[00:00:01]
KNOW IF I USE THE GAVEL FIRST OR LAST, BUT WE'LL USE, UH, WE'LL CALL TO ORDER THE, UH, BAYTOWN POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH AT 6:00 PM WE ARE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF CITY HALL AT 24 0 1 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 0.UH, WE ARE CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCING QUORUM.
UH, DO WE NEED TO DO THE, WELL, THE LAST MEETING, UH, JUST DO THIS IN ORDER? YES, SIR.
I FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CITIZEN COMMENTS.
UH, BASICALLY NOTICES GIVEN IN THE SMALLEST PRINT, I CAN BARELY READ.
OH, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THAT NOTICE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS, JUST, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT.
WE'LL HANDLE THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
ACTUALLY, UH, THE, UH, SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CITIZEN INPUT.
IF, UH, WE HAVE ANYBODY ON THE BOARD WITH CITIZEN INPUT, UH, CORRECT.
RIGHT? THIS WILL BE THE CITIZEN STEP CITIZEN.
IT'LL BE THE TWO MEMBERS THAT ARE THE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT ARE GONNA SPEAK
[a. Receive citizen input concerning police outreach, community policing, officer training, as well as policies and procedures.]
PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN INPUT.UH, FIRST ON THE LIST IS DON AKEY.
I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING YOUR NAME CORRECTLY.
UH, I THINK, UH, COME RIGHT UP AND, UH, MY NAME'S DON AKE.
I DON'T KNOW, DO I JUST GET A MINUTE HERE? LIKE, AS LONG AS YOU NEED, ACTUALLY.
I'VE LIVED IN BAYTOWN MY WHOLE LIFE.
UH, I'VE BEEN AROUND GUNS MY WHOLE LIFE.
BAYTOWN USED TO HAVE GUN RANGES AND, UH, THEY DON'T ANYMORE.
I GOTTA DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO CROSBY TO GET TO A GUN RANGE.
I DROVE THERE YESTERDAY, TUESDAY.
'CAUSE OLD PEOPLE GET A DISCOUNT ON TUESDAY.
AND I FROZE AT MY, MY MAIN DEFENSE GUN THAT I OWN, THAT I'VE OWNED FOR A LONG TIME.
I PUT IT IN FRONT OF ME AND FROZE UP.
MY, THE MOST GUNS I SHOOT ARE RIFLES WHEN I'M DROWN.
DOG GUN IN VIRGINIA OR PISTOLS.
AND I PULLED OUT MY NINE MILLIMETER AND FROZE UP BECAUSE I WAS SCARED IT WAS GONNA GO OFF BECAUSE I DON'T USE THAT GUN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, I'VE USED IT ONCE SINCE 11 YEARS AGO WHEN I GOT CONCEALED CARRY.
AND IF ANYBODY'S GONNA, THE WORST THING I HAVE NO WEAPON IS A WEAPON THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE.
THAT'S HOW YOU SHOOT PEOPLE NEXT TO YOU AND THINGS.
AND EVEN POLICE HAVE 'EM GO OFF AT THE WRONG TIME.
BAY HAS A SHOOTING RANGE AND IT'S THE POLICE SHOOTING RANGE.
WHY CAN'T THEY OPEN IT UP TO CITIZENS FOR REFRESHER COURSES? SO, I FEEL COMFORTABLE, I OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE GUN.
I'M TRYING TO PROTECT MYSELF AND MY PROPERTY.
I FEEL I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK THAT GUN UP WITH A PILLOWCASE OVER MY HEAD.
I KNOW WHERE THE SAFETY IS, AUTOMATICALLY KNOW HOW TO USE IT BECAUSE IT'S PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE 'EM.
I, I DON'T WANT THEM PROTECTING ME.
I DON'T WANNA BE HELPING SOMEBODY ELSE WITH A DEADLY WEAPON THAT I CAN BLOW 'EM AWAY WITH, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
SO WE'VE GOT A SHOOTING RANGE THE CITY DOES THAT THE CITIZENS CAN'T USE.
AND I'M GONNA GUESS THAT HALF THE PEOPLE IN BAYTOWN HAVE GUNS.
I, I'M PROBABLY WRONG, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH GUNS.
SOME YOU KNOW ABOUT, SOME YOU DON'T.
SOME OF US HAVE IT TO BE FOR TESTOSTERONE LEVEL IMPROVEMENTS, AND SOME OF US HAVE IT FOR ACTUAL USE TO PROTECT OURSELVES OR TO HUNT OR WHATEVER.
AND I FEEL THAT IT'D BE GOOD FOR THE POLICE IF THEY COULD TAKE OFFICERS ONCE A YEAR.
YOU'RE GONNA TRAIN THIS, YOU KNOW, THURSDAY CONCERNED JUST CITIZENS THAT WANT TO COME IN AND GET A REFRESHER ON HOW TO USE THE WEAPON THAT, THAT THEY HAVE.
IF, IF THIS MAKES ANY SENSE AT ALL.
IT MIGHT BE JUST SOME CRAZY PIE IN THE SKY IDEA.
WHEN I WAS A KID, WHAT DID YOU DO? DID YOU WANT TO PRACTICE WITH YOUR GUN? YOU GO OUTSIDE AND PRACTICE.
YOU GO DOWN TO THE GULLY AND PRACTICE.
YOU GO TO THE BAY AND PRACTICE
UH, NOW THERE'S NO PLACE YOU CAN JUST GO OUT AND SHOOT A GUN ANYMORE UNLESS YOU LOAD UP AND DRIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? I'D RATHER HAVE PEOPLE THAT KNEW HOW TO USE A FIREARM.
[00:05:01]
TO CARRY AND I FROZE UP WITH MY, MY PROTECTION GUN.AND SO I HAD TO SIT THERE AND HAVE IT COMPLETELY UNLOADED AND GO OVER IT TWO OR THREE TIMES.
SO I KNEW THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SAFETY AND THE FIRE AND THE MAGAZINE EJECT AND THE SLIDE, YOU KNOW, UH, RELEASE.
I HAD TO FIGURE ALL THAT OUT AGAIN.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY AFRAID TO TOUCH IT BECAUSE I WAS SCARED IT MIGHT GO OFF.
IT, IT'S KINDA LIKE IF A OFFICER PULLS YOU OVER ON THE HIGHWAY, HE, BY THE TIME YOU PULL OVER, HE KNOWS WHETHER YOU HAVE CONCEALED CARRY OR NOT.
AND IF YOU HAVE CONCEALED CARRY, IT PUTS HIM AT EASE.
I KNOW THE WORLD DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT
UH, I MEAN, I'M, YOU'D RATHER HAVE A TRAINED, QUALIFIED PERSON THAN A COWBOY.
IT'S GO WESTERN WEEK, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? ANYHOW, THAT'S JUST MY COMMENT.
AND IF I GET UP AND LEAVE, IT'S 'CAUSE I CAN'T HEAR IT.
IT'S NOT AN INSULT TO ANYBODY.
ANY FEEDBACK? OR WE JUST MOVE ON? MY GUESS IS THERE'S GONNA BE LIABILITY AND INSURANCE ISSUES WITH DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I MEAN, I, I HAVE NO IDEA.
THERE'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
I, I'M NOT SAYING I ACTUALLY SAFETY COURSES, FAMILIARIZATION COURSES OR WE USED TO HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR AND THE REASON IT WAS SHUT DOWN PROBABLY NEED TO USE YOUR MIC LIABILITY JUST 'CAUSE THEY RECORD THE MEETING.
WE USED TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT WAS SHUT DOWN MAINLY BECAUSE OF LIABILITY.
ASIDE FROM, THERE'S ALSO THE SHORTAGE OF MANPOWER, BUT THE DEA ACTUALLY CAME IN AND BUILT IT, CORRECT? NO, I'M TALKING WE USED TO DO TRAINING BACK.
OH, NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, DIDN'T THE DEA COME IN AND HELP US BUILD THIS RANGE AND WE HAVE A OH, YEAH.
WERE, THEY MAY BE A, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE RANGE WHERE IT'S THEIRS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS A WEEK, AND WE HAVE TO GIVE IT UP TO THEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE TONS OF TRAINING THAT WE DO OUT THERE.
IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE.
IT IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, BUT YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND IT'S NOT OUTTA LEFT FIELD.
YOU'RE, IT WAS GREAT PR RANGE.
YOU DON'T USE IT ALL THE TIME, BUT MAYBE YOU DO.
IT USED USED A LOT USE, BUT THAT'S NOT TO PRECLUDE A GUN SAFETY CLASS EITHER.
UH, OUR SECOND, UH, CITIZEN IS JOHN ISAACS AT, UH, 54 10 BAYOU BOULEVARD.
I'M ABOUT THREE BLOCKS OUTTA THE CITY, BUT I OWN BAY ENDING ON TEXAS AVENUE.
UM, TALKING TO THE MAYOR THE OTHER NIGHT, WE'RE HAVING ISSUES DOWN ON TEXAS AVENUE.
WE'RE HAVING, IT'S BECOMING THE HANGOUT, I THINK IS WHAT HE REFERRED TO IT AS.
WE'RE HAVING, IT'S LIKE PARENTS ARE DROPPING OFF.
THEIR KIDS ARE LIKE, I'M GONNA SAY 10 YEARS OLD ON UP.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT CREATING PROBLEMS PER SE, BUT WE'RE RUNNING INTO OTHER YOUNG ADULTS DRINKING, THROWING BOTTLES DOWN.
UM, THE MUSIC WILL ACTUALLY SHAKE THE STUFF INSIDE YOUR BUSINESSES.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY CAN ISSUE, THEY CAN WRITE TICKETS, BUT THE, THEY'RE GETTING THROWN OUT OF THE COURT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S, I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, BUT I, I, IT'S VERY POSSIBLE OUR GUYS ARE ISSUING CITATIONS AND DOING WHAT THEY CAN.
I WAS TOLD WHEN YOU GET TO COURT, IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD ON IT, BUT IT WAS, WE WERE DISCUSS OTHER PEOPLE WERE DISCUSSING IT.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF Y'ALL COULD HAVE AN OFFICER PARK AT ONE END OF TEXAS AVENUE, WALK DOWN, THEN WALK BACK BECAUSE YOU DRIVE BY IN A CAR, BEER'S GOING BEHIND THE BACK.
UM, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ACTUALLY SMART ENOUGH NOT TO THROW 'EM ON MY ROOF MOST OF THE TIME.
UM, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR INSTANCES OF TROUBLE THAT I'M AWARE OF OTHER THAN SOME MAY AT SOME OF THE EVENTS THEY HAD.
BUT THERE'S A POTENTIAL OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EITHER KIDS HURT OR SOMETHING BECAUSE IT'S A HANGOUT FOR 'EM.
NOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MALL TO GO TO MM-HMM
AND WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, I'LL SIT THERE IN MY OFFICE, SAY SEVEN TO EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
I'LL WATCH THE KIDS OR I'LL SEE 'EM ON MY RING CAMERA AND STUFF.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ACTUALLY LOOK
[00:10:01]
AT BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS.I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING GO DOWN THERE AND HARASS 'EM.
JUST A PRESENT, YOU KNOW, TWICE A NIGHT.
IT IS NOT A DRIVE THROUGH THOUGH.
THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAD TO SAY.
I DIDN'T INTEND TO SAY THAT TONIGHT EITHER.
I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, I THINK THAT'S EASILY DOABLE.
AND, AND NOT ONLY THAT, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME CONTACT WITH OUR, OUR YOUNGER CITIZENS AND MAYBE STEER THEM IN A, IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
AND HAVE SOME GOOD INTERACTION WITH 'EM.
AND IF, IF THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND THEY NEED TO BE, UH, HANDLED OFFICIALLY WITH ENFORCEMENT, WE'LL DO THAT TOO.
BUT WE'LL DO IT, UH, COURTEOUSLY AND APPROPRIATELY FOR FOR SURE.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK OR? NO, PREDOMINANTLY WEEKENDS.
ONLY ON, YOU KNOW, THE WEEKEND.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT, ESPECIALLY OVER THE HO DURING THE HOLIDAYS, THEY WERE DOWN THERE ALL THE TIME.
OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE OUT OF SCHOOL.
DO WE STILL HAVE A CURFEW? NO, SIR.
I THINK THERE WAS STATE LEGISLATION THAT DID AWAY WITH CURFEWS IN TEXAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
I WAS READING SOME HISTORY ON IT.
'CAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT SOME IDEAS ABOUT SOME CURFEWS.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS STRUCK DOWN QUITE A WHILE AGO.
