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I GET THE PLEASURE OF GETTING US KICKED OFF THIS MORNING AND WELCOMING YOU TODAY.
WHEN MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER APPOINTED ME AS CHAIR, ONE OF THE FIRST ISSUES THAT CAME UP THAT THE COMMUNITY BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, IN FACT, DR.
LITA, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION WAS THE HIGH CRIME IN THIS AREA.
WE STARTED BY PUTTING SOMEONE IN CHARGE WHO WOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION, AND CHIEF 10 HAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.
CHIEF 10 IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING ON SOLUTIONS SUCH AS INCREASING LIGHTING, POLICE PRESENCE, AND STAFFING, AND ALSO DECENTRALIZING OUR POLICE.
AND THE EAST END COMMUNITY SUBSTATION IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT BECAUSE WE WILL BE MORE VISIBLE, WE WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL WORK EVERY DAY WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
BUT THIS WORK COULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT THE HELP OF OUR BOARD.
AND SO I WANNA TAKE THIS MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR, FIRST OF ALL, OUR CEO, UH, TOM.
JASON, I WANNA RECOGNIZE REVEREND PRESTON, WHO'S CHAIR OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, DIRECTOR ANGEL POE, MAYOR BOB FRY.
ALSO, WANNA TAKE A MOMENT, UH, TO RECOGNIZE, UH, SOME OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS SUCH AS, UH, OUR CEO OF HOUSTON FIRST, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER SUBSTATION THAT'S GONNA BE ANNOUNCED LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD THAT WE'VE PARTNERED WITH.
SO, JUST A LITTLE SNEAK PEEK THERE.
UM, BUT MOST CERTAINLY, THIS WORK COULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT THE VISION OF OUR MAYOR FOR A SAFER HOUSTON.
HE REMINDS US EVERY DAY THAT IF WE AREN'T SAFE, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WELCOME TO DISTRICT I TO MAGNOLIA PARK.
UM, AND OUR CHAIRWOMAN KIND OF SPOKE A BIT ABOUT WHAT, WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHY WE'RE HERE.
UH, PRIOR TO TAKING OFFICE, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE EAST END WAS BLINDSIDED WITH THE MOVEMENT OF GREYHOUND FROM MIDTOWN TO MAGNOLIA PARK.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS AS A CANDIDATE.
BUT THEN NOW AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAME ONE OF MY, UH, MAIN PRIORITIES.
UH, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT I'VE HAD WITH MAYOR, UH, WHITMEYER THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, I, BUT SPECIFICALLY ON THIS CASE, UM, HAS BEEN ALLEVIATING TO A SENSE OF KNOWING THAT I'M NOT ALONE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH METRO TODAY HAS ALSO BEEN, UH, A SENSE OF, UH, FEELING, YOU KNOW, UM, GRACIOUS THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT IS JUST IN THE, IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK EASTERN AREA, THAT OTHER FOLKS ARE NOW PAYING ATTENTION.
WE KNOW THAT THE GREYHOUND MOVING HERE HAS EXPONENTIALLY CREATED OTHER, UH, CHALLENGES.
WE KNEW THAT AS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENED IN EAST DOWNTOWN, THAT THERE WAS A INCREASE OF UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MOVING TO THE EAST END.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE, THE, UH, RELATIONSHIP THAT GREYHOUND HAS WITH TDCJ HAS ALSO, UH, CREATED A SENSE OF FEAR.
UH, BUT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT TO THE MAGNOLIA PARK RESIDENTS, SPECIFICALLY INTO THE EAST END RESIDENCE, THAT WE WERE LISTENING, THAT WE WERE WORKING, AND WE NOW FIND OURSELF HERE WITH A, UH, AN AMAZING ASSET IN PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE, THE CORRIDOR FOR THE GREEN, THE GREEN LINE FOR METRO.
