[Public Safety Committee on August 25, 2026.]
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WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY COUNCIL MEMBERS RAMIREZ, MARTINEZ, ALCORN, SALINAS CASTILLO, AND FLICKINGER AND STAFF FROM THE OFFICES OF COUNCIL MEMBER PANZA, HUFFMAN, THOMAS, MARIA PROAM, CASTEX, TATUM, POLLARD, AND CARTER.
DID I MISS ANYBODY? I THINK I GOT EVERYONE.
TODAY, UM, WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION, UM, FROM JIM MALLARD, THE HPD DIVISION MANAGER, AND IT WILL BE ABOUT THE QUARTERLY IMMIGRATION REPORT.
UM, BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY'S PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, I WANT TO NOTE THAT THAT THERE IS NOW A LAWSUIT REGARDING THE MATTER THAT WE WILL HEAR ABOUT TODAY.
WHILE WE WANT TO OFFER AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY AS POSSIBLE, PLEASE NOTE THAT SINCE THIS IS NOW AN ONGOING LAWSUIT, THERE MIGHT BE SOME SPECIFICS THAT CANNOT BE SHARED UPON THE ADVICE OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
I WILL READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL.
THE DATA SPECIALISTS WILL PRESENT THE REPORT AND ADDRESS QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DATA.
THE DATA SPECIALIST WILL NOT DISCUSS THE LAWSUIT, ANY SPECIFIC INCIDENT IN THE REPORT, OR ANY PERSONAL PERSONNEL ACTIONS TAKEN.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ADDRESS EVERYONE IN THE CHAMBERS AND THOSE WATCHING FROM HOME.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISSUE EVOKES VERY STRONG EMOTIONS.
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THE ROLE OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HPD AND FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE DEEPLY IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I RESPECT THE PASSION THAT PEOPLE BRING TO THIS CONVERSATION, AND I RESPECT EVERYONE'S RIGHT TO HAVE AN OPINION AND TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS A WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING IS FOR HPD TO PRESENT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND FOR US TO GET ANSWERS.
I'M ASKING EVERYONE TO PLEASE RESPECT THE RULES OF CHAMBERS.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO CHAMBERS, WELCOME TO YOUR CITY HALL, AND THE RULES OF CHAMBERS ARE AT THE FRONT TABLE.
THEY'RE OVER THERE IF YOU NEED THEM.
WE WANT YOU TO PARTICIPATE, BUT THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS, PROTEST, DISRUPTIONS, CLAPPING, SHOUTING OVER SPEAKERS OR CONTACT THAT PREVENTS THE COMMITTEE FROM DOING ITS WORK WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT SILENCING ANYONE.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN BE HEARD HERE TODAY, WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THIS COMMITTEE CAN CONDUCT ITS BUSINESS.
WE MAY DISAGREE AND YOU MIGHT HEAR THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE, BUT WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION RESPECTFULLY.
THERE WILL BE DIFF DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE STRONG EMOTIONS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT HOUSTON IS CAPABLE OF HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH COMPASSION, RESPECT, AND CIVILITY.
WITH THAT, LET'S BEGIN THE MEETING TODAY.
UM, JIM MALLARD, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME UP.
AND, UM, WHILE YOU'RE GETTING SET UP, WE DO HAVE, UM, SPEAKERS AFTERWARDS THAT HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP.
IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY AND DID NOT SIGN UP, BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK JOSIE, IF YOU CAN WAIVE YOUR HAND.
UM, SHE HAS A SIGN UP SHEET THERE.
PLEASE COME UP AND, AND SIGN UP IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
UM, YOU WANNA RAISE THE PODIUM? YEAH.
DO YOU WANNA SIT OR DO YOU WANNA STAND? SIT.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK IN FRONT OF THAT.
GOOD, GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF COUNCIL MEMBER PECK.
I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER IN THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND DATA GOVERNANCE FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN ASKED TO COME HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE QUARTERLY IMMIGRATION REPORT, WHICH IS, UH, REQUIRED DUE TO CITY ORDINANCE, UH, THREE FOUR DASH 41.
THIS REPORT COVERS THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2026 FOURTH QUARTER FROM APRIL 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026.
THIS REPORT WAS MADE PUBLIC AND PUBLISHED ON THE, UH, WEBSITE ON SEVEN 17 OF 2026.
SO, WITH REGARD TO IMMIGRATION RELATED NCIC HITS, WE HAD, UH, 103 ICE CONTACTS.
THE AVERAGE DETENTION LENGTH WAS 39 MINUTES.
59 INDIVIDUALS, OR 57 POINT 28% OF THOSE WERE RELEASED ON SCENE 19 INDIVIDUALS, OR 18.45% WERE TRANSFERRED TO ICE CUSTODY.
14 INDIVIDUALS OR 13.59%, UH, WERE ARRESTED ON NEW CHARGES.
TWO INDIVIDUALS OR 1.94% WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
AND NINE INDIVIDUALS, UH, DID NOT HAVE NCIC HITS CONFIRMED.
THAT IS THE QUARTERLY REPORT THAT WE'VE
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PROVIDED AND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE IN THE FUTURE.ALRIGHT, UM, THAT COMPLETES THE PRESENTATION.
UM, FIRST UP, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS.
UM, I HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REPORT AND HPDS PRACTICES, BUT I WANNA START WITH WHY YOU ARE HERE AND NOT CHIEF DIAZ AND CHIEF HARDEN, BOTH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTED TO ME AND OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD BE HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC.
AND YOUR STATEMENT OR THE STATEMENT YOU ASKED THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO READ REGARDING TO LAWSUIT IS A FALSE REASON THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE HERE BECAUSE THAT LAWSUIT WAS FILED BEFORE IT WAS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT HPD AND CHIEF DIAZ AND CHIEF HARDEN WOULD BE HERE TO ANSWER THE PUBLIC'S QUESTIONS.
SO, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WHERE ARE CHIEF? WHERE IS CHIEF DIAZ AND WHERE IS CHIEF HARDEN? AND WHY ARE THEY NOT HERE TODAY, GIVEN THAT THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED BEFORE THEY AGREED TO TESTIFY IN THE PUBLIC AS COUNSEL FOR THE CITY? I'M GONNA INSTRUCT MR. MALLARD NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AS IT INVADES THE LITIGATION PRIVILEGE.
WHAT LITIGATION PRIVILEGE EXISTS FOR WHERE CHIEF HARDIN AND CHIEF DIAZ ARE TODAY? THOSE ARE STRATEGIC DECISIONS MADE BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT CANNOT BE DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC SESSIONS UNLESS THE ATTORNEYS HAVE INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO BE HERE.
IT IS NOT PRIVILEGED THE BASIS THAT THEY'RE NOT HERE.
SO DID THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT INSTRUCT CHIEF DIAZ AND CHIEF HARDEN NOT TO BE HERE TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBER BY DISCUSSING WHAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT INSTRUCTED OR DID NOT INSTRUCT? THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF PRIVILEGE.
THAT IS AN ACCURATE INTERPRETATION OF PRIVILEGE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO BACK AND READ THE RULES.
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION IS DIRECTING HPD NOT TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHERE CHIEF HARDIN AND CHIEF DIAZ ARE TODAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES OR NO? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
WHAT CAN'T YOU ANSWER ABOUT MY QUESTION? I'M NOT GONNA ANSWER IT IN PUBLIC SESSION.
THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION ARE REFUSING TO ALLOW HPD TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHERE CHIEF DIAZ AND CHIEF HARDIN ARE TODAY.
IF I'M INCORRECT, THEN PLEASE ALLOW HIM TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHERE CHIEF DIAZ AND CHIEF HARDIN ARE TODAY.
I NEITHER SPEAK FOR THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION NOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE CITY, BUT YOU ARE INSTRUCTING HIM ON BEHALF OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT NOT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I'M INSTRUCTING HIM AS COUNSEL FOR THE CITY THAT IT VIOLATES PRIVILEGE.
AND YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT? I AM.
I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THEIR REFUSAL TO BE HERE IS NOTHING SHORT OF COWARDICE, BUT I WILL TRY, I WILL ASK YOU THE QUESTIONS I HAD HOPED THE CHIEF WOULD ANSWER, AND I HOPE YOU WILL DO YOUR BEST TO ANSWER THEM.
AND COUNCIL, BEFORE YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED TODAY THAT CANNOT BE ANSWERED, WE ARE WRITING THEM DOWN, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET ANSWERS.
MY FIRST QUESTION TO YOU, SIR, IS, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF PUBLIC REPORTS ABOUT HPD CALLING ICE ON INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REPORTED CRIMES.
DO YOU, DOES HPD TAKE THE POSITION THAT HOUSTON IS SAFER WHEN HPD CALLS ICE ON PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO REPORT CRIMES? I'M GONNA INSTRUCT MR. MALLARD NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AS IT INVADES THE LITIGATION PRIVILEGE.
AND IT ALSO EXCEEDS THE SCOPE OF THE ORDINANCE REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION COUNSEL, THAT IS WRONG.
AND IF WE, IF WE WERE IN A COURTROOM, WE COULD CALL A JUDGE AND A JUDGE WOULD DETERMINE THAT YOU WERE GOING WELL BEYOND THE SCOPE OF PRIVILEGE TO IMPEDE THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND INFORMATION.
SO, SINCE I SUSPECT YOU'RE GONNA ANSWER ALL OF, YOU'RE GONNA INSTRUCT HIM TO DO THAT ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
MY QUESTION TO YOU, SIR, IS WHAT ARE YOU ALLOWED TO TELL US BEYOND THE PREPARED STATEMENT THAT YOU READ REGARDING HPDS COOPERATION AND INTERACTIONS WITH ICE? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, MY, UH, CHARGE WAS TO COME AND PRESENT THE QUARTERLY IMMIGRATION REPORT.
AND SO, UH, BASED ON THE READING OF THE ORDINANCE, IT'S A QUARTERLY MEMORANDUM TO COUNCIL.
AND SO I WAS ASKED TO COME AND PROVIDE AN IN-PERSON BRIEFING, UH, REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF THE REPORT THAT WE PUBLISHED.
AND MY QUESTION IS, OTHER THAN THE PREPARED STATEMENT YOU JUST READ, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU PREPARED TO TELL THE PUBLIC ABOUT HPDS COOPERATION WITH ICE? I'M ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT PERTAIN TO THE QUARTERLY REPORT THAT HPDS PUBLISHED.