A CITY ORDINANCE FOR CERTAIN HOURS.
UNLESS THEY'RE WITH A PARENT OR THEY'RE GOING TO AND FROM WORK AFTER MIDNIGHT.
BUT USUALLY BY THAT TIME, TEXAS AVENUE'S PRETTY SHUT DOWN.
AM I CORRECT? AFTER 10 WHEN THEY CLOSE OUT THE LITTLE SQUARE? WELL, THEY, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY, I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I'M NOT DOWN THERE AT 10 O'CLOCK.
I GO HOME, TRY TO GET HOME AT RIGHT AFTER SEVEN.
A LOT OF TIMES IT COULD BE 8, 8 30 BEFORE I GET OUT OF THERE.
THE, THE CURFEWS STILL EXTENDED PAST THAT TIME, YOU MEAN? RIGHT.
AND THE KIDS ARE CREATING A PROBLEM AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 TO 15 YEAR OLDS UNSUPERVISED, DROPPED OFF.
I MEAN, THAT'S, UH, DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE CHIEF IS SAYING THEY'LL, UH, ADDRESS MM-HMM
SO THANKS, THANKS FOR, UH, BOTH OF YOU.
UM, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU ACTUALLY.
I, I, I HAVE TO SAY I DO BELIEVE YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, I WORKED AT CHRISTMAS PARADE THIS YEAR, AND, UH, IT WAS THE WORST THING I'VE SEEN AT A CITY VENT IN OVER 20 YEARS.
UM, KIDS WERE FIGHTING, THE WHOLE TOWN SQUARE WAS WALL TO WALL TEENAGERS.
AND EVERY FIVE MINUTES A FIGHT WOULD BREAK OUT.
AND WE HAD ABOUT EIGHT POLICE OFFICERS THERE, AND THEY WOULD DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO ONE WAY AND THEY'D GO DO SOMETHING AND TRY TO DRAW OUR ATTENTION THE OTHER WAY.
SO WE KIND OF SET UP LITTLE POSTS TO WHERE, AND IT NEVER STOPPED UNTIL THEY CLOSED.
PARENTS WERE JUST DROPPING 'EM OFF.
THERE WASN'T A PARENT IN SIGHT BACK WHEN I WAS YOUNG ON CHRISTMAS PARADE ON TEXAS AVENUE.
YOU WENT WITH YOUR PARENTS, YOU LEFT WITH YOUR PARENTS.
THEY STAYED WITH YOU THE WHOLE TIME.
UH, BUT YEAH, IT'S, IT BECAME THE MALL.
THE MALL'S NOT HERE ANYMORE, SO THEY DROP 'EM OFF.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE PARENTS GO.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY, I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT.
UH, THERE'S A BAR OVER CLOSE BY
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GET HOME.
WE JUST MADE 'EM LEAVE AFTER THE PARADE WAS OVER, SO, UH, BUT YEAH.
WE'LL, WE'LL DEFINITELY GET ON THAT.
I KNOW ALL THE OTHER PARKS HAVE A CURFEW.
DOES THAT PARK HAVE A CURFEW? YEAH, THEY ALL CLOSE AT A CERTAIN TIME.
IS THAT CONSIDERED A PARK TOWN SQUARE? YES.
A CITY PARK TOWN SHOULD BE A PARK.
IF IT IS, THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SHUT 'EM DOWN.
I KNOW WE SHOULD SPEND A LONG TIME DOWN THERE.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S A REALLY NICE PLACE TOO, SO YEAH.
IT'S, WE GOTTA BE ABLE TO KEEP IT CLEAN.
NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT.
[a. Receive and discuss community input obtained by the Baytown Police Advisory Committee Members.]
ANYBODY ON THE BOARD THAT HAS INPUT SIMILAR? UM, UH, THE ONLY THING WE'VE HEARD SO FAR ARE PEOPLE TALKING TO ME JUST 'CAUSE WITH UNIS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT I'M A MEMBER OF, THEY'RE CONCERNED WITH THE WHOLE IMMIGRATION THING AND HOW WE'RE[00:15:01]
HANDLING THAT.AND THEN DOWN SOUTH BY ALEXANDER AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THERE, LACK OF VISIBILITY, THE WANT AN INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING IN.
BUT THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE.
AND WHEN, WHEN YOU TWO HEAR THAT, JUST EMAIL THAT THROUGH YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND TO ME SO THAT WE ALL ARE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC.
UH, BECAUSE WHAT I WOULD PREFER IS FOR YOUR LIEUTENANTS AND ASSISTANT CHIEFS TO SEE IT AND ME GO TO 'EM AND SAY, HEY, WHAT HAVE WE DONE ABOUT THIS? AND THEM SAY, I'M ALREADY ON IT.
SO COULD YOU CLARIFY WHAT YOU MEAN ON IMMIGRATION ISSUES? THEY'RE, THEY'RE SCARED, OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE PICKED UP.
OR THEY'RE SCARED THAT NO, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PICKED UP.
THAT WE ARE STOPPING PEOPLE FOR THAT.
'CAUSE THEY'VE SEEN, OH, OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TARGETING TO TELL.
AND WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT TARGETING ANYBODY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION STATUS.
WE'RE FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE OPERATING JUST LIKE WE HAVE ALWAYS.
SO WE, THAT'S THE REASON ANITA, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, IS TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT KIND OF INFORMATION OUT TO THEM.
SO, SO CHIEF, THAT, THAT'S A GREAT, UM, THOUGHT AND IDEA, BUT HOW IS THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF, UM, THE, HOW CAN YOU COME, THE COMMUNITY MM-HMM
WHAT IS BEING SAID? WHAT'S BEING PUT OUT FOR NOTIFICATION TO REASSURE THE CITIZENS THAT IT'S NOT A TARGET? YEAH.
I BELIEVE WE'VE ACTUALLY ANSWERED, UH, SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THROUGH OUR UNIDOS AS WELL AS, UH, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
BUT I THINK THAT, UH, OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR HAS PUT SOME OF THAT INFORMATION OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AS WELL.
BUT PART OF IT TOO IS OUR OFFICERS INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS.
THAT'S WHERE THE BEST SOURCE OF, AND EXCUSE ME, FOR NOT BEING ROLLED ALLOWED TONIGHT, BUT SOME OF OUR BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION IS GONNA BE THAT ONE ON ONE COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE AS, AS RELIABLE AND AS IMPACTFUL TO A CITIZEN HEARING IT FROM A LINE LEVEL OFFICER THAT THIS IS HOW WE'RE OPERATING.
SO, BECAUSE HERE IN THERE, THERE'S A NEED FOR INCREASE, UH, IN, IN AN AREA WITH THAT INCREASE.
ARE THEY AWARE THAT IT'S AN INCREASE FOR OBSERVATION, PROTECTION AND NOT FOR TARGET YET? YEAH.
BECAUSE WHAT I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE.
WHAT HAPPENED UNFORTUNATELY, WAS WHENEVER THE MANDATE CAME DOWN, PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK WERE POSTING HERE IN BAYTOWN THAT THERE WAS IMMIGRATION AT TOBY'S.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING OR LANGUAGE, THEY WERE CONCERNED.
AND SO WE GOT, WELL, I DID GOT BOMBARDED WITH PHONE CALLS, BUT OUTTA THE WAY I WAS, I HOPE TO EASE THEIR MIND, BUT OBVIOUSLY OKAY.
AND IF ANYONE ASK YOU REASSURE THEM THAT, LIKE THE CHIEF SAID, WE'RE NOT TARGETING ANYBODY.
IMMIGRATION'S NOT TARGETING ANYBODY.
BUT IF YOU ARE ILLEGAL AND YOU BREAK THE LAW AND DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF, YOU MIGHT END UP IN A SITUATION YOU DON'T WANNA BE IN.
WHICH IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS, DOING MY THING.
SO, SO, UH, I ACTUALLY HAD, UH, A REQUEST, UH, FOR BASICALLY MAYBE A PATROL TO LOOK AT, BUT MM-HMM
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH, I THINK THE COMPANY NAME IS PEACE GLOBAL LOGISTICS? I'M NOT, IT'S ON THE SPUR THREE 30 FEEDER BETWEEN BAYWAY AND BAKER ROAD.
IT'S ON THE INBOUND OR OUTBOUND? INBOUND SIDE.
BASICALLY HEADED FROM BAYWAY TO BAKER ROAD PAST THE OLD, UH, IT'S NEXT TO THE, NEXT TO THE, THE WAREHOUSE.
IT'S NEXT TO THE, UH, UH, ANIMAL, UH, UH, VET VETERINARIAN THAT'S RIGHT THERE.
IT'S FULL OF JUNK CARS, LIKE CRASHED.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE MOVING 'EM IN OR OUT, BUT THEY HAVE A 18 WHEELERS MM-HMM
IN THE MORNINGS, PARKED DOWN THE SIDE OF THE SPUR FEEDER BLOCKING ONE LANE.
NO, NO SIGNAGE, NO DIRECTING TRAFFIC, NOTHING.
UM, AND THEN SOMETIMES ALSO THEY HAVE 'EM PARKED.
THEY JUMP THE CURB AND PARK IN THE DIRT UNDER THE FREEWAY.
WHAT TIME? I THINK LIKE BEFORE NOON.
I'LL, I CAN GET YOU 7:00 AM SEVEN TO 9:00 AM YEAH.
I'LL RUN INTO 'EM EVERY TIME I GO.
WE LEAVING TO GO TO THE GYM? IT MIGHT, YEAH.
SHE ACTUALLY SAID THE SAME THING.
SHE AND OUR COMMERCIAL, UH, UH, MOTOR VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT CREW IS, THEY ARE AWARE OF THAT AND OH, OKAY.
AND WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO STAY ON IT BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY GOT
[00:20:01]
THREE GUYS WORKING IN RIGHT NOW.MY MOM, MY MOTHER SAID IT WAS EVERY DAY, BASICALLY WHEN SHE DRIVES THROUGH THE SAME, IT USED TO BE THEY WERE ALL COMING IN OFF OF BAKER ROAD.
IF YOU RIGHT THERE BEFORE THE RAILROAD TRACK, YOU, YOU'LL SEE THEIR LOT.
IT'LL BE FULL OF JUNK CARS ONE WEEK AND NEXT WEEK THEY'VE SCRAPPED 'EM ALL OUT, BROKEN 'EM DOWN, SHIPPED THEM OUT, AND, UH, NOW, NOW IT'S BACK FILLING UP EVERY TIME.
AND THEY'RE BRINGING THEM IN OFF OF DECKER INSTEAD OF BRINGING THEM IN OFF OF BAKER.
AND IT IS CREATING A TRAFFIC PROBLEM.
SO THEY NEED TO, THEY NEED TO CREATE A PICKUP.
THAT'S NOT TAKING UP FEEDER ROAD.
AND SHE, YEAH, I WAS TOLD, BASICALLY THEY'LL HAVE LIKE THREE OR FOUR OF 'EM LINED UP ON THE FEEDER ROAD, LIKE WAITING THEIR TURN TO PULL INTO THE DRIVEWAY.
SO THEY'RE JUST BLOCKING TRAFFIC.
UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU THINK YOU, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM SOLVED AND THEN IT POPS RIGHT BACK UP, IT CYCLES ON YOU, SO.
AND IF IT'S ACTUALLY ONLY A COUPLE HOURS IN THE MORNING, IT MIGHT BE HARD TO SPOT.
UM, PRETTY MUCH WE'LL FOLLOW UP.
THAT JOSH WAS WHAT MY, MY MOTHER WOULD.
SHE'S USUALLY GONNA A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND SHE GETS CAUGHT UP IN THAT EVERY DAY.
MS. SARGE, CAN YOU HAVE ONE OF YOUR GUYS THAT GETS OUT AND, AND MAKES THE ROUNDS, PUT EYES ON THAT AS WELL? SHE'S THE BIGGEST, ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS I GET.
ANYBODY THAT LIVES OUT ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE RAILROAD MAN? WE HAVE TRIED ON DIFFERENT LEVELS WITH US AND WITH, I KNOW THE CITY'S REACHED OUT TO THEM.
AND, WELL, I HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN FOR THAT.
IF, IF OUR OFFICERS HAVE TO DIVERT AND TAKE A LONG WAY AROUND, THEN WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP.
WHETHER IT'S A POLICE OFFICER OR A FIRE FIREFIGHTER, EMT, WE CAN'T GET TO 'EM AS QUICKLY AS WE NEED.
