HAVING MULTIPLE CALLS, WE, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY WEEKLY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, SOMETIMES DOES MORE TO JUST KIND OF BOG THE SYSTEM DOWN, UH, THAN IT DOES TO, TO, UH, TO INCREASE ANYTHING.
LASTLY, FOOD TRUCKS, BECAUSE WE HAVE LATE HOUR FOOD TRUCKS, SOME OF THEM I BELIEVE ARE NOW SELLING ALCOHOL.
IS THAT, ARE FOOD TRUCKS LICENSED FOR ALCOHOL THROUGH TABC AS WELL, OR THEY SHOULD BE.
I WAS GONNA SAY THEY SHOULD BE.
WHAT, WHAT WE FOUND, UH, IS THAT A LOT OF THOSE JUST KIND OF DO IT ON THE SIDE.
UM, AND THEN THAT, THAT FALLS BACK INTO THE UNLICENSED LOCATION, UH, THING AGAIN, UH, THEY CAN DO THAT IF THEY GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS AND, AND GET THE PROPER PERMITS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD PROBABLY ASSUME THEY'RE PROBABLY DON'T MOST TIMES.
AND THEN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER'S OFFICE ONLINE HAD KIND OF A SIMILAR QUESTION ABOUT FOOD TRUCKS.
UM, BUT THEY ASKED ABOUT, UM, STREET VENDORS THAT SELL ALCOHOL WITHOUT PERMITS, UM, THAT ARE KIND OF ONLY THERE FOR THE WEEKEND.
SO KIND OF SIMILARLY WITH FOOD TRUCKS THAT ARE MOVING AROUND.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? IT, IT'S, IT'S VIOLATION OF LAW.
IF THEY DO HAVE A PERMIT, IT'S A VIOLATION.
UH, I DO KNOW SPECIFICALLY DURING, UH, THE, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, UM, THE, DURING THAT WEEKEND, UH, THAT, UH, THAT HPD HAD ACTUALLY ARRESTED SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WERE DOWNTOWN THAT WERE DOING THAT JUST HAD ICE CHESTS FULL OF BEER, AND THEY WERE SELLING IT TO PEOPLE PASSING BY.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I GOT A PHONE CALL AND SAID, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
AND SO IT KIND OF WRAPPED IT IN.
BUT THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY HPD SHERIFF'S OFFICE, ANY, ANY, ANY PEACE OFFICER, UH, COULD FILE THAT CHARGE.
UM, STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TEM, CAST SIX ADAM'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU LIEUTENANT FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS, THIS, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, MAYOR PRO TEM REGRETTABLY IS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THIS MORNING.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE ON HER BEHALF.
AND I'D LIKE TO JUST OFFER ACCOLADES TO THE TABC.
UM, RECENTLY IN DISTRICT K, IT WAS YOUR, UM, INVESTIGATION AND ENFORCEMENT THAT GOT RID OF A, A NUISANCE PROPERTY ON AT THE 4,900 BLOCK OF WEST FUQUA THAT HAD BEEN A NUISANCE FOR DECADES IN DISTRICT K.
UM, IT WAS ALSO THE DILIGENCE OF ONE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO COMPLAINED, WHO COMPLAINED TO THE TABC THAT, UM, RESULTED IN THE LICENSE NOT BEING RENEWED FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UM, MACO
[00:40:01]
PROPERTY.UM, THAT PROPERTY WAS SINCE PURCHASED BY OUR TURS 25, UM, BOARD AND IS, UM, SLATED FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO KUDOS TO TABC FOR YOUR, YOUR WORK.
I'LL SAY SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE, SOMETIMES THE PROCESS IS SLOW, UH, BUT IT WORKS.
STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, YOUR PROTESTS THERE? DO YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A 60 DAY AND A 15 DAY DEADLINE PERIOD TO HIT.
CAN, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? UH, TYPICALLY THE, UH, AND THAT'S JUST A POLICY THAT WE HAVE.
