Police Week Day of Prayer

It is a comfort to me every day to know that the Houston Ministers Against Crime and our other faithful brothers and sisters in the community never stop supporting and praying for each and every member of the Houston Police Department. But I am doubly moved when they come together to remind us all that we are constant benefactors of their prayers, as they did on Wednesday, May 14, at HPD Headquarters.

Ministers and clergy from several different faiths and community organizations prayed for divine guidance and protection for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day. The prayers also sought strength, courage, patience and peace for all officers and their families.

Prayer leaders included:

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ddddReverend F. N. Williams
ddddHouston Ministers Against Crime


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Mr. Rene Guzman
Hispanic Ministers Against Crime


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dddddReverend Di Nguyen
dddddAsian Ministers Against Crime


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Reverend Walter August
Police and Clergy Team






dddddB.V. Bhagavata Maharaja
dddddHindu Community






Imam Tauqer Shah
Muslim Community






dddddSuzanne Roberts
dddddUnited Ministers In Action






Reverend Floyd Lewis
HPD Chaplain's Auxiliary






dddddMonty Montgomery
dddddHPD Chaplain

It is during Police Week that we remember and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives so that we may live in safety and peace.

What Are You Doing to Keep Houston Safe?

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Crisis Intervention Response Team

On Monday, May 5, the Houston Police Department began conducting a six-month pilot program entitled the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT). A CIRT consists of an HPD Crisis Intervention Team officer and a licensed mental health clinician who respond together to calls involving individuals with a mental illness.

The pilot program is based out of the South Central Patrol Division and will cover areas of the east, southeast, Clear Lake and central areas of the city. However, the CIRT will be available to respond citywide when a supervisor feels the presence of a CIRT team is necessary.

The objectives for the CIRT are to:

ddddProvide assistance to patrol officers on calls (or contacts) dddddealing with individuals in need of mental health assessment ddddor intervention.

ddddProvide appropriate follow-up for previous contacts and/or ddddreferrals from patrol officers or the Mental Health Unit.

ddddConduct proactive investigations involving homeless mentally ill ddddpersons and direct them to appropriate services.

ddddUtilize problem oriented policing strategies to identify "hot ddddspot" areas and address chronic consumers who frequently ddddcome to the attention of law enforcement.

ddddRespond to special threat situations.

"The Houston Police Department is committed to providing a professional and humane response to persons in a mental health crisis and who have come to the attention of law enforcement," said Lieutenant Michael Lee, supervisor for the Crisis Intervention Team and Crisis Intervention Response Team.

For more information regarding the HPD Crisis Intervention Team and Crisis Intervention Response Team, visit the teams’ Web site at www.houstoncit.org.

What are You Doing to Keep Houston Safe?
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HPD RECEIVES $200,000 IN FORFEITED FUNDS

I was very pleased to receive a $200,000 check for HPD’s Criminal Intelligence Division (CID) from Harris County District Attorney Ken Magidson. The funds will go towards the purchase of electronic surveillance equipment and other support equipment for CID.

"The district attorney’s office is extremely supportive of not only the Houston Police Department, but all area law enforcement," Magidson said. "And through our discretionary funds that are seized as assets forfeiture funds, we’re able to turn back to law enforcement and other official purposes money that will help to provide better cases for Harris County prosecution. And we’re honored today to present the $200,000 to the Houston Police Department in order to enhance their efforts in the Criminal Intelligence Division."

The Criminal Intelligence Division is the primary division that maintains and deploys advanced technical surveillance equipment used to support HPD investigative operations. The Criminal Intelligence Division also provides critical support for Homeland Security initiatives, digital forensic examinations, terrorism investigations, hate crime investigations, research and analysis support, dignitary protection and communications intelligence.

What Are You Doing to Keep Houston Safe?
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Officers Hang Up Uniforms, Pick Up Paintbrushes

Members of the Houston Police Department Public Affairs Division, along with the Gulf Coast Community Services Association (GCCSA) and Lowe’s Home Improvement of Kingwood, left their uniforms in the closet and helped an elderly Houston citizen by painting the home and landscaping their lawns at 620 Lucille Street, in northeast Houston.

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This is the fourth year of HPD’s collaboration with Lowe’s Home Improvement and the first year for GCCSA’s efforts on this project, both of which graciously donated the funding for this endeavor. d

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This is the fourth house to be rehabbed for senior citizens under this program, which also includes personal safety seminars for seniors.
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For more information, contact the Officer Warren Jones, HPD Public Affairs Division at 281-727-9256.