YOU'VE GOT A TRAIN THAT BOX IT FROM OLD PAST, UH, LYNCHBURG.
ALL THE WAY ACROSS BOTH LANES OF DECKER, ALL THE WAY ACROSS BAKER.
MY WIFE THINKS THEY'RE TARGETING HER, ACTUALLY.
THEY KNOW WHEN SHE'S LEAVING
I WOULD SAY WHETHER IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REACHING OUT TO THEM OR, UH, OR SOMEBODY FROM CITY HALL HERE.
IT HAS BEEN A NON-RESPONSIVE ANSWER.
THEY'RE BREAKING THE LAW ACTUALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE TEXAS HAS REGULATIONS HOW LONG WE USED TO HAVE REGULATIONS.
YOU CAN BLOCK, INTERSECTION USED, CAN TICKET THE ENGINEER.
I JUST DON'T, NOT THE ENGINEER, THE CONDUCTOR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ENFORCE IT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WAS CHANGED A LONG TIME.
I'VE SEEN A CONDUCTOR PULLED OFF BEFORE.
BUT IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, I THINK.
WE HAD THOSE YEARS AND YEARS AGO BACK IN ALABAMA WHERE I CAME FROM, WE ACTUALLY HAD A SPEED LIMIT GOING THROUGH THE CITY.
AND I ACTUALLY SAW ONE OF OUR OFFICERS HAVE A TRAIN STOPPED AND, UH, WAS NORFOLK SOUTHERN, NOT UNION PACIFIC, BUT DRIVE TWO OR THREE MILES UP THE, UP THE RAIL TO, TO WRITE A CITATION FOR IT OF ALL THINGS.
I, WE, WE USED, UH, MY FAMILY'S, UH, REGGIE FOWLER WAS A OFFICER YEARS AGO.
HE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF OUR FAMILY.
I KNOW REGGIE WOULD'VE CHASED HIM DOWN.
HE TOLD ME HE WOULD TICKET A GUY ON A BICYCLE IF HE RAN A STOPLIGHT.
HE WOULD'VE, YES, HE WOULD'VE.
I BELIEVE HE WROTE ME MY FIRST TICKET.
I BELIEVE SERGEANT DAVIS WOULD TOO.
WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY? OKAY.
SORRY TO JUMP THE MEETING BACK TO OKAY.
BUT ACTUALLY KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE TRAINS.
WE DEALT, I'VE, I LIVE OUT IN CEDAR BI PARK, OR MY MOM LIVES IN CEDAR BI PARK.
I LIVE ON B BOULEVARD NORTH OF TARRO DE ORO, ABOUT A HALF A MILE.
UH, THE TRAINS, THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
I'VE TALKED TO BRISCO CAIN ABOUT IT, ABOUT THAT IN THE 18 HUNDREDS.
GIVE THE RAILROADS SO MUCH AUTHORITY TO BUILD.
THERE'S NOTHING, UM, ANYBODY IN THE STATE CAN REALLY DO.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT WITH BABIN AT THE, AT THE STATE, AT THE US REP LEVEL TO GET THE LAWS CHANGED.
HE SAYS HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AT CROSBY ON HIS NEW PROPERTY.
UM, AND THERE'S NOTHING HE CAN DO ABOUT IT IF HE CAN'T STOP IT FROM IN FRONT OF HIS YEAH.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE.
I MEAN, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YOU CAN'T WRITE A TICKET TO HIM THE WAY HE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
[00:25:01]
HAVE TO INVESTIGATE.I I ACTUALLY THINK THERE ARE SOME LAWS AROUND BLOCKING THE ROAD.
THEY WERE BLOCK FROM ARCHER ROAD, CEDAR BY LYNCHBURG SLANDER AND MASSEY TOMPKINS.
THERE WAS ONE DAY ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, OR THREE MONTHS AGO THAT THEY'RE ALL THREE, ALL FOUR OF THE INTERSECTIONS WERE BLOCKED.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW IT, SOMEBODY'S GONNA DIE BECAUSE OF IT.
REMEMBER THE KIDS THAT WERE KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT JUMPING A STOLEN CAR MM-HMM
UH, THAT STOLE FROM THEIR PARENTS AND NO, IT WAS A STOLEN CAR.
I BUT THE KID JUMPED, UH, RAILROAD TRACKS IN THE STOLEN CARS AND THEN ABANDONED THE CAR.
THE COULDN'T SEE, THERE WAS A TRAIN ON THE TRACK AND HE RAN STRAIGHT INTO THE TRAIN.
HE KILLED, HE HAD FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE IN THE CAR HE KILLED.
THREE KIDS WERE KILLED IN THE, I WAS GONNA SAY ABOUT HALF OF THEM WERE KILLED.
THE OTHER HALF LIVED, UH, THE LOSS RESULTING LAWSUIT WAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THAT THE, THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE RAILROAD PAID OUT.
IS BECAUSE THAT MY MOM COME BACK FROM THE CASINO ONE NIGHT.
IT'S DARK OUT THERE WHERE THAT IT'S DARK WHERE THAT INTERSECTION IS AND THEY ALMOST WENT UNDERNEATH IT.
IT WAS WAY OUT BY ARCHER, BY THE STADIUM OR SOMETHING.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE WHEN WE WOKE UP AND HEARD ABOUT IT, YEAH.
WE'RE CHECK OUR BEDROOMS. 'CAUSE OUR KIDS WERE FRIENDS WITH THOSE KIDS.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO THE PARAMEDIC THAT WAS ON SCENE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS EXTRICATING THEM AND STUFF.
SO I I I TELL YOU WHAT I THINK I'M GONNA DO, UH, OUR LEGAL ADVISOR, OUR, OUR ATTORNEY IS, IS ACTUALLY HERE WITH US IN VANCE.
CAN WE GET TOGETHER IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WHETHER IT'S MONDAY AND, AND TALK ABOUT, UH, SENDING A LETTER TO THE, TO THE RAILROADS AND OPENING UP SOME KIND OF CONVERSATION WITH 'EM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TO BLOCK OCCASIONALLY TO, UH, THEY DO SWITCHING, SLOW UNLOAD CARS, BUCKLE AND BUCKLE AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UH, DO THEY IT DOES, IT IS EXCESSIVE.
IT'S NOT JUST INCONVENIENT, INCONVENIENT FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY PART OF IT TOO.
WHEN THEY COME IN FROM 10 AND THEY GET DOWN TO DECKER, THEY, THEY BLOCK DECKER AND THEY BLOCK BAKER.
AND IT'S BECAUSE EXXON HAS A GATE AND THEY HAVE TO WAIT TILL EXXON OPENS UP THEIR END OF THE GATE.
'CAUSE THEY CAN'T GO THROUGH THE PLANT UNLESS EXXON GIVES PERMISSION.
AND THEY'LL PARK THERE FOR, IT'S NOTHING TO HAVE 'EM PARK FOR HOURS.
AND THEN, LIKE YOU SAID, WE'VE GOT TRUCKS THAT BLOCK THE RIGHT LANE IN THE MORNINGS GOING IN THAT BUSINESS.
IT'S, IT'S DANGEROUS IN THE MORNING WITH THE, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING DOWN THAT FEED DOWN JUNIOR AND THEY'RE TRYING TO TAKE PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL, NOW WE GET TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE ROLLING BROOK.
IF I'M GOING TO DON VAL'S HOUSE, I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT FA ROAD.
'CAUSE I'M GONNA GET BOUGHT MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOWN.
SO I GO DOWN TO ROLLING BROOK, GO UP ROLLING BROOK, TAKE I TOE BACK TO THE HOSPITAL.
WE'LL START TALKING TO EXXON AS WELL AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY CAN DO.
INCREASE TRAFFIC ON ROLLING TRUCK.
SO IT'S, I MEAN, IF YOU WATCH PEOPLE, THEY, THEY DON'T, A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE GOING TO TOWN, THEY DON'T EVEN TRY TO TAKE THAT BAKER ROAD ANYMORE.
WE, WE WILL TALK TO EXXON AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY CAN DO.
BUT KNOW THE EXXON ID THAT EXXON IN POINT IS A GOOD POINT.
SO IT, IT IS, AND I MEAN, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT THEY CAN SET UP COMMS ON RADIO FREQUENCIES OR SOMETHING TO PREPARE TO HAVE THE GATES OPEN AS THEY APPROACH TO ME, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE YEAH.
EXXON GENERALLY HAS THEIR WAITING.
EXXON HAS THEIR TRUCKS WAITING AT THE, UH, RAILROAD MM-HMM
THEY'RE GENERALLY AN EXXON TRUCK SECURITY TRUCK SITTING ON EITHER SIDE.
THEY ACTUALLY NOTIFY 'EM THAT THEY ARE GENERALLY THERE PRIOR TO THE TRAIN'S ARRIVAL.
WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ON OUR END.
UH, TRY TO REPRESENT OUR CITIZENS AND SAFETY THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND, AND ACTUALLY, I MEAN, I THINK THAT WRAPS UP THAT SECTION.
AND I, I WAS REALIZING I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE THE NEW MEMBERS AND, AND I APOLOGIZE.
UM, WE HAVE TWO NEW MEMBERS ON THE BOARD, AND I'M SORT OF NOW JUST GONNA DO THAT TO MAKE SURE I, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU GUYS, UM, UH, WHAT'S YOUR FIRST NAME? REX ELLIOT.
AND, UH, AND I REMEMBERED RICE, BUT I COULDN'T REMEMBER YOU.
ANDREA, ANDREA RICE, UH, ARE THE TWO NEW MEMBERS.
UM, YEAH, IF YOU WANT, UH, TELL
[00:30:01]
US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, WELL, ACTUALLY, WE CAN HOLD THAT OFF THEN.I MEAN THE, THE, UH, BUSINESS ITEMS. WE WERE GONNA KIND OF TALK ABOUT GOALS AND AND PURPOSE OF THE BOARD.
AND THAT'S KIND OF, UH, WHERE I WAS GONNA GO WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, I WANTED TO WELCOME YOU GUYS TO THE BOARD AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT DOING THAT AT FIRST.
ACTUALLY, I SHOULD HAVE, UM, THE
[a. Receive an update regarding the status of police outreach, community policing, officer training and/or policies and procedures.]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS REPORTS.WE'RE GONNA GET A REPORT FROM, UH, CHIEF POLICE HERE.
UH, UNDER RECRUITMENT RETENTION, OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE REMAINING CONSISTENT AT 95%.
UH, WE ARE CONDUCTING, CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A LATERAL PEACE OFFICER HIRING PROCESS.
UH, WE ARE HOPING TO, UH, WE'RE HOPING TO ACHIEVE ABOUT 97% AND, AND TRY TO MAKE THAT OUR, OUR TARGET GOAL HAVE NO MORE THAN ABOUT THREE OPENINGS AT ANY ONE TIME, WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY NICE.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE COULD OCCASIONALLY HIT 100% STAFFING, EVEN IF IT'S FOR JUST A MONTH OR TWO, THAT'D BE, THAT'D BE ICING ON THE CAKE FOR US.
WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UH, UH, THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND MY, MY OLD AGENCY SENT ME A TEXT, UH, RIGHT BEFORE LAST SUMMER.
HE SAID, HEY, WE'RE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT STAFFING.
AND ACTUALLY, HE, HE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME ABOUT IT.
AND WE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS, IT'S ALMOST UNHEARD OF.
TWO WEEKS LATER, HE, HE SENT ME A TEXT THAT THEY LOST SIX OFFICERS TO A NEIGHBORING AGENCY.
I, I SAID, YOU JINXED IT, SO I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY THE NEXT DAY.
SO, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER AGENCIES ACROSS THE NATION, WE ARE, WE ARE STILL DOING WELL WITH OUR STAFFING LEVELS.
SO, UM, UNDER A COLLABORATION AND OUTREACH, EXCUSE ME, UH, WE POSTED COFFEE WITH A COP, UH, JANUARY 7TH AT, UH, THE, THE HEART AND WIS BAKERY.
AND THAT WAS, UH, UH, SERGEANT JONES CREW THAT PUTS ALL THAT TOGETHER.
WE HAD REALLY GOOD TURNOUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UM, YOU WERE THERE FOR THAT RIGHT, SERGEANT? YES, SIR.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAD, UH, ONE OF THE BEST TURNOUTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT THAT I'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
AND I DON'T JUST MEAN OUR PATROL OFFICERS.