AND ARE YOU REFUSING TO ANSWER? I I I'M PREPARED TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING IN THE REPORT THAT WE'VE PUBLISHED FOR CITY ORDINANCE.
SO THE REPORT DOCUMENTS THAT ON AT LEAST 14 OCCASIONS, HPD CALLED ICE
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ON A CRIME VICTIM.THAT INFORMATION WAS CONFIRMED TO ME BY OFFICER CAULEY, WHO IS THE, THE CHIEF'S CHIEF OF STAFF.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IS IT HPDS POSITION THAT HOUSTON IS SAFER BECAUSE YOU CALLED ON 14 CRIME VICTIMS? ARE YOU, ARE YOU GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION OR ARE YOU GOING TO REFUSE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION? I'M GONNA INSTRUCT HIM NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
ARE YOU REFUSING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION? COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, ON ADVICE OF COUNSEL? I'M NOT PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
SO WHAT QUESTIONS ARE YOU PREPARED OR WILLING TO ANSWER REGARDING THE REPORT IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT HPD CALLING ICE ON CRIME VICTIMS? I, I'M PREPARED TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE REPORT.
OBVIOUSLY NOT BECAUSE YOU JUST REFUSE TO ANSWER ONE.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR NEXT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS JOINED US AS WELL.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND EVERYONE'S FRUSTRATION THAT THIS, UM, MEETING ISN'T QUITE WHAT ANY OF US EXPECTED OR WANTED IT TO BE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DID WANT TO HEAR FROM THE CHIEF ABOUT THIS MATTER.
AND BECAUSE OF THE LAWSUIT, IT JUST REALLY CHANGED WHAT THIS MEETING WAS GOING TO BE.
UM, AND OF COURSE, DIDN'T WANT TO CANCEL IT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SHARE WHAT COULD BE SHARED.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS NOT QUITE THE MEETING THAT WE ALL EXPECTED IT TO BE.
SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, OUR NEXT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE QUEUE, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY TOO THAT I, UH, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT NO ONE FROM HPD IS HERE.
UM, AS FAR AS COMMAND STAFF, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS NEED TO KNOW.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRUST.
THE LACK OF TRUST BROKEN DOWN OVER THE PAST, I WOULD SAY YEAR OR MORE, UM, IS IMPORTANT THAT WE, WE REALLY ADDRESS.
SO I WANT TO GO ON RECORD AT LEAST ASKING MY QUESTIONS.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, HOW DOES HPD DETERMINE REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME? WHEN, WHEN, UH, AND I, I KNOW THAT THE, THE REPORT SHOWS THAT 39 MINUTES WAS ABOUT THE AVERAGE, BUT THAT'S THE AVERAGE.
THERE'S ALSO SOME THAT ARE OUTLIERS THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE'RE ANSWERING AS WELL.
UM, AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE UNDER THE LAWSUIT, BUT THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE, NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AS WELL.
SO AT SOME POINT, HPD, UH, COMMAND STAFF SHOULD SHARE THESE ANSWERS WITH US.
UM, THE OTHER ONE IS, UH, WE KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A, UH, A, A DECREASE IN CALLS FOR SERVICES IN DISTRICT.
I SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE HAD ABOUT A ALMOST A 20% DECREASE IN CALLS, UH, CITYWIDE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER 20, ABOUT 21% IN CALLS.
AND, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THESE NUMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT SHOWS THAT REGULAR TRAFFIC STOPS ARE LEADING ICE DETENTIONS, UH, AND DETERRING FROM, UH, REPORTING FROM CRY, YOU KNOW, DUE TO FEAR.
AND SO WE, I WANT TO, AGAIN, ON THE RECORD, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THESE, UH, BREAKDOWN IN TRUST WHEN FOLKS ARE NOT, UM, FEELING SAFE TO CALL HPD.
UH, I'VE BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF SAYING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD THIS RELATIONSHIP.
UH, BUT THE MORE THAT WE, WE, UM, STOP, OR THE MORE THAT WE ALLOW THIS KIND OF, UH, DIVISION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THE CAUSE THAT ARE, THAT ARE NEEDING OR WANTING TO BE MADE, BUT THEN FEAR OF OF ICE COMING IS CAUSING A, A HUGE CHALLENGE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND I CAN SPEAK SPECIFICALLY FOR DISTRICT.
I, UH, THE OTHER ONE THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO, UM, BRING UP.
THIS PAST WEEK WE HAD SOMEONE COME IN, UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS A SHOOTING THAT WAS REPORTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS ULTIMATELY PICKED UP BY ICE.
UH, THE REQUEST FROM MY OFFICE TO THE CHIEF WAS, WAS THAT, UH, THAT WE REQUESTED A U VISA FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL.
UM, I DID GET A RESPONSE BACK FROM CHIEF DIAZ.
I I STILL FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE AS HPD PROTECTING THOSE THAT ARE CALLING, UH, IN, IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
SO, UM, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THIS.
AGAIN, I, I REALLY FEEL LIKE HPD COMMAND STAFF SHOULD BE HERE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE, BUT, AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LAWSUIT, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT, UH, HOW MANY, UM, HOW MANY U VISAS HAVE WE CERTIFIED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WHEN, WHEN A CRIME WAS REPORTED? UH, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE, BUT WE CAN TAKE THAT QUESTION AND GET THAT BACK TO YOU IF, IF IT WERE AVAILABLE.
YEAH, DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE START UTILIZING OUR TOOLS WITHIN THE TOOLBOX TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, UH, DIMINISHING THAT FEAR WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE, AND I'VE SPOKEN A A LOT AROUND THIS HORSESHOE, BUT ALSO WITH, WITH THE CHIEF, UM, IS THE COMMUNITY LIAISONS.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO HAVE THOSE LIAISONS, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MORE FORWARD FACING.
SO AGAIN, THE TRUST WITH COMMUNITY AND HPD IS IMPORTANT.
THE NARRATIVE THAT HPD IS ICE IS FALSE.
I WANNA GO ON THE RECORD OF SAYING THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO COMPLY WITH BECAUSE OF SB FOUR, BUT THE, THAT'S A FALSE NARRATIVE THAT UNFORTUNATELY,
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AT THE END OF THE DAY, PERCEPTION IS REALITY.AND THAT, AGAIN, UH, THAT DECREASES THE TRUST WITHIN COMMUNITY AND HPD.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT HOUSTONIANS ARE, ARE SAFE, ALL HOUSTONIANS, NO MATTER STATUS, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO, TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT BREAKING DOWN THAT TRUST AND WE'RE, WE'RE BEING MORE TRANSPARENT, MORE COMMUNICATIVE, UH, WITH COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND I AGREE THAT WHEN, UM, POSSIBLE, THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT DEFINITELY NEED TO BE ANSWERED.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND I WANNA ECHO THE FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT HOW THIS MEETING HAS, HAS EVOLVED INTO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM CONSTITUENTS AS I WAS OUT AT CIVIC CLUBS OUT IN MY DISTRICT, THE HEADLINES THAT PEOPLE WOULD READ AND THE FEAR THAT THAT WAS CAUSING AMONGST FOLKS FROM BEING ABLE TO REPORT AN INCIDENT OR BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT TO HPD FOR HELP.
AND THIS MEETING WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHED LIGHT ON INTERACTIONS ON THIS REPORT AND DIG INTO DETAILS AND GET FACTS OUT, UM, WHICH IS NOW NOT HAPPENING TODAY.
SO I, I WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS REPORT, UH, THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY GOING TO ASK, BUT GIVEN THE NATURE OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH THIS LAWSUIT, UH, TRY AND GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION OUT.
SO THE 103 ICE CONTACTS THAT WERE REPORTED HERE, THIS IS A THREE MONTH PERIOD THAT THIS WAS REPORTED OVER, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, APRIL 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026.
SO FROM, FROM JANUARY 1ST TO MAY 31ST, UH, THE NUMBERS WERE LOWER THAN THE 103 FROM THE, THE FOLLOWING THREE MONTHS.
WHAT LED TO THAT UPTICK IN THE 103 ICE CONTACTS FROM APRIL TO THE END OF THIS REPORT VERSUS THE PREVIOUS THREE MONTHS? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA SET A AVAILABLE, UH, TO ME RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
I, I'M ONLY PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE DATA IN THE, IN THE REPORT HERE.
UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE NOTE OF THAT AND, AND, UH, GET THAT BACK TO YOU.
SO THEN, FOR THE 103 REPORTED IN THIS REPORT, WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST DRIVERS FOR THE CONTACTS? MM-HMM
SO, UM, ABOUT, UH, 45% OR 46 OF THEM WERE TRAFFIC STOPS.
UH, 34 OR 33% WERE CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND, UH, 17% OR 17 WERE ACCIDENT SCENES.
SO WE GOT CALLS FOR SERVICE ACCIDENT SCENES AND TRAFFIC STOPS, AND THEN WE CAN SEE THE DISPOSITIONS BELOW WITH FOLKS THAT WERE TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL, ET CETERA.
UM, ON THE 39 MINUTE AVERAGE DETENTION TIME.
SO THIS IS POST THE 30 MINUTE POLICY, UH, THAT WAS IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE, THE REVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM THAT WAS REQUIRED TO EXTEND A, A STOP BEYOND THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE STOP? I'M GONNA INSTRUCT, UM, HIM NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BASED ON THE LITIGATION PRIVILEGE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK ALL OF MY QUESTIONS ARE GONNA END UP IN THAT CATEGORY, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, SO WHEN THE LAWSUIT IS RESOLVED, MY, MY HOPE IS THAT THE CHIEF AND, AND, UH, CHIEF HARDIN WILL COME TO DISCUSS THIS, UH, BECAUSE I DO, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT AS WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE REBUILDING OF TRUST, GETTING FACTS AND TRANSPARENT INFORMATION OUT THERE SO PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN'T HAPPENING.
UH, THAT IS A KEY STEP IN THAT PROCESS AND IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
AND WE ARE ALSO JOINED, UM, BY VICE CHAIR, UM, JACKSON AS WELL.
