[Public Safety Committee on October 14, 2025.]
[00:00:22]
COUNCIL MEMBER MARY NAN HUFFMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
WE'RE ALSO JOINED, UM, BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TATUM'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN'S OFFICE, AND VIRTUALLY BY COUNCIL MAYOR POLLARD'S OFFICE.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE, UM, TWO PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
UM, THE FIRST WILL BE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES AND LAWS THAT HAVE GONE INTO EFFECT SINCE SEPTEMBER 1ST.
THIS IS A PRESENTATION BY HPD.
WE HAVE, UM, CHIEF ANDERSON AND LIEUTENANT CARROLL.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS JESSICA ANDERSON.
I'M EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WITH ME, I HAVE LIEUTENANT NATHAN CARROLL, WHO IS NORMALLY ASSIGNED TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION.
UM, WE WERE FIRST THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
WE WERE ASKED TO PRESENT TODAY ON NOTEWORTHY NEW LAWS THAT HAVE PASSED SINCE SEPTEMBER 1ST.
UM, JUST FOR CONTEXT, UM, WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF EXPLAIN HOW WE OPERATE AND WHAT WE DO.
YOU HEARD FROM JOSH SANDERS AND THE IGR TEAM EARLIER THIS YEAR, BUT WE DO A VERY SIMILAR ROLE, AND SO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR YOU GUYS TODAY.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA READ THE SLIDE TO YOU, BUT WE TRACKED OVER 1400 BILLS, AND OF THOSE BILLS ONLY 180 PASSED.
YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM LIEUTENANT CARROLL IN A MINUTE.
BUT HPD HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE LEGISLATURE FOR, I THINK THIS WILL, THIS WAS MY EIGHTH SESSION.
SO AS A COLLATERAL DUTY, UM, WE SPEND TIME IN AUSTIN NAVIGATING ALL THE BILLS THAT IMPACT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THOSE WITH HPD.
SO WE, AS I SAID, WE TRACKED OVER 1400 BILLS THAT TOUCHED HPD OR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.
JUST FOR CONTEXT, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, JOSH AND ALEXA TRACKED 1,701 BILL.
ESSENTIALLY, WE SPLIT RESPONSIBILITIES WHERE JOSH AND ALEXA, THE CITY'S IGR TEAM HANDLES EVERYTHING THAT'S NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE LEGISLATURE.
AND WE HANDLE EVERYTHING THAT DOES TOUCH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, OBVIOUS THINGS INCLUDE CHANGES TO THE PENAL CODE OR TRAFFIC LAWS, BUT WE ALSO ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THINGS LIKE, UH, TOWING NUISANCE LAWS, OPEN RECORDS, UH, COURT OPERATIONS, GRANTS, AND THE BUDGET.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT WHAT'S NOT CAPTURED IN THESE NUMBERS OF WHAT PASSED ARE THE BAD BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS.
WE SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME HELPING TO, UM, EDUCATE LEGISLATORS ON THE THINGS THAT MAY BE WELL INTENDED, BUT ARE NOT NECESSARY OR NEED TO BE TWEAKED OR JUST FLAT OUT KILLED.
AS YOU FOLKS LIKELY KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS FOR LOTS OF GREAT BILLS, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS AS WELL INFORMED AS THEY COULD BE.
UM, AND SO OUR JOB IS TO WORK WITH THEM IN THE LEGISLATURE TO EITHER TWEAK THE LEGISLATION OR KILL IT.
AND SO, AS I SAID, A LOT OF, UM, THE BILLS THAT WERE PASSED DON'T REFLECT WHAT DID NOT PASS, AND THAT'S PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT DID.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, UM, OUR ROLE AT THE LEGISLATURE AS A COLLATERAL DUTY.
I'M REGULARLY ASSIGNED TO THE STRATEGIC OPERATIONS.
LIEUTENANT CARROLL IS NORMALLY ASSIGNED TO SOUTH CENTRAL.
WE CONTINUE IN THOSE JOBS WHILE ALSO MANAGING ALL THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE LEGISLATURE THAT IMPACTS LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND LIEUTENANT CARROLL WILL TOUCH A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT THERE.
SO, AS CHIEF ANDERSON MENTIONED, HPDS HAD A PRETTY CONSTANT PRESENCE IN THE, UH, CAPITAL, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN INFLUENCE ANY LEGISLATION THAT IMPO IMPACTS LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND JUST TO GO OVER KIND OF WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UM, PRIOR TO START A LEGISLATIVE SESSION, HPD ENGAGES EMPLOYEES TO SOLICIT SUGGESTIONS FOR POSSIBLE LEGISLATION.
LOTS OF OFFICERS HAVE LOTS OF GOOD IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN CHANGE LEGISLATION TO MAKE THE STATUTES MORE PRODUCTIVE AND EFFECTIVE FOR HPD.
AND THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD WAY TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT NEEDS FIXING.
[00:05:01]
MUST BE VETTED BY CITY HALL, SO WE DON'T ALWAYS GET TO CARRY ALL THE IDEAS AS OFFICIAL LEGISLATION, BUT IT'S STILL HELPFUL WAY TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUES IF AND WHEN OTHER BILLS COME UP DURING SESSION.WE RELY ON OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO REVIEW FILED BILLS TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT ON HPD IN OUR OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS TO IDENTIFY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGES.
THIS REVIEW HELPS IN FORM OUR ACTIVITIES IN THE CAPITAL AS WE TRY TO EDUCATE LAWMAKERS AND OTHERS.
THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE IGR TEAM'S PROCESS.
SO ON THE SLIDE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE A FORM.
THAT'S WHAT WE SEND OUT, UM, TO FOR ANALYSIS.
AND WE ALSO SEND OUT SOME CIRCULARS LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS ON, UH, CHANGES IN THE UPCOMING SESSIONS,
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE MONITORED WELL OVER 1400 BILLS THIS SESSION THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OR HPD.
WE SPEND NEARLY ALL OF THE 140 DAYS OF SESSION IN AUSTIN, WALKING THE HALLS OF OF THE CAPITOL.
WE USUALLY SPEND ABOUT FOUR DAYS PER WEEK IN THE CAPITOL MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND LEGISLATURES TESTIFYING COMMITTEES TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY BILL THAT PASSES DOES NOT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON HPD OR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN TEXAS.
WE'RE NOT LOBBYISTS, UH, WE'RE LIAISONS AND WE'RE ALSO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO LEGISLATURES SO THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON THEIR LEGISLATION.
SOMETIMES THIS MEANS ARRANGING TRAVEL FOR OTHER SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY ON SPECIFIC BILLS.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OR SEEN SOME HEADLINES RECENTLY ABOUT OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE NATION, GRAPPLING WITH HOW TO DEAL WITH STREET TAKEOVERS.
HPD HELPED WITH THIS LEGISLATION IN 2021 AND AGAIN IN 2023, STRENGTHENING OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS THIS CRIME.
IT WAS THANKS TO OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND LEANING ON OUR OFFICERS TO KNOW THE PROBLEMS THAT ALLOWED US TO GET AHEAD OF THE ISSUE.
A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING H-P-O-U-D-P-S-T-E-B-C, DALLAS, THE TEXAS CHIEF POLICE, UH, POLICE CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION, AND THE DISTRICT AND COUNTY ATTORNEY'S ASSOCIATION.
WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT ROLES AT THE CAPITOL AND SOMETIMES DIFFERENT INTEREST, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, ALL THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PARTNERS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, AND THE COALITION IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE, CHIEF DIAZ WAS ABLE TO VISIT AUSTIN SEVERAL TIMES THIS SESSION TO GIVE TESTIMONY AND SUPPORT FOR HPD AT THE CAPITOL, AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR US.
ASIDE FROM THE MEETINGS, WE'RE ALSO IN COMMITTEE HEARINGS, WATCHING THE DEBATES AND ACTION ON THE HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR, OR WATCHING BOTH FROM OUR COMPUTERS COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND FLOOR DEBATES CAN GO FOR HOURS, AND WE ARE OFTEN IN THE CAPITOL MONITORING THE ACTION WELL INTO THE EVENINGS, SOMETIMES EVEN PAST MIDNIGHT.
WE ALSO REGULARLY CORRESPOND WITH NUMEROUS DIVISIONS OF HPD WHILE WE'RE IN AUSTIN TO RECEIVE BILL ANALYSIS OR GET A SECOND OPINION OF A BILL FROM OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
UH, WE TAKE ALL THESE STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENGAGED AND HAVE A GOOD GRASP ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND HOW IT CAN IMPACT HPD.
SO, AS ALWAYS, AND IN LINE WITH JOSH AND ALEXA, THE HPD STRATEGY FOCUSES ON WORKING COLLABORATIVELY BEHIND THE SCENES, PROVIDING VALUABLE INSIGHT AND CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON PENDING PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
AND THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION ALLOWS US TO GAIN THE TRUST OF THE RESOURCES FOR AND SERVE AS PARTNERS TO THE LEGISLATORS AND THEIR STAFF.
UM, AND SIMILAR TO JOSH AND ALEXA'S STRATEGY, HPD VERY CAREFULLY CONSIDERS WHAT WE LEND OUR SUPPORT TO AND WHAT WE, UM, WHAT WE TESTIFY ON AND FOR.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE, AS I MENTIONED, WE 180 OF THE BILLS THAT WE TRACKED PAST.
UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH 180 BILLS FOR YOU.
UH, WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE 10 ON THIS SLIDE THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD JUST HIGHLIGHT, UM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIKELY HEARD OF THESE BILLS OR THE GENESIS FOR THEM.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA TICK THROUGH THESE JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO.
THE FIRST BILL IS HOUSE BILL 33.
THIS WAS THE UVALDE STRONG ACT.
IT STEMMED FROM ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN UVALDE, AND IT HIGHLIGHTS THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL DISTRICT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN RESPONSE TO ACTIVE SHOOTER THREATS.
IT ALSO OUTLINES TRAINING MANDATES FOR PERSONNEL, NECESSARY EQUIPMENT AND POST-INCIDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL IS TO CREATE A STANDARDIZED AND COORDINATED RESPONSE TO ACTIVE SHOOTER THREATS AND TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
AND SO, WHILE THE BULK OF THIS BILL REALLY IMPACTS THE SCHOOL, ISDS, HPD DOES HAVE SOME TRAINING COMPONENTS, UM, THAT WE ARE MONITORING AND ABIDING BY.
THE SECOND BILL THERE IS HOUSE BILL 1261.
UM, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT MODERNIZES THE PUBLISHING REQUIREMENTS FOR ABANDONED OR UNCLAIMED PROPERTY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY ROOM HAS A LOT GOING ON, AND THE MORE WE CAN DO TO GET THINGS
[00:10:01]
OUT MORE EFFICIENTLY, UM, IS, IS BENEFICIAL.SO THIS ONE REALLY JUST ALLOWS US TO POST THINGS ON A WEBSITE AS OPPOSED TO IN THE NEWSPAPER.
THE PROCESS DIDN'T CHANGE, JUST WHERE WE CAN PUT THE INFORMATION.
UM, AND SO BY MODERNIZING THIS, IT'S, UH, IT SHOULD NOT ONLY LET PEOPLE SEE THE INFORMATION MORE EASILY AS NOT EVERYBODY'S READING THE NEWSPAPER AND IT'LL ALLOW US TO GET RID OF STUFF THAT'S, UM, STUCK IN THERE.
THE NEXT ONE, HOUSE BILL 1902.
THIS CREATES A CRIMINAL OFFENSE FOR JUGGING.
THIS IS ONE THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD ABOUT.
UM, WE ORIGINALLY CAME UP WITH THIS LAW IN 2019, BUT AT THAT TIME IT WAS SEEN AS SIMPLY A HOUSTON PROBLEM.
UM, SINCE THEN, IT, UH, HAS MOVED BEYOND JUST A HOUSTON PROBLEM IS IMPACTING ALL JURISDICTIONS.
AND SO THE LEGISLATURE WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, WILLING TO, UH, SEE THIS THROUGH.
UM, AND WE'RE GLAD THAT OTHER, UH, JURISDICTIONS PICKED UP THE TORCH TO GET THIS PASSED.
UH, THIS NEW LAW ADDRESSES THE PREDATORY NATURE OF JUGGING, UH, BY CREATING AN ENTIRELY NEW PENAL CODE SECTION SPECIFIC TO THIS TYPE OF CRIME.
AND THEN HOUSE BILL 6 88 WAS AN INSTRUMENTAL RECRUITING AND RETENTION BILL.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT DROP BACK FOR MANY OF OUR OFFICERS.
UM, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IT REALLY DOES INCREASE THE RETENTION.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.
DO YOU WANNA DO THE SENATE BILLS? SURE.
SO, SB ONE IS THE STATE'S BUDGET BILL, BUT IT CONTAINED AN APPROPRIATION SPECIFIC FOR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIPMENT, WHICH WAS A MAJOR WIN FOR HPD.
WE HAVE AN AGING FLEET, AND THIS ALLOCATION OF $10 MILLION WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO, TO STRATEGICALLY PLACE NEW VEHICLES WITHIN OUR FLEET, WHICH TRANSLATES TO BETTER POLICE SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
CITY FUNDS ALONE CANNOT GET US OUT OF THAT, THAT HOLE CAUSED BY MANUFACTURING ISSUES DURING COVID.
SO THIS $10 MILLION ON TOP OF OUR NORMAL FUNDING IS TIMELY AND WILL DRASTICALLY IMPROVE OUR FLEET.
THE NEXT ONE IS SENATE A BILL 4 82.
IT MODIFIED THE ASSAULT, UH, ASSAULT IN PENAL IN THE PENAL CODE BY CREATING A THIRD DEGREE FELONY OFFENSE.
IF THE ASSAULT IS COMMITTED AGAINST A PERSON WHOM THE ACTOR KNOWS OR REASONABLY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, IS AN ON-DUTY UTILITY WORKER, IT IS ALSO A CLASS B OFFENSE.
NOW, IF A PERSON INTERFERES WITH A UTILITY EMPLOYEE OR AGENT WHILE THEY'RE PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES, WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? AFTER HURRICANE BERYL AND DERECHO, HPD RESPONDED TO NUMEROUS CALLS AROUND THE CITY RELATING TO UTILITY WORKERS BEING HARASSED OR EVEN ASSAULTED DUE TO LONG-TERM POWER OUTAGES.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT TOOL FOR HOUSTON.
SENATE BILL 1164, UH, ENHANCES LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ABILITIES TO TAKE SUS A PERSON SUSPECTED OF BEING IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTO CUSTODY IN ORDER TO GET TREATMENT, UH, THE CRITERIA FOR EMERGENCY DETENTION, AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY DETENTION FORM, OR UPDATED AS WELL, UH, IN THIS BILL.
AND THEN ONE CHANGE THAT HAS GARNERED A LOT OF ATTENTION IS THE ADDITION OF IGNIA TO THE CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING WHETHER SOMEONE PRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF SERIOUS HARM.
SO AN IGNIA IS A CONDITION WHERE A PERSON IS UNAWARE OF THEIR MENTAL ILLNESS.
SO BY ADDING THIS CRITERIA, THE GOAL IS TO FACILITATE EARLY INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT.
AND THERE'S MORE ON THE NEXT SLIDE ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
AND THEN, UH, AS WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION WILL BE GIVING A PRESENTATION ON THIS NEXT MONTH TO THIS COMMITTEE, UH, SEVEN SENATE BILL 1646 MIRRORS CHANGES MADE LAST SESSION THAT ADDRESSED, UH, CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT.
HOWEVER, THIS BILL WAS SPECIFIC TO COPPER OR BRASS THEFT.
UH, THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN COPPER AND BRASS THEFT FROM THE TELECOMMUNICATION IN INDUSTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT WENT INTO EFFECT MAY 30TH, 2025 AND AMENDED VARIOUS PENAL CODE OFFENSES AND CREATED A NEW STATUTE SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THIS.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE THEFT AND CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LAWS WERE AMENDED TO ADD LANGUAGE FOR THEFT, DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION OF COPPER OR BRASS.
AND A NEW OFFENSE FOR THE UNAUTHORIZED POSSESSION OF CERTAIN COPPER OR BRASS MATERIAL WAS ALSO CREATED.
THIS BILL MADE CHANGES TO THE OCCUPATIONS CODE TO LIMIT RESALE OF THESE MATERIALS TO METAL RECYCLING ENTITIES.
UH, AT AND T INITIATED THIS BILL AND IT WAS BACKED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT STATEWIDE BECAUSE OF CASES ACROSS THE STATE WHERE THESE TYPES OF THEFTS CAUSED COMMUNICATION FAILURES TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES.
SENATE BILL 1902 WENT INTO EFFECT JULY 1ST, 2025, AND IT'S RELATED TO HOUSE BILL SEVEN 18 THAT PASSED IN THE 88TH REGULAR SESSION.
BOTH BILLS ARE RELATED TO THE TRANSITION FROM PAPER, TEMPORARY DEALER LICENSE PLATES TO HARD PLATES.
THE ISSUE OF PAPER PLATES HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS ISSUES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OVER THE YEARS PROVIDING COVERAGE TO CRIMINALS.
AND THESE TWO BILLS GO A LONG WAY IN ENHANCING LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATIONS.
AND THEN SENATE BILL 3 0 3 1 IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS ROAD RAGE BY INCREASING THE PUNISHMENT FOR DRIVERS WHO SHOOT AT OTHER CARS.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, IT AMENDS AGGRAVATED ASSAULT TO INCLUDE SHOOTING INCIDENTS IN WHICH THE PERPETRATOR DISCHARGES
[00:15:01]
THEIR FIREARM WHILE GOING TO OR FROM A VEHICLE OR WHEN THE SHOT CAUSES PROPERTY DAMAGE OR PUTS SOMEONE IN FEAR OF SERIOUS BODILY INJURY.THIS CAME FROM A CONCERN THAT A GAP EXISTED IN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT THAT DID NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS ROAD RAGE SPECIFICALLY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM HEADLINES ACROSS THE STATE, THIS COMES UP FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE SOME PROGRESS MADE IN THE SESSION FOR THAT NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS NEXT SLIDE, UM, I'LL LET LIEUTENANT CAROL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A VIDEO, UH, BEFORE THIS, UM, COMMITTEE HEARING THAT OUTLINES SOME OF THE CHANGES FOR THIS.