UM, WE HAD DETECTIVES SHOW UP, UH, FROM, UH, FROM OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
WE HAD, UH, CRIME PREVENTION UNITS OUT THERE, BUT WE ALSO HAD SOME OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS AND SOME CANINE UNITS TOO.
SO THAT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SEE THE FULL STRATA OF THE DEPARTMENT, UH, REPRESENTED.
OF COURSE, OUR, OUR VICE AND NARCOTICS GUYS WEREN'T SHOWING UP TO THAT.
THEY TRIED TO MAINTAIN A LOW PROFILE.
SO, BUT, UM, WE EVEN HAD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THERE.
THAT WAS NOT COORDINATED, GUYS.
THAT, THAT OUGHT SCARE STARBUCKS A LITTLE.
UH, UM, UH, OUR CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY BE BEGAN IN JANUARY, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF JANUARY, JANUARY.
IT'S IN ITS THIRD WEEK RUNNING.
UM, I, UH, I VISITED WITH THEM LAST WEEK AND, UH, KIND OF SPENT SOME TIME WITH THEM.
THEY HAD THEIR USE OF FORCE CLASS AND, UH, A COUPLE OF THE, UH, THE, THE CLASS PARTICIPANTS APPARENTLY VOLUNTEERED TO HAVE EXPOSURE TO THE TASER.
UM, IF THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING INTO, THEY PROBABLY WOULD'VE REALLY CHANGED THEIR MINDS.
WE DO MAKE 'EM SIGN WAIVERS THOUGH.
UM, AND, UH, OUR PATROL HAS PARTNER PARTNERED WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SOME SURROUNDING AGENCIES FOR THE MARDI GRAS HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND DID A DWI AND TRAFFIC SAFETY INITIATIVE.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DWI ARRESTS JUST OFF OF THAT FROM OUR THREE, UH, PARTICIPATING OFFICERS.
SO WE WERE, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE ROADS A LITTLE BIT SAFER DURING THAT HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
OF COURSE, THAT'S A, THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH ALCOHOL AND DRINKING.
UM, CRIME PREVENTION'S BEGUN WORKING ON, UH, THE, THE SUMMERS JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY ALREADY.
THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD YEAR THAT WE'VE DONE IT.
UM, AND, UH, THAT, UH, THAT AGE GROUP.
UM, AND WHAT'S THE, THE, THE MINIMUM AGE ON IT? 10 TO 14? 10? I THINK IT'S 10 TO 14.
UH, SO MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER HAS PARTICIPATED IN IT TWICE.
SHE'S A LITTLE UPSET THAT, UH, LAST YEAR WAS HER LAST YEAR.
SO, UM, SHE'S GONNA BE MY HELPER THIS YEAR.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA LET HER GO BACK AND EARN, UH, VOLUNTEER POINTS FOR, UH, THE HONOR SOCIETY.
SO THAT'LL BE GOOD FOR, UM, AND THEN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD OF, THE BAYTOWN FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE.
[00:35:01]
UM, I THINK I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE.UH, CITY OF BAYTOWN PARTICIPATED IN THE, THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THE OPIOID, UH, UH, PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES PRODUCING OPIOIDS.
AND WE'VE BEGUN TO RECEIVE SOME OF OUR SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
THE, THE MONEY THAT WE GOT, UH, WE WERE TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW WE WOULD SPEND IT.
UM, WE RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE CLASSES THROUGH THE HGAC.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE MONIES THAT, THAT WE'RE ENTITLED TO REALLY WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO, UH, REHAB OR AN INPATIENT FACILITY.
IT WOULD BE USED UP REALLY QUICK.
UH, THE FIRE CHIEF WAS INVOLVED, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND I THOUGHT, WHY NOT FOCUS ON THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF THE OPIOID ADDICTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT PROBLEM SOLVING, POLICING.
IF WE CAN KEEP AREAS, WELL, THAT STREET LIGHTS WORKING AND TREES TRIMMED OFF OF THE, THE LIGHT SO THAT A ROAD WAS, IS WELL LIT AND THEY'RE NOT HANGING OUT, AND KIDS AREN'T HANGING OUT AND DRINKING AND SMOKING MARIJUANA.
AND THEN IT BECOMES AN OPEN AIR DRUG MARKET.
BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT A MOVIE THAT I SAW A LONG TIME AGO CALLED COURAGEOUS, AND IT WAS ABOUT FATHERHOOD, AND IT'S ABOUT A BUNCH OF COPS THAT ARE REALLY GOOD COPS, AND THEY'RE OKAY DADS.
BUT THEY TALKED ABOUT, THERE WAS THIS ONE SCENE THAT KEPT STICKING OUT TO ME, AND, AND I BELIEVE IT, AND IT'S TRUE, IF FATHERS WOULD INVEST IN THEIR KIDS AND BE AT HOME WITH 'EM AND DO THEIR JOBS, HALF THE STUFF WE DEAL WITH ON THE STREET WOULD GO AWAY.
SO WHY NOT INVEST IN OUR FAMILIES HERE IN BAYTOWN? WHY NOT INVEST IN OUR FATHERS? AND, UH, THOMAS REEVES, OUR, UH, CITY, UH, UH, PR MANAGER, HE, UH, HE ASKED IF HE COULD TAKE SPEARHEAD ON THAT.
AND I MORE THAN HAPPY TO LET HIM TAKE THE, THE LEAD.
WELL, HE FOUND KEVIN BARNETT OUTTA HOUSTON, WHO IS THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF COOL DAD.
AND THEY ARE PARTNERED WITH, UH, SPORTS TEAMS IN HOUSTON.
THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD, UH, RESOURCES.
AND, UH, THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE THE CHAMPION FOR THE BAYTOWN FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, I GOT SOME, SOME HANDOUTS FROM HIM TODAY THAT WE'RE GONNA START GETTING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS COMING.
BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THINK IF, AND STUDIES SHOW THAT WHEN A FATHER IS INVOLVED WITH THEIR CHILDREN, THE CHILDREN ARE LESS LIKELY TO BECOME INVOLVED IN DRUGS, UH, LESS LIKELY TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, LESS LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED.
AND, UH, WE NEED, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IS THAT RESURGENCE OF THE FAMILY AND FATHERHOOD, BECAUSE I WOULD MUCH RATHER DO THAT THAN HAVE TO ARREST ANYBODY.
OUR TRUE MEASURE OF SUCCESS, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, ULTIMATELY WILL NOT BE HOW MANY PEOPLE WE PUT IN JAIL OR HOW MANY TICKETS WE WRITE IS HOW MANY TIMES WE NEVER HAVE TO DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE WE'RE SOLVING PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE REALLY GOOD STUFF.
AND I THINK MAYBE I'D LIKE TO HAVE KEVIN COME, COME TALK TO THE BPAC AND GIVE YOU HIS PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I JUST DON'T DO IT JUSTICE.
BUT HE'S GOT SOME REALLY, EXCUSE ME.
HE'S GOT SOME REALLY GOOD, UH, VIDEOS OF YOU WERE THERE WHEN HE PRESENTED THOSE.
THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE REALLY GOOD HIGH QUALITY VIDEOS.
UM, AND, UH, AND I'M, I'M EXCITED TO HAVE HIM COME OVER AND HELP US WITH IT.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2024, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
AND THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, UH, WILL ALSO BE ARCHIVED FOR COMPARISONS.
UH, UNDER TRAINING, UH, EXCUSE ME, BAYTOWN POLICE OFFICERS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 3028 TRAINING HOURS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2025 TO PRESENT.
UH, WE'VE HAD TWO INTERMEDIATE PEACE OFFICERS CERTIFICATIONS AWARDED AND ONE ADVANCED PEACE OFFICER CERTIFICATION.
UH, OUR POLICE ACADEMIES PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 2,100 TRAINING HOURS, UH, FROM THE SAME TIME PERIOD TO OUR OFFICERS AND, UH, OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE AREA THAT, THAT COME TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, WE'VE TAUGHT A TOTAL OF 16 COURSES AND HAD 92 STUDENTS ATTEND.
UM, AND THEN JUST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOU, MYSELF AND EXECUTIVE STAFF BEGAN AN INTERNAL LISTENING SESSION FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, KIND OF LIKE WE DO WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL, UH, PEOPLE SO THAT WE COULD SPEND MORE TIME SET ASIDE FOR DIVISIONS, BUREAUS, AND UNITS, AND HAVE SOME, HAVE SOME MEANINGFUL INTERACTION WITH THEM SO THAT WE COULD, UH, NOT ONLY FACILITATE
[00:40:01]
COMMUNICATION, BUT ALSO EXCHANGE IDEAS THAT WOULD IMPROVE THE AGENCY AND OUR OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY.SO, UH, WE HAD OUR SECOND ONE, UH, RECENTLY WITH OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WAS THERE ANY, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEAUMONT PORT ARTHUR ORANGE OFFICE OFFICERS THAT CAME OUT TO DO TRAINING IN BAYTOWN AS WELL? UH, I'D HAVE TO LOOK TO TELL YOU.
WE, LIKE I SAID, WE RAN, WE RAN 16 COURSES AND WE OFFER IT TO, UH, OFFICERS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
UH, WE USUALLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE FROM THE REGION.
I MEAN, I KNOW THAT I'VE SEEN BAYMONT UH, POLICE CARS IN OUR, UH, IN OUR ACADEMY PARKING LOT OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, SO, OKAY.
BUT COULD I TELL YOU FOR ANY CERTAINTY, NOT WITHOUT CHECKING WITH THE LIEUTENANT OVER THE ACADEMY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'S GONNA BE ANOTHER CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY THIS YEAR.
UH, IT'S, UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HISPANIC, UH, THE, THE SPANISH SPEAKING CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY.
OUR ANITAS PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON PUTTING TOGETHER A, UH, UH, A SPANISH, UH, LANGUAGE POLICE ACADEMY, CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY FOR OUR, OUR CITIZENS WHO, UH, WHO ARE NOT BILINGUAL AS ANOTHER FORM OF OUTREACH TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT MAY HELP YOU WERE, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE, YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE LATERAL MORE PEOPLE IN BILATERAL MM-HMM
HAS THAT JUST BEEN A MODIFICATION TO CIVIL SERVICE? OR HAS CIVIL SERVICE BEEN DELETED WAY? NO, NO, NO.
IT'S, UH, IT'S IN, IT IS IN ADDITION TO THE CIVIL SERVICE.
UM, SO WHAT WE DID ABOUT, UH, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WAS WE BEGAN OPENING UP, UH, WE BEGAN OPENING UP A LATERAL TRANSFER PROGRAM AS LONG AS YOU WERE A CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER AND YOU MET THE, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, BUT IT, IT, IT, IT RUNS SIDE BY SIDE WITH CIVIL SERVICE.
[a. Discuss and consider setting any tasks and goals for future meetings.]
THINK THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS BUSINESS ITEMS DISCUSS DISCUSSING TASKS AND GOALS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.UH, I KNOW, UH, DID EVERY, EVERYBODY RECEIVED THE, UH, SUMMARY OF THE, THE QUICK ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT, WHICH IS A SUMMARY OF GOALS IN THE PAST? UH, IT JUST GOES OVER SOME OF THE BASIC FACTS ABOUT THE COMMITTEE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, TRENDS, DECISIONS.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO READ THESE INTO THE RECORD, BUT, UH, JUST IN GENERAL, I MEAN, MOST OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR THINGS THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS FOCUSED ON IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN AROUND, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, UH, INCREASING THAT.
I MEAN, SOME IN THE PAST, SOME STICKERS WERE CREATED, UH, THAT WERE, THAT I THINK ARE STILL IN USE, UH, THAT WERE GIVEN OUT THAT PEOPLE CAN USE TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, THIS, THERE'S A, SOMEBODY WITH A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM HERE, UH, AND AUTISM AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, SOME, UH, IPAD, UH, IT'S THE CORE PROGRAM, UH, YEAH, THE CLINICIAN OFFICER REMOTE, UH, EVALUATION PROGRAM THROUGH HARRIS HEALTH.
IT'S ACTUALLY AWARDED OUT OF, UH, UH, THE, THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND, AND I MEAN, UH, OTHER THINGS I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE MEET MONTHLY, UH, IT'S A PUBLIC FORUM.
THE PUBLIC IS ALWAYS INVITED TO COME.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS TO BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP OR BETTER THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
UH, WE REPORT BACK TO CITY HALL TYPICALLY ONCE A YEAR.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE'VE DONE THAT IN A WHILE.
BUT, UH, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, ALLOW CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT OR, OR FOSTER, UH, PROMOTE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT WITH THE POLICE.