WE FIND OURSELF TODAY, NOT ONLY LISTENING, BUT NOW ACTING ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WANTING TO SEE HAPPEN HERE ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
AND SO, FOR, UH, MY OFFICE AND FROM MY TEAM, THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO ENSURE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY BE, BE, UH, CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY ALONG THE HARRISBURG CORRIDOR, BUT QUITE FRANKLY, NORTH AND SOUTH OF HARRISBURG, UH, WE'RE ECSTATIC.
WE'RE GRACIOUS TO THE PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOW MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE OUR EYES ON, ON THE COMMUNITY IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK AND THAT WE CARE.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, TO METRO TO CHIEF 10, UH, TO THE BOARD OF METRO.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING PARTNERS.
BECAUSE THE CITY OF HOUSTON CANNOT DO THIS BY OURSELVES, WE CANNOT, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, WE HAVE FOLKS FROM THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FROM THE CHAMBER THAT ARE ALSO HERE THAT ALSO UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS A PRIORITY TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, CONTINUES TO BE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
UH, SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN MAGNOLIA PARK, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE LISTENING AND NOW WE'RE ACTING.
UH, MY NAME IS FRANCIS CAST ICE, AND I AM PROUD TO REPRESENT THE EAST END COMMUNITY.
I WANNA ALSO THANK CHAIRMAN ELIZABETH BROCK, CHIEF 10, WHO WE BECOME VERY GOOD FRIENDS NOW THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL THE LEADERS FOR LISTENING TO OUR CONCERNS AND TAKING ACTION.
THIS HARRISBURG SUBSTATION IS MORE THAN JUST A FACILITY.
IT'S A CLEAR SIGN THAT OUR COMMUNITY'S VOICE MATTERS.
THIS MOMENT IS ALSO PERSONAL TO ME.
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THE ROAD.I USED METRO TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL, DOWN TO MILBY HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK THERE'S SOME MILBY BUFFS OUT HERE.
AND I ALSO RIDE THE GREEN LINE TO GET DOWNTOWN, AND I TAKE THE RED LINE TO THE NRG STADIUM.
PUBLIC TRANSIT CONNECTS US TO OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TO FAMILY, AND IT SHOULD ALWAYS FEEL SAFE AND RELIABLE.
THAT'S WHY THIS INVESTMENT IS SO IMPORTANT.
HAVING A VISIBLE, ACTIVE POLICE PRESENCE RIGHT HERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BRINGS REASSURANCE, BUILDS TRUST, AND, UH, MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR OUR FAMILIES, OUR BUSINESSES, AND FOR OUR RIDER.
IT SHOWS WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN LEADERSHIP LISTENS AND RESPONDS WITH REAL SOLUTIONS.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE EAST END COMMUNITY, THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN US AND FOR HELPING CREATE A SAFER, STRONGER NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE A LEADER WHO HAS MADE PUBLIC SAFETY A TOP PRIORITY FOR OUR CITY, WHO BELIEVES IN WORKING HARD, WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH PARTNERS LIKE METRO AND WHO CONTINUES TO SHOW UP FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS WITH ACTION AND COMMITMENT.
PLEASE HELP ME JOINING MAYOR WHITMEYER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE EAST END WITH YOUR CHAMBER WORK.
IT'S, UH, I'D HATE TO THINK WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE WITHOUT THE EAST END CHAMBER AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
'CAUSE IT JUST CONTINUES TO GET BETTER AND BETTER FRIENDS, UM, COLLEAGUES, EVERYONE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE TODAY, THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE.
THIS IS WHY WE GO TO WORK, SEE THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE'RE MAKING IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
WE LISTEN TO THE EAST END, THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA, WE LISTEN TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE TODAY.
NOT JUST CELEBRATE, BUT ACTUALLY REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND A SYSTEM LIKE METRO.
WE'RE USING THE METRO RESOURCES FOR WHAT THEY WERE INTENDED TO IMPROVE INDIVIDUALS LIVES.
NOT NECESSARILY BIG INFRASTRUCTURE SHOWCASE OPERATIONS, BUT DOWN IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE NOW CAN GAIN CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE LISTENING THAT METRO IS, UH, PROTECTING THEIR FUNDING.