UM, GOT A QUESTION FOR WHEN AN OFFICER MAKES A STOP AND THEY GET A HIT FROM ICE, DOES THE OFFICER EVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE HIT WAS FOR? UH, DOES HE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS, UH, THEY CAME INTO THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY OR MAYBE THEY KIND OF CAME TO THE COUNTRY LEGALLY THAT THE VISAS EXPIRED? OR WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THERE'S A CRIME THEY COMMITTED, MAYBE EVEN COMMITTED A MURDER OR RAPE? DO WE KNOW WHAT CRIME WAS COMMITTED WHEN WE GET THE HIT FROM ICE? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, UH, ON ADVISIVE COUNSEL ON UNABLE TO ADDRESS, UH, ISSUES OF POLICY OR PRACTICE.
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SO 57.28% OF THE TIME WHEN YOU GOT A HIT FROM ICE, ICE CAME BACK AND SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THIS PERSON.WE DON'T HAVE PERSONNEL TO GET 'EM, OR WHATEVER THE CASE, IT WASN'T ANOTHER PRIORITY.
IS THAT CORRECT? WHEN THE HIT IS RETURNED, UH, THERE CAN BE A VARIETY OF OUTCOMES FROM THOSE, AND THOSE ARE IN THE, UH, THE DATA SET THAT WAS PROVIDED, WHAT THE OUTCOMES ARE FROM THOSE HITS.
BUT ISIS SAID WE'RE NOT GONNA BOTHER WITH THEM.
THAT THE, THE, THE HIT WAS CORRECT FOR THE 103 HITS NO.
I DON'T, PRESUMABLY THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR, FOR ICE TO, TO, UH, TAKE CUSTODY.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER NINE INCIDENTS WHERE IT SAYS, HITS NOT CONFIRMED? I ASSUME THAT WAS ICE COMING BACK AND SAYING, NO, THAT'S NOT A VALID, THAT'S A, A POLICY ISSUE I CAN'T ADDRESS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS FOR THE LAST MONTH TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT THIS MEETING, SO IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING MORE, UM, MORE INFORMATION OUT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE POSITION YOU'RE IN AND, UM, BUT JUST WANNA, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, IT'S PUBLIC REALLY DOES WANNA KNOW ABOUT THIS.
I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THE 46 TRAFFIC STOPS.
'CAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WERE FOCUSED ON, UM, IN EARLIER IN THE SPRING WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE LENGTH OF TIME OF TRAFFIC STOPS.
AND IN THE REPORT THERE'S DIFFERENT STATUSES MENTIONED.
UM, ACTIVE WARRANT, IMMIGRATION VIOLATION, FAILURE TO APPEAR IN ACTIVE WARRANT, IMMIGRATION VIOLATION, FAILURE TO APPEAR, IIG, ACTIVE WARRANT, IMMIGRATION, ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE? UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE DIFFERENT STATUSES THAT COME UP, UM, WHEN A TR WHEN THERE'S A TRAFFIC STOP AND LIKE, WHAT'S IMMIGRATION ADMINISTRATIVE? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT METHODOLOGY.
I WASN'T INVOLVED IN CATEGORIZING THEM.
UH, SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND GET FIRM RECOMMENDATIONS OF THOSE.
I'D LIKE A, A GOOD EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE DIFFERENT STATUSES ARE THAT SURE.
THAT, THAT, UM, THAT ARE SEEN BY THE OFFICERS PULLING OVER THE OFFICERS.
I WANTED TO, UM, ADDRESS, I, I HEAR THE COURSE, THE FRUSTRATION FROM MY COLLEAGUES, AND I THINK WE ALL WERE EXPECTING MORE INFORMATION.
UM, BUT I LIKE TO HAVE CLARITY, MADAM CHAIR FOR THE RECORD, IF WE WOULD RECEIVE THAT OUR ATTORNEY, CITY ATTORNEY OFFICE HAS ADDRESSED THE FACT THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN QUESTIONS THAT HE'S NOT ABLE TO ANSWER.
SO FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, MAD CHAIR, WOULD IT BE RIGHT TO ASSUME THAT MORE INFORMATION THAT THE COLLEAGUES ARE ASKING FOR IS FORTH, COMING FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT THE CHIEF IS NOT HERE, UM, UH, AN EXECUTIVE CHIEF? SO ARE WE, CAN WE ADDRESS THE FACT MAYBE FROM A TURN, UH, THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS FORTHCOMING? OR DO WE NEED TO GIVE THE QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIR THAT WE ALL CAN GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED THAT WE ARE ASKING? SINCE IT'S NOT TODAY? I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T, I THINK WE ARE NOT TRYING TO ASSUME SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE ABOUT.
IF THERE'S A LEGAL MATTER GOING ON AND, AND LEGAL TERMS, THEY KNOW PRETTY MUCH THE ESSENCE OF THAT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO BE ASSURED, BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL WERE EXPECTING CERTAIN ANSWERS AND THINGS QUESTIONING.
NOT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PUT A NEGATIVE IMAGE OVER OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT, BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS AND ISSUES THAT I THINK ALL OF US WERE PREPARED TO ASK FOR.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T WANNA SUGGEST THAT IT IS NEVER COMING.
SO COULD WE ASSUME THAT THAT INFORMATION IS FORTHCOMING? UM, C COUNCIL MEMBER? THERE ARE CERTAINLY AVENUES FOR COUNCIL TO REQUEST, UM, PRIVILEGED INFORMATION
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THROUGH THE CITY ATTORNEY.I'M LIMITED TO THE REPRESENTATION OF THE LITIGATION, BUT I THINK THROUGH THE CHAIR YOU CAN REQUEST COMMUNICATIONS OR ADVICE OR INFORMATION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO SINCE WE, SINCE IT, THE LAWSUIT IS, IT'S IN PLAY, RIGHT? THE LAWSUIT IS WE IN THAT STATUS, UM, WE ARE IN THE STATUS OF INVOKING THE LITIGATION PRIVILEGE? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THEN WE WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE PRIVILEGE PRIVY TO US AND THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT'S NOT THAT THE CHAIR CAN GET, OR THE COMMITTEE ITSELF.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, I SHARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, THAT WE, I THINK WE ALL HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT ANSWERS TO MM-HMM
THAT WE'RE UNABLE TO GET TODAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY DID NOT WANT TO CANCEL THIS COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE OUT TO COM, YOU KNOW, TO CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS AND TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'RE MEETING TODAY.
SO WE WANTED TO OFFER WHATEVER TRANSPARENT INFORMATION THAT WE POSSIBLY COULD.
I WISH THAT THERE WAS MORE THAT COULD BE OFFERED TODAY.
UM, AND I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE WASN'T MORE THAT COULD BE SAID.
UM, BUT YES, THERE IS PRIVILEGED INFORMATION FROM MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT COULD BE SHARED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC HAS THIS INFORMATION AFTER THE LAWSUIT IS DONE.
THIS IS INFORMATION THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT, THIS IS YOUR GOVERNMENT AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE WHEN POSSIBLE.
BUT DUE TO THE LAWSUIT, WE CAN'T DO IT RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE WE REPRESENT THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY, THE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS LOOK TO US AS WELL AS OUR, UM, LAW ENFORCERS AND OTHER PEOPLE LOOK TO US TO MAKE DECISIONS ADEQUATELY.
THAT'S WHY I WANT TO SAY, I DON'T WANT TO CROSS THE LINE.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US AROUND THE HORSE, YOU WANT TO CROSS A LINE THAT COULD, COULD HURT, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION ANY FURTHER.
AND I JUST WANT TO GET CLARITY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE LINES ARE DRAWN AND YOU COULD CROSS OR NOT CROSS, BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AS THE COUNCIL THAT REPRESENTS, WE WANT TO BE FAIR ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT ISSUE, AND PARTICULARLY THE PEOPLE WHO BEEN AFFECTED BY IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, WHEN DID YOU LEARN THAT YOU WERE GONNA BE TESTIFYING AT THE COMMITTEE HEARING TODAY? I'M GONNA INSTRUCT HIM NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AS IT VIOLATES PRIVILEGE.
WHAT IS YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE AT HPD? UH, DIVISION MANAGER.
WHAT DOES THAT ROLE ENTAIL? MANAGING? WHAT ARE YOU MANAGING? WELL, I, I HAVE, UH, A TEAM OF ANALYSTS AND SO WE RESPOND TO TPIA REQUESTS, WE RESPOND A LOT OF, UH, REQUESTS FROM COUNCIL, UH, FOR DATA REQUESTS AND INFORMATION.
WE ALSO, UH, DEAL WITH, UH, DATABASES, DATA ARCHITECTURE AND DATA GOVERNANCE, UH, INTERNAL IN TERMS OF POLICIES, UH, REGARDING DATA.
HOW MUCH TIME DID YOU SPEND PREPARING TO TESTIFY HERE TODAY? DID DID YOU SPEND MORE THAN 30 MINUTES? YES.
DID YOU SPEND MORE THAN AN HOUR? YES.
DID YOU SPEND MORE THAN FIVE HOURS? NO.
WHAT DID YOU DO TO PREPARE TO TESTIFY TODAY? WELL, AS I SAID EARLIER, UH, I DIDN'T, UH, PRODUCE THIS REPORT.
AND SO, UH, I REVIEWED THE DATA, UH, REVIEWED THE, UH, INFORMATION THAT HAD BEEN PUT OUT PUBLICLY, UM, AND FAMILIARIZED MYSELF WITH THIS.
UH, I HAVE DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE, BUT FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES IN MY SHOP.
UH, SO I FAMILIARIZED MYSELF WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WAS OUT THERE.
YOU JUST SAID THAT YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH THIS INFORMATION, YET YOU COULDN'T ANSWER.
VERY BASIC QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE NOTICES WERE WHEN THEY RUN THE NNC, THE NCIC REPORT.
IF YOU AREN'T AWARE OF THAT VERY BASIC INFORMATION, UM, WHY SHOULD WE BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE PREPARED TO TESTIFY TODAY? SO I WAS ASKED TO COME AND PRESENT ON THE DATA THAT'S PRESENTED IN THE REPORT THAT'S IN THE DATA.
SO NOT TO ADDRESS THE, UH, PROCEDURAL OR METHODOLOGICAL, UM, UH, ASPECTS OF, OF POLICE ENFORCEMENT.
SO I'M NOT A POLICE OFFICER, I'M A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE.
I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR APPLYING THE LAW IN THE FIELD.