IT'S, UH, ABOUT SIX MINUTES LONG AND DOES A FAR BETTER JOB THAN WE COULD DO.
UM, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THIS BILL, SO, OR THIS NEW LAW.
SO I WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT FOR YOU.
DO YOU WANNA COVER A LITTLE BIT? SURE.
SO IN ADDITION TO THE CHANGES WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, AND THEN THE CHANGE TO THE EMERGENCY DETENTION FORM, THIS LEGISLATION CODIFIED THAT OFFICERS CONDUCTING AN EDO KNEE NOT WAIT AT THE HOSPITAL, AN EMERGENCY DETENTION ORDER, NEED NOT WAIT AT THE HOSPITAL FOR THE PERSON TO BE MEDICALLY SCREENED AND MAY RETURN TO SERVICE AFTER DELIVERY OF THE PERSON IN THE FORM.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE IT ALLOWS OUR OFFICERS TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE AT HAND, GIVE 'EM TO THE PROPER TREATMENT FACILITY, AND THEN GIVE BACK TO HELP OTHER CITIZENS OF HOUSTON WITH OTHER ISSUES.
AND AGAIN, WE DIDN'T WANNA GO TOO FAR IN DEPTH ON THIS ONE, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE VIDEO COVERS IT.
AND BECAUSE NEXT MONTH YOU'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION.
SO, AFTER SESSION, AS KNOWN AS PREVIOUSLY, OVER 180 PIECES OF TRACK LEGISLATION PASSED AND NEW LAWS IMPACT DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS IN VARYING DEGREES.
WE REVIEW EVERYTHING THAT PASSES AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND HOW THE CHANGES MAY IMPACT THEIR WORK.
WE ALSO MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION AND PREPARE FOR THE NEXT SESSION.
UH, THERE MAY BE AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FROM PAST LEGISLATION THAT NEED ADDRESSING FOR THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION LOOKS DIFFERENT, UH, THAN WHAT WAS INTENDED ORIGINALLY.
ADDITIONALLY, CRIMES AND CRIMINALS EVOLVE AS TE DOES.
TECHNOLOGY CONTINUING TO MONITOR HELPS DIRECT OUR APPROACH THE NEXT SESSION.
AND SO JUST TO KIND OF REITERATE THAT POINT, THE FUND DOESN'T STOP AFTER SESSION.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AFTERWARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE EDUCATED ON WHAT THE NEW CHANGES ARE AND HOW IT IMPACTS THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND SO IT'S, UM, A LOT OF WORK TO, UM, READ ALL OF THE TRACK LEGISLATION, SUMMARIZE IT, AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO NEED THE INFORMATION RECEIVE IT SO THAT THEY CAN ACT ACCORDINGLY.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK, AND AS I SAID, THIS IS A COLLATERAL DUTY FOR BOTH OF US.
UM, ALSO, I'M REMISS I DID NOT MENTION, WE WERE ALSO ON OUR TEAM WAS SERGEANT HEIDI BRODERSON.
SHE IS RETIRING, AND SO SHE OPTED NOT TO JOIN US TODAY, BUT SHE DID A LOT OF THE GROUNDWORK IN AUSTIN.
I DON'T WANNA, UM, NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S AN OVERVIEW OF OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND ABOUT 10 OF THE 180 BILLS THAT PASSED.
UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, UH, JOSH AND ALEXA AND ANDY, WHO, UM, SUPPORT US DURING ALL OF THIS AND WORK WITH US NEARLY EVERY DAY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE ALIGNED AND WE DE-CONFLICT.
UM, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN AUSTIN TO MAKE SURE THAT LEGISLATION, UM, DOES NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR CITY, OUR, OUR OFFICERS OR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, WITH THAT, WE WILL OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY VICE CHAIR JACKSON AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ'S OFFICE, AND VIRTUALLY BY STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS'S OFFICE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY BILLS THAT DIDN'T PASS THAT YOU WISH WOULD HAVE PASSED THAT WOULD'VE SUPPORTED HPD? THERE ARE A HANDFUL OUT THERE.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL SESSION FOR US.
UM, I THINK IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULDN'T NEED ANY LAWS TO PASS.
UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL SESSION.
UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT GENERALLY DID THIS TIME AROUND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT LESS ATTENTION ON US, UM, WHICH WAS HELPFUL.
UM, BUT I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT WERE NECESSARY, UM,
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON LEGISLATION, UH, ESPECIALLY.
SO I NOTICED THAT, UH, SB ONE, WHICH PROVIDED 10 MILLION FOR NEW POLICE CARS
[00:20:01]
IS RELATED TO ITEM 39 ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA, I BELIEVE THIS ALLOWS FOR APPLICATION FOR THE ITEM, ALLOWS FOR APPLICATION FOR A GRANT FOR, FOR THE $10 MILLION TO REPLACE 166 POLICE VEHICLES.IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WILL THIS RESULT IN A NET GAIN OR NET LOSS OF POLICE CARS OR, OR HAVE US REMAIN WHERE WE ARE? UH, I BELIEVE IT WILL BE A GAIN WE, 'CAUSE IT WILL GIVE US 166 CARS THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, BUT AS LIEUTENANT CAROL MENTIONED, WE'RE DIGGING OUT OF A HOLE FROM THE REDUCTION IN MANUFACTURING DURING COVID.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN GET TO HELP US INCREASE OUR FLEET, UM, IS IMPORTANT.
AND, AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THE, THE BACKUP, SO TO SPEAK ON THE, ON THE ITEM, BUT, UM, LOOKING AT IT, IT DOES SAY ADV THIS, UH, INVESTMENT OF THE 10 MILLION WILL ADVANCE THE DEPARTMENT'S FLEET MODERNIZATION EFFORTS BY REPLACING AGING UNITS WITH NEW OR MORE RELIABLE MODELS, WHICH SEEMS LIKE IT'S A SWAP 166 FOR 166.
UH, I DO NOT HAVE THE BACKUP MATERIAL.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE KEEP OUR CARS AS FOR AS, AS LONG AS WE CAN SO THAT OUR OFFICERS CAN GET AROUND THE CITY WHERE THERE MIGHT BE VEHICLES THAT IF YOU WERE DRIVING IT, YOU WOULD TAKE IT OFF THE ROAD.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT OPTION.
SO GETTING THESE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES WILL ALLOW US TO REPLACE THE VEHICLES THAT NEED THE REPLACEMENT.
AND, UM, I KNOW SINCE WE APPROVED A NEW POLICE CONTRACT, RECRUITING IS UP AND RETIREMENTS ARE DOWN.
UM, HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED, UH, OUR EFFORTS TO PUT MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS? IF, IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN SAY, YEAH.
SO THE NEW CONTRACT, UM, HAS DEFINITELY INCREASED INTEREST FOR, UM, THE POLICE ACADEMY.
UM, JUST REVIEWING APPLICANT, UH, FILES LAST WEEK, I SAW A NUMBER OF THEM WHO SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO COME BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WERE GONNA MAKE MORE MONEY, UM, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY THOSE FOLKS WERE GOING TO DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
UM, AND SO NOW THEY'RE COMING HERE, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, KEEPING THE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE HAS REALLY IMPROVED WITH BRINGING DROP BACK.
THAT WHERE WE WERE SEEING PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAVING AT 20 YEARS NOW THEY HAVE THE INCENTIVE TO STAY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE, THE DROP OPTION.
AND SO, UM, TO YOUR POINT, WE ARE SEEING BOTH AN INCREASE IN RETENTION AND RECRUITING, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
UM, I THINK I SAW NUMBERS A FEW WEEKS AGO WHERE WE WERE OVER 5,300 CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
NOW, HOW DOES THE, UM, VEHICLE SITUATION AFFECT THAT? I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF TWO PERSON UNITS.
OBVIOUSLY IF WE HAD MORE CARS, WE COULD TRANSITION TO MORE ONE PERSON UNITS.
SO HAVE WE SEEN, UH, UH, A CHANGE IN THAT AT ALL YET? WE'RE WORKING THAT DIRECTION, AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF THE $10 MILLION TO ALLOW US TO BUY MORE VEHICLES THAN WHAT THE CITY WOULD, THAN THAN WHAT THE CITY'S BUDGET WOULD ALLOW US TO.
UM, BUT YEAH, AS WE GET MORE PEOPLE AND RETAIN MORE PEOPLE, WE NEED MORE CARS, WE NEED MORE UNIFORMS, WE NEED MORE OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO THE JOB.
SO THIS IS AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THAT.
UM, WANTED TO ASK YOU AS WELL ABOUT, UH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, YOU KNOW, DIVERSION TYPE SERVICES THAT, UH, ARE IMPORTANT, I THINK CAN SERVE A, A GOOD, GREAT PURPOSE.
UM, SO WITH THE LOSS OF ARPA FUNDING, UM, WANTED TO, UH, SEE IF, UH, THAT WILL AFFECT OUR, OUR ABILITY TO, TO, UH, TO ADDRESS THOSE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL, A AS WE RESPOND TO CALLS AND AND AND SO FORTH.
WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU OFFER US ON THAT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THE REDUCTION OF ARPA FUNDINGS DOES IMPACT THE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE.
IN FACT, I THINK YOU, UM, WERE TRYING TO GET STUFF IN THE BUDGET TO ALLOW FOR MORE FUNDING TO KIND OF FILL THAT GAP.