What are YOU doing to Keep Houston Safe???
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Fertitta Named HPF Chair

It was a pleasure for me to introduce Mr. Tilman Fertitta as Chairman of the Houston Police Foundation at a news conference this week (Wednesday, May 7) in downtown Houston.

A native Texan, Fertitta is chairman, president, CEO, and largest shareholder of Landry’s Restaurants, Inc., one of America’s largest casual dining and entertainment companies. He also is President and sole shareholder of Fertitta Hospitality, LLC, a hotel, development, and entertainment company.

Fertitta devotes a substantial amount of time to civic services and currently serves on numerous boards. We are delighted he has volunteered to take the reins of the Houston Police Foundation.

Fertitta said, "I am excited about the future of the foundation, “because we’re going to be able to buy that piece of equipment to help them (police officers) to do something that otherwise wouldn’t fit into their budget.”

“What’s unique about the foundation," Fertitta added, "is a lot of the police officers, themselves, are sitting with us and helping us decide what is best to spend the money to make things better for them. Some of this money will save lives, it’ll do different things – it’ll help with crime prevention issues.”

Funding from the Houston Police Foundation in the last year allowed the purchase of the following equipment:

dddd “Shooting Simulator”
dddd SWAT Tactical Equipment
dddd Portable Weight Scales
dddd Crime Scopes
dddd Digital Cameras
dddd Total Station Laser System
dddd Computer Software
dddd Polygraph Instrumentation ddddddEquipment
dddd Mounted Horse Patrol Trailer
dddd Cameras and Recorders
dddd Vetronix Crash Data Retreval

Persons attending the news conference had the opportunity to try out the "Shooting Simulator,” have pictures taken in SWAT gear and run radar with HPD Traffic Enforcement Unit officers.

The Houston Police Foundation is a non-profit corporation formed by local business leaders to support projects of the Houston Police Department.

What are YOU doing to Keep Houston Safe???

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The VET Initiative

The increase in the numbers of video 8-liner game rooms that have appeared throughout the city over the last several years has grown into a problem with associated reports of thefts, robberies and assaults at these locations. In fact, the number of thefts and robberies at game rooms may be underreported because victims are reluctant to call the police to report the theft of money earned by illegal means.

Although game room owners claim that they exist for entertainment purposes only, the vast majority are not in compliance with the law concerning illegal gambling.

For these reasons the Houston Police Department has created the Video 8-Liner Enforcement Team (VET) Initiative.
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The Mayor and City Council passed two new ordinances in the last 6 months to strengthen the regulation of these operations.

HPD will be working in coordination with the State of Texas Comptroller’s Office, the Harris County Tax Assessor’s office, the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Building Inspection Division to conduct inspections at every game room in the city over the coming months. These inspections will focus on strict enforcement of all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations regarding the business practices of these game rooms.

If the officers find a machine that does not have the proper tax stamps attached, the machines will be ‘sealed’ by the affected agency (the State, County, or City.) ‘Sealed’ machines cannot be used or moved, until a civil penalty for operating the machine without the proper permit has been paid.


So far this year, the City of Houston has already received approximately $150,000 in these civil fines and thousands of citations have been issued to video 8-liner establishments.

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We expect many more citations will be issued by the newly created Video 8-Liner Enforcement Teams (VET’s) as they move to inspect every game room in the city and to strictly enforce all laws and ordinances that pertain to them.

What are YOU doing to Keep Houston Safe???
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CRU Update

When we organized HPD’s Crime Reduction Unit in late 2007 to concentrate enforcement efforts on high crime areas, we sent a clear message to criminals: If you are attempting to take over neighborhoods and victimize our citizens, we're coming after you.

Those who remain skeptical about the resolve of the unit should ask the 3000+ suspects the CRU has jailed since its inception.

Program totals as of April 24, 2008:

dddd 2130 felony arrests
dddd 700 misdemeanor arrests
dddd 700 Guns confiscated

The CRU highlight of the week: Arrest of a suspect who had 21 outstanding felony warrants.

The no-bond warrants on the suspect were from Florida and were issued in August, 1992. They include Forgery, Possession with intent to Defraud, Fraudulent use of Credit Cards and Carrying a Concealed Weapon during the Commission of a Felony. The suspect was also charged in Houston with Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine).

YOU can help the CRU by anonymously submitting information on gangs and other criminals by calling the gang telephone tip line (713-247-GANG) Or you can Email your tip to the CRU here. Investigators check messages daily. All reports to the tip line are kept confidential.

(Note: If you wish to be contacted by an investigator, you must leave your name and phone number in your phone message or email.)

What are YOU doing to Keep Houston Safe???

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