UM, I'M NOT EXACTLY, I, I WASN'T IN ON OBVIOUSLY WHAT, HOW THAT POLICY CAME, CAME TOGETHER.
UM, I DO KNOW, UH, THAT IT'S A PRETTY STRICT POLICY.
UH, AND I WAS VISITING WITH OUR STAFF ABOUT IT JUST THE OTHER DAY.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, ONCE WE, ONCE WE RECEIVE AN APPLICATION, THEN THAT, THAT'S WHEN THE, THE CLOCK STARTS RUNNING.
SO SOMETIMES THAT CLOCK MAY HAVE BEEN RUNNING FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE SOMEONE MAY APPLY.
THEY ARE SLOW TO GET DONE WHAT THEY NEED TO GET DONE, AND THEN WE DON'T ISSUE THE LICENSE FOR A YEAR DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT THEY ACTUALLY APPLIED THE YEAR BEFORE.
UM, SO, UH, I KNOW THE PROTEST, UH, THAT'S ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, UH, FOR, UH, THE 60 DAY SIGN.
ANYTIME A, UM, UH, A CITIZEN MAY SEE THAT, OR YOU MAY SEE THAT 60 DAY SIGN, UH, THERE ARE DATES ON THAT SIGN.
UM, YOU KNOW, CALL AS SOON AS, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S RESTRICTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC.
YOU HAVE TO LIVE A CERTAIN DISTANCE AWAY.
UH, FOR PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELF, THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF RESTRICTIONS.
YOU CAN JUST STEP IN AND SAY, I THINK I WANNA PROTEST THIS DUE TO XX NUMBERS.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I, I, I'M SORRY I, I'LL GET YOU, UH, SPECIFIC ANSWERS ON THAT, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THOSE NUMBERS CAME FROM.
UH, BUT I'LL DEFINITELY, UH, DO SOME RESEARCH WHEN I GET BACK TO THE OFFICE AND, AND GET THAT TO YOU.
AND THEN ANOTHER THING IS, UM, WHEN YOU COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, FOR, UH, OCCUPANCY OR BUILDINGS BEING ABLE ASKING FOR TO BE CERTIFIED, UH, DO YOU CHECK THE PLACE BEFORE APPROVING ANYTHING? UH, 'CAUSE WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A BUILDING WITH A ROOFING CAVING, BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HASN'T EVEN SEEN THE BUILDING.
THEY HAVEN'T, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON RECORD OF THE BUILDING BEING ABANDONED OR THE BUILD THE ROOFING CAVING, AND IT'S PAST THE 15 DAY MARKER AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO GET APPROVED FOR A-T-A-P-C APPLICATION.
WE ARE ONLY GONNA APPROVE THAT IF THE CITY SECRETARY SIGNS OFF ON IT.
SO IF THE, SO LIKE I SAID, THE CITY STILL HAS THAT AUTHORITY TO HOLD THAT AND NOT SIGN THAT THAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A, AN AUTOMATIC.
SO WE, THE, THAT'S ONE REASON THAT IS THERE IS THAT, THAT THAT GIVES THE, THE CITY THE AUTHORITY TO GO OUT, CHECK WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, WITH FIRE MARSHAL, WHOEVER, WHOEVER THEY WANT TO CHECK WITH, THAT'S WHO DOES ALL THAT.
AND THEN ONCE THE CITY SECRETARY SIGNS OFF ON IT, WE VIEW THAT AS ALL THAT HAVING BEEN DONE.
UH, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF PLUS, I DON'T KNOW, THE CITY ORDINANCES OR, OR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND I CAN'T ENFORCE THOSE ANYWAY AS A STATE POLICE OFFICER.
SO UNFORTUNATELY THAT FALLS BACK ONTO THE, THE, THE, THE CITY TO, TO DO THAT.
AND LIEUTENANT, FOR THE, UM, TBC HEARING BOARD, WHAT IS THE MAKEUP OF THAT BOARD AND HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE ON THAT FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING? YEAH, IT IS A STATE OFFICER ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING JUDGE, IF SO, A JUDGE.