UM, SO I THINK, I MEAN, REALLY THE MAJOR KEY PART OF THE AGENDA OR ISSUE TO DISCUSS HERE IS, IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO MOVING FORWARD.
OR HOW WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, POSITION THE, THE, UH, COMMITTEE.
UM, WE WILL HAVE AN UPCOMING SESSION AT STERLING LIBRARY WHERE WE DO SOME LIKE, SORT OF A TEAM BUILDING AND SKILLS, UH, YOU KNOW, GOAL SETTING.
BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY INPUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT NOW? I MEAN, ESPECIALLY I'M SORT OF ASKING THE NEW MEMBERS PART OF THE INTRODUCTION AND GRILLING OF THE NEW MEMBERS, BUT NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
BEFORE, BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
UM, I WANT TO THANK THESE TWO GENTLEMEN FOR
[00:45:01]
SHOWING UP TODAY.UH, IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HAD SOMEBODY IN THE LAST SEVEN MEETINGS, SO Y'ALL ARE MORE THAN WELCOME.
I'M JUST, I'M NOT, I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE WE NEED CITIZENS.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS PROGRAM, I'D LIKE EVERYBODY TO JUST THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
COME UP WITH IDEAS HOW WE CAN ADVERTISE AND HOW WE CAN GET PEOPLE IN THOSE SEATS RIGHT THERE SO THAT WE CAN IMP WE CAN'T IMPROVE COMMUNITY RELATIONS IF WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE HERE TO IMPROVE IT.
AND WE NEED OUR CITIZENS BECAUSE THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO US.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
SO IF EVERYBODY COULD JUST THINK AND TRY TO COME UP WITH IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS BETTER AND BRING PEOPLE IN TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS.
JUST A NOTICE IN YOUR, UM, WATER BILLS THAT GO OUT MONTHLY.
I'M GONNA WRITE THAT DOWN UNTIL I HAPPEN TO LOOK ON, FILL OUT SOME QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CITY HALL.
WHENEVER I'VE BEEN ON, ON THE WEBSITE, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BOARD AND I HAD A LIST OF STUFF, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SERVE? I CLICKED IT, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY NOTIFICATION.
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
ONE OF THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY FOR US THAT IS ON THE COMMITTEE, IS WE'RE TALKING TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND THAT'S LIKE MR. REIKI OUT THERE.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE TRY AND ENGAGE, FIND OUT WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, AND NOT WANT TO TRANSFER THEIR CONCERNS AND TRY AND RELATE THAT TO EVERYONE ELSE, BUT HAVE THEM COME OUT SO THEY CAN SPEAK FIRSTHAND ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND JUST PUTTING THEM AT EASE LIKE THEY ARE.
AND THEN TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
SO WE HAVE TO GET ENGAGED, UH, AND WE CAN COME UP WITH A MULTITUDE OF IDEAS AND THEN, AND, AND PUT IT IN THE WATER BILL IS GREAT.
BUT THE WORD OF MOUTH, THE INTERACTION, THE INVOLVEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER GIVES MORE WEIGHT.
AND WE, WE TRIED GOING TO THEM.
BUT WE DON'T STOP JUST BECAUSE A FEW DON'T.
NO, AND ACTUALLY I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE BETTER IDEAS WAS HAVING IT THE LEHIGH, WE DID IT AT LEE COLLEGE AND WE'VE DONE IT AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
WHICH ACTUALLY I THOUGHT WAS REALLY BRILLIANT, ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CREDIT SHOW UP.
LEE COLLEGE WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
AND, AND, AND I'VE DEALT WITH THE CITY A BUNCH.
1968, I WAS GOING TO LEE COLLEGE.
I WAS WORKING FOR TEXAS A AND M ON HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL POLLUTION RESEARCH.
WOULD YOU MIND SPEAKING INTO THE MIC? MY MAJOR WAS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE.
UH, I WENT ON TO SAM HOUSTON STATE MAJOR IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE WHEN IT WAS A BRAND NEW FIELD.
I RETIRED 18 YEARS AGO AND I TRIED TO STAY AWAY FROM IT.
THE CITY OF BAYTOWN GOT ME BACK INTO IT.
BUT MY DEALINGS WITH THE CITY, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BE HERE BECAUSE WHEN I TRY TO DEAL WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THEY TELL ME THEY'RE THE BOSS.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, GO AWAY.
EVEN THOUGH I CAN SHOW YOU THREE THINGS, THEY'VE BROKEN THREE LAWS, MAJOR STATE LAWS IN THE LA IN FEBRUARY.
RAW SEWAGE GOING ON A MAN'S YARD.
HIS HOUSE IS WORTH OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
IT'S A WATERFRONT PROPERTY BECAUSE THE CITY IS PUTTING RAW SEWAGE ON IT.
SEE, NOW I'M GOING MY, I'VE GOT A MENTAL PROBLEM FROM BEING DEAF.
'CAUSE I GET, IT'S, IT'S A LONG STORY.
BUT ANYWAY, THE CITY IS ILLEGALLY PUTTING IT ON HIS YARD.
LET'S SAY IT'S AN ACCIDENT BY LAW.
THE CITY IS FORCED TO TELL THE STATE OF TEXAS TO MAKE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WITHIN 24 HOURS.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY THEY DID IT TWO WEEKS AGO.
WHEN THEY FIXED IT, THEY PUT IT IN THE MAN'S YARD.
THE NEXT WEEK THEY'RE DOING IT AGAIN.
SO I WAS OUT THERE TAKING PICTURES OF IT, AND I'M THE ONE THAT REPORTED IT TO THE STATE.
RIGHT NOW THE STATE IS, IN 2013, BAYTOWN MADE A DEAL WITH THE STATE BECAUSE WE WERE THE TOP POLLUTER OF GALVESTON BAY.
GUESS WHAT? WE PUT MORE RAW SEWAGE IN GALVESTON BAY RIGHT NOW THAN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
I THINK, I THINK WE'RE GETTING OFF TOPIC OF HERE.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS FOR, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[00:50:01]
I DIDN'T WANNA COME HERE.TALK ABOUT THAT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN.
THAT, THAT IS FOR ANOTHER FORUM.
AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NO, THAT, THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU SHARED THAT WITH US.
BUT AGAIN, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, UH, THAT WE'LL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL, I'M, I'M SAYING WHY PEOPLE DON'T, THE CITY'S GOT A PROBLEM.
IF YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY VOTES THE MAYOR GOT TO WIN HIS JOB, TO HIS POINT, UH, AND I'M JUST, Y'ALL ARE WANTING MORE CITIZEN INPUT.
THE, THE BEST CITIZEN INPUT I'VE SEEN, IN FACT, IT WAS OFFICER'S INPUT SINCE YOU CAME.
WHERE WAS, THERE WERE TWO HISPANIC OFFICERS THAT WERE DOING FOOT PATROL THROUGH, UH, PELLEY.
AND THEY WERE CONNECTING ON FOOT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHO THEY WERE, BUT IT WAS IN HERE.
THAT WAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THING I'VE SEEN IN THE BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 40 YEARS.
THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY OUT CONNECTING.
UH, IT, IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
WHEN YOU CONNECT, WHEN I GO, I WENT TO TOWN, TOWN SQUARE, WHAT DO THEY CALL THAT? LITTLE PARK.
AND I ACTUALLY HAD OFFICERS TALK TO ME NOT AS POLICEMEN.
I MEAN THEY WERE POLICEMEN, BUT THEY, THEY TALKED TO ME AND I FELT THAT COMFORT TALKING TO THEM.
OTHER OFFICERS, THERE'S SOME, AND IT'S IN EVERY PROFESSION.
THERE'S SOME ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, BUT YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WELCOME PUBLIC COMMENT.
BAYTOWN USED TO BE, IF YOU WEREN'T THERE WITH A PROBLEM, THEY'D SAY, LET'S SEE IF IT'S REALLY A PROBLEM AND WE'LL FIX IT.
THEY TELL YOU, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THEY, THEY PUT ME ON THE TITLE AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT, TITLE TWO FORUM WHERE YOU GET TOGETHER AND THE CITIZENS ALL GET JASON SUBS AND LEMONADE.
UM, AND THEY KICKED ME OFF AFTER ONE TIME BECAUSE THEY SAID, WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH DEATH.
WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE SIDEWALKS AND ENTRANCE.
SO CITIZENS, YOU GOT THE SAME PEOPLE ON COMMITTEES.
YOU CAN'T GET PEOPLE ON COMMITTEES BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT RUNS THE COMMITTEE, I MA I MADE TWO COMPLAINTS.
ONE WAS, WHY DON'T WE HAVE INSTANT CAPTION HERE? NEVERMIND.
I'M, I'M GETTING OFF THE SUBJECT AGAIN, SO LET ME JUST SIT DOWN.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU COME AND, AND, AND SPEAK WITH US.
BUT, BUT YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T GET CITIZEN INPUT.
WHEN WE CAN'T TALK TO THE ATTORNEYS, DO YOU THINK WE'RE GONNA SHOW UP AND TALK TO THE COPS? Y'ALL GOT GUNS? Y'ALL CAN PUT ME IN JAIL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A MENTAL ATTITUDE.
Y'ALL HAVE MORE POWER OVER ME THAN THE HEAD OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE CAN DO.
I KNOW, BUT YOU'RE SAYING, WHY DON'T PEOPLE SHOW UP IF WE CAN'T SHOW UP AND TALK TO THE GENTLE PEOPLE? WE'LL BE DARNED IF WE'RE GONNA COME IN HERE AND TALK TO Y'ALL.
WELL, I MEAN, I, I, I, I SEE, SEE YOUR POINT.
I THINK IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
I THINK, AND PART OF THE WAY WE DO THAT IS JUST WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
OUR OFFICERS, WHEN THEY'VE GOT THE TIME TO GET OUTTA THEIR VEHICLES AND JUST TALK TO PEOPLE FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME, THAT'S ALL IT TAKES.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
JUST ONCE HERE AND ONCE, FIRST TIME I MET YOU YES SIR.
YOU TOLD ME TO BACK UP AND GET OUTTA YOUR PERSONAL SPACE
BUT WHAT I DO WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU, I'M GONNA RAISE MY VOICE.
YOU TAKE IT AS AGGRESSION, I'M GONNA TAKE A STEP CLOSER.
AND THEN IF I GET EXCITED LIKE I AM NOW, I START CLAPPING MY WINGS AND JUMPING UP AND DOWN AND IT MADE HIM UNCOMFORTABLE.
IF THAT, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE AT ALL, IT DOES.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO TO, SO TO HIS CREDIT, JUST LIKE HE'S SAYING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE A TOPIC TO TALK ABOUT.
WHEN I SEE THIS NOTICE, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING.
AND ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO READ IT, IT'S, IT'S CONVOLUTED IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE VERBIAGE AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT
[00:55:01]
A NOTICE MEANS.SO IF THERE WAS A WAY WE COULD HAVE A PARTICULAR TOPIC, I KNOW WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT POLLUTION UNFORTUNATELY 'CAUSE THAT'S FOR CITY HALL OR CITY COUNCIL.
BUT USUALLY THE MOST PEOPLE I'VE SEEN DURING A CITY COUNCIL MEETING WAS BECAUSE OF A TOPIC THAT EVERYONE WAS EXCITED ABOUT OR UPSET ABOUT.
SO IF WE COULD FIND A PARTICULAR TOPIC EVERY MEETING AND ADVERTISE THAT, WHETHER IT BE IN A FLYER OR LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON THE WEBSITE, UH, I THINK MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE INCLINED TO SHOW UP BECAUSE OF RIGHT NOW IT READS THE SAME WAY AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO I, SO I MADE A FEW BULLET ITEMS TODAY.
YOU MAY MAY HAVE TO TELL THEM THAT TODAY TO, TO BRING UP I'M NOT INTERRUPTING YOU.
SHE'S GOT A, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME.
SO IF AS A BOARD YOU DECIDE YOU WANNA HAVE A CERTAIN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THE STUFFED ANIMAL GIVEAWAY BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE CAN PUT THAT ON THERE.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITIZENS CAN SEE VERSUS SOMETHING VERY VAGUE.
UM, WITH JUST DISCUSSING FUTURE PROJECTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A CATCHALL FOR, FOR Y'ALL TO DISCUSS THOSE THINGS.
BUT IF THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIFIC YOU WOULD LIKE ON THE AGENDA, WE CAN POST IT THAT WAY.