AND THOSE QUESTIONS RELATE TO THAT ASPECT OF IT, AND IT EXCEEDS THE SCOPE OF WHAT, OF WHAT I'M HERE TO PRESENT.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO TELL US ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE BLACK AND WHITE DATA WE SEE ON THE SPREADSHEET? COUNCIL MEMBER? I WAS ASKED TO COME AND REPORT ORALLY ON THE QUARTERLY IMMIGRATION REPORT.
AGAIN, I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO TELL US ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE BLACK AND WHITE DATA THAT WE SEE ON THE SPREADSHEET? I'M PRE PREPARED TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE DATA IN THIS REPORT.
[00:30:01]
OKAY.THERE IS AN ENTRY, THERE ARE SEVERAL ENTRIES THAT GO WELL PAST AN HOUR DETAINING FOR TRAFFIC STOPS.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO TELL US ONE, IF YOU BELIEVE THOSE STOPS WERE REASONABLE AND WITHIN HPDS POLICY? C CAN YOU START THERE? I'M GONNA INSTRUC HIM NOT TO ANSWER.
BASED ON THE PRIVILEGE, CAN YOU TELL US WHY HPD WAITED FOR OVER AN HOUR ON THE STOPS, THE TRAFFIC STOPS? I'M GONNA INSTRUCT HIM NOT TO ANSWER BASED ON PRIVILEGE.
I, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, UM, YOU KNOW, MR. MALLARD HERE, I THINK WE'RE PUTTING HIM IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION BECAUSE HE, YOU KNOW, WAS TOLD TO COME AND ANSWER INFORMATION ABOUT DATA, JUST SPECIFICALLY WHAT'S ON THIS INFORMATION.
I KNOW WE ALL WANT MORE INFORMATION THAN WHAT WE'RE BEING GIVEN TODAY.
UM, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULT POSITION WE'RE PUTTING HIM IN WHEN HE HAS INFORMATION THAT THAT IS ALL THAT HE IS ABLE TO GIVE US TODAY.
UM, AND, AND PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
I WANT YOU TO GET ALL THE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT YOU WANT TO ASK, AND WE'LL, WE'RE COMPILING THEM.
AND ANYTHING THAT CAN'T BE ANSWERED TODAY, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT HPD AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT REACHES OUT TO YOU WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME BACK INTO A ROOM AND TRY TO GIVE ME THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THESE AREN'T MY QUESTIONS.
THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE COMPILED FROM THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THE PUBLIC IS DEMANDING ANSWERS.
AND SINCE IT'S CLEAR YOU'RE NOT GONNA ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THE VERY CLEAR RECORD.
SOON AFTER THE REPORT WAS RELEASED, OUR OFFICE SENT A LETTER TO THE MAYOR ASKING THAT HPD COME TO COUNCIL AND EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC THE INFORMATION AND THE TRANSPARENCY REPORT.
FOLLOWING IN THAT LETTER, THE ADMINISTRATION IN IT PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED ON JULY 29TH THAT THERE WOULD BE A COMMITTEE HEARING WHERE HPD WOULD COME AND EXPLAIN THE TRA THIS TRANSPARENCY REPORT THAT IS THE RESULT OF THE ORDINANCE THAT THIS COUNCIL PASSED ON AUGUST 3RD, A LAWSUIT WAS FILED AND ON AUGUST 4TH, HPD INFORMED US THAT THEY WOULD MOVE THE DATE FROM AUGUST 11TH TO TODAY.
FOLLOWING THE AUGUST 3RD ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE LAWSUIT, CHIEF DIAZ AND CHIEF HARDIN REPEATEDLY TOLD MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD PERSONALLY APPEAR AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT.
SO I WANTED TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC THAT NOW THIS NEW EXCUSE FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS OF THE LAWSUIT IS FALSE BECAUSE HPD AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WERE FULLY AWARE OF THE LAWSUIT THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE PUBLICLY REPORTED ABOUT IT BEFORE THEY MADE ASSURANCES TO ALL OF US THAT THEY WOULD BE HERE.
AND I ALSO WANNA GO ON RECORD IN SAYING THAT ALL OF THE PRIVILEGED CALLS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THUS FAR ARE WRONG.
AND IT IS SUCH A SHAME THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS HIDING BEHIND A FARCE OF A PRIVILEGED CLAIM TO TRY TO KEEP STEVE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO HIDE FROM THE PUBLIC.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHIEF THAT HE BELIEVES THIS IS WORKING GREAT AND THAT HE THINKS WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS CORRECT.
AND IF THEY TRULY BELIEVE THAT, I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THEY ARE AFRAID TO COME EXPLAIN THAT TO THE PUBLIC.
OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T THINK IT'S GOING AS WELL AS THEY WERE TELLING US BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I HOPE SOON THAT HPD WILL COME TO THE PUBLIC AND EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING.
UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I AGREE WITH YOUR SENTIMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO GET THE INFORMATION.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO GIVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE JUST CANCELED THIS MEETING AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SINCE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT COULD BE SHARED TODAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN SOMETIMES COMMITTEE MEETINGS HAPPEN AND THINGS ARE SCHEDULED BEFORE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT REALLY GETS A HOLD OF IT AND THEN PUTS A STOP TO THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED TODAY.
BUT I AGREE THAT IT'S, IT'S FRUSTRATING THAT WE DON'T HAVE MORE INFORMATION TODAY.
UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PELLA'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE A NOTE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PANZA WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING THIS MEETING AND HEARING THE PRESENTATION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE DATE WAS POSTPONED, I BELIEVE SO THAT THE CHIEFS COULD BE HERE, UM, IT CONFLICTED WITH THE FAMILY MATTER OUT OF TOWN.
SO HE IS UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT HE WANTED ME TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS ON HIS BEHALF AND ENSURE THEY'RE ON THE RECORD.
SO WITH THESE INSTANCES THAT ARE REPORTED, ARE THESE AN INSTANCE WHERE A PLATE OR A PERSON'S INFORMATION IS RUN AND THEN THEY EITHER HAVE A CRIMINAL OR AN ADMINISTRATIVE ICE WARRANT ON THEIR RECORD?
[00:35:03]
THE THE HIT YES.IS A, A CONSEQUENCE OF RUNNING THEIR INFORMATION.
AND IS THAT DURING, LIKE THEY'RE ANTICIPATING TO STOP THEM ALREADY? OR IS THAT IF, COULD THEY BE DRIVING BEHIND THE PERSON RUN THE PLATE WITHOUT PULLING THEM OVER AGAIN? I, I CAN'T COMMENT ON PRACTICE AND POLICY.
THERE ARE TWO INSTANCES WHERE SOMEONE IS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT? WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? ARE THEY TRANSFERRED TO ICE CUSTODY AFTERWARDS? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
AND, AND I MEAN, I CAN'T LITERALLY, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, NOT BECAUSE I'M BEING PROHIBITED.
SO THERE IS NOT MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION OF LIKE, MAYBE THEY WERE IN AN ACCIDENT, THERE WAS A NICE HIT AND THEN THEY WERE NO, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION.
IT'S JUST NOT, NOT AVAILABLE TO ME.
UM, DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS, WE'VE BEEN REFERENCING THE SPREADSHEET HERE.
DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SPECIFIC Q4 REPORT WITH THE INCIDENT DATA LINE BY LINE? YEP.
IT WAS PUBLISHED ON THE OPRAH WEBSITE, I BELIEVE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS HAD PUBLISHED A VERSION OF IT AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S THE SAME DATE.
UH, SO ON THE OPRAH, UM, UH, WEBSITE, IT'S AVAILABLE.
I KNOW THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS DID A GREAT JOB OF PUBLISHING IT ON HER WEBSITE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT HPD HAD ALSO HAD MADE IT PUBLIC.
UM, ON THIS REPORT, IT DOES REQUIRE THAT, UM, QUARTERLY REPORTS INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS INVOLVED, THE DETAINEES RACE AND ETHNICITY LOCATION OF DETAINMENT AND MORE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S IN THE SPREADSHEET, BUT IT'S NOT NOTATED HERE.
ARE THOSE FACTORS COLLECTED IN AGGREGATE AND SHARED TO THE PUBLIC AND SEE AT ALL? OR IS IT JUST THEY GO TO THE SPREADSHEET OR THEY SEE THIS BOTH
UM, THIS REPORT, IT BEING THE FIRST QUARTERLY REPORT WAS OUR ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND CERTAINLY WE CAN, UH, ADD THOSE ADDITIONAL, UH, AGGREGATE VALUES ON THE REPORT CAN MODIFY THAT.
BUT IT'S AVAILABLE IN THE SPREADSHEET.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IF IT COULD BE ON THE REPORT NEXT TIME, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
IS SERGEANT, IS A SERGEANT STILL DISPATCHED EACH TIME A CALL TO ICE IS MADE? I CAN'T ADDRESS THAT.
UH, I SEE IN THE REPORT SHARED WITH COUNSEL AND ON THE PUBLIC, THE SPREADSHEET, THERE ARE NO MORE THAN TWO OFFICERS INVOLVED IN EACH OF THESE INCIDENTS, BUT FOR A LOT OF THEM, ONLY ONE OFFICERS INVOLVED.
DOES THAT MEAN THE SERGEANT DIDN'T ARRIVE ON SCENE OR DO WE KNOW WHY THERE WAS ONLY ONE OFFICER INVOLVED? CAN'T GO.
UM, IS THE OFFICER OR SERGEANT ON SITE ABLE TO SEE ACTIVE CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR OTHER NEEDS AS THEY ARE WAITING AT THE STOP FOR ICE? SO ARE THEY SEEING THOSE CALLS FOR, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A BREAK-IN OR ANOTHER ACCIDENT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY, ARE THEY SEEING THOSE AS THEY'RE WAITING FOR ICE TO ARRIVE? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY, THEY HAVE THAT AWARENESS WHO MAKES THE FINAL CALL OF WHEN THE OFFICERS LET THE DETAINEE GO TO ANSWER THOSE MORE PRESSING CALLS.
AND ARE THERE ANY FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN PRIORITIZING CALLS FOR SERVANTS FROM RESIDENTS DURING AN ICE STOP? OTHER ELEMENTS OF POLICY ADDRESS THAT? OKAY.
ALL OF, MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THE CALL CONTACT TYPE OR REASON FOR INQUIRY, LIKE A LOT OF THEM ARE TRAFFIC STOPS.
ARE THERE MORE SPECIFICS THAT CAN BE PROVIDED ON THOSE? WHAT WERE THE REASONS FOR THOSE TRAFFIC STOPS? I, I DON'T KNOW.