BUT WITH THE REDUCTION ARPA FUNDS, IT DID ALLOW US TO REEVALUATE SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS AND PROCESSES.
AND, UM, IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT IT WILL HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE WAY THAT WE DO, UM, MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE.
I THINK WE MIGHT BE CHANGING SOMETHING WITH THE CORE TABLETS THAT WE HAD BEEN USING, UM, WE FOUND THAT THOSE WERE NOT ALL THAT EFFECTIVE.
AND SO THE ARPA FUNDING, UM, WILL NO LONGER BE GOING TOWARDS THAT PROJECT, BUT WE CAN REDIRECT FUNDS ELSEWHERE TO REINFORCE THE PROJECTS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL.
SO WHILE GETTING RID OF ARPA IS A SCARY THING FOR US, IT DID NOT HAVE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BECAUSE IT ALLOWED US TO REEVALUATE AND STRATEGIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE FUNDING.
[00:25:01]
OVERTIME FOR CERT IS GOING TO BE, UH, CURTAILED OR GO AWAY AFTER, UH, AFTER AUGUST OF NEXT YEAR, IF I HAVE THAT RIGHT.UM, WILL THE DEPARTMENT TRAIN MORE OFFICERS, UH, WITH THOSE SKILLS, OR HOW WILL THE DEPARTMENT REACT? WELL, EVERY OFFICER IN THE DEPARTMENT IS TRAINED IN CIT AND CRISIS DI UH, DEESCALATION.
UM, I DON'T HAVE SPECIFICS ON WHETHER WE'LL HAVE MORE FOLKS IN THE CERT UNITS OR NOT, BUT AGAIN, THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION WILL BE PRESENTING NEXT MONTH AND THEY CAN MORE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS.
STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO TEM CA TATUM'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, CHIEF ANDERSON AND LIEUTENANT CAROL.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, MAYOR PRO TEM CAS TATUM, I APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR EFFORTS AND PRESENCE, UM, DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS AND, UM, SUPPORT OF THE BILLS, UM, THAT WERE PASSED.
UM, LOOKING AT SLIDE NUMBER SIX IN REFERENCE TO, UM, SENATE BILL 1164, THE IMMEDIATE DETENTION, YOU KNOW, UM, WITH THAT IN MIND, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE, UM, FACILITIES FOR IMMEDIATE DETENTION HAVE THE CAPACITY TO COMPLY, UM, WITH THIS LEGISLATION? I THINK SO, YES.
UM, AND AGAIN, TO COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ'S POINT MORE FUNDING AND MORE BED SPACE AND ALL THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES, UM, WE HAVE SEEN THAT BEN TOP NEUROPSYCHIATRIC CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS, UM, RECENTLY EXPANDED A LITTLE BIT, UM, AND MORE BED SPACES.
I THINK THERE'S A RIBBON CUTTING YESTERDAY FOR SIMILAR, UM, ISSUES.
MORE WORK CAN ALWAYS BE DONE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS NEW LAW WILL IMPACT THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH WE'RE TAKING PEOPLE.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE WORK.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT WAS, IT WAS A LOT OF BILLS TO TRACK AND, UM, WORK ON, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.
UP NEXT WILL BE, UM, FLOCK SAFETY REVIEW AND PARTNERSHIP WITH HPD.
WE HAVE, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF MUNICIPAL ENGAGEMENT FOR SAFETY, HECTOR SOLOMON VALDEZ.
WE ARE PULLING UP THE PRESENTATION AND YOU CAN BEGIN WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INVITATION TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AS WAS SAID, MY NAME IS HECTOR SOLIMAN VALDEZ.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MUNICIPAL ENGAGEMENT WITH FLOCK SAFETY.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO HPD.
UM, I KNOW THEY JUST DID, UH, HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION, UM, BUT THEY'RE GREAT PARTNERS OF FLOCK AND IT'S BEEN, UH, WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL OF THE SUCCESS THAT THEY'VE HAD USING OUR TECHNOLOGY, UH, TO SOLVE CRIMES HERE, UH, IN HOUSTON.
I'D LOVE TO START OFF, I KNOW THAT WE'VE, UM, BEEN PARTNERED WITH HPD IN THE CITY AND MANY OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES, UH, FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO START OFF BY PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON FLOCK SAFETY AND WHO WE ARE AS A COMPANY.
UM, WE ARE AN ATLANTA BASED COMPANY THAT WAS ACTUALLY FOUNDED IN RESPONSE TO AN UPTICK IN CRIME IN OUR CEO'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, LIKE MANY FOLKS IN THE ROOM AND THE RESIDENTS WATCHING, UH, HE AND HIS NEIGHBORS HAD, UH, DOORBELL, CAMERAS, UH, VIDEO FOOTAGE.
AND WHEN THESE CRIMES WERE OCCURRING, WENT TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HOPING, UM, THAT, THAT THIS WAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE FOR THEM.
AND WHAT HE FOUND OUT WAS THAT UNFORTUNATELY IT WASN'T, UM, YOU REALLY NEEDED TO HAVE ACTIONABLE EVIDENCE AT THE HANDS OF, UH, PD, UH, TO BE ABLE TO START AN INVESTIGATION.
AND SO DOING, UM, AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH, UH, HE FOUND OUT THAT LICENSE PLATE READERS, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WERE SUGGESTING IN THIS SPECIFIC CRIME, UM, HAD ITS TECHNOLOGY THAT HAD BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME SINCE THE 1970S.
AND, AND TO BE EXACT, MANY OF US, UM, HAVE OUR, UH, LICENSE PLATE READ WHEN YOU GO TO A SHOPPING CENTER OR TO A GARAGE, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT WHAT HE ALSO FOUND OUT IS THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
AND SO, UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, HE'S THINKING OF A SOLUTION FOR HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE'S THINKING OF SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP BE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO SEEING THE COST, UH, AND MAINTENANCE, UM, ISSUES INVOLVED IN THIS, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE GOT OUR START, WHICH IS IN THE LICENSED PAID READER SPACE AS A SOFTWARE, AS A SERVICE TYPE MODEL, UM, WHERE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, COULD, UH, PURCHASE LICENSE PLATE READERS THAT WOULD THEN FEED INTO THEIR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UH, SO SINCE STARTING OFF WITH HOAS AND NEIGHBORHOODS, WE'VE EXPANDED TO SERVE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, WE ARE PROTECTING OVER 1,500
[00:30:01]
BUSINESSES, SO HAVE A ROBUST, UH, NETWORK OF COMMERCIAL CAMERAS, UM, AND HAVE, ARE NOW HELPING SOLVE 2,800 OR MORE CRIMES A DAY USING FLOCK TECHNOLOGY.RIGHT? SO SOMETHING THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, IF YOU ASK THEM, UM, IS A VERY, VERY VALUABLE TOOL.
UM, IN FACT, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IS USING OUR TECHNOLOGY EVERY DAY TO SOLVE CRIME.
UH, 15% OF REPORTED CRIME IS ACTUALLY, UM, BEING SOLVED USING FLOCK TODAY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF.
AND NOW, UM, WE CONSIST OF OVER 6,000 COMMUNITIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOODS WORKING TOGETHER, UH, TO SOLVE CRIME.
SINCE OUR, UH, BEGINNINGS IN LICENSE, UH, WITH LICENSE PLATE READERS AND THROUGH WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, WE'VE EXPANDED TO BECOME A FOOL PUBLIC SAFETY PLATFORM.
UM, AND WE WORK WITH MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT CITIES, UH, WHETHER IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAMS, UM, IN TOURIST, UH, TOURISTIC TOWNS THAT ARE COUNTING THE TYPES OF VEHICLES THAT ARE COMING INTO TO, TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE DO WE NEED TO BUILD OR, UH, THEIR TRAFFIC AND PLANNING OPERATIONS.
WHERE IS THE TRAFFIC ON ANY GIVEN TIME, RIGHT? SO THOSE ANALYTIC TOOLS THAT ARE HELPFUL TO EMERGENCY RESPONDERS USING OUR DRONES AS A FIRST RESPOND, UM, TO, UH, HELP GET THEIR PARKS UP AND RUNNING WITHIN A DAY OF A STORM.
I LIVE IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, REALLY PROUD TO SAY, UH, DUNWOODY WAS A PARTNER OF OURS, USED, UH, THE FULL PUBLIC SAFETY PLATFORM, OUR CAMERAS AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES TO MORE EFFICIENTLY, UH, RESPOND, UH, TO HURRICANE ALENE AND HAVE ALL OF THEIR PARKS UP AND RUNNING WITHIN A DAY.
SO REALLY EXPANDING, UM, BEYOND, UH, A TOOL THAT'S JUST FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OR TO SOLVE CRIMES, BUT REALLY TO HELP CITIES WORK SMARTER, UM, AND SOLVE, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AS WELL AS CRIME AND, AND, AND PLAN AHEAD FOR THE FUTURE.
AS I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, WE STARTED OFF IN OUR CEO'S NEIGHBORHOOD AND PRIVACY AND LOCAL CONTROL OF DATA HAS BEEN, IT HAS BEEN AND IS PARAMOUNT TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
I REALLY, UM, THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DATA IS OWNED, UH, AND CONTROLLED A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, BY, UH, CUSTOMERS FLOCK WILL NEVER AND DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, SHARE THAT INFORMATION AND WILL NEVER SELL THAT INFORMATION.