WE JUST NEED ENOUGH NOTICE FOR THOSE.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, HIS CONCERN WITH TOWN SQUARE, I'M PRETTY SURE HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS COMPLAINTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DRAG RACING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
'CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, BEING ON NIGHT SHIFT, I'VE SEEN IT.
WE CAN ABSOLUTELY, UH, LABEL THE AGENDA ITEM AS THAT DISCUSSED.
CONCERNS RELATED TO TOWN SQUARE.
WE COULD CHANGE CITIZEN INPUT TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK UP SOMETHING IN, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE RELEVANT MAYBE LANGUAGE.
AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, SINCE AS WE MOVE INTO THIS REALLY THE SECOND FULL YEAR OF, OF CULTURE CHANGE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AT THE PATROL LEVEL THEY'RE BEGINNING TO FOCUS ON NOW TOO, IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND THE IDEA IS NOT UNLIKE WHAT MR. IKE JUST SAID, IS HAVE AT LEAST ONE POSITIVE NON-ENFORCEMENT CONTACT WITH A CITIZEN EVERY DAY OUT OF THE CAR.
AND I MEAN, THAT CAN BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS, I'M GONNA GO IN AND I'M GONNA CHECK ON THE CONVENIENCE STORE CLERK THAT'S ON MY BEAT.
RIGHT? I'M GONNA GO IN, I'M GONNA TALK TO THEM, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE.
MAYBE EVEN WHEN I GO, ESPECIALLY TO THE ONE JUST, UH, SOUTH OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE, I'M ALWAYS TELLING 'EM, MAN, YOU HAVE GOT TO GET THIS STUFF OFF OF YOUR WINDOW SO THAT THE OFFICERS CAN SEE YOU AT THE REGISTER.
BECAUSE WHEN WE DRIVE DOWN THE STREET OR WE DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD, WE CAN'T SEE IF SOMEONE'S IN HERE HOLDING YOU UP OR NOT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND IT SOUNDS SMALL, BUT THOSE ARE LITTLE CONVERSATIONS AND THEY APPRECIATE IT, UH, WHETHER THEY FOLLOW IT OR NOT.
I MEAN, BUT IT, IT LENDS TO, TO OTHER CONVERSATIONS.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE BEGINNING TO DO MORE INTENTIONALLY TOO, IS GET OUTTA YOUR CAR AND, AND TALK TO PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A PARK, WALK, TALK, UH, PHILOSOPHY.
YOU START BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND, AND IT, A LOT OF TIMES IT LEADS TO GOOD RELATIONSHIPS, WHICH LEADS TO GOOD INFORMATION, WHICH MAY ALSO LEAD TO GOOD ARREST IN THE FUTURE, BUT IT STARTS FIVE, SIX MINUTES AT A TIME.
JUST A SMALL INVESTMENT IN A PERSON, PERSON TO PERSON.
SO, SO I THINK, I MEAN, THE NEXT, THIS PART OF THE DISCUSSION IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON CREATING SOME GOALS.
WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY? OFFICER JONES.
DO I, YOU HAD BEFORE I, ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEMS. A LIST YOU WANTED TO GO OVER.
OH, HE DID, I DID MENTION THAT.
READING OVER THIS AGAIN TODAY.
I MADE A COUPLE OF BULLET ITEMS OR A FEW BULLET ITEMS. UM, CITY COUNCIL WAS DOING LISTENING TOURS.
EACH, UH, DISTRICT WAS, UH, GOING THROUGH AND TALKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
MAYBE INCREASING THAT A LITTLE BIT, MAKING IT A LITTLE MORE GOOD.
MAYBE PROMOTE IT AGAIN AND DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
I KNOW YOU, SO, SO THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, THE CITY MANAGER DOES IT, AND THE FOLLOWING SIX MONTHS I DO IT.
UM, ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE FIRE CHIEF ATTEND AS WELL, BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE AS MUCH ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY TOO.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ROUND THAT'S ALREADY STARTED, AND I GET THE LAST HALF OF THE YEAR AND, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO, FOR US TO BE PART OF THAT ALSO.
[01:00:01]
MM-HMMUH, HOA MEETINGS HAVE US ARE YOU PART OF THE DOING HOA MEETINGS? NO, SIR.
UH, I KNOW HOCK WAS, BUT OFFICER KING, OFFICER HOLA DOES IT, OFFICER.
CANIS DOES IT AND OFFICER KING DOES IT.
MAYBE WE CAN GET A LITTLE MORE INVOLVED IN THAT AND HELP.
DO THEY REACH OUT TO, FOR A, A SPEAKER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? YES.
AND THEY PROVIDE, UH, LOCAL STATISTICS FOR 'EM AS WELL? YEAH.
THEY'LL GET INFORMATION ON NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME THAT IMPACTS THEM IN, IN OUR, AS A GROUP HELPS, YOU KNOW, GET THE WORD OUT TO, TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AT LEAST MAYBE AN ACTION ITEM FROM THAT IS REACH OUT TO THE HOAS AND MAKE THEM AWARE THAT THEY CAN GET THAT KIND OF SUPPORT.
I, I, LAKEWOOD HAS A CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
IT'S NOT AN H HOA THAT HAS AN ANNUAL MEETING.
I'M PRETTY SURE ITS COMING UP IN SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER.
SO I'LL MAKE SURE I TALK TO THEM AND, AND THEY REACH OUT FOR, TO US FOR THAT INFORMATION.
SO, UH, ONE THING I'D LIKE TO THROW BACK OUT IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE ITEMS ON HERE BEFORE.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOTTA FOCUS ON COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH.
WE'VE GOT CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM OFFICERS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, MENTAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS AND CHECKS FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THINGS WE'VE DONE.
UM, WE'VE SEEN A 8% REDUCTION IN CRIME OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WORKING TOWARDS OUR 10% GOAL.
WE'VE SEEN A 23% REDUCTION IN TRAFFIC RELATED TO FAT, UH, FATALITIES WORKING TOWARDS BECOMING THE SAFEST CITY IN HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION, UH, IN, UH, UH, UH, SHELL CASINGS THAT ARE BEING SUBMITTED TO VINS INDICATING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A FEWER SHOTS FIRED CALLS.
'CAUSE THEIR OFFICERS, WHEN THEY RESPOND, IF THEY'RE SHELL CASINGS, THEY HAVE TO PICK 'EM UP.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AT THIS POINT TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THE CITIZENS AND ASK THEM NOT JUST TO COME, BRING US THEIR CONCERNS, BUT BRING US THEIR PARTNERSHIP, THEIR, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE COOL DADS.
THE, THE FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE STUFF.
I TELL OUR SUPERVISORS, THERE'S MILLION DOLLAR IDEAS RIDING AROUND IN OUR PATROL VEHICLES.
WE'VE GOTTA BE LISTENING TO THE LINE LEVEL OFFICER.
IT'S THE SAME THING FOR THE CITIZENS.
THERE'S A MILLION DOLLAR IDEA OR TWO OUT THERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY TO COME SAY, HEY MAN, I SURE WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THIS.
'CAUSE I THINK IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UH, THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FOR.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR THOSE CITIZENS TO COME IN AND WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH US AND SAY, HOW DO WE IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY? 'CAUSE I LIVE HERE.
MY KIDS ARE GROWING UP HERE, AND, AND I'M PROUD TO BE HERE.
I WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY, THIS IS AN ISSUE.
MAYBE JUST IN, IN MY PARTICULAR AREA OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT I'VE GOT AN IDEA.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THE INPUT HERE TONIGHT.
I APPRECIATE THE IDEA ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THE FIREARMS. WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE RANGE FOR, UH, LIABILITY PURPOSES, BUT DOES THAT NOT MEAN THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AT LEAST DO A FAMILIARIZATION AND SAFETY CLASS? RIGHT.
I MEAN, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE CAN TAKE THESE IDEAS AND WE CAN SPRINGBOARD OFF OF THEM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH 'EM.
SOME OF THEM WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO FOR LEGAL REASONS OR WHY LIABILITY REASONS OR, OR FINANCIAL REASONS RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHAT IF WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING TO US AND SAYING, HEY, I'VE GOT THIS, UH, I'VE GOT THIS PROGRAM I WANNA TRY.
OR I, I, I'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CRIME PREVENTION TACTIC IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IN ANOTHER CITY.
WOULD YOU GUYS BE WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON IT? I MEAN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT, BECAUSE IT GOES BACK TO, AND I KNOW THIS SOUNDS IDEALISTIC, AND FOR A GUY WHO'S BEEN ON THE JOB ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW, IT MIGHT SOUND FUNNY COMING FROM ME, BUT I STILL BELIEVE IN IT.
THE PUBLIC OR THE POLICE AND THE POLICE ARE THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S THE REASON THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT, IS IT BECOMES SYNERGY.
AND WHEN PEOPLE BRING US THESE IDEAS, IT'S NOT JUST US TELLING THEM WHAT'S GOOD FOR 'EM.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT SOME INPUT IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND MAN, IF WE CAN DO IT AND WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN, I'M, I'M ALL FOR IT.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE THIS TO BE THAT, THAT HELP US CONNECT FURTHER TO THE CITIZENS ON THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE OUT TALKING TO YOUR, TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND THEY'RE BRINGING UP IDEAS, ASK
[01:05:01]
'EM TO COME IN HERE AND PITCH 'EM TO US, OR, OR ASK 'EM TO COME TALK TO US AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TOO.IT DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE HERE, YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT I, I'D REALLY LIKE US TO DRAW THE PUBLIC IN AS PARTNERS.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH WHAT ANYTHING G-C-C-I-S-D IS DOING? I KNOW YOU GUYS COMMUNICATE.
THE ONLY REASON I BRING IT UP SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC PROBABLY, BUT I GET THEIR EMAILS 'CAUSE MY DAUGHTER GOES TO STERLING MM-HMM
AND, UH, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM G-C-C-I-S-D-I THINK YESTERDAY THAT WAS ADVERTISING BREW WITH THE BLUE.
KIND OF JUST THEIR VERSION OF COPY WITH THE COP.
UM, AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH, WITH THE CHIEF.
UH, WE TRIED TO GET IT GOING WITH THE, THE PREVIOUS CHIEF, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
I JUST HAD THIS IDEA ABOUT, UH, GETTING TOGETHER WITH SOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS MM-HMM
I, I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING.
NO AGENDA, NO TABLES IN BETWEEN US JUST SITTING DOWN IN A CIRCLE OF CHAIRS AND TALKING.
AND I KNOW THAT PROBABLY, OH, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE AN AGENDA AND IT NEEDS TO BE ORGANIZED AND YOU NEED TO GIVE IT A PROGRAM NAME.
THIS MAN'S UNIT THAT HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, THEY'RE THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH RIGHT NOW.
DARE FROM THE, UH, ELEMENTARY LEVEL UP TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.
UH, YOU GUYS ARE WORKING WITH THEM JUST ELEMENTARY.
WELL, MAYBE NOT DARE, BUT YOU'RE STILL WORKING WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND, UM, I THINK POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE US DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF HITTING THE ELEMENTARY KIDS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING REALLY GOING ON WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.
THESE ARE THEIR LAST FOUR YEARS BEFORE THEY BECOME ADULTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS, AS GROWNUPS.
AND WE KIND OF COULD COME TO THE CURB, BUT WHAT IF WE JUST SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO 'EM AND LET 'EM GET TO KNOW US? YOU KNOW? AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE FIND OUT WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT? I MEAN, THERE'S STILL STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT THEY'RE STAKEHOLDERS AND THEY HAVE A PERSPECTIVE.
AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT COULD WE LEARN FROM 'EM? NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THEY GET TO SEE THAT WE'RE PEOPLE TOO.
YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE GOT A SENSE OF HUMOR, UM, THAT WE HAVE CONCERNS OF OUR OWN AND THAT WE GENUINELY WANT TO HELP 'EM.
YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT FIND OUT THAT MAYBE WE'RE NOT APPROACHING HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, TEENAGERS THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, WE MIGHT ALSO BE ABLE TO PUT THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR MINDS AT EASE.
ABOUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET STOPPED BY A COP ON TRAFFIC STOP, YOU KNOW? UM, I'VE GOT A, A NEW DRIVER AT HOME, 16-YEAR-OLD.
AND, UH, I, WE'LL RUN, UH, TRAFFIC STOP DRILLS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
SHE'S GONNA KEEP HER HANDS THERE.