IS THAT COLLECTED ANYWHERE IN THE DATA OR IS IT JUST LIKE TRAFFIC STOP? LIKE WHETHER IT'S SPEEDING, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LICENSE PLATE ISSUE, WE HAVE TRAFFIC STOPS AND THEN WE HAVE THE DISPOSITION OF THE TRAFFIC STOP.
AND BY INFERENCE YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW THE TRAFFIC STOP WAS RESOLVED.
SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYTHING.
I I ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT THE PROBABLE CAUSE TO MAKE THE STOP? I THINK IT JUST, SO FOR EXAMPLE, ON ONE OF THEM IT SAID HPD TRAFFIC STOP WAS A CONTACT TYPE AND REASON FOR NCIC INQUIRY JUST SAID TRAFFIC STOP.
SO I JUST WAS TRYING TO GET MORE INFORMATION OF WHY IT WAS, WHY THEY WERE STOPPED.
UM, I THINK THIS WAS ALREADY ASKED, BUT WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME THESE OFFICERS ARE DIRECTED TO DETAIN SOMEONE WHEN THERE IS AN ICE WARRANT INVOLVED? UM, I'M GONNA INSTRUCT HIM NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, THERE WERE FOUR INSTANCES OF DETAINMENT FOR OVER 90 MINUTES AND ALL OF THEM WERE TRANSFERRED TO ICE CUSTODY.
ARE THERE MORE SPECIFICS FOR ON THOSE FOR WHY THEY EXCEEDED 90 MINUTES? UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A AVAILABLE ON THE INDIVIDUAL CASES.
I'D BE, I'D BE CURIOUS FOR FUTURE PRESENTATIONS TOO ON IF IT WAS EXCEEDING 90 MINUTES.
IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS AN, A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING.
I THINK THOSE ARE FACTORS THAT THE RESIDENTS ALSO WOULD WANNA KNOW.
UM, AND, AND IN FAIRNESS, SOME OF THEM WERE MAJOR ACCIDENTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE THE ONES THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT.
AND LASTLY, THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT THE CITY WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF SB FOUR UNDER THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE REGARDING DIRECTIVES GIVEN TO HP.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU PROBABLY CAN'T ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT REAFFIRMING WHAT THE SPECIFIC VIOLATION OF SB FOUR WAS AND WAS IT A CONCERN OF NOT CALLING ICE AT ALL ON AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT OR THAT NOT WAITING FOR IS TO SHOW UP, WAS IN VIOLATION OF SB FOUR AND IF IT WAS NOT CALLING AT ALL? I GUESS OUR CONCERN IS WHY WAIT AT ALL? WHY, WHY IS THE DIFFERENTIATION IN TIMES OF LIKE, SOME ARE WAITING FOR SIX MINUTES, SOME ARE WAITING FOR 15, SOME ARE WAITING FOR 110.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS HAVE
[00:40:01]
RAISED CONCERNS WITH US ABOUT IS THE TIMING OF THE STOP.I'M GONNA INSTRUC HIM NOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION I THOUGHT.
AGAIN, SORRY THE COUNCIL MEMBER COULDN'T BE HERE, BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE THE TIME CHAIR.
THANK YOU MR. MALLARD FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
RECOGNIZE THE DIFFICULT POSITION THAT YOU WERE PUT IN, BUT THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING WHAT YOU COULD ANSWER AND FOR PROVIDING THE DATA.
UM, SEEING NO ONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
SO, UM, AGAIN, PLEASE, UM, REMEMBER THE RULES OF CHAMBER JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET TO EACH SPEAKER AND, AND HEAR EVERYBODY TODAY.
UM, UP FIRST, UM, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
COUNCIL MARISE, DID YOU, I JUST WANNA MAKE A NOTE FOR THE PRESS THAT A, THE HPD REPRESENTATIVE LEFT THE ROOM BEFORE THE PUBLIC COULD SPEAK.
APPARENTLY HPD DIDN'T EVEN THINK IT WAS WORTH THE TIME TO HEAR THE PUBLIC SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
UM, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, UH, UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT.
I I AM HERE TODAY REPRESENTING, UH, THE EASTWOOD LAWNDALE WAYSIDE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS MY CIVIC CLUB, UH, HOUSTON COUNTRY CLUB PLACE.
AND LIKE MANY OF YOU HAVE STATED, YOU'VE BEEN AT CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS AND YOU'VE BEEN AT SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
WE ARE SCARED, WE ARE UPSET, WE WANT SOME ANSWERS.
AND WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET SOME HERE THIS MORNING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS HAS TURNED OUT INTO A DOG AND PONY SHOW.
I CANNOT GO BACK TO MY CIVIC CLUB.
I CANNOT GO BACK TO MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD TO TRY TO AT LEAST CALM THEM DOWN.
MY COMMUNITY IS SCARED A FEW BLOCKS AWAY.
LORENZO WAS SHOT FROM WHERE I LIVE AND I'M UPSET THAT MAYOR WHITMEYER IS NOT HERE.
WE MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE LATINO COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE SCARED.
I AM APPALLED THAT CHIEF DIAZ IS NOT HERE.
THAT CHIEF HARDIN IS NOT HERE.
DON'T WE MATTER? DON'T WE MATTER? AND I EXPECT YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SPEAK UP.
WE ARE THE MAJORITY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE, DEMAND THAT WHITMEYER IS HERE, DEMAND THAT THE CHIEF IS HERE, GO TO MY COMMUNITIES.
THERE'S HARDLY ANYBODY GOING TO RESTAURANTS.
THEY ARE SCARED TO CALL POLICE.
IF I, IF I HEARD CORRECTLY, 33% OF CALLS WERE FOR SERVICE WHERE HBD SHOWED UP AND THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH ICE ISSUES.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE RAPID CRIME IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO CALL.
H-P-D-H-P-D SHOULD NOT BE THERE HELPING ICE.
HPD SHOULD BE HELPING THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE SPEAK UP.
WHERE IS WHITMEYER? WHERE IS THE CHIEF AGAIN? WE ARE THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND AS A REMINDER, WE'RE NOT CLAPPING TODAY SO THAT WE CAN GET TO THE NEXT SPEAKERS, UM, WHO HAS TO LEAVE BUT WOULD LIKE TO.
AND, UM, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT IF, UM, THE BELL RINGS ON YOU AND YOU HAD MORE COMMENTS THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY, PLEASE EMAIL MY OFFICE AND WE'LL DISTRIBUTE THOSE COMMENTS TO, UM, ALL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
YOU CAN EMAIL US AT DISTRICT A@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
AGAIN, THAT'S DISTRICT A@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BISHOP PE DE BEL.
IF YOU COULD SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE.
GOOD MORNING AND RESPECT TO YOU.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PECK TO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL HERE TODAY.
I'M BISHOP JOSHUA CBELL, SENIOR BISHOP IN THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST.
AND I SERVE AS THE REGIONAL BISHOP FOR THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST.
THE WHOLE DENOMINATION, ALL ETHNICITIES
[00:45:01]
ALL OVER THE WORLD.AND OUR PASTOR IN THE VERY SOUTH END OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE WE HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCH WHO ARE HISPANIC AND I'M CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY, FOR THE MINDSET, FOR THE TORMENT, FOR THE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS OF JUST GOING TO THE STORE.
I'M TALKING TO THEM AND I JUST WANT TO COME HERE AND SAY TO EACH OF YOU TODAY, UM, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO BRING PEACE AND EASE TO OUR TOTAL COMMUNITY.
I CAN'T SIT ASIDE AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR, TO OUR HISPANIC BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND NOT SPEAK UP AND SAY IT'S WRONG.
IN SOME CASES, PEOPLE WHO WORK, WHO ARE CITIZENS LEGALLY ARE BEING DETAINED, HARASSED, AND BULLIED.
THAT'S NOT WHAT AMERICA IS ABOUT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS CITY IS ABOUT.
THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN AMERICA IS HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND I BELIEVE AS MEN OF THE CLOTH AS CITIZENS, PEOPLE OF FAITH ARE NOT OF FAITH.
THERE IS A MORAL COMPASS THAT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE FEARED FOR, TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS.
AND PARENTS SHOULD NOT BE IN FEARFUL LIVING IN FEAR FOR JUST GOING OUT TO THE RESTAURANTS TO HAVE A NICE DINNER, A WALK IN THE PARK, AND BE UNNECESSARILY STOPPED PROFILE AND ARRESTED OR DETAINED.
I'M ASKING CITY COUNCIL, I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT WE CAN STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT BASED ON WHAT THE LAWS REQUIRE, WHAT THE LAWS ARE IN OUR CITY, AND PROTECT PEOPLE WHO ARE HARMED, HURT, AND THREATENED BY ISIS PRESENCE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY I'D LIKE TO GET A REPORT.
MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN TELL ME WHERE WE CAN GET THE REPORT FROM, WHERE WE CAN GET IT, THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE POLICE CHIEF, UM, GAVE TODAY, WHERE WE CAN GET THAT REPORT FROM.
AND, UH, AS SOON AS WE CAN, I'M LIKE EVERYONE ELSE AROUND THIS TABLE.
WE'D LIKE TO GET FACTS, DETAILS AND ANSWER THE HARD QUESTIONS.
UM, AND IF ANY, WE'LL EMAIL ALL OF THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE THE EMAIL ADDRESS, UM, THAT REPORT IN CASE YOU NEED THAT INFORMATION.
UM, COUNCILOR SALINAS? YES, BISHOP.
UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE REPORT RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN GO TO MY CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE AND THERE IS A LINK ON THE HOMEPAGE WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE REPORT AS WELL AS THE EXCEL DOCUMENT THAT INCLUDES ALL THE DATA FOR THE PARTICULAR ENTRIES.
WE ALSO HAVE AN EXPLANATORY VIDEO WHERE WE EXPLAIN HOW CALLS HAVE INCREASED, THEY HAVE DOUBLED, UM, IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS OVER THE PRIOR PERIOD.
I'M SORRY IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING THAT MARLIN.
UM, AND IF YOU COULD SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE.