UM, PRIVATE CUSTOMERS, RIGHT? WE TALKED, I TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A NETWORK OF, OF, UH, IT'S A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
THOSE PRIVATE CUSTOMERS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO CITY INFORMATION.
UH, THEY ARE PROVIDING THEIR INFORMATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE, UH, UH, EVENT THAT THEIR INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO SOLVE A CRIME.
AND THEN OUR RETENTION POLICY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
UM, WE'VE REALLY PIONEERED THE 30 DAY RETENTION, WHICH GIVES LAW ENFORCEMENT ENOUGH TIME TO SOLVE CRIME WHILE PROTECTING PRIVACY.
ALL OF THAT OF THE DATA IS HARD DELETED AND NOT RETRIEVABLE AFTER THAT 30 DAY MARK.
UH, AND THEN AGAIN, UH, FLOCK DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ANY OF THE DATA.
YOUR AGENCY, YOU AS POLICYMAKERS HAVE FULL CONTROL OF WHAT SHARING LOOKS LIKE, UH, IN IN YOUR, IN YOUR CITY.
AND THEN ALSO AS AN ORGANIZATION.
FLOCK TAKES, UM, CYBERSECURITY, UM, EXTREMELY, UM, UH, UH, UH, CLOSELY.
UH, AND WE ARE A SOC TWO, SOC THREE COMPLIANT, UM, ORGANIZATION.
ALL OF OUR DEVICES ARE NDAA COMPLIANT.
AND WE HAVE PARTNERED, UM, WITH BOTH MAD, UM, AS WE'VE SOLVED A LOT OF, UM, DRUNKEN DRIVING CASES WHERE FOLKS ARE LEAVING THE SCENES HELPING SOLVE THOSE CRIMES.
REALLY PROUD OF THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THEN ALSO REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NCMEC.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HELPED SOLVE OVER A THOUSAND CASES OF MISSING PERSONS, BOTH AMBER ALERTS AND SILVER ALERTS.
HPD IS RECEIVING THOSE ALERTS WITHIN 20 SECONDS IF A, A VEHICLE'S ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF THOSE TYPE OF ALERTS.
UM, REALLY PROUD OF THAT, UH, THAT SPECIFIC PORTION OF OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NCMEC.
AND ALSO ENSURING THAT TECHNOLOGY BECOMES A WAY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN WORK WITH ALL COMMUNITIES, UM, AND PROVIDE OBJECTIVE INFORMATION BASED ON VEHICLES, BASED ON OBJECTIVE INFORMATION.
UM, HERE'S A QUOTE FROM NAACP IN, IN OAKLAND.
UM, REALLY KIND OF TOUTING THE ABILITY OF TECHNOLOGY TO DO SO, AND NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON FLOCK IN GENERAL, BUT I WANTED TO DIVE IN TO OUR PARTNERSHIP IN HOUSTON.
AND SOMETHING, AS I WAS DOING MY RESEARCH AND AS IN MY TIME AT FLOCK, THAT I'VE NOTICED THAT IS VERY UNIQUE ABOUT HOUSTON IS REALLY THE STRENGTH OF THAT PRIVATE, UM, PUBLIC
[00:35:01]
PARTNERSHIP, UH, IN YOUR, UH, FLOCK PROGRAM.UM, THERE ARE MANY BUSINESSES, SHOPPING CENTERS IN HOUSTON PROVIDING, UH, ACCESS TO CAMERAS TO HPD NEIGHBORHOODS AND AN A LARGE AMOUNT OF YOUR MUDS AS WELL AS, UM, DISTRICTS THEMSELVES FUNDING THESE CAMERAS, SO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO THAT PARTNERSHIP HAS REALLY LED TO A LARGE AND ROBUST PROGRAM.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WITH MY KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT LARGE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT'S VERY UNIQUE ABOUT HOUSTON, WHERE IT'S BEEN, UM, REALLY THE COMMUNITY GETTING TOGETHER, UH, TO BUILD A PROGRAM.
AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES, UM, VIRTUALLY EVERY JURISDICTION AROUND YOU THAT HAS FOUGHT CAMERAS AND HARRIS COUNTY AS WELL.
AND SO JUST WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE A LITTLE BIT IN NUMBERS? UM, OUR PARTNERSHIP STARTED IN 2021, AS I MENTIONED, REALLY UNIQUE TO HOUSTON, IS THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS PROVIDED TO THIS PROGRAMS, UM, THROUGH YOUR DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.
UM, THERE'S OVER 630 POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN TEXAS USING FLOCK.
SO THAT NETWORK IS AVAILABLE TO THEM, UH, FOR THEIR USE.
THAT, THAT ALSO THEN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IS MORE THAN 40 AGENCIES.
$7.4 MILLION HAVE BEEN RECOVERED IN STOLEN VEHICLES, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WITH, WITH PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY AS POLICY MAKERS IS HOW, HOW DO WE JUDGE IF SOMETHING IS EFFECTIVE, RIGHT? UM, THERE'S A DOLLARS AND CENTS, UH, UH, SIDE OF THIS, RIGHT? THERE'S $7.44 MILLION IN VEHICLES, FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING THEIR VEHICLES RETURNED TO THEM.
BUT THEN THERE'S ALL THOSE OTHER CASES OF HOMICIDES THAT HAVE BEEN SOLVED LOCALLY, UM, AND, AND OTHER, UH, UH, SERIOUS CRIMES.
UH, AND THEN, UH, JUST WANNA MENTION, IT'S THROUGH MY COM UH, COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, HOUSTON PD, UH, WHICH I KNOW THAT THEY REPORT OUT TO YOU ALL.
THEY'VE SOLVED SEVERAL SERIOUS CRIMES, WHETHER IT'S BURGLARIES, HOMICIDES, AND, UM, EVEN, UM, ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT HERE LOCALLY.
AND SO, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HOUSTON PD, UM, REPORTS TO YOU ALL DIRECTLY, AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT, THE SUCCESS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, I THOUGHT IT'D ACTUALLY BE, UH, GOOD TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, WHAT THAT IMPACT LOOKS NATIONALLY, RIGHT? SO THE, YOU ALL ARE HEARING ABOUT, UM, THE PART OF THE NETWORK THAT YOU ARE, ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTING HERE IN HOUSTON, BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE NATIONALLY? NEXT SLIDE, AND WHAT KIND OF CASES ARE WE SOLVING? UM, MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THIS CASE, THIS THIS'S ONE OUT OF LOS ANGELES.
THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL TARGETING, UM, THE UNHOUSED THERE, UM, AND, UH, HAD ACTUALLY, UM, COMMITTED SEVERAL MURDERS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, RIGHT IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
THERE'S MANY, UH, COMMUNITIES USING, UH, FLOCK.
SAME GOES FOR THE LOS ANGELES AREA.
THIS PERSON, UM, WAS CAUGHT IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND BEVERLY HILLS AND LOS ANGELES PD OF REALLY A FULL REGIONAL EFFORT, UH, TO CAPTURE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, VEHICLE.
THEY SAW IT IN ONE AREA, AND THEN THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE A SAFE, UH, STOP, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY ARE WE SOLVING CASES, UH, OF MISSING, UM, AND ENDANGERED CHILDREN AND ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS, UM, BUT ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF, UM, AS A FORMER OR, UH, TRANSPORTATION PLANNER, UM, IS HELPING SOLVE PEDESTRIAN VIOLENCE OR, UM, HIDDEN RUNS AS, AS MANY FOLKS CALL THEM.
UM, THIS IS ONE OUT OF PEORIA, UM, WHERE OFFICERS HAVE OBSERVED A VEHICLE TRAVELING AT HIGH PER, UH, AT A HIGH SPEED THEY DID NOT PURSUE.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE ABOUT THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY.
THIS GIVES LAW ENFORCEMENT THE ABILITY TO BACK OFF, UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT VEHICLE IS, MAKE SAFE ARRESTS, UM, AND THEN, UM, FOLLOW UP ON THAT VEHICLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS INSTANCE THERE, THAT VEHICLE, UM, UH, HIT A CIVILIAN OR A RESIDENT, I SHOULD SAY.
UH, AND, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY FOLLOW UP AND FIND THAT VEHICLE AND MAKE A SAFE ARREST AGAIN, UM, UH, WHEN THAT VEHICLE, UM, WASN'T AN AREA THAT THEY COULD, UH, STOP IT.
UH, AS WE KNOW, GUN VIOLENCE, UM, CA UH, CAMPUS SAFETY IS A, UNFORTUNATELY, AN AN IS A BIG ISSUE IN OUR COUNTRY.
UM, THIS IS OUT OF, UM, EMORY UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS IN ATLANTA WHERE I LIVE, UM, WHERE, UH, THE PD RECEIVED A CALL, UM, ABOUT A STUDENT, UM, ENTERING CAMPUS WITH A FIREARM.
UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT VEHICLE THROUGH A TEMPORARY TAG, SOMETHING THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY IS ABLE TO HELP, UH, FIND.
UM, ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, YOU DON'T EVEN NEED A TAG.
YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH BY THE, WHAT THE VEHICLE LOOKS LIKE, UM, AND THEN MAKE AGAIN, A SAFE ARREST, UM, UH, VERY QUICKLY BEFORE THAT COULD HAVE DEVOLVED INTO A TRAGEDY.
