* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:20] GOOD AFTERNOON. FIRST, I WISH WE WERE NOT HAVING TO HAVE THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT LET ME STATE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH OF MISINFORMATION WHILE SPECULATION BY EITHER SOCIAL MEDIA, ELECTED OFFICIALS, CANDIDATES, THE MEDIA. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS A SERIAL KILLER LOOSE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. LEMME SAY THAT AGAIN. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS A SERIAL KILLER LOOSE ON THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. IF THERE WAS, YOU WOULD HEAR IT FROM ME FIRST. THIS IS BEING HELD TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WE OPERATE IN MY ADMINISTRATION IN HPD IN TOTAL TRANSPARENCY, WHAT WE KNOW AND CAN RELEASE TO YOU. YOU'LL KNOW AS SOON AS ANYONE, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE TO LET HPD COMPLETE ITS WORK. GIVE YOU THE FACTS. LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL CASES. THESE FIVE TRAGIC DROWNINGS DISCOVERED OVER A FIVE DAY PERIOD IS ALARMING. ONE IS TOO MANY. BUT IF YOU ALLOW HPD TO IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUALS, DO THEIR INVESTIGATION, YOU'LL SEE WHY WE HAVE THE BLESSED BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION. OUR DIVE TEAM REGULARLY ASSIST OTHER AGENCIES. SO I'M BEFORE YOU TODAY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH OF WILD SPECULATION. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME TO BE AT HOME AND WATCH THE NEWS OR SOCIAL MEDIA AND SEE PEOPLE SPREAD WHAT I KNOW TO BE FALSE. AND SO TODAY WE'VE BROUGHT THE CHIEF CAPTAIN OF A HOMICIDE TO INFORM YOU AT WHAT STAGE THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE. NOW, I GREW UP IN HOUSTON. UNFORTUNATELY, DROWNING IN OUR BAS IS NOT A NEW PHENOMENON. IT'S AN ALARMING DISCOVERY. WE HAVE 2,500 MILES OF BA OR WATERWAYS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. WE HAVE HOMELESS LIVING UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN A HOMELESS PERSON DIES FROM AN ILLNESS, DIABETES, OR CANCER, WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES DO? THEY DO NOT TAKE HIM TO A FUNERAL HOME. UNFORTUNATELY, THE HOMELESS WHEN THEY PASS, OFTEN END UP IN THE BABU REASON WHY WE'RE WORKING SO HARD TO GET THE HOMELESS OFF THE STREETS OF HOUSTON. ALCOHOL PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE. MENTAL HEALTH PLAYS A MENTAL ROLE. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE 2,500 BA MILES OF BAUS AND PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO 'EM, SOMETIMES FOUL PLAY, OFTEN NOT ACCIDENTS. SO I'M HERE TODAY TO THANK HPD, IT'S INVESTIGATORS AND TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WHILE YOU'RE WORKING, RAISING YOUR FAMILY, SLEEPING AT NIGHT, 24 7, 7 DAYS A WEEK. HPD IS DOING SOME OF THE BEST INVESTIGATIVE WORK IN OUR NATION. MAKES ME PROUD TO BE MAYOR OF HOUSTON. WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN FOR MAYOR, BUT A SERIAL KILLER ON THE LOOSE IS NOT ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES TODAY AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. YES, RECRUITMENT IS THAT AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. THE CADET CLASSES ARE FULL. WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT TODAY WE'RE HERE TO ALLOW THE CHIEF AND THE CAPTAIN TO LET YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE FACTS AS WE KNOW 'EM TO BE TODAY. CHIEF DIAZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, FIRST I WANT TO THANK OUR MEDIA PARTNERS [00:05:01] FOR SHOWING UP AND REPORTING THE FACTS WITH US. OUR DIVE TEAM HAS RECOVERED FIVE BODIES FROM BAYOU ACROSS THE CITY OF HOUSTON BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 15TH AND 20TH. THERE'S NO EVIDENCE, AND I REPEAT NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT ANY OF THESE INCIDENTS ARE CONNECTED IN ALL OF THE FIVE INCIDENTS. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFENSE WILL DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF DEATH. THE INVESTIGATION INTO THESE INCIDENTS IS PENDING THE DETERMINATION OF THE ME'S OFFICE. FOR US AS AN AGENCY, RUMORS, UH, STIR FEAR AND ANXIETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S IMPORTANT TO RELY ON VERIFIED INFORMATION AND INVESTIGATIONS. SO I'M GONNA BRING UP CAPTAIN ZIA. HE'S GONNA COVER THE FIVE THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST WEEK SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE FACTS AS WE HAVE THEM AT THE MOMENT. UH, ALL THIS STUFF IS PRELIMINARY. AGAIN, WE'RE NOT DOCTORS UP HERE. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER WILL MAKE THE FINAL DECISION ON THE CAUSE OF DEATH. CAPTAIN ZIA. THANK YOU, CHIEF. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT IN ALL THESE, UH, IN ALL FIVE INSTANCES, UM, THE RULING, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE MANNER AND CAUSE OF DEATH ARE STILL PENDING. SO THE FIRST, UH, INCIDENT WAS SEPTEMBER 15TH. UM, A BODY WAS RECOVERED IN BRAISED BY YOU AT 49 98 SPUR FIVE FREEWAY, UM, THAT'S BRAISED BY YOU. UH, BEFORE 10:00 PM I'M SORRY, 10:00 AM THE EMMY'S OFFICE IDENTIFIED THE DECEASED AS JADE ELISE MCKISSICK, 20 YEARS OLD. UH, PRELIMINARY EXEC, UH, INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF TRAUMA OR FOUL PLAY. BUT AGAIN, I REITERATE THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE, THE ACTUAL, UH, AUTOPSY RESULTS, UH, COME OUT. ANOTHER BODY WAS RECOVER ON THE SAME DAY. IT WAS LOCATED IN HUNTING, HUNTING BAYOU AT 13,400 EAST FREEWAY AT ABOUT 1115, UH, 11:50 AM. UM, THE ME'S OFFICE HAS NOT IDENTIFIED THE DECEASED DECEASED INDIVIDUAL IN THAT INCIDENT. THE NEXT ONE WAS SEPTEMBER 16TH. BODY WAS LOCATED WHITE OAK BAYOU AT 2200 WHITE OAK DRIVE AT ABOUT 1:25 PM AGAIN, THE EMMY'S OFFICE HAS NOT IDENTIFIED THE DECEASED INDIVIDUAL. UH, THERE WAS ONE ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, BODY WAS LOCATED IN BUFFALO BAYOU AT 400 JENSEN DRIVE AT ABOUT 2:00 PM EMMY HAS NOT IDENTIFIED THE DECEASED IN THAT INCIDENT AS WELL. SEPTEMBER 20TH, UH, WAS THE LAST INCIDENT. BODY WAS LOCATED IN BUFFALO BAYOU AT 900 NORTH YORK STREET AT ABOUT 8:25 AM. UM, THE EMMY'S OFFICE HAS IDENTIFIED THE DECEASED IN THAT INDIVIDUAL, BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE NEXT PIN HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, UH, IT WOULD BE, UM, UM, IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT FOR US TO, TO IDENTIFY THAT INDIVIDUAL AT THIS TIME. AND I, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT, UH, I UNDERSTAND SOCIAL MEDIA IS, IS THE MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION, UH, IN TODAY'S AGE. BUT A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, UNVERIFIED INFORMATION THAT CIRCULATES. UM, AND OUR JOB AS, AS DETECTIVES AND AS INVESTIGATIVE BODY, IS TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND THE EVIDENCE. AND THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOB. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON. I CLOSE IT OUT. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? IF THE NON-IDENTIFIED, UH, VICTIMS DO WE KNOW THEY WERE HOMELESS? I I CAN, I CAN ASK. WELL BE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IDENTIFIED YET. WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FORM OF IDENTIFICATION ON YOU WHEN YOU GO INTO THE WATER. AND OUR DIVE TEAM, WHO BY THE, WHICH BY THE WAY, DOES AN AMAZING JOB, UH, RECOVERS, UM, UH, THE, THE VICTIM, UH, THEY ARE, THEY, THEY SECURE THE VICTIM AND IT GOES TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE. SO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE WILL THEN DETERMINE DENTAL RECORDS, FINGERPRINTS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCURATE INFORMATION. AND THEY'RE THE EXPERTS AT IT. SO FOR US, IT'S A RECOVERY. UH, AND THEY MAKE THE DETERMINATION WHETHER IT WAS, WHETHER IT WAS THE DROWNING OR SOME SORT OF FOUL PLAY BASED ON SCIENCE AND EVIDENCE. CHIEF, WHAT ABOUT MI, MS MS, SORRY, RIZZIE. WELL, UH, WELL, THE, THE NUMBER WE HAVE FOR THIS YEAR FOR 2025, I KNOW IT WAS FIVE