AND THAT JUDGE IS, AND THEY, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS HERE IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
I'VE ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL OF TIMES, SO IT WAS DURING COVID, SO I JUST DID IT OVER THE PHONE.
UM, UH, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN I WAS OUT IN WEST TEXAS, THERE'S ONE JUDGE IN LUBBOCK AND WE HAD TO DRIVE IN LUBBOCK.
UH, BUT IT WAS, UH, BASICALLY THEY, THEY HEAR THE CASE, THEY RULE ON IT.
UH, IT CAN TAKE SOME TIME DEPENDING ON THEIR WORKLOAD, UM, BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF STUFF.
UM, BUT I DO KNOW, LIKE I SAID, DURING THE 90 DAY SUSPENSIONS, UH, THEY GET A FA KIND OF A FAST TRACK.
AND, AND THOSE PEOPLE CAN GET A, A, A, A, A HEARING WITHIN A FIVE OR SEVEN DAY PERIOD OUTSIDE OF THAT.
IT COULD BE MONTHS BEFORE IT GOES TO A, TO A HEARING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, LIEUTENANT.
THERE ARE NO MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
I THINK, AS YOU CAN TELL BY ALL THE GREAT QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD, THAT THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC IN THE CITY AND IN ALL OF OUR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION AND THE PRESENTATION.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UM, OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, DO WE HAVE A VISITOR THAT WANTS TO SAY HI? WE DO, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT HIM ON SCREEN.
YOU DON'T WANNA DO IT RIGHT NOW? OKAY.
[00:45:01]
UM, FIRST VIRTUALLY IS DEBBIE MORAN.IS SHE HERE? SHE'S, SHE POSTED HER COMMENTS RIGHT HERE.
DID, DID SHE WANNA SPEAK OR JUST READ HER COMMENTS? OKAY.
UM, SHE SAID LIGHTING CONCERNS IN WRITING THE CURRENT LIGHTING CODE IS SUCCESSFUL.
JUDGING FROM NEWER INSTALLATIONS, ZERO GLARE ER COLOR, FANTASTIC VISIBILITY OF THE BUSINESS AND THE STREET, BUT THE OLDER LIGHTING IS GRANDFATHERED.
WE HAVE CATALOGED HIGH PROFILE FATAL ACCIDENTS AND A POWERPOINT IN YOUR EMAIL.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE POLICE ARE OFTEN UNEDUCATED ON THE HARMS OF LED GLARE AND ENCOURAGE ITS INSTALLATION.
UM, SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER COMMENTS OF A POLICE OFFICER WHO HEARD OUR LIGHTING TALK, WE NEED TO CORRECT GLARE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, ESPECIALLY WHERE PEOPLE CROSS THE STREET.
IF WE CAN GET LIGHTENING CHANGE SOON, WE CAN AT LEAST NOT GRANDFATHER, BAD AIM OF HINGE LIGHTING.
IT CAN BE BENT DOWNWARD IMMEDIATELY OR TURNED OFF IF REDUNDANT.
HIGH GLARE LIGHTING CONTINUES TO BE INSTALLED.
EXAMPLE, THE SMALL BAR AT STELLA LINK AND NORTH BRASSWOOD, THERE'S A CODE VIOLATION NOTICE, BUT NOT FOR LIGHTING.
HIGH GLARE, DAYLIGHT COLOR ALSO INTERFERES WITH SLEEP.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION AND I THINK MY OFFICE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH YOU ABOUT THE LIGHTING AND YOU KNOW, WE DO AGREE THAT IS, UM, DEFINITELY A CONCERN THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE OLDER LIGHTING, UM, CONCERNS.
UM, MAYBE NOT FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE BETTER ADDRESSED IN, UM, A COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES PUBLIC WORKS AND, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, UM, THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF WHAT COMMITTEE THAT GOES THROUGH, DEFINITELY AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT MAYBE DIDN'T SIGN UP TO SPEAK EITHER IN CHAMBERS OR VIRTUALLY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE.
UM, OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH AT 10:00 AM AND WE STAND ADJOURNED.