AND THIS IS THE, THE LAST SLIDE.
[00:40:01]
STARTED WORKING AT FLOCK IN JUNE OF 2020, A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE THIS CASE.AND I, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY THINK BACK ON THIS, UH, SPECIFIC INCIDENT, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST AMBER ALERTS THAT WE ACTUALLY KNEW ABOUT, UM, AT FLOCK, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS SOME, A TYPE OF, UH, CRIME THAT WE, UM, ARE HELPING SOLVE FREQUENTLY.
BUT I REMEMBER WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT THIS, JUST THINKING HOW IMPACTFUL THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD BE.
UM, BECAUSE IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE, IT WAS A STRANGER ON STRANGER ABDUCTION, SOMETHING THAT IS VERY RARE.
UM, THE MOTHER THAT'S PICTURED HERE WAS PUSHING HER CHILD IN HIS STROLLER WHEN TWO MASS AND ARMED INDIVIDUALS, UM, CAME UP TO HER.
SHE FOUGHT VALIANTLY, TRIED TO KEEP HER CHILD WITH HER, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO, TO GET AWAY.
UM, FORTUNATELY THOUGH, CHAMBLEE GEORGIA IS ONE OF US, ONE OF OUR FIRST CUSTOMERS IN THE ATLANTA AREA.
UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY KIND OF ONE OF THE FIRST ADOPTERS.
AND THEY WERE ABLE TO, USING A DESCRIPTION OF THE VEHICLE, NOT NO PLATE, UM, JUST THE FACT THAT IT WAS A RED PICKUP TRUCK START INVESTIGATING, PUTTING OUT AN AMBER ALERT AND PUTTING AN ALERT, UM, OUT TO, UH, UH, FELLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE REGION AND GETTING THAT CHILD BACK TO HIS MOTHER BY 6:00 PM SO WITHIN SIX HOURS.
SO REALLY IMPACTFUL WAY WITH JUST THIS TECHNOLOGY, UM, WITH JUST A DESCRIPTION, NO PLATE IN THAT TYPE OF INCIDENT, RIGHT? BE ABLE TO HELP INVESTIGATORS JUMP IN AND, AND, UM, FIND THE MISSING CHILD, WHICH, UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MUST HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MOST HORRIBLE DAYS, UM, OF, OF BOTH OF THEIR LIVES.
LUCKILY, HE WAS YOUNG ENOUGH THAT HE'S MADE WHOLE AND WON'T REMEMBER.
UM, I GAVE YOU ALL A TON OF INFORMATION, HOPEFULLY, UM, THAT WAS GOOD BACKGROUND ON FLOCK.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN PARTNERS WITH YOU ALL FOR A WHILE, SO THANK YOU.
THANKS TO HPD FOR, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO, AND WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR ME TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I THINK THAT WE HEAR FROM HPD PRETTY MUCH DAILY ABOUT HOW THE LICENSE PLATE READERS ARE THE GAME CHANGER WHEN IT COMES TO SOLVING CRIME IN HOUSTON.
UM, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN AND I HAVE THE MOST LICENSE PLATE READERS, UM, IN THE CITY, SO WE GET TO SEE THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, AND THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO, CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT IS THE TYPICAL WAY THIS WORKS? DOES HPD HAVE ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM OR DOES AN OFFICER CONTACT A FLOCK REPRESENTATIVE AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU SEARCH FOR THIS OR AT THIS LOCATION, ET CETERA? THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION.
UM, WE, UH, INSTALL THE CAMERAS.
ONLY HPD HAS ACCESS TO THE CAMERAS THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, COUNCIL PURCHASES.
UM, FLOCK DOES NOT HAVE ANY ACCESS.
AND ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN AN HPD OFFICER SEARCHES THE SYSTEM, THEY ENTER IN A SEARCH REASON.
TYPICALLY, A CASE NUMBER THAT'S PART OF AN AUDIT, UM, THAT'S AVAILABLE AND THAT YOUR ADMINISTRATORS REGULARLY, UM, CHECK, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, UM, ALL OF THEIR WORK IS WITHIN, UH, POLICY.
AND, UM, I NOTICED ON ONE OF YOUR SLIDES THAT, AND YOU MENTIONED IT, UH, FLOCK AUTOMATICALLY DELETES DATA.
THIS IS ON SLIDE FOUR AFTER 30 DAYS BY DEFAULT, HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO WHETHER OR NOT THAT COMPLIES WITH, UM, OUR RECORD MANAGEMENT POLICY AND, UM, OTHER, UH, STATE LAWS THAT MIGHT APPLY? YEAH, SO PRESERVE RECORDS, YEAH.
SO THERE'S NO NATIONAL STANDARD.
THAT STANDARD WAS PUT IN PLACE BY FLOCK IN AN EFFORT TO, UH, PROVIDE A TOOL THAT'S USEFUL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT PROTECTS PRIVACY.
UM, FLOCK ITSELF, UH, LEAVES IT UP TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, UM, TO EITHER, UH, REDUCE TIME OR ADD TIME.
UM, SOME CITIES SUCH AS SAN JOSE AND OAKLAND AND CALIFORNIA ACTUALLY HAVE A ONE YEAR RETENTION.
A LOT OF TIMES CITIES THAT, UM, CHOOSE TO DO SO IS, UM, DUE TO STAFFING LEVELS, UM, HOW FAST YOU CAN PUT A DETECTIVE ON A CASE, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT FLOCKS RETENTION, UH, WILL ALWAYS ALIGN WITH LOCAL POLICIES, UM, AND, AND CAN BE EITHER, UM, EXPANDED OR REDUCED, UH, DEPENDING ON WHAT POLICY MAKERS DECIDE.
SO IN ONE OF YOUR SLIDES, UH, ADDRESSES A HIT AND RUN CASE THAT WAS SOLVED.
AND, UM, ACTUALLY COINCIDENTALLY, THERE WAS JUST A NEWS REPORT ABOUT THE LOW, UH, SOLVING RATE ON HIT AND RUN CASES BY HPD.
AND JUST WONDERING HOW OFTEN, IF, YOU KNOW, HPD USES THE FLOCK CAMERAS TO TRY TO SOLVE HIT AND RUN CASES? I, I DO KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN THIS BLOCK SYSTEM EVERY SINGLE DAY, UM, EVERY SINGLE MINUTE PROBABLY.
SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE
[00:45:01]
FIRST TOOLS THAT THEY LOOK AT BECAUSE IT'S A VEHICLE INVOLVED.UM, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR HPD, BUT OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD DO, UM, IS DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION, AS SOON AS THEY HAVE A LEAD ON THAT VEHICLE, SEARCH IT, OR AT LEAST THE GEOGRAPHY, AND THEN THAT'S HOW THE, THE INVESTIGATION WOULD ENVELOP.
BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY A TOOL THAT IS COMMONLY USED TO SOLVE THAT ISSUE.
AND, AND TO YOUR POINT, IT IS UNFORTUNATELY, UM, ALL TOO COMMON AND HARD TO SOLVE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR GIVING US AN OVERVIEW OF THE FLOCK CAMERAS.
AND, UM, YOU, YOU HIGHLIGHTED QUITE A FEW SUCCESS STORIES FROM OTHER LOCATIONS, AND UNLIKE MY COLLEAGUES, I, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY SUCCESS STORIES.
I'VE, UM, PURCHASED FLOCK CAMERAS WITH MY DISTRICT.
AND SO JUST CURIOUS AS PARTNERS, DO THEY SHARE SUCCESS? DO HPD SHARE SUCCESS STORIES WITH YOU? IF SO, CAN YOU GIVE US A SUCCESS STORY THAT, THAT DEALS WITH HOUSTON OR DISTRICT B OR ONE OF THE, UM, AREAS THAT HAVE FLOCK CAMERAS? THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR.
YEAH, NO, UM, I, THEY'VE SHARED, UH, SOME STORIES WITH US, INCLUDING THE, UM, SUCCESS THAT THEY'VE HAD, UH, WITH, UH, STOLEN VEHICLES.
UM, I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE, UH, THE PROJECT MANAGERS, UM, SO TO SPEAK, AND THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY, UM, TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THEM.
UM, BUT WE DO RELY ON THEM PROVIDING US THOSE STORIES, UM MM-HMM
SO NO STORIES, UH, NOT, YOU JUST HAVE A BROAD CONTENT THAT THEY YEAH.
BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE FOUND STOLEN CARS, UH, BUT YOU CAN'T GIVE US ANY PARTICULAR AREA OR, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW ALL, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE DISTRICTS HAVE, UM, SUPPORTED THIS PROGRAM.
EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT, THEY'VE SOLVED VARIOUS TYPES OF CRIMES.
NOT JUST STOLEN VEHICLE CRIMES, SOME QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES, HOMICIDES.
UM, I WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION, UM, IF REQUESTED AND JUST, I MEAN, YOU'RE GIVING US A PRESENTATION, SO I THINK IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU CAN SHARE, YOU KNOW, THE SUCCESS OF US PURCHASING FLOCK COUNTERS FROM YOUR COMPANY ON HOW IT IT IS BENEFITING OUR DISTRICTS.