WITHIN A SO MANY DAY PERIOD, BUT ALTOGETHER WE HAVE 14 THAT WE COUNTED. RIGHT? RIGHT. AND, AND SOME OF THEM WERE NOT HOMELESS. WE HAVE A STUDENT FROM U OF H, WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE FROM DOWNTOWN WHO WOULD GO JOGGING ALONG THE THE BAYOU. UM, WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO ABOUT THAT? WELL, I, UH, I I CAN JUST, UH, I OUTTA RESPECT FOR THOSE FAMILIES, UH, PEOPLE HAVE COMPLICATIONS. PEOPLE ARE COMPLICATED. AND WE AS A, AS A POLICE AGENCY, DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES. SO WE FOLLOW THE SCIENCE. UH, WE DON'T JUDGE PEOPLE, UH, FOR, UH, THE MISHAP FOR WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH PERSONALLY. UH, AS, AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE HERE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUDGE. WHATEVER HAPPENED IN THEIR, UH, CIRCUMSTANCE IS, IS THEIR BUSINESS. AND WE [00:10:01] AS AN ORGANIZATION, UH, WE'RE FACT FINDERS. WE REPORT THE FACTS AND THAT'S IT. SO THAT, THAT'S THE 14 IS NUMBER IS CORRECT, BUT ONE IS TOO MANY. MS. WINFREY, ARE YOU ABLE TO SAY WHAT THE, THE AGE RANGE IS PRETTY BROAD OR THE GENDER BROAD. UH, CAPTAIN, CAPTAIN Z, YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT. SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND ANY KIND OF TYPICAL PATTERN. IT, IT'S, IT RUNS THE GAMUT. UM, GENDERS, UH, ETHNICITY, EASE, AGE RANGE. DO WE, THE 14 THAT YOU FOUND YOU CONNECTED TO ANY TYPE OF OR ANYTHING? AGAIN, WE'VE SAID IT A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED. UH, AGAIN, THE DIVE TEAM ISN'T THE INVESTIGATOR, DIVE TEAM IS THE RECOVERY COMPONENT OF OUR, OF OUR JOB THAT GOES TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE. BUT WE TREAT EVERY SINGLE ONE AS ITS OWN EVENT. YES, MA'AM. SO LET, THE MAYOR MENTIONED THIS IS JUST PART OF THE SEMESTER. SHE SAID 14 THIS YEAR. IS THAT LIKE A HIGHER NUMBER? UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU. UH, LAST YEAR THERE WERE 24. THE MAYORS MENTIONED ONE IS TOO MANY, 2,500 MILES OF BAYOU. YES, MA'AM. I FOLLOW UP WITH THE MAYOR. IF THESE ARE DETERMINED TO BE, I MEAN, WE DUNNO WHY, BUT WOULD YOU BE, WOULD YOU LOOK AT POSSIBLY INSTALLING SAFETY BAYOU? UM, WELL, OBVIOUSLY, UH, IT'S, IT IS BEEN REPEATED BY THE PROFESSIONALS. EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE IS DIFFERENT. SOME OF 'EM ARE PERSONAL DECISIONS. SOME OF 'EM INVOLVE ALCOHOL. AND SO WE HAVE TO EXAMINE EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL. I'M NOT CERTAIN, OTHER THAN WE DO HAVE BARRICADES ALONG OUR BIOS, UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIME PEOPLE DRIVE INTO THE BIOS AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW OF A FAIL SAFE WAY WHEN BIOS ARE SUCH A PART OF OUR LIFESTYLE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT, OTHER THAN EVERYONE HAS SHOULD BE SMART, WE SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER. BUT I THINK WHEN THE FACTS ARE REPORTED FROM THESE INSTANCES, YOU'RE GONNA SEE EACH ONE WAS VERY UNIQUE. SOME INDIVIDUALS WERE FACING CHALLENGES. AND, UH, I'VE JUST, IT JUST CONCERNS ME THAT MISINFORMATION AND SPECULATION HAS BEEN DRIVING THIS FOR TOO LONG. SO I SAID, TODAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. LET'S BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, THOSE INDIVIDUALS YOU JUST MENTIONED, GRIZZLY. WE, WE DON'T PUBLICLY KNOW THEIR CHALLENGES. ONE IS TOO MANY. AS A FATHER OF TWO GROWN DAUGHTERS, THE U OF H LOSS IS TRAGIC, BUT SO WERE THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS, BUT WE ARE GONNA ROLL OUT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THEIR CELL PHONES REVEALED, WHAT THEIR FAMILIES REVEALED. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN A CITY OF 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE. IT'S VERY CHALLENGING SOME DAYS FOR SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND CERTAINLY NO ONE WAS IMPLYING GRIZZLY THAT EVERYONE ON THIS TRAGIC LIST WAS HOMELESS. I SIMPLY POINTED OUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE CONCERNED, THE REAL WORLD OUT THERE, I DEAL WITH ENCAMPMENTS. ENCAMPMENTS, QUITE FRANKLY ARE ALONG THE BAY. IT'S WHERE THEY BATHE SOMETIME WITH THEIR FRIENDS. THEY GO UNDER AND DON'T COME BACK UP, AND THEY END UP ON OUR LIST. WE OUGHT DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THE HOMELESS IN A SHELTER. WE'RE WORKING AS I TALK TO GET THE HOMELESS IN A SHELTER. BUT THE TIMEFRAME OF THESE FIVE TRAGEDIES DID SET OFF AN ALARM. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY WE'VE GOT HPD AND THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND THE MEDIA, QUITE FRANKLY. I UNDERSTAND THE MEDIA'S GOT A JOB, BUT I DO SAY ENOUGH'S ENOUGH ON SPECULATION OUTTA RESPECT FOR THE FAMILIES AND ALSO FOR 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS AND OUR REGION. WE HAVE CHALLENGES. WE'RE MEETING THOSE CHALLENGES. BUT A SERIAL KILLER LOOSE IN HOUSTON IS NOT ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES TODAY. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD SPREAD THAT WORD. THE LOSSES ARE GREAT. THE U OF H STUDENT, UNFORTUNATE AS ARE THE ADULTS, [00:15:02] BUT I UNDERSTAND HOW SOME CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WANT TO EXCITE , THE, THE VOTERS IN THEIR DISTRICTS. BUT THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO PLAY POLITICS. THE U OF H CAMPUS IS IN NO GREATER DANGER TODAY THAN IT WAS LAST MONTH. THEY'VE GOT A GOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WENT TO U OF HI UNDERSTAND IT IS CHALLENGES OF WALKING ACROSS CAMPUS IN THE EVENING, AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN. WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH U OF H POLICE, TSU POLICE, ALL OF OUR AGENCIES. BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT THE FINEST PROFESSIONALS THAT YOU CAN FIND. PEOPLE ASK US FOR ASSISTANCE ON A ROUTINE BASIS. AND SO I'M JUST HERE TO ASSURE HOUSTONIANS WE'RE ON IT. AND THESE WILL BE INVESTIGATED, REPORTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MAYOR, YOU SPENT A LONG TIME IN AUSTIN. THEY DEAL WITH THEIR OWN SERIAL KILLER THEORIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT UP THERE. NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH IT. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS BEHIND THESE RUMORS? WHY DO THEY TEND TO TAKE HOLD SENSATIONALISM? AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE AUSTIN CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT THINK WHAT YOU JUST SAID, THEY'VE GOT THEIR SERIAL KILLER IMPLYING THAT WE GOT ONE. I DON'T KNOW THE FACTS OF AUSTIN. I DO KNOW THE HOUSTON FACTS AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT. THERE'S A SERIAL KILLER AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT FOR THE CHIEF, FOR THE CAPTAIN. UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO DO ONCE THESE BODIES ARE RECOVERED DEPENDS ON WHATEVER THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE FINDS. SO ARE YOU AWARE OF ONE, ANY DELAYS THAT ARE DELAYING THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE THEN ABLE TO DO? OR CAN YOU SPEAK TO US ABOUT LIKE THE CONDITION THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE BEING FOUND IN THAT MIGHT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY, I MEAN, IT SAYS THREE OF THEM ARE STILL UNIDENTIFIED FROM THE LAST WEEK. YEAH, SO AS FAR AS THE ME'S OFFICE, WE CAN'T DICTATE HOW LONG IT TAKES THEM TO, UH, TO COMPLETE AN AUTOPSY. UM, IT'S NOT A SIMPLE PROCESS. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN IN. SO I'LL DEFER THAT QUESTION TO THEM IN TERMS OF HOW LONG, UH, WHAT THEIR PROCESS LOOKS LIKE. UM, JUST BECAUSE THE ME IS, IS PENDING IN AN INVESTIGATION DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE INVESTIGATION STOPS. SO THERE'S, THERE'S STILL WORK THAT DETECTIVES CAN DO, UH, UM, WHILE THAT RULING IS, IS COMING FORWARD, INTERVIEW WITNESSES, UH, DOCUMENT WHAT THE SCENE LOOK LIKE, UM, TRY TO RECOVER SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE, ANY DI DIGITAL EVIDENCE THAT, UH, THAT WE CAN FIND AND TRY TO PUT AS MANY PIECES OF THE PUZZLE