AND IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT TOM, JASON, THE CHAIR THAT I'M SO PROUD OF, TOM BEING THE CEO, THE BOARD.
PONTE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, SO PROUD OF OF THAT APPOINTMENT.
AND ALSO DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE'VE ALREADY CHECKED OUT THIS FACILITY AND, UH, GETS PASSING GRADES.
PASTOR PRESTON, THANK YOU AND, UH, MAYOR FRY, CERTAINLY SHOWING THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
LIRA, THANK YOU, YOUR BEAUTIFUL WIFE.
I COULD GO ACROSS OUR GATHERING HERE THIS MORNING, BUT REALLY, UH, NOT A WHOLE LOT HAS TO BE SAID BECAUSE IT'S SO SELF-EVIDENT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
WE INHERITED THE MESS BROUGHT ABOUT BY OTHERS OF RELOCATING THE GREYHOUND HERE.
IF I'M GONNA JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY, NO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, NO ONE WAS LISTENING.
IT WAS NOT A NATURAL FIT TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTS, AS WAS MENTIONED, ACTUALLY, THE PAROLEES OUT OF HUNTSVILLE.
USE WHAT GREYHOUND TO GET BACK TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT HOW DO WE HANDLE IT? WE WE'RE SMART.
WE, WE RELOCATE A SAFETY FACTOR HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF METRO.
THE LEADERSHIP NOW DIDN'T HAPPEN JUST STARTING WITH METRO.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE.
I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU THE HANDS-ON APPROACH OF COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
HE HAS BECOME AN ADVISOR OF MINE.
HE'S BECOME A OUTSPOKEN COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOLKS, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S SO NEAT, JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU COLLABORATE.
YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO GET THE CREDIT, JUST GET IT DONE.
PUBLIC SAFETY BEING OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.
NOW BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN IN RECENT WEEKS.
WE MUST BE PARTNERS WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PEOPLE FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I HAVE WATCHED SENATOR ALVARADO COME THROUGH THE SYSTEM LOCALLY SERVING, GOING TO AUSTIN, BEING RECOGNIZED BY OUR COLLEAGUES AS A SPOKESMAN FOR HER COMMUNITY AND FOR THE GREAT ALMOST SAID, STATE OF TEXAS.
THAT'S LATER FOR THE GREAT C CITY OF HOUSTON.
CAROL, I CAN'T TELL YOU ENOUGH HOW YOUR CONNECTION WITH THEIR COMMUNITY, WE'RE JUST PROBABLY WALKING DISTANCE OF WHERE YOU GREW UP, WHETHER IT'S TRANSPORTATION OR RAILROAD,
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UH, BLOCKING OUR ROADS OR PUBLIC HEALTH, TRANSPORTATION.THANK YOU FOR HELPING US DO THIS.
THE STATE IS SOMEONE THAT OVERSEES METRO THROUGH ALLOWING US TO HAVE THE REVENUE STREAM THAT METRO'S ALLOWED.
AND I COULD GO ON, ON, I'M GETTING PRETTY PUMPED UP.
IF I TALK MUCH LONGER, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA RUN OUTTA HERE AND, AND GO BACK TO CITY HALL AND KEEP WORKING, FOLKS.
THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE.
THIS IS WHY WE GO TO WORK EACH DAY.
AND WITH THAT, SOMEONE THAT NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION.
UH, SENATOR ALVARADO, MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE.
LET ME SAY THAT MAYOR WHITMEYER IS NO STRANGER TO THE EAST END.
HE HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME OUT HERE AND AT ONE POINT REPRESENTED PARTS OF THE EAST END.
MANY OF US BLOCK WALKED WITH YOU A LONG TIME AGO, BUT 1992, YEAH, 1992.
YOU KNOW, EVERY COMMUNITY WANTS TO FEEL SAFE.