I MEAN, I'M GLAD IT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES OR BENEFITING, BUT IT WOULD'VE BEEN GOOD TO HEAR, I'LL FOLLOW UP MORE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AT HOUSTON.
I'LL FOLLOW UP TO GET SOME SPECIFIC STORIES FOR YOU.
AND CHAIR JACKSON, JUST A PERSONAL ANECDOTE.
MY CAR WAS STOLEN AND IT WAS FOUND BECAUSE OF THE LICENSE PLATE READER, SO I'VE SEEN THAT SUCCESS PERSONALLY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE HAD, UM, MURDER SUSPECTS CAUGHT IN DISTRICT A BECAUSE OF THESE CAMERAS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HIGHER PROFILE CRIMES.
SO WE'VE SEEN THAT SUCCESS EVERY DAY IN DISTRICT A, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO, UM, GET WITH HPD AND GET SOME OF THOSE SUCCESS STORIES, UM, OVER TO YOU AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD TODAY.
I ACTUALLY WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF MY SUCCESS STORIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT DISTRICT G BECAUSE IT REALLY HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER.
WE KNOW THAT IF, YOU KNOW, RECRUITMENT IS HARD FOR HPD AND IF RETENTION IS HARD, THEN WE HAVE TO RELY ON TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE SUCCESS STORIES.
ONE, THERE WAS A CHILD ABDUCTED COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL, AND, UH, SHE WAS RECOVERED IN REAL TIME BECAUSE OF THE FLOCK CAMERA SYSTEM IN DISTRICT G.
THERE WAS A, ACTUALLY A MURDER IN RIVER OAKS, AND, UM, IT WAS ABOUT 5:30 PM PEOPLE WERE GETTING OFF WORK.
THIS WHITE SEDAN, THAT'S THE ONLY TIP THAT REALLY FLOCK, HAD THIS WHITE SEDAN CAME IN.
THE MURDER OCCURRED, PEOPLE WERE, WERE THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING OFF WORK AND THEN LEFT.
UM, THIS WAS A CASE THAT HPD SAID THAT THEY HAD NO LEADS TO, BESIDES THIS WHITE SEDAN COMING IN AND OUT.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE FLOCK CAMERA SYSTEM, THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE, WELL, THIS WHITE SEDAN CAME IN WITH ONE SET OF PLATES AFTER THE MURDER, I GUESS THEY CHANGED PLATES, UM, AND WERE CAUGHT LEAVING WITH A SECOND SET OF PLATES.
THAT CAR ENDED UP BEING REGISTERED, UM, TO A RENTAL CAR COMPANY IN NEW BRAUNFELS.
AND THE MURDER SUSPECTS WERE, WERE CAUGHT IN THAT CASE.
HPD SAID THAT THEY WOULD'VE PUT IN SO MANY MAN HOURS TRYING TO COME UP WITH LEADS, UM, WHICH PROBABLY WOULD'VE GONE NOWHERE.
BUT, BUT FOR FLOCK, YOU KNOW, THIS MURDER WAS SOLVED WITHIN 24 HOURS.
WE ALSO, UM, THERE WAS A SHOOTING IN THE FRENCH COURT IN LOUISIANA.
WHEN I FIRST PUT IN FLOCK IN THE DISTRICT, I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GONNA MAKE DISTRICT G SAFE.
BUT WHAT I'VE REALIZED OVER TIME AND SINCE THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING IN OUR DISTRICT IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST KEEPING DISTRICT G SAFE OR EVEN KEEPING THE CITY OF HOUSTON SAFE.
WE ARE, WE ARE CATCHING PEOPLE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
SO THERE WAS A SHOOTING IN THE FRENCH QUARTER IN LOUISIANA.
MULTIPLE GUNS WERE USED, MULTIPLE SUSPECTS.
AND THE NEXT NIGHT THAT CAR WAS PICKED UP ON A DISTRICT G FLOCK CAMERA.
THE SUSPECTS WERE STILL INSIDE, AND THE GUNS THAT WERE USED IN THE SHOOTING DURING THE FRENCH QUARTER WERE STILL IN THE VEHICLE.
AND THEN ONE MORE GREAT ONE, UM, LAST NATIONAL NIGHT OUT,
[00:50:01]
UM, THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FUN RUN IN MEMORIAL PARK HERE IN HOUSTON, AND HPD RECEIVED A CREDIBLE TIP THAT THERE WAS GOING TO POTENTIALLY BE A MASS SHOOTING IN MEMORIAL PARK.AND BASED ON THE CREDIBLE TIP THAT THEY GOT, THEY APPREHENDED THE VEHICLE GOING INTO MEMORIAL PARK, UM, ON A DISTRICT CHIEF FLOCK CAMERA.
I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT HAS CHANGED, UM, THE WAY WE, THE WAY HPD CONDUCTS INVESTIGATIONS, THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO SOLVE CRIMES, AND, UM, I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT.
AND I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED IN MY PRESENTATION, I THINK WHAT IS VERY UNIQUE AND INTERESTING IS JUST HOW, UH, YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE SUPPORTED THIS PROGRAM INDIVIDUALLY THROUGH YOUR DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF F BUT ALSO JUST ON FOR YOUR COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S BEEN VERY INTERESTING TO SEE, UM, HOW INVOLVED THE COUNCIL HERE HAS BEEN, UM, WITH OUR PROGRAM.
COUNCILOR HUFFMAN STAFF FROM MAYOR PRO, TIM T'S OFFICE.
HECTOR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I KNOW YOU RECENTLY MET WITH MAYOR PRO TEM CASTEX TEEM.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL CAMERAS IN DISTRICT K AND JUST WANNA, UH, EXTEND, UM, PUBLICLY THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR ALLOWING THIS PRESENTATION, UM, IN THIS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OTHER TECHNOLOGY, UM, ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE? I KNOW THAT THERE'S THE RAVEN CAMERAS AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL.
YEAH, IT'S, FLOCK IS A FULL PUBLIC SAFETY PLATFORM.
UM, I THINK, UM, WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASPECT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY AND ALSO HOW THIS CAN BE A FULL CITY SOLUTION.
SO OUR DRONE AS A FIRST RESPONDER, UM, PROGRAM, UH, IS REALLY UNIQUE, UH, IN THAT OUR DRONES, UH, WILL BE ABLE TO BE ON A SCENE, WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER 90% OF THE TIME BEFORE, UM, A POLICE CAR.
AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS HELPS, UM, EVERYONE INVOLVED BE SAFER, UM, BUT HELPS OTHER DEPARTMENTS POTENTIALLY.
RIGHT? THIS IS A, A FIRE RESPONSE, UM, TOOL.
THIS IS A EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE TOOL.
AND THEN ALSO OUR AUDIO DETECTION.
UM, WHAT WE WAS VERY UNIQUE ABOUT OUR AUDIO DETECTION IS THAT IT, UM, PAIRS WITH OUR LICENSE PLATE READERS, UM, TO PROVIDE, UM, A ACTIONABLE EVIDENCE.
UM, BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE NATIONWIDE IS THAT WITH GUN VIOLENCE, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S NOT CALLED IN.
UM, AND SO NOT ONLY ARE YOU NOT GETTING THERE TO SAVE A LIFE, BUT YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE AND FOLLOW UP ON THESE, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMMITTING THIS, THESE CRIMES, WHICH MANY TIMES IS A VERY SMALL SUBSECTION OF A, A NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND OUR AUDIO DETECTION IS ALSO VERY INTERESTING AND, UM, BECAUSE IT ALSO IS ABLE TO DETECT, UM, UH, SCREECHING TIRES AND OTHER QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AS WELL.
UM, WE SEE THAT STREET TAKEOVERS, NOT ONLY ARE THEY A NUISANCE, BUT ARE ALSO VERY DANGEROUS.
AND SO THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, AN AREA THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN, UH, IN OUR MACHINE LEARNING TO, TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT AS WELL.
I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
FIRST, WE HAVE ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ.
I DUNNO IF I TAKE A CHAIR THIS TIME, BUT HEY, HOW YOU DOING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, I'M REALLY HAPPY I GET THE CHANCE TO TALK AND HOPEFULLY THE, THE FLOCK GUY'S DOING HERE.
BUT, UM, I'M, I'M REALLY SHOCKED THAT HEARING THAT PRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE NOT ADDRESSING ANY OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE CHRONICLE RAISED IN THEIR RECENT REPORT ON FLOCK IS IN PARTICULAR THE FACT THAT, UM, 66% OF THE TIME THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING SEARCH QUERIES ARE NOT ACTUALLY LISTING ANY CASE NUMBER OR ANY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
THEY'RE JUST SAYING INVESTIGATION, OR THEY'RE TYPING RANDOM LETTERS INTO THE KEYBOARD LIKE A SD UM, IT'S SHOCKING BECAUSE WE ARE ESSENTIALLY IN HOUSTON IN A CITY WHERE YOU HAVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE.
AND IN A CITY WHERE LIKE LICENSE PLATES ARE DIRECTLY TIED TO THE GROSS MAJORITY, MOST PEOPLE ONLY HAVE ONE LICENSE PLATE.
YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY SIGNING PEOPLE UP FOR THE PEOPLE MONITORING SERVICE.