UM, HERE AS AGAIN AS A CONCERNED RESIDENT OF HOUSTON, GREW UP HERE, UM, PREDOMINANTLY LIKE STILL LIVE IN SPRING BRANCH, WHICH AGAIN IS BEING TARGETED ALL THE TIME BY WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, AND I WAS EXCITED TO COME TO THIS HEARING BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SPEAK A LONG TIME ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UM, BEFOREHAND AND THEN KINDA LIKE YOU COULD THINK ABOUT IT, BUT I MEAN, LIKE AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, DO YOU FEEL LIKE GUILTY AT ALL FOR LIKE, LIKE THINKING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OKAY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF POWER TO AT LEAST MAKE SOME CHANGES AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR HANDS TIED BEHIND THEIR BACK.
HE HAD NOTHING LIKE NO INFORMATION.
AND SOME PEOPLE LIKE HIM, HE'S BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME TO HEAR LIKE WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON LIKE WITH HIS DAD.
SO I FEEL LIKE TO SEE ALL THE PUBLIC SERVANTS GETTING RAISES AND THE COPS GETTING RAISES AND THEN SEEING THIS HOW INCOMPETENT THEY ARE AND THEN PUTTING, STILL PUTTING OUR SAFETY AT RISK IS JUST LIKE, WOW.
TO ME, I DON'T THINK THEY DESERVE RAISES.
I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS DESERVE RAISES RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY SHOULD BE LIKE REELECTED FROM HERE UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE ARE GETTING KILLED, OUR FAMILIES ARE GETTING KILLED, THEY'RE GETTING KIDNAPPED, THEY'RE GETTING TAKEN TO THESE PLACES THAT LOOK LIKE WAREHOUSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY, LIKE JUST HIDDEN BEHIND HOBBY AIRPORT.
AND YOU WOULD NEVER EVEN KNOW THAT THERE'S LIKE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THERE, LIKE BEING LIKE VICTIMIZED AND
[00:50:01]
ENSLAVED BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING PAID LIKE A DOLLAR A DAY, WHICH IS NOT EVEN WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.WHAT I'M HERE FOR IS THE COMMUNITY PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE NOW PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO CALL THE POLICE BECAUSE WE SAW LAST WEEK SOMEBODY REPORTED A CRIME OR TWO WEEKS AGO SOMEBODY REPORTED A CRIME AND THEN THEY GOT DETAINED.
SO THEN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? I'VE SEEN FACTS HERE FROM THE A CLU THAT IN HOUSTON WE CALLED SOME, UH, WE CALLED ICE ON A WOMAN WHO REPORTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO WHAT NOW AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE SCARED.
I'VE TOLD YOU GUYS BEFORE, YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME SAY MULTIPLE TIMES, NOBODY WANTS TO GO OUTSIDE.
EVERYBODY'S SCARED TO EVEN LIKE THE BISHOP SAID TO GO TO THE PARK.
STUFF LIKE THAT THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN ENJOY.
WE JUST SAW OVER THE WEEKEND A KID AND HIS DAD GET DEPORTED TO SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO A SOCCER GAME GAME.
THEY WERE JUST SO OVER HAVING TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS MENTAL HEALTH ANGUISH THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEING DETAINED TO JUST, I'LL JUST SIGN IT AND LEAVE.
YOU GUYS PROBABLY DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THAT TOO.
BUT AGAIN, I'M TRYING JUST TO GO BACK TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
THERE HAD BEEN LIKE OVER 432 INCIDENTS OF LETHAL FORCE, LIKE EXCESSIVE FORCE THIS YEAR.
THIS IS FROM A TLU, NOT FROM TEXAS.
I WISH I COULD FILE ONE FOR TEXAS, BUT THIS JUST CAME OUT.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, BUT I JUST THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE HERE TO PROTECT HU UH, HOUSTONIANS AND SERVE, ESPECIALLY THE POLICE.
THE MAYOR'S NOT HERE, BUT I'M GONNA COME BACK LATER AND TALK TO HIM.
'CAUSE I HAVE TO TELL THIS AGAIN TO HIM.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHY I CAME TO TELL HIM AGAIN BECAUSE EVERY TIME I COME I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM.
BUT YOU GUYS ARE LITERALLY DELIVERING OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE LIKE EVEN OUR OWN KIDS.
GRANDMAS TO THEIR MURDER, TO THEIR ENSLAVE.
YOU ARE SENDING THEM TO LIKE THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE BASICALLY BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE JUST GETTING WORSE.
HAVE YOU SEEN THERE'S BEEN OVER 50 DEATHS IN AN ICE DETENTION CENTERS JUSTICE HERE AND WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT GOT KILLED ON THE STREET LIKE HIS DAD JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, LIKE, OR MONTHS AGO.
AND IT'S, AND I SAID LIKE TO THE MAYOR, THIS IS GOING TO, THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN AND NOW SOMEBODY'S DEAD.
NOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? HOW MANY MORE LIKE EVERYBODY SAYS
STOP DELIVERING US TO OUR ABUSERS, TO OUR MURDERERS, TO OUR KIDNAPPERS.
THEY'RE TAKING US AND EXILING PEOPLE TO OTHER COUNTRIES THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE THERE.
AND THIS ISN'T JUST, YOU'RE FROM MEXICO AND YOU GO TO GUATEMALA.
I'M TALKING LIKE YOU'RE GETTING SENT TO ANOTHER COUNTRY.
SO WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY OVERALL, NOT JUST HOUSTON'S PUBLIC SAFETY, THE AMERICA'S PUBLIC SAFETY, LIKE ALL OF OUR FAMILIES ARE BEING RIPPED APART, KIDS ARE BEING ORPHANED, POVERTY, LIKE.
IT'S JUST, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I JUST WISH YOU DOESN'T PAY MORE ATTENTION.
'CAUSE I THINK HE WAS JUST ON HIS PHONE THE WHOLE TIME ACTUALLY AND LAST TIME HE WAS SLEEPING, WHICH IS SAD.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
IF YOU HAVE FURTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE TEXT MIKE.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN TALK ALL DAY.
I'LL BE BACK LATER IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS.
AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE SPEAK IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE MICROPHONES.
UM, GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
ACTUALLY, I'M HERE TO PRESENT A SOLUTION.
I MEAN, WE DON'T HEAR VERY MUCH OF SOLUTIONS, BUT BECAUSE PUBLIC TRUST IS THE FOUNDATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY, IT ENCOURAGES TRANSPARENCY, RESPECT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
BACK ON JULY THE 11TH, OUR AB ALMOST EASTERN LULAC COUNCIL TWO TWO FIVE OH THREE HAD A CALL TO ACTION ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY TRUST.
AND WITH THAT WE ESTABLISHED SOME GOALS, WHICH OUR COULD BE USED FOR AN INITIATIVE.
IT IS TO RESTORE COMMUNITY TRUST IN REGARDS TO REBUILDING CONFIDENCE BETWEEN THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND HPD BY ESTABLISHING CLEAR HUMANE AND COMMUNITY CENTERED POLICIES THAT SEPARATE LOCAL POLICING FROM FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
TWO, IT WOULD STRENGTHEN PUBLIC SAFETY.
ENSURE HPD OFFICERS HAVE THE GUIDANCE THEY NEED TO PRIORITIZE CRIME PREVENTION, EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION, NOT IMMIGRATION DUTIES THAT FALL OUTSIDE THEIR CORE MISSION.
THREE, PROTECT CIVIL RIGHTS, SAFEGUARD RESIDENTS FROM UNLAWFUL DETENTIONS, DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AND FEAR-BASED
[00:55:01]
POLICING BY PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY, OVERSIGHT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TO INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO REPORT CRIMES, PARTICIPATE IN NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS, AND COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS WITHOUT FEAR OF IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES.ADVOCATE FOR CLEAR CITY POLICY.
SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CITYWIDE FRAMEWORK THAT DEFINES HP HPDS ROLE LIMITS DISCRETIONARY ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTS CONFUSION THAT LEADS TO INCONSISTENT OR HARMFUL PRACTICES.
AND MA'AM, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
IF YOU COULD WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THIS SOLUTION WOULD HAVE A COMMUNITY IMPACT.
WE WOULD HAVE SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS, STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH HPD, REDUCE FEAR AND TRAUMA AND MORE EFFECTIVE POLICING.
AND ALSO USE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY GRANT TO START A TASK, A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE.
YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT ABBOTT THREATENED OUR CITY OF TAKING AWAY.
WE'LL USE THAT PLACE, THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES FOR A CITIZEN POLICE TAX TASK FORCE SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND BRING SOLUTIONS TO OUR CITY IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
I WANNA START BY THANKING COUNCIL MEMBER SALINAS, BECAUSE WHY WOULD THIS MEETING BE CANCELED? WHY ARE YOU SO DESPERATE TO CANCEL THIS MEETING AND CUT EVERYONE OFF? IF THE POLICE CHIEF DIDN'T SHOW UP, SCHEDULE ANOTHER ONE.
YOUR ENTIRE JOB IS TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND PLEASE LOOK UP OFF YOUR PHONES.
ALL OF US JUST SIT AND HEAR YOU SAY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANCELED.
WHERE'S OUR TRANSPARENCY? HOST A MEETING EVERY WEEK WITH HPD UNTIL THEY SHOW UP.
SO IT'S DISGUSTING TO HEAR YOU SAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CANCELED.
MURDERERS ARE ROAMING OUR STREETS.
KIDNAPPERS ARE TAKING HOUSTONIANS AT ALARMING RATES.
FLOCK, CAMERAS, STALK AND VIOLATE HOUSTONIANS.
CHILDREN AREN'T GOING TO SCHOOL.
PEOPLE ARE SICK BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO SCARED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR TO GET HELP.
PEOPLE ARE TOO SCARED TO REPORT CRIME AS WITNESSES OR AS VICTIMS. CAN YOU PLEASE PAY ATTENTION? UNMARKED VANS WITH MASS VIOLENT RACISTS HAVE TAKEN OVER OUR CITY.
THESE SEEM LIKE THE PERFECT CIRCUMSTANCES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GET INVOLVED AND STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
AND WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THIS TIME OF CRISIS? HPD IS CALLING THESE CRIMINALS.
YOUR JOB, SIR, YOU'VE ENSURED THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOESN'T AND WILL NEVER TRUST THE COPS EVEN IF YOU GET ICE OUT.
WE ARE NEVER GOING TO TRUST THE COPS AFTER THIS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN CALLING ICE.
THIS HAS EFFECTS ON GENERATIONS.
NONE OF US ARE GOING TO TRUST HPD AND BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ALREADY HAVEN'T.