EVERY COMMUNITY DESERVES TO FEEL SAFE.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER BY THE MAYOR AND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
HOW MANY OF US WERE BLINDSIDED WHEN THE GULF GREYHOUND STATION POPPED UP? MANY OF US, AS IN THE MAYOR'S WORDS, WENT TO WORK.
CITY COUNCIL, UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP, PASSED AN ORDINANCE DEALING WITH THE ISSUES AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE BUS STATION.
REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES AND I PASSED LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE THAT ANOTHER BUS STATION DOES NOT ENTER A COMMUNITY JUST AS IT DID HERE IN THE EAST END.
THOSE OF US THAT ARE NATIVES OF THE EAST END, FRANCIS, MYSELF, JOAQUIN, AND MANY OTHERS SAID HERE AND HIS FAMILY, WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE LOCATED RIGHT HERE BY THE METRO TRANSIT CENTER.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A LIFELINE TO MANY PEOPLE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE GETTING ON BUS OR RAIL OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
THIS IS SUCH A NEED THAT HAS BEEN MET.
THANK YOU TO OUR METRO LEADERSHIP, ELIZABETH TOM, THE CHIEF, AND EVERYBODY, THE PARTNERS AT THE EAST END, VARIOUS COMMUNITIES, VERONICA AND FRANCIS.
BUT LET'S NOT FORGET THAT LEADERSHIP STARTS AT THE TOP.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION THAT LISTENS TO WHAT THE CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE ARE, WHAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR, TO FEEL SAFE, TO BE ABLE TO WALK THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THEY ARE HEARD AND RESULTS ARE DELIVERED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THAT.
THANK YOU TO METRO AND THANK YOU TO MAYOR WHITMEYER AND THIS ADMINISTRATION AND TO MY PARTNER OVER HERE, EVEN THOUGH HE WENT TO AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL.
HE IS AN OUTSTANDING PARTNER TO HAVE.
AND MY COUNCIL MEMBER, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ.
AND, AND LEMME JUST FOLLOW THE, THE, THE ONE THING I WANT EVERYONE TO TAKE AWAY FROM TODAY IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACTOR.
WE DO KNOW THAT WITH THE LOCATION OF THE GREYHOUND AND OTHER FACTORS, THERE HAD BEEN BAD ACTORS GATHERING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO METRO REACTED, BUT I ALSO WANT THOSE BAD ACTORS TO KNOW WE'RE COMING AFTER YOU.
WE'RE NOT JUST SHIFTING, UH, BAD ACTORS FROM ONE LOCATION TO OTHER AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY, EVEN IN ANY DIRECTION.
THIS METRO POLICE FORCE LED BY CHIEF 10 COLLABORATING WITH CONSTABLE TREVINO AND CHIEF DIAZ, IF YOU'RE A BAD ACTOR, YOU NEED TO GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM, GO BACK TO YOUR HOMETOWN OF HUNTSVILLE, OR YOU NAME IT.
THIS IS NOT GONNA BE ACCEPTED YOUR BEHAVIOR IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER TOOL IN LAW ENFORCEMENT'S KIT THAT'S GONNA MAKE THE GREATER HOUSTON AND CERTAINLY WHERE WE STAND TODAY, SAFER, WHATEVER.
AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, DR.
SATIR TO SAY A FEW WORDS IN SPANISH.
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CHIEF AND WE HAVE CHIEF TENANT AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS GO DOWN THE STREET FOR CHIEF OR THE MAYOR.YOU KIND OF TALKED ABOUT LIKE THERE'S SAFETY CONCERNS, CRIME CONCERN.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY WILL THIS SUBSTATION DO TO HELP CURB OTHER VIOLENCE? AND, AND THE SECOND PART OF THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY YESTERDAY THERE WAS VIOLENCE AGAIN ON THE METRO BUS.
A LOT OF EVENTS HEADED TO HOUSTON WITH A LOT OF VISITORS.
UM, WHAT STEPS ARE THERE ANY THAT WILL BE TAKEN OR ARE BEING TAKEN ALREADY? WELL, WE WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHAT THIS DOES IS ITS VISIBILITY, ITS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION.