TOGETHER, UH, WHILE WE'RE EVADING, UH, AWAITING FOR THAT, UH, ME RULING. UM, SO THE WORK DOESN'T STOP. UM, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, FROM THE MOMENT THAT WE GET THE CALL, OUR D OUR DETECTIVES ARE, ARE ON THE JOB, UH, DOING THE BEST THEY CAN AND, AND WORKING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. SO HOPEFULLY I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. WHAT CAN YOU GUYS SAY THAT'LL STOP PEOPLE FROM TALKING ABOUT THIS? UH, JUST BE RESPONSIBLE. AGAIN, SOCIAL MEDIA IS, UH, IS HERE. IT'S NOT GOING AWAY, RIGHT? JUST GET FACTS, UH, FIND THE RELIABLE NEWS SOURCE, UH, TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DETERMINATIONS. 'CAUSE SOMEONE THAT'S NOT EVEN IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN POST SOMETHING, UH, MAKE IT UP, UH, WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND, UH, MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S REAL. AND THEN THE DATA'S NOT EVEN IN OUR CITY. IT MAY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO JUST DON'T RELY ON SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE ON ONE OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, APPS THAT, THAT, THAT ARE SPREADING MISINFORMATION. BECAUSE ALL IT DOES IS HURTS OUR COMMUNITY. IT STOKES FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS SAFE TO KNOW THAT THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB. EVERY SINGLE EVENT IS TREATED WITH, WITH, WITH RESPECT FOR THE DECEDENT, UH, FOR THE VICTIMS NOTIFYING THE FAMILY. IT IS A PROCESS FOR US. UH, WE OWE IT TO THE VICTIM THAT WE DO OUR VERY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REPORT THE FACTS. WE'RE, THAT'S ALL WE ARE IS THE FACT FINDERS, RIGHT? AND, UH, IF THERE IS A CRIME RELATED TO IT, THEN WE'LL DO OUR VERY BEST, UH, WITH A REMARKABLE HOMICIDE TEAM, THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE REPORT THE RIGHT INFORMATION. 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO PREPARE EVERYTHING FOR CHARGES, RIGHT? SO IT'S JUST NOT, UH, LIKE I SAID, THE WORK DOESN'T STOP, RIGHT? SO FOR US, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS, BECAUSE WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE RESOURCES THAT THE COMMUNITY GIVES US TO DO THIS JOB. AND, UH, FOR US AS AN AGENCY, WE, UH, RESPECT THAT AND REALLY IDENTIFY WITH THE CARE THAT THE CITY GIVES THIS DEPARTMENT. SO WE WORK [00:20:01] COLLECTIVELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT, WITH, WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS SAFE. AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. THAT'S MAYOR JOHN WHITTIER'S. NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS PUBLIC SAFETY. SO, UH, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF POSSIBLE, LIKE TRAIL CAMS OR CAMERAS OR ANYTHING MAYBE IN THE FUTURE? WELL, THERE, THERE'S ALREADY SOME SORT OF, UH, FOOTPRINT IN DIFFERENT ESTABLISHMENTS, BUT THE, BUT THE MESSAGE SHOULD BE IF YOU, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SHOULDN'T GET INTO THE WATERWAYS. THEY'RE DANGEROUS IF IT RAINS OUT OUT WEST, UH, AN INCH OR TWO, THE WATERWAY. IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLE. 'CAUSE I, I SEE PEOPLE, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY RIDE MY BICYCLE ON THE TRAILS AND, UH, I SEE PEOPLE ON KAYAKS, RIGHT? YOU GET A STORM, UH, OUT WEST AND THE WATER COMES SOMEWHERE. THOSE VALUES ARE DESIGNED TO MOVE WATER TOWARDS, TOWARDS GALVESTON, RIGHT? SO THE, THE, THE, IF YOU GET IN IT, THE WATER, IT MAY LOOK STILL ON THE BOTTOM UNDERNEATH IT. IT'S VERY, VERY, UH, ROUGH, UH, WATER. AND THEN THERE'S DEBRIS, BRANCHES, UH, UH, SOME, SOMETIMES THERE'S TRASH THAT YOU, THAT YOU CAN JUST CAUGHT, GET CAUGHT UP IN AND YOU CAN DROWN IN IT. SO IT'S A VERY, THEY'RE VERY DANGEROUS. UH, I DON'T RECOMMEND FISHING. I DON'T ANY KIND OF, UH, UH, SPORT OR EVEN GETTING INTO IT BECAUSE AGAIN, UH, THEY'RE DESIGNED TO MOVE WATER, NOT TO BE ON TOP OF ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION, SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.