WHY HAVEN'T YOU ENDED NON UNNECESSARY TRAFFIC STOPS? WHY IS HPD STILL CALLING ICE? WHY DOES HPD THINK THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION STATUS? WHY WON'T THE PERSON YOU'RE REPRESENTING ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS AND YOU'RE A WOMAN.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING REPRESENTING THE POLICE FORCE? I ADVISE HIM NOT TO ANSWER THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC SESSION.
WHAT ARE Y'ALL HIDING? WHAT ARE YOU HIDING? WHO ARE YOU REPRESENTING? WHAT ARE THEY HIDING? AND WHAT ARE CITY COUNCIL AND MEMBERS DOING TO ENSURE THAT HPD CHIEFS AND THE MAYOR SHOW UP FOR THESE MEETINGS? I'M ALMOST DONE.
I WANNA SAY TO THE COPS, PROTECT AND SERVE IS WHAT Y'ALL TELL YOURSELF TO NEVER GRAPPLE WITH THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU PUT ON THAT UNIFORM, YOUR UNIFORM AND YOU SUPPORT WHITE SUPREMACY EVERY DAY, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE BLACK OR BROWN, WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE HUNTING DOWN ANYONE WITH BROWN SKIN.
HOUSTON IS FINALLY WAKING UP AND SEEING THAT YOU WERE AND WILL ALWAYS BE ETHNIC CLEANSING, WHITE SUPREMACIST SLAVE CATCHERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR POLICE SYSTEM IS IN THE COOPERATION BETWEEN HPD AND ICE.
THIS IS NOT A TIME TO SAY, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
IF YOU LOOK BACK ON THE HOLOCAUST AND SAY IT'S BAD, THE PEOPLE WHO ENSURE IT COULD HAPPEN WERE THE ONES WHO SAID CAN ANYTHING.
YOU CAN WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
CALL PEOPLE EVERY DAY UNTIL THE COOPERATION ENDS.
[01:00:01]
ORTEGA.MY NAME IS, MY FULL NAME IS MONTEREY HILL.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING BJI BLACK ALLIANCE FOR JUST IMMIGRATION.
UH, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS.
UH, WE'RE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
WE DO HAVE ROOTS HERE IN TEXAS.
AND WE ALSO, JUST FOR CLARITY AND WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, WE MEET AT THE, THE INTERSECTION OF IMMIGRATION AND THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
UM, I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY THAT THE LAST FEW WEEKS, THE LAST FEW MONTHS, UM, WE'VE BEEN HAVING TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUT OUT HERE WHO HAVE BEEN AT THESE MEETINGS WHO HAVE BEEN ASKING, WHAT DOES PUBLIC SAFETY MEAN TO YOU? UM, WE'VE BEEN AT THESE GATHERINGS AND PUBLIC SAFETY MEANS IT COMES FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, FROM DIFFERENT EVENTS.
SO WE'VE BEEN AT BEREAVEMENT GATHERINGS, WE'VE BEEN AT COMMUNITY ACTIONS, WE'VE BEEN AT POLICY DISCUSSIONS.
UM, AND A LOT OF THESE HAVE CENTERED AROUND THE IMMIGRATION COMMUNITY.
UM, HOWEVER, WE HAD THESE MEETINGS AND WE DON'T SEE ANY OF YOU ALL, WE DON'T SEE YOUR STAFF, WE DON'T SEE ANYBODY REPRESENTING YOU ALL AT THESE MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, YOU'RE GIVING US REPORTS THAT STATE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALL THE TOOLS AND THE RESOURCES AND TELLING US LIKE WHAT WE NEED, BUT IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY.
LAST WEEK, WE HELD A WEEK OF ACTION.
AND AGAIN, NOBODY FROM THIS ROOM WAS AT OUR WEEK OF ACTION.
UNLESS WE PROBABLY HAD A PHOTO UP, Y'ALL PROBABLY WOULD BE THERE, BUT Y'ALL DIDN'T SHOW UP.
Y'ALL DIDN'T HEAR WHAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING.
AND IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE GIVING US.
IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT Y'ALL ARE TAKING FROM US.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT PEOPLE WANT ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
PEOPLE WANT ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
THIS ROOM SHOULD BE FILLED WITH COMMUNITY AND IT'S NOT.
THEY'RE OUT, THEY'RE OUT DOING WORK, THEY'RE OUT, UH, WITH THEIR FAMILY.
WHY ARE WE HAVING MEETINGS AT DIFFERENT TIMES? UH, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO ACTUALLY WORK AND HEAR YOU ALL.
THEY SHOULD BE HERE IN THE DISCUSSION.
THEY SHOULD BE HERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU AND NOT HOLDING THEM BACK.
MS. HILL, UM, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
THANK YOU, UM, CHAIR AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR COMING IN AND SHARING DIANA.
UM, YOUR, UM, COMMENTS, I MEAN, AS FAR AS YOUR WEEK OF ACTIONS, UM, IF YOU, WHEN YOU GUYS HAVE WEEK OF ACTIONS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU CAN LIKE EMAIL OUR OFFICE.
WE FOLLOW? NO, LEMME JUST FINISH.
I MEAN, WE GET FLYERS ALL THE TIME ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST COMMUNITY EVENTS, CLEANUPS, DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, BUT IF YOU CAN JUST SEND US A FLYER, I'M SURE THAT WE WILL SHOW UP.
I DON'T, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SEVERAL EVENTS.
NO, I DON'T BECAUSE WE SEND Y'ALL STUFF.
UM, OFFICE, I SAY THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL.
'CAUSE EVERY TIME WE DO HAVE ACTIONS, POLICE SHOW UP.
AND IN FEAR, RIGHT? POSSIBLY WHEN WE'RE JUST OUT IN COMMUNITY HAVING LIKE GATHERINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING OUR SOCIALS.
UM, BUT IF WE SEND YOU AN EMAIL, NOT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO DIGITAL, DIGITAL, DIGITAL COMMUNICATION.
BUT YOU COULD SEND IT TO DISTRICT B ATD HOUSTON TX.GOV.
AND YOU KNOW, WE WOULD PUT IT IN OUR NEWSLETTER AS WELL AS SHOW UP.
I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN ANY FLYERS.
UM, SECONDLY, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE THAT, UM, COUNSEL IS NOT DOING ANYTHING.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH LEGAL ABOUT THE, UM, NON-THREATENING POLICE STOPS, UM, TRYING TO REVAMP OR CREATE AN ORDINANCE FOR THAT.
UM, JUST RECENTLY I WAS PULLED OVER FOR REFUSING TO, I WAS TWO, TWO WEEKS AGO IN FIFTH WARD.
BECAUSE I REFUSED, I DIDN'T DO MY RIGHT SIGNAL AS I'M TURNING RIGHT.
I DIDN'T SIGNAL TO TURN RIGHT.
PULLED UP ON ME LIKE PRETTY FAST.
IT WAS A LITTLE NERVE WRACKING.
UM, AND HE, YOU KNOW, GOT MY OFF ON MY LICENSE AND, YOU KNOW, TOLD ME TO GO AHEAD ON BY MY WAY, SO I UNDERSTAND.
WELL, I DIDN'T GET A CITATION.
UM, I HAVE IN THE PAST AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING THROUGH.
AND SO JUST KNOW THAT WE, WE CARE ABOUT IT.
UM, I DO, UM, I ORGANIZE AROUND, UM, IMMIGRATION FOR SOME YEARS.
SO WE ARE LOOKING INTO AN ORDINANCE AND SEND ME THE FLYER AND MY OFFICE WILL SHOW UP.
DOES THAT GO FOR EVERYBODY WHO CAN SEND YOU FLYERS AND YOU'LL RESPOND AND YOU'LL SHOW UP PLE PLEASE SEND AND, YOU KNOW, ALL,
[01:05:01]
YOU HAVE FIVE AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEN ALL THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.SO ANY EVENT, AND THIS GOES FOR ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC, POLICE, SEND, SEND US YOUR INVITATIONS.
IF, IF YOU DON'T SEND IT TO US, WE MAY NOT KNOW THAT THE EVENT IS GOING ON.
YEAH, WE SEND THINGS AFTER THE FACT.
I, I WAS TELLING COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, I'M LIKE, IT WAS A WHOLE WEEK OF ACTIVITIES.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT I DID LEARN ABOUT THE VISUAL, CANDLELIGHT VISUAL AT PASTOR DIXON'S OFF, UM, CHURCH HAVING.
WE'VE, BUT WE ARE NOT, WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT IT AT THE LAST MINUTE.
SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING WEEK OF ACTIONS, WE'VE BEEN HAVING ACTIONS THAT SURROUND, UH, MUTUAL AID, UH, SUPPORT, EVEN LIBERATION.
WE HAD A, A MOVIE SCREENING LAST WEEK.
UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST THE WEEK OF ACTION, BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS AND WE'VE BEEN APPLYING PRESSURE, BUT ALSO JUST SHOWING UP FOR COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS, UH, MOURNING.
UM, OUR, OUR ORGANIZERS ARE STRESSED OUT.
OUR ORGANIZERS HAVE BEEN, UH, ON THE PAVEMENT FOR EVERY DAY SINCE THIS HAPPENED.
UM, AND IT'S NOT EVEN JUST THE LAST TWO MONTHS, BUT I THINK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE TERMS OF OUR VOICES AND NOT WHAT'S BEST FOR LIKE THE BUDGET OR WHAT Y'ALL ARE GETTING IN FUNDING AND RESOURCES, BUT FROM COMMUNITY FOLK.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, MY NAME IS, UH, BONKO AND I AM THE HOUSTON ORGANIZER FOR BJI, WHICH IS THE BLACK ALLIANCE FOR JUST IMMIGRATION.
UM, SHE ALREADY EXPLAINED WHAT WE DO AT BJI, SO I'LL NOT GO THROUGH THAT.
I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU SOME DATA.
UM, ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES, HOUSTON BECAME THE EPIC CENTER FOR ICE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S BETWEEN 2025 AND MARCH, 2026.
WITH FEDERAL AGENTS QUIETLY DISAPPEARING, SNATCHING OUR PEOPLE IN A DISTINCT WAY, MORE THAN ANY OTHER REGION IN THE, IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY.
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE LIVING UNDER CONSTANT FEAR.
WE ARE AFRAID TO GO TO CHURCH, WHICH IS EVIDENT IN THE DECLINING ATTENDANCE IN CHURCH COMMUNITIES.