UH, AND IT'S JUST IMMEDIATELY, UH, MAKING A A DIFFERENCE.
CERTAINLY WE ALL ARE SENSITIVE TO SAFETY ON METRO LINES.
WE'RE SENSITIVE TO IT ON ALL OF OUR, UH, MOBILITY WALKABILITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE REASON I RAN FOR MAYOR.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS MY HIGHEST PRIORITY CHAIR.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOR 30 YEARS IS, IT'S A MULTIFACETED, IT'S A MULTIPLE LAYER ATTACK ON CRIME.
CERTAINLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE OFFICERS.
SO WE'RE DOING ACTIVE RECRUITING AT METRO AND HPD, BUT REALLY IT'S COLLABORATION.
AND THAT'S EVEN WHERE THE COMMUNITY INVOLVES.
IF YOU SEE IT, TELL US ABOUT IT.
BUT THIS IS GONNA BE SO USER FRIENDLY.
YOU CAN WALK IN NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
FOUR, NO QUESTIONS ASKED OF YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS OR YOUR COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOU RE YOU ARRIVE AT.
I'M JUST SIMPLY SAYING THIS, THIS IS GONNA BE A LIGHTHOUSE FOR PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO IT'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE.
METRO LOVES THIS CONCEPT, SO THEY'RE GONNA TAKE IT DOWNTOWN.
WE'LL TAKE IT TO OTHER AREAS ACROSS HOUSTON.
BUT YOU KNOW, OUR RESOURCES HAVE NEVER BEEN AT THE LEVEL THEY ARE.
WE'VE RECRUITED 800, UH, POLICE CADETS, GRADUATIONS IN THE TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN MAYOR, 5,400 HBD OFFICERS, ALL TIME HIGH METRO, CLEVER.
THIS, THIS, IT'S NOT JUST BY ACCIDENT.
WE CHOSE A CHIEF A LONG TERM HPD, EXPERIENCED CRIME FIGHTER TO HEAD UP METRO.
SO WE WANT METRO TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ITS SAFETY.
IT'S ITS OWN TIME RESPONSE, ITS SERVICE.
AND UH, THERE AGAIN, THAT'S REASON A HOMELESS ISSUE IS SO, SUCH A HIGH PRIORITY, THE OPENING OF EMANCIPATION.
AND IT'S JUST GONNA BE THE FIRST OF OTHER STEPS IF WE CAN GET PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE LEVELS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE.
AND IT'S A NATIONAL CHALLENGE.
BUT HOUSTON'S DEFINITELY HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THIS IS LIVING EVIDENCE OF IT AS WE GATHER TODAY.
BUT CHIEF, YOU CAN ANSWER LIKE THE SECOND PART, THE STEPS OR ANY POLICY THAT METRO IS LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT.
MORE SPECIFICALLY WORLD CUP OBVIOUSLY IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
BUT YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEE THAT THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC WILL BE UP ON THE RAILS AND BUSES.
LET, LET ME JUST ALSO ADD MY 2 CENTS.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST MAJOR EVENT THAT WE'VE HELD.
WE, WE HAVE CHALLENGES EACH RODEO SEASON, THE SUPER BOWL, THE FINAL FOUR, THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC.
WE HAD 70,000 CHEERLEADERS THE 1ST OF MARCH HERE.
SO CHIEF 10, UH, I KNOW YOU'VE HANDLED CHALLENGES YOUR WHOLE CAREER.
WELL, ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UH, TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT ONE OF ITS MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY.
YOU KNOW, MEANING THE FACT THAT, UH, PERHAPS THIS FACILITY HERE MAY NOT BE THE GRAND COMPLEX PER SE, BUT IT'S THE STRATEGIC LOCATION AND THE IMPACT.
THIS IS HIGHLY VISIBLE IN A PUBLIC, BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, ROADWAY.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, AT THE END OF OUR SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR RAIL SYSTEM, ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM A PARTICULAR LOCATION.