SHE'S GONNA KIND OF DICTATE, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA REACH FOR THIS, OR I'M GOING TO, AND I KNOW THAT SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE AN EXTREME, BUT SHE'S GONNA FEEL COMFORTABLE IF SHE GETS STOPPED, I HOPE.
HOW MANY KIDS HAVE THAT, THAT EXPERIENCE? RIGHT.
OR, OR HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY KIDS, KIDS, YOUNG ADULTS GET TO SEE COPS LAUGH AND CUT UP WITH 'EM? PROBABLY NOT AS MANY AS WE WOULD HOPE.
MAYBE THAT'S ONE LESS PERSON THAT WE END UP HAVING TO ARREST IN THE FUTURE.
AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'M ALL ABOUT PUTTING BAD GUYS IN JAIL.
THERE'S PLENTY OF THEM OUT THERE.
BUT IF WE CAN CURTAIL IT AND REDUCE THE NUMBER BEFORE IT HAPPENS IN THE FIRST PLACE, THAT'S OUR WIN.
UM, SO I, I'VE TALKED TO THE NEW CHIEF ABOUT THAT, AND HE'S, HE'S ON BOARD WITH IT.
HE'S STILL, HE'S STILL GETTING THAT ORGANIZATION SETTLED BECAUSE IT WAS IN TURMOIL.
I THINK HE'S GOT A GOOD VISION FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
HE'S VERY EASY TO COOPERATE WITH.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT TOGETHER.
UH, MARCUS RIVERS JUST TOOK OVER OUR EXPLORER PROGRAM FOR, UH, FOR YOUTH AND HE HAS ALREADY, UH, SET UP A MEETING WITH THE CHIEF SO THAT WE CAN DO SOME OUTREACH FOR EXPLORERS AND RECRUIT EXPLORERS OUT OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL.
SO WE ARE, WE HAVE A, WE HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH 'EM, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT FOLLOW UP FROM THE ISD POLICE AS WELL, WHICH BEFORE WE WERE MAKING ALL THE OVERTURES AND WE WEREN'T GETTING A LOT OF IN, IN, IN RETURN.
BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IT NOW WITH THE, THE NEW CHIEF.
THERE WAS STUART, THE GOOSE CREEK DISTRICT HAD PRETTY MUCH, UNLESS THEY WERE HAVING
[01:10:01]
DARE OFFICERS IN, THEY DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.IT FLOORED ME WHEN I FOUND THAT OUT.
I DON'T HAVE KIDS, SO I DIDN'T KNOW.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE WORKS OF, OF, UH, DOING A COMMUNITY BASKETBALL GAME WITH THE POLICE VERSUS, UH, LEE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IF THAT'S SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO STERLING HIGH SCHOOL, GOOSE CREEK MEMORIAL.
AND, UH, THAT'LL DEFINITELY IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.
I WILL NOT BE PLAYING IN THAT GAME.
I THINK I SAW THAT PROGRAM ON CHIPS, THE OLD TV SHOW.
UM, SO DO WE NEED TO DISCUSS, UH, I MEAN, THE NEXT MEETING IS, ARE WE GONNA HOLD THAT AT STERLING OR IS THAT FUTURE? UM, I, THE STERLING LIBRARY? YEAH.
UM, IT'S JUST ANYWHERE YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE IT.
I KNOW YOU'VE DISCUSSED DIFFERENT IDEAS.
UH, SERGEANT JONAS, ANY IDEAS FROM THE BOARD AS A DISCUSSION? UM, THE DISCUSSION ITEM FOR BUSINESS ITEMS, INTRODUCING THE TWO NEW MEMBERS, AND THEN THEIR BACKGROUND.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW Y'ALL WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT STILL JUST HAVE IT ON A NOTE HERE.
UM, AND THEN IT'S UP TO YOU, WHEREVER YOU'D LIKE TO SET THAT.
IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY IDEAS YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT FUTURE MEETING.
WHY DON'T YOU GUYS GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND ON, ON, ON YOU.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT PRETTY MUCH ALL OF MY LIFE HERE.
UM, I WENT TO WORK FOR THE CITY IN 1970.
THEY HAD, THEY STARTED A POLICE CADET PROGRAM.
AND I SPENT THE NEXT 18 MONTHS AS A POLICE CADET DOING WORK IN THE VARIOUS DIVISIONS, GOING TO COLLEGE FULL TIME.
THEY GOT ME MY BA, MY A AA, AND ABOUT HALF OF MY BACHELOR'S BEFORE I TOOK THE CIVIL SERVICE.
WENT TO WORK FOR, STAYED FOR 30 YEARS AND SAID I'VE HAD ENOUGH AND I'M RETIRED.
DIDN'T DO NOTHING FOR A WHILE.
TRIED MY HAND AT SUB TEACHING AND I REALIZED THAT THERE IS NO POLITICS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M FROM SHARPSTOWN, SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, BUT I MOVED HERE IN, GOSH, 1995.
AND, UM, MY BACKGROUND'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
I HAVE A BACHELOR'S IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CORRECTIONS.
I'VE WORKED WITH, UM, ALL SECTORS OF PEOPLE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM WHEN KIDS JUST STARTING TO RUN AWAY AND BE TRUANT, UH, COUNSELING THEM TO ALL THE WAY TO WORKING AND PLACEMENT CENTERS WHERE THE FORMER TYC AND L-T-J-J-D HOUSES KIDS.
I WAS A PAROLE OFFICER FOR THE STATE SEX OFFENDER PROGRAM.
UH, THE LAST 32 YEARS I'VE BEEN WITH HARRIS COUNTY JUVENILE PROBATION, AND I'VE HELD SEVERAL ROLES THERE.
UM, I AM A CERTIFIED PROBATION OFFICER.
I USED TO RUN WHAT THEY HAVE CUPS, UNITS WHERE THE KIDS GO AND REPORT.
I ACTUALLY RAN THE ONE IN BAYTOWN, BUT THEY TORE IT DOWN.
THAT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.
BUT, UH, CURRENTLY, AND I'M ASSISTANT DEPUTY DIRECTOR OVER RESIDENTIAL SERVICES.
SO I HELP OVERSEE THE DETENTION CENTER, THE, UM, BOOT, UH, FORMER BOOTCAMP LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, AND, UM, HARRIS COUNTY YOUTH VILLAGE OUT IN SEABROOK.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE STREETS HAVING CASELOADS, BUT THEN I WAS IN MANAGEMENT FOR PROBABLY THE LAST 28 YEARS.
SO I HAVE A FULL, UM, BACKGROUND FROM PEOPLE ENTERING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHAT THEY GO THROUGH IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND PROVIDING SERVICES TO TRY TO REHABILITATE MORE ON THE CORRECTION SIDE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, CURRENTLY I'M IN THE RESIDENTIAL SECTION.
I TOOK THE CO THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, AND I'D SPENT A LITTLE TIME WITH THAT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY DO SOME WORK THERE AND GET THEM MAYBE HELPING WITH THIS, UM, GROUP.
UM, I WENT BACK MAYBE ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING, BUT I THINK
[01:15:01]
I'VE MET YOU BEFORE.SO I COME FROM THE WORLD OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND ADULT CORRECTIONS, AND I THINK THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE IN TRYING TO HELP THIS COMMITTEE.
SO, I HAVE A REAL QUICK QUESTION FOR SARGE TO POSE IN FRONT OF THE GROUP.
DO YOU THINK WITH THE CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY, I, I KNOW THAT IT'S ALREADY SCHEDULED OUT AND I'D HATE TO HATE TO IMPOSE ON THE SCHEDULE, BUT HAVE ONE OR TWO MEMBERS OF THE BA COME AND TALK TO THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY ABOUT WHAT BPAC IS AND MAYBE SPUR SOME INTEREST IN THE FUTURE IN PARTICIPATING FROM THE CITIZEN LEVEL? YES.
I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I KNOW THAT HO HAS WORKED HARD ON THAT, THAT PROGRAM, BUT I'LL DOUBLE CHECK WITH HIM TOMORROW.
BUT I, I COULD SEE US MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
PROBABLY A, I'M GONNA SAY LIKE A 15 MINUTE LITTLE SPEECH JUST TO, THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING.
10 OR 15 MINUTES, KIND OF LIKE I DID THE OTHER NIGHT.
UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, WELCOME PEOPLE.
THIS IS WHO I AM AND A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, BUT YOU KNOW, TO DO THAT WITH THE, THE B PACK AND ASK THEM TO HELP US GET THE WORD OUT AND, AND IF IT'S NOT DOABLE, THEN WE CAN MAYBE WORK IT INTO THE NEXT, UH, NEXT SESSION OF THE POLICE ACADEMY.
AND ALSO, I, I MAY BE OFF POINT HERE, BUT HAVE WE EVER SENT OUT A LIST OF THE BOARD WITH CONTACT SO WE COULD REACH EACH OTHER BEHIND THE SCENES? UM, SO PREVIOUSLY WE DID NOT, YOU FOLLOWED THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, SO YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE A WALKING QUORUM WHERE YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DISCUSS ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING.
UM, YOU JUST WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A MAJORITY OF MEMBERS DISCUSSING ANY ITEM.
UM, SINCE THEN, YOUR BOARD HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE, THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS BOARD.
SO IT ACTS MORE AS AN ADVISORY BOARD.
WE'RE STILL STILL VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN POSTING IT, GIVING NOTICE THE 72 HOURS JUST TO KEEP, UM, PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH THE BOARD.
BUT WE CAN SEND OUT THAT INFORMATION NOW.
IT'S JUST, WE, WE WOULD ASK IF YOU WANTED ANY MEETINGS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, RANDOMLY MEETING AT A POP-UP PLACE.
WE STILL HAVE ENOUGH NOTICE TO, TO POST THOSE THINGS FOR THE CITIZENS.
UM, BUT WE CAN SEND OUT THAT INFORMATION IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH IDEAS AMONGST YOURSELF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I JUST THINK IF SOMETHING POPPED UP, UP IN OUR HEAD AND SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING IN THE MEETING AND IT POPPED UP IN MY HEAD A WEEK LATER, I'M LIKE, OH, I NEED TO CALL HIM AND, 'CAUSE THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA AND MAYBE WE COULD JUST TOSS IT AROUND.
BECAUSE WE, WE GOTTA FIND A WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
YOU ARE MORE OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE NOW.
UM, SO YOU DO HAVE THAT ABILITY SINCE YOU KNOW, LONGER, THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT DOES NOT APPLY TO YOUR BOARD AT THIS TIME.
UM, THAT'S NOT TO SAY IT MAY NOT CHANGE AT SOME POINT, BUT AT CURRENTLY IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THE BOARD.
IF IT WERE TO CHANGE, WE WOULD LET YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT HAVE A WALKING QUORUM.
YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE YOU CANNOT DISCUSS ITEMS, UM, AMONGST YOURSELVES WITHOUT A MEETING IN THE PUBLIC.
BUT AS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN.
IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN SEND THAT OUT TO Y'ALL.
IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH EVERYONE HAVING EACH OTHER'S ANY OBJECTIONS? NO CONTACT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE ELSE, THE NEW MEMBERS HAVE GOTTEN, YOU MENTIONED THE HISTORY OF THE REST OF YOU ON THE BOARD, OR IF THAT'S YOUR BACKGROUNDS, THE GOALS, ANY OF THAT FOR THEM? YEAH, MY NAME'S MICHAEL SPRINGER.
UH, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD PROBABLY THE LONGEST.
UH, I THINK I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
UH, BUT I'M, I'M AN ATTORNEY ACTUALLY BY TRADE, BUT I'M REALLY WORK IN SALES FOR A LEGAL COMPANY.
UH, THE, UH, SO I, I CAN ACTUALLY LOOK UP THE TRAIN LAWS
UH, I'VE, I'VE, YOU KNOW, LIVED IN BAYTOWN ALL MY LIFE.
UH, YOU KNOW, SO I GREW UP HERE.
UM, I HAD PLENTY OF INTERACTIONS WITH THE POLICE.
MOST OF THEM ARE, UH, RECORDS ARE SEALED.
UM, BUT I, THAT'S, I, I JUST WAS, UH, DRAWN TO THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, SEE IF I COULD HELP FACILITATE.
UM, UM, YEAH, I DON'T HAVE MUCH OTHER BACKGROUND.
[01:20:01]
THAT'S PROBABLY RELEVANTUM, BUT, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT, WELL, I'VE ALREADY BEEN, YEAH, NO, I WAS GOING TO YOU
AND, AND SO, UH, RESIDENT IN BAYTOWN FOR MAYBE ABOUT 13 YEARS.