IF, IF WE CAME IN HERE AND SAID, AND FOX PRESENTED A, A SYSTEM FOR FACE SCANNING AND USING AI GENERATION TO, TO FACE SCAN AND MONITOR HOUSTONIANS ACROSS THE CITY, NO ONE HERE I HOPE WOULD, WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THAT.
BUT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE SIGNING PEOPLE UP FOR WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.
RIGHT? YOU, YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO, TO SIGN UP FOR A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO BE MONITORED ACROSS THE CITY, AND NO REAL PROCEDURE, NO REAL OVERSIGHT IS BEING HANDLED TO ENSURE THAT'S HAPPENING.
FLOCK, FOR EXAMPLE, SAYS THAT THEY'RE NOT WORKING WITH IMMIGRATION, THEY HAVE NO CONTRACTS WITH ICE.
BUT WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, ICE OFFICERS ARE ASKING LAW LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO DO ICE SEARCHES USING FLOCKS CAMERAS BECAUSE THERE IS NO REAL OVERSIGHT ON WHAT KIND OF SEARCHES THEY CAN DO.
AND THEY KIND OF HAVE FREE RANGE ACCESS ONTO THE PLATFORM.
THEY DON'T NEED TO PROVIDE JUSTIFICATION BEFORE THEY DO A LOOKUP.
THEY ONLY NEED TO JUST FILL IN THE TEXT BOX AFTER
[00:55:01]
THE FACT.THEN THEY CAN JUST SAY INVESTIGATION.
AND THAT FULFILLS THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE SYSTEM.
I, IF WE'RE CONTINUING TO HEAR HPDS NOT COOPERATING WITH ICE, THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY HELPING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
WHY ARE WE GIVING THEM MORE TOOLS THAT CAN BE USED IN THIS VARIETY? WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THE, THESE MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE SOFTWARES IN A WAY IN WHICH LIKE FURTHER TRACKS AND FURTHER CHANGES THE LIKE WAY IN WHICH HOUSTONIANS HAVE TO LIVE IN THE CITY, IN A CITY WHERE YOU HAVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE? I'M JUST SHOCKED AT, AT THAT, HOW THIS WHOLE PRESENTATION HAS KIND OF COME DOWN.
I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO, TO SEE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF SURVEILLANCE, ESPECIALLY IN THE TIME WHERE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THESE COMMUNITIES THAT HOUSTONIANS LIKE, UM, LIKE IMMIGRANT PEOPLE, LIKE QUEER FOLKS, LIKE, UH, BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS, THE, THESE PEOPLE ARE CONTINUALLY UNDER ATTACK BY THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND WE'RE INSTALLING CAMERAS TO MAKE IT REALLY EASY FOR THEM TO BE MONITORED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AND WHEN AND HOW, LIKE, FLOCK LIKE ANY OTHER COMPANIES AND AMERICAN COMPANY, WHEN AND HOW DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEP IN AND SAY, ACTUALLY WE WANT ACCESS TO ALL THOSE CAMERAS, ACTUALLY WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MONITOR ALL THESE PEOPLE IN THE CITY, AND WHAT ARE WE SIGNING OURSELVES UP FOR WHEN WE OPT INTO SYSTEMS LIKE THIS, OF OUR OWN VOLITION WITH OUR OWN MONEY? AND, AND LIKE I SAID, UM, I'M HERE WITH RICE HOUSTON.
I, I THINK WE'RE CONTINUALLY, OBVIOUSLY WE WERE AGAINST THE SHOTS SPOTTER CONTRACT AND WE'RE CONTINUALLY AGAINST INCREASED MONITORING, INCREASED SURVEILLANCE ON THE COMMUNITIES BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE ACTUAL INTENT STATED, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, OH, WE'RE TRACKING HIT RUN AND IT'S THE REALITY AND, AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT'S ACTUALLY USED IN PRACTICE.
AND, AND, AND I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE, THE CITY IS CHOOSING TO SUPPORT PRETTY MUCH WITH OPEN ARMS. UM, AND, AND I THINK I'M, I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO COME HERE AND TESTIFY ABOUT THIS AND HOPEFULLY TURN OUT MORE PEOPLE TO, TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS, UM, AFTER HEARING THIS PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I THINK THAT THE, UM, THE OVERSIGHT ASPECT OF IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGH HPD, THIS WAS JUST AN OVERVIEW FROM THE COMPANY'S PERSPECTIVE AND THE TOOL THAT THEY GIVE TO HPD TO YOU.
SO ANY OF THOSE CONCERNS WE WOULD NEED TO ADDRESS WITH HPD.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, CHRISTOPHER RIVERA ON VIRTUALLY.
HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, MY NAME'S CHRISTOPHER RIVERA.
I WORK AT TEXAS RIGHTS PROJECT, ALSO MEMBER OF THE RICE HOUSTON COALITION.
AND WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FLOCK SECURITY CAMERAS USAGE.
UH, WE NOTICED THAT SIMILAR TO SHOTSPOTTER, THAT THIS SURVEILLANCE TOOL WE USE TO TARGET LOW INCOME BLACK AND BROWN INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY SUBSTANTIAL RESULTS.
THERE'S ALSO CONCERNS THAT HOUSTONIANS RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ARE, ARE AT RISK WITH FLOCK SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH PRIVATE DATA BROKERS AND POTENTIALLY VIOLATE OUR FOURTH AMENDMENT, WHICH PROTECTS US FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES.
WE BELIEVE THAT FLOCKS WILL BE, FLOCK SYSTEM WILL BE ABUSED BY HPD BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN OFFICERS NOT FOLLOWING PROTOCOL AND THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT OR PENALTIES FOR THE MISUSE OF THE SURVEILLANCE TOOL.
OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, 1500 INDIVIDUALS CONNECTED WITH HPD CONDUCTED MORE THAN 470,000 FLOCK SEARCHES.
TWO THIRDS OF THE SEARCHES QUERIES FAILED TO JUSTIFY OR CONNECT THE SEARCH TO A SPECIFIC CRIME OR INVESTIGATION.
ONLY ONE THIRD OF THE SEARCHES USED TERMS CONNECTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATIONS SUCH AS STOLEN OR WARRANT AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER SEARCHES.
POLICE OFFICERS USE SURVEILLANCE TOOLS IN RANDOM WAYS.
THE OFFICERS OFTEN FAIL TO JUSTIFY THE REASONING WHY THEY USE THE FLOCK SYSTEM.
I WOULD INSERT A SDS AS ALFREDO HAD MENTIONED, WHICH ARE THE FIRST FEW LETTERS ON THE KEYBOARD AS THEIR RATIONALE FOR USING THE SYSTEM.
NEARLY THREE, 300,000 SEARCHES DID NOT JUSTIFY THE USE OF SURVEILLANCE TOOLS.
FLOCK USAGE BY HPD HAS DOUBLED IN THE PAST YEAR TO NEARLY 15,000 WEEKLY SEARCHES.
AS HPD USES THIS TOOL MORE FREQUENTLY, OFFICERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO TIE THE SEARCHES TO SPECIFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.
THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE SEARCHES HAS DECREASED FROM 44% TO LESS THAN A THIRD, ALLOWING POLICE UNFETTERED ACCESS TO INDIVIDUALS DAILY ROUTINES AND TRAVEL PATTERNS WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE.
THIS TOOL ALSO ALLOWS POLICE TO GO BEYOND THEIR JURISDICTION TO CRIMINALIZE WOMEN SEEKING ANY MEDICAL PROCEDURE.
IN JOHNSON COUNTY, THE SHERIFF USED FLOCK TO TRACK A WOMAN WHO WAS SEEKING AN ABORTION.
THE SHERIFF HAD ACCESSED THE CAMERAS IN ILLINOIS, WHERE ILLINOIS, WHERE ABORTION IS LEGAL AND WAS ABLE TO USE INFORMATION TO TRACK THE WOMAN'S EVERY MOVEMENT BLOCK.
SECURITY CAMERAS ARE ALSO EXPANDING THE HPD AND ICE COLLABORATION, RAISING CONCERNS FROM OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES WHO ARE LIVING IN CONSTANT FEAR THAT HPD WILL USE THIS TOOL TO HELP I DEPORT THEIR LOVED ONES.
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS HAVE ALREADY REVEALED THAT ICE AGENTS WORK WITH DTS AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ACCESS FLOCK CAMERAS TO TRACK IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FOR DEPORTATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT HPD WILL OR ALREADY HAS WORKED WITH ICE TO VOLUNTARILY HAND, VOLUNTARILY HAND THIS INFORMATION OVER TO FUEL MORE DEPORTATION AND FEAR.
PLEASE CANCEL THIS $6.4 MILLION CONTRACT WITH FLOCK SECURITY AND REMOVE THE CAMERAS IN PLACE.
THIS MONEY CAN BE BEST SERVED, YOU KNOW, INVESTING IN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, GIVING THEM SERVICES AND PROTECTING IMMIGRANTS AND NOT DEPORTING THEM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THIS.
AND THEN A COMMENT ON HP OVERSIGHT.
[01:00:01]
WE TRY TO, UH, REGULATE HPD AND, AND HAVE THEM STOP THE ABUSES, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO STOP THEM FROM ABUSING THE FLOCK SYSTEM.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ALRIGHT, I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, SO, UM, OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING WILL BE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD AT 10:00 AM PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL NOT BE ON A TUESDAY.
IT'LL BE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD AT 10:00 AM.