YOU CAN LOOK BEHIND ME, YOU KNOW, UH, PERHAPS SOME FOLKS GET RELEASED MAY COME HERE.
I DO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMENT EARLIER.
HEY, UH, HOUSTON, WE DON'T TOLERATE CRIME.
SO YOU COME HERE, YOU'RE GONNA ACT RIGHT AND BE LAW ABIDING.
IF NOT, GO BACK TO YOUR HOMETOWN OF HUNTSVILLE BEHIND BARS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S JUST THE REALITY.
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FOLKS, WHEN THEY GET RELEASED, THEY COME AND SEE THAT, THAT SORT OF KIND OF SET THE TONE.AND ALSO IN SOME WAYS IT'S THE FACT THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ALL THE CREDIT FOR, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS SELECTING THE SITE, BUT I JUST CAN'T, PERHAPS I NEED TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE PERSON STANDING NEXT TO ME.
YOU KNOW, PERHAPS ON A GOOD DAY, FIVE FOOT, FOUR INCHES.
BUT, UH, COMMAND AND RESPECT OF CHIEF, I'LL GIVE YOU THE RESOURCE THAT YOU NEED WITHIN REASON, BUT I WILL BE HOLDING YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
ALSO, SELECTING A SITE SO I CAN STRATEGICALLY PLACE MY RESOURCES WHERE IT'S MOST NEEDED.
BUT I DO WANNA REFERENCE THAT QUESTION THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, PARTICULARLY FOR AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY.
THE DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS ON THE BUS.
NOW THERE ARE OVER 70 PLUS MILLIONS OF RIDERS THAT USE OUR SYSTEM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IF YOU TRULY REFERENCE A NUMBER IN TERMS OF CRIMES, IT IS EXTREMELY LOW TO A LOW TO A POINT.
BUT EVEN TO THE CRIME YESTERDAY, IT STEM FROM A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS DATING RELATIONSHIP, NOT IN IN, IN SOME SORT OF VIOLENCE.
PERHAPS JUST GOT A FIREARM THEY MESSED AROUND WITH.
THEY DID NOT HOW TO HANDLE THE FIREARM RESULTING IN A UNINTENTIONAL DISCHARGE.
SO HOW CAN YOU PREVENT THAT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS, BUT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS MAKE SURE THEY NEED TO TAKE SOME GUN LESSONS AND TAKE SOME GUN CLASSES BEFORE THEY HANDLE THE FIREARM.
AND ALSO THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS IT'S THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN YOU SEE STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU LET US KNOW.
I HAVE BEEN TO MANY, MANY MEETINGS AND THE REASON WHY A LOT OF THESE PLANS, POSTURE, CONCEPT, OPERATIONS OF ARE DEVELOPED NOT BECAUSE BAND 10 GOT THIS BRAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN, UH, CAN CONSUME AND CAN ALSO LIKE PLAN FOR ALL THE GREAT STUFF IS THE FOLKS THAT TELL ME THE STUFF THAT I PERHAPS DON'T LIKE TO HEAR AND PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO HEAR, BUT I ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HEAR, NOT JUST TELL ME THE STUFF I NEED TO HEAR.
AND ALSO GAVE ME SOME RESOLUTION AND SOME ACTUALLY SOME PRETTY GOOD IDEAS.
FRANCIS, FOR INSTANCE, THEY GAVE ME SOME IDEAS.
I SAID, WOW, I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FOR, FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE COME, YOU KNOW, PRETTY GOOD FRIENDS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT SEE ON A REGULAR BASIS ACTUALLY PROVIDE ME WITH A SOLUTION.
BUT IT ALL BOILED DOWN TO THIS.
THE BIG BOSS HAD MADE IT CLEAR, CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE CITY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
IF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO BRING IN BUSINESS, IT MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
SO I INTEND TO FULFILL THE BOSTON TENT.
ONE QUESTION BEFORE THE RIBBON CUTTING.