THIS PAST SUNDAY, I VISITED A HU A HAITIAN CHURCH AND SPOKE TO THE PASTOR.
AND, UH, JUST THE WEEK BEFORE ONE OF THE MEMBERS WAS, WAS DETAINED SIMPLY FOR GOING IN FOR HIS NORMAL ICE CHECK ROUTINE.
ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, A 64-YEAR-OLD KENYAN HOUSTONIAN, A CAREGIVER AND A CERTIFIED CNA, WHO HAS NO CRIMINAL RECORD, WAS DETAINED BY ICE.
IT TOOK TWO DAYS FOR HER SON TO FIND OUT WHERE SHE WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO, NOBODY KNEW EXACTLY WHERE SHE HAD BEEN TAKEN.
AND SHE, AS, AS WE SPEAK, SHE'S STILL IN ICE.
SO YET SHE STILL, SHE HAS NO CRIMINAL RECORD.
RACIAL PROFILING OVER POLICING AND MASS CRIMINAL CRIMINALIZATION MAKES NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN IMMIGRANTS AND THE US BORN.
OUR RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 76% OF BLACK IMMIGRANTS GET INTO DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS BECAUSE OF CONTACT WITH THE POLICE.
THIS IS NOT BECAUSE BLACK MIGRANT, IM IMMIGRANTS COMMIT MORE CRIMES.
IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE OVERPOLICED OVERCHARGED AND OVER SENTENCED AS WE SPEAK.
A KENYAN IMMIGRANT WHO, UM, WHO IS A FATHER, WAS SEPARATED EARLIER THIS YEAR FROM HIS FAMILY BY SIMPLY A, A POLICE STOP, WHICH TURNED INTO AN ICE, AN AN ICE ARREST.
NOW HIS CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE ARE ALL, ARE, ARE LEFT ALONE IN SEARCH FOR ANSWERS OF WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED, MA'AM, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS.
AS A BLACK MIGRANT, WE ARE OFTEN PROFILED SIMPLY BECAUSE OF OUR SKIN COLOR, OUR ACCENT, AND THE WAY WE DRESS.
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES OFTEN LIVE IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SURVEILLANCE.
WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET RACIALLY PROFILED, IMPRISONED, DETAINED, AND DEPORTED.
THIS HAS GOT TO STOP THE, THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE ICE AND THE HPT HAS TO STOP.
SO WE SHALL NOT STOP AND WE SHALL NOT, UH, STOP FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS.
THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER RIVERA.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER BRAVER.
[01:10:01]
I WORK WITH THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT.AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS AND WARNING EVERYONE ABOUT NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS, MASS SURVEILLANCE DEVICES USED AGAINST IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AND THE POLICE CHIEF, AND SOME OF YOU HAVE LIED TO THE PUBLIC SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO COLLABORATION.
AND NOW WE HAVE REPORTS SHOWING HOW CLOSE THESE TWO ENTITIES WORK TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY HERE.
WE'RE REALLY HERE TO DISCUSS WHY WE NEED TO END THIS TYPE OF COLLABORATION, WHY IT'S SO HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
NOT ONLY JUST IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, BUT IT'S JUST ALL KINDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND WE NEEDED TO END THIS KIND OF COLLABORATION AND THIS PARTNERSHIP, BECAUSE IT'S KIDNAPPING AND KILLING OUR LOVED ONES, WE MUSTN'T FORGET WHAT HAPPENED TO LORENZO SALGADO, WHO WAS KILLED BY ICE AGENT FOR A MISTAKEN NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP.
WE TOLD YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN.
YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
THERE HAVE BEEN OVER A HUNDRED CALLS TO ICE.
46 OCCURRED DURING A NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOP, WHICH MANY LASTED OVER TWO HOURS, 34 OF THOSE CALLS.
THEY NEEDED HELP AND SERVICES.
LET'S SPEAK ABOUT MR. JUAN ROY, WHO REPORTED A GUNSHOT AT THE LOCAL HOME DEPOT AND HE WAS DEPORTED.
THEY, THE POLICE COULDN'T EVEN TAKE A STATEMENT BECAUSE THEY HAD TAKEN HIM IN CUSTODY.
THEY HAD TO ARGUE BETWEEN THEMSELVES.
THIS IS THE KIND OF POLICING WE HAVE HERE.
WHILE THIS REPORTING IS HELPFUL, IT'S MISSING KEY ELEMENTS.
WE NEED TO INCLUDE HOW APRS, AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS OR FLOCK CAMERAS ARE BEING USED AGAINST IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
'CAUSE HPD HAS USED FLOCK 109 TIMES AND USED IT FOR IMMIGRATION INQUIRIES.
WE NEED TO MAKE THESE INTERNAL EXTERNAL AUDITS AVAILABLE, TRANSPARENT AND PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY WHERE WE SEE WHERE, WHICH OFFICERS ARE USING AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS AGAINST IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND EVEN OUR OWN RESIDENTS.
WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHY HPD HAS SEARCHED OHIO AND SEARCHED OVER 900,000 TIMES THESE CAMERAS AND THE COLLABORATION WITH ICE AND NON-SAFETY TRAFFIC STOPS AND CANCEL THE FLOCK AND ALL AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER CONTRACTS.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON FOR TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I THINK OUR CHIEF DIAZ NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB.
HE SHOULDN'T BE HIDING IN BACK OF SOME LAWSUIT BECAUSE THERE'S SHOOTINGS THAT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
HPD COMES OUT OF THE NEWS SAYING, OH YEAH, WELL THIS SHOOTING HAPPENED AND THIS SUSPECT WAS DOING THAT.
AND I, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND, HOW CAN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS TRYING TO HIDE UNDER THIS LAWSUIT.
WOULD THAT BE A FAIR STATEMENT? COULD IT SAY A LAWSUIT COULD TAKE UP TO NINE YEARS? YOU ARE THE CITY ATTORNEY, RIGHT? HISTORY'S HAPPENING AGAIN.
IN 1954, THE UNITED STATES HAD AN OPERATION CALLED OPERATION WETBACKS.
THAT'S WHEN THE US GOVERNMENT WAS DEPORTING A MASS LOAD OF LATINO PEOPLE BACK TO MEXICO.
AND IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN, AND WE'RE ALLOWING IT IN OUR CITY.
WHAT, WHY, WHY IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON HIDING? UH, IT, IT'S PRETTY SAD THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO HIDE UNDER THIS LAWSUIT.
WELL, THE CITY OF HOUSTON BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THESE OFFICERS THAT ARE, THEY'RE FORCING TO PUT THESE LAWSUIT ON PEOPLE WHERE THEY CAN POSSIBLY GO AFTER ABOVE THE, THE, THE CERTAIN AMOUNT THE CITY WANTS TO PAY AND GO AFTER THEIR OWN PERSONAL BELONGINGS.
CRIME IS NOT BEING REPORTED BECAUSE PEOPLE LIVE IN FEAR IN MY COMMUNITY.
ASK COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, A CHURCH MEMBER WAS CONCERNED AND HE HAD A QUESTION TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER WITH HPD NOT BEING ABLE TO REPORT CRIMES BECAUSE THEY, WE FEEL THAT WE'RE BEING TARGETED THIS TARGET.
THAT'S WHY I MADE THIS SHIRT BECAUSE MY, THIS IS NOT JUST A SHIRT.
MY COMMUNITY IS BEING TARGETED BY THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT BY ICE.
AND NOW THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS HELPING BY ALLOWING THIS, I MEAN, OUR COMMUNITY IS BEING TARGETED.
AND, AND THIS IS A, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
WHAT CAN Y'ALL DO TO HELP US? WHAT CAN Y'ALL DO TO BUILD THIS CON, THIS CONFIDENCE BACK BETWEEN HPD AND MY COMMUNITY SO WE CAN REPORT CRIMES? BECAUSE THE ONLY ONE THAT ARE BENEFITING THIS ARE THE CRIMINALS BECAUSE THE LATINO COMMUNITY WILL NOT WANNA REPORT THE AVERAGE CRIME.
IMAGINE THE WOMEN, THEY'RE GONNA BE RAPED, ROBBED, OR ASSAULTED, AND BE IN FEAR OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
THEY COULD BE GOING TO IMMIGRATION COURT AND THEY WILL STILL BE IN FEAR OF REPORTING THEM BEING ASSAULTED OR RAPED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I REALLY HOPE THIS COMMITTEE COULD DO A LOT BETTER JOB AND MAKE
[01:15:01]
CHIEF DIAZ COME HERE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AND QUIT HIDING UNDER THIS LAWSUIT.ALFREDO DOMINGUEZ, FRANCISCO MENDOZA, FRANCISCO MENDOZA, ANTHONY HUBBARD, ANTHONY HUBBARD.
I HOPE Y'ALL TAKE THESE, UM, CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS VERY SERIOUSLY.
WHETHER Y'ALL LIKE TO ADMIT IT OR NOT, WE ARE BEING SENT LIKE LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ACTUALLY LOOK UP WHAT AF WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THESE PEOPLE ARE SENT TO ACT, ATTEND FACILITIES, OR EVEN CHECK UP ON THESE FAMILIES OF THESE, WAS IT 49 PEOPLE THAT WERE SENT IN THIS REPORT? HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE ACTUALLY CHECKED UP ON THESE PEOPLE AND SEE HOW ARE THEY'RE DOING ON THE FAMILIES, THE FRIENDS, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS? HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE PEOPLE? WE DEMAND ACTION BECAUSE WE NEED SAFETY.
WE NEED JUST TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT THE CITY CARES FOR US.
AND THROUGH ALL THIS TIME, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO REALLY FEEL THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HEARING MUCH.
NOT FROM THE POLICE, OBVIOUSLY NOT FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY AND FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HEAR THAT Y'ALL WORKING TOWARD ORDINANCES.
I HEAR THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE FAITH, BUT ONLY FOR SO FAR.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP US, THAT REALLY WORKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UM, I JUST HOPE THAT PROVES TRUE.
THAT COMPLETES THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND ENGAGING, UM, IN THIS TOPIC.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF AS WELL.
UM, IF ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING FOR THE REPORT, IT IS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE OF THE OFFICE OF POLICING REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO THE WEBSITE IS HOUSTON TX.GOV/OPRAH PRA.
UM, AND OUR NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH AT 10:00 AM WE STAND ADJOURNED.