UH, THE MILITARY, UH, UM, VIETNAM VET, UH, OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IS WHERE I HAD BEEN FOR THE, THE LAST 20 YEARS.
SO THE, WHAT I BRING TO THE BOARD IS THAT ABILITY TO TALK, TO COMMUNICATE WITH, UH, WITH RESIDENTS.
UM, UH, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH TOASTMASTERS MM-HMM
AND SO, AND THAT'S, UH, THE PUBLIC SPEAKING, THAT'S WHERE, UM, I THINK I, I HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE INTEREST OF GETTING THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
UM, AND SO ALONG WITH THE HOA, UH, THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT I VOLUNTEER FOR, LIKE, LOVE NETWORK, UM, THOSE ARE ORGANIZATIONS WHERE YOU CAN EVEN GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED AS YOU SEE THEM PASSING THROUGH.
AND SO, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, FROM THIS COMMITTEE, UH, THIS ADVISORY PANEL, IS THE ENGAGEMENT IDEAS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTED, MEASURED, AND SHOW WHAT SUCCESS AND NOT AFRAID TO CHANGE SOMETHING IF IT'S NOT WORKING.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, LIVED IN BAYTOWN FOR PROBABLY MOST OF MY LIFE, BUT I WAS BORN IN DALLAS.
UH, I HAVE A BA IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP, MBA IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE MANAGEMENT.
I SPENT ABOUT 11 YEARS CORRECTIONS, MOSTLY DETENTION HERE IN BAYTOWN.
UH, THEN FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS I'VE BEEN ON PATROL.
AND MOST RECENTLY I'M A DETECTIVE FOR THE SEX OFFENDER COMPLIANCE UNIT.
I'VE DONE THE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.
I TRY TO PUT MY HAND IN A LOT OF STUFF FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S JUST THAT WAY I KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
KIRK RUSSELL, UH, MOVED TO BAYTOWN IN 1978 AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL AND WORKED IN CHEMICAL PLANT FOR GULF CHEVRON AND RETIRED CHEVRON PHILLIPS.
UH, BEEN RETIRED NOW 11 YEARS.
UM, GOT IN THE COMMITTEE FOR SOMETHING TO DO.
POLICE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INTEREST HAVING GROWN UP IN A POLICE FAMILY.
MY GRANDFATHER WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR SOME TIME.
UM, I WENT THROUGH THE POLICE ACADEMY LAST YEAR AND ACTIVE MEMBER IN THE ALUMNI.
SO MAYBE WE CAN HELP OUT ON GETTING THE WORD OUT THROUGH THAT.
I WAS, UH, HOA PRESIDENT FOR PINEHURST FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IS YOU, YOU GUYS WANT TO GO TOO, OR NO?
UH, I'VE BEEN IN BAYTOWN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
UH, WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER SINCE I WAS A KID.
MATTER OF FACT, UH, MR. ELLIOT HERE WAS ONE OF MY HEROES.
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID, MY DAD WOULD TAKE ME TO THE POLICE STATION, THE FOOTBALL GAMES HE WORKED.
AND I SAW THIS MAN A THOUSAND TIMES BEFORE I WAS 12 YEARS OLD,
AND I GUESS THE REASON I'M ON THIS BOARD, AND, AND THE CHIEF ACTUALLY ASKED ME IF I WOULD SIT ON THIS BOARD.
AND MY BIGGEST, THE THING THAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS PEOPLE NOT TRUSTING THE POLICE.
AND IN ORDER TO FIX THAT, AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET OVER THAT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE HERE TO FIX IT.
AND THE CHIEF, SINCE HE HAS COME IN, HAS CHANGED THE CULTURE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
IT MAY, UH, MR. ELLIOTT MAY HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT IT WAS A SMALLER TOWN BACK THEN.
WE DID DO SOME THINGS AT ROSELAND PARK THAT INVOLVED THE PUBLIC.
WE WOULD'VE SOFTBALL GAMES AND WE WOULD INVITE THE PUBLIC TO COME UP
[01:25:01]
WITH A TEAM AND, AND PLAY US AND STUFF LIKE THAT.AND WE NEED TO GET IN WITH OUR POLICE, I MEAN, WITH OUR CITIZENS, AND LET 'EM BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH 'EM.
AND I THINK IF WE DO, IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA HELP US AND THEM.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I, THAT'S, I WANNA, THAT'S MY GOAL.
SO, 'CAUSE I TRUSTED THE POLICE WHEN I WAS A KID, OBVIOUSLY.
'CAUSE MY FATHER WAS A POLICE OFFICER, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
BUT MOST OF MY FRIENDS TRUSTED POLICE.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH, TRUSTED POLICE.
AND, UM, I'LL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU, I HAVE TONS AND TONS AND TONS OF, UH, BLACK FRIENDS.
ONE OF MY VERY CLOSEST FRIENDS EVER, MY BEST FRIEND, UH, WAS ONE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS HERE.
HIS NAME IS SAMUEL WOODARD, OUTSTANDING PERSON.
AND, UM, BUT I TALKED TO THEM STILL.
AND TO THIS DAY, THEY CAN'T GO TO WALMART OR THE GROCERY STORE WITHOUT WALKING BY A POLICE OFFICER AND GETTING NERVOUS.
AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FEEL OUR CITIZENS IN BAYTOWN, NO MATTER WHAT COLOR THEIR SKIN IS, SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY WHEN THEY WALK BY A POLICE OFFICER.
AND, UH, IF WE COULD FIX THAT, IT WOULD BE OUTSTANDING.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS YOU'VE EVER HAD.
IT'S ALWAYS, IT GOT ME IN TROUBLE MORE THAN ONCE.
IS PARENTS TELLING THE KIDS, OH YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO GET YOU.
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU AWAY.
IF WE CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THAT TOO.
MY IDEA, AND I, I HAVEN'T BROUGHT IT UP LATELY, WAS GETTING WITH THE BAYTOWN SUN.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE EVEN READ THE NEWSPAPER ANYMORE OR PUTTING IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT HAVING ONCE A WEEK ASK A QUESTION TO THE POLICE OFFICER AND WHOEVER RUNS THAT SOCIAL MEDIA SITE, TAKE THAT QUESTION, PRESENT IT TO US, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE A POLICE OFFICER ANSWER THAT QUESTION VIA VIDEO, THAT'S EXCELLENT.
MY PA, MY PASSION ON THE SIDE IS PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY.
I LIKE TO MAKE SMALL SHORT VIDEOS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND I, I FLY OUR DRONES, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I TAKE VIDEOS WITH THAT, AND I DO REAL ESTATE VIDEOS FOR MY DAUGHTERS.
BUT, UH, I COULD TAKE, EASILY TAKE A VIDEO OF A POLICE OFFICER, WHETHER IT'S THE CHIEF, ONE OF HIS DESIGNEES, ONE OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS OUT ON THE STREETS.
IF PEOPLE SEE A CITIZEN ASK A QUESTION, AND I HAVE THAT OFFICER ANSWER IT.
THEY USED TO DO THAT IN THE BAYTOWN SON YEARS AGO.
AND IT WAS EVERY WEEK, YEARS AND YEARS AGO, WE HAD AN OFFICER DON BAKER.
HE HAD A MORNING BROADCAST AT THE LOCAL RADIO STATION.
CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE BECAUSE THE RADIO STATION JUST SHOT.
BUT YOU, YOU COULD DO A PODCAST.
ONE OF THOSE ITEMS WAS AN ONLINE Q AND A AND HAVING AN FAQ.
YEAH, WE CAN, MY SON RUNS THAT ALL ABOUT BAYTOWN FACEBOOK PAGE.
YOUR WHAT? MY SON, HE RUNS THE ALL ABOUT BAYTOWN FACEBOOK PAGE.
HE'S ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF, WHAT IS IT? CRIME.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE COULD BE A PARTNERSHIP WITH, WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR.
LAST YEAR WE WERE RECOGNIZED BY, UH, UH, WE WERE RECOGNIZED FOR OUR USE OF GOVERNMENT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, UH, ON A NATIONAL, UH, NATIONAL LEVEL.
UM, BUT I THINK AT AT LEAST STARTING POINT IS A QUESTION OF THE WEEK AND HAVE A DIFFERENT OFFICER ANSWER EVERY TIME.
I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS GREAT FOR THE CHIEF TO BE OUT THERE, BUT I CAN ONLY GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, REALLY, BECAUSE I'M, IT'S JUST SO BUSY RUNNING A, THE BUSINESS OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I LOVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT RECHARGES ME TO GET OUT AND ACTUALLY ACTUALLY GET OUT WITH POLICE OFFICERS AND, AND DO THAT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, TO SEE A, A POLICE OFFICER THAT THEY, THEY, THE CITIZENS WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF RUNNING INTO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, THEY SEE DRIVE BY OR DRIVE BY.
I MEAN, I, I THINK, AND IT'S, IT DOESN'T COST US A THING, MAN.
AND WE COULD EVEN START WITHOUT A QUESTION.
I COULD GET A COUPLE OF VIDEOS OF OFFICERS MM-HMM
AND THEN ON ONE OF THOSE, HEY, IF YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE QUESTIONS FOR A POLICE OFFICER YEAH.
ARE YOU THINKING OF PUTTING IT ON YOUR WEBSITE? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE CITIZENS JUST KIND OF MULTIPLE WEBSITE SAY YOU NEED TO DO IT.
SO WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE REALLY GOOD INTERACTION.
AND THAT, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE RECOGNIZED FOR.
AND IF YOUR SON'S, IF HE'S WILLING, WE OH, I'M SURE.
HE'LL, AND HE SHARES, UH, OUR, OUR POSTS ALL THE TIME.
SO EVEN OUR DETENTION CENTER RUNS A PODCAST.
[01:30:01]
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE REAL POPULAR.WE HAVE IT INSIDE THE DETENTION CENTER.
BUT I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG, YOUNG PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT'S EXCELLENT, MAN.
IT'S IDEA THAT SOMETHING, SOMETHING COULD PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH KIDS.
I WAS GONNA SAY, DO WE EVEN STILL HAVE JOURNALISM CLASSES OR SCHOOL NEWSPAPERS? YEAH.
I'M SURE THEY HAVE NEWSPAPERS.
I KNOW WHERE I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL.
WELL, I WENT TO LEHIGH SCHOOL AND WE HAD A NEWSPAPER, BUT I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE IF THEY DO, I'D HAVE TO ASK MY DAUGHTER.
BUT YEAH, YOU COULD, YOU COULD START WITH THE QUESTIONS FROM, I MEAN, FROM THE, UH, SCHOOL PAPER.
AND MY DAUGHTER GOES TO STERLING AS WELL.
SHE'S IN THE MEDICAL SCIENCES PROGRAM, SO SHE WANTS TO BE A SURGEON.
SO I NOTICED ON YOUR NEXT STEPS, YOU WERE THINKING OF ADDING A YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE.
DID YOU, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS TO STILL CLEAR? I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
UM, A YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE THAT WOULD NOT BE OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, SO THE CITY COUNCIL CREATES, CREATES THE BOARD.
THERE IS A CITY COUNCIL AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS ALL BOARDS THEIR MAKEUP, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IT MAY BE A DISCUSSION THAT COULD BE BROUGHT UP TO THAT BOARD, UM, TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.
IF THERE IS AN INTEREST IN A YOUTH, UH, REPRESENTATIVE BEING ADDED TO BPAC.
THAT CAME ABOUT WHEN WE HAD THE, THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS COME TO OUR MEETING A COUPLE TIMES LEFT.
YOU KNOW, AND WE WENT WITH THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN THEY KIND OF PHASED OUT ON US
OH, WELL YOU NEED CREDIBLE MESSENGERS.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE ONE ON THE BOARD THOUGH.
IT WOULD, YOU GOTTA HAVE CREDIBLE MESSENGERS.
I'M SURE Y'ALL ALL HEARD OF THAT CONCEPT.
BUT I THINK, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
DOES ANYONE EVER SIGN UP FOR THAT GOVERNMENT POSITION WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS? THEY SENT IT OUT BEFORE TO JOIN SOME TYPE OF, LIKE, BEING A LEADER IN CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT IT WAS MORE CURTAILED FOR A HIGH SCHOOL AGE STUDENT.
I JUST NEVER HEAR ANYTHING ELSE AFTER THAT.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THE CITY HALL DID.
I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, AN INTERN PROGRAM AND WE'VE GOT, UH, I MEAN, YOU GUYS HAVE, I'M SURE, SEEN THEM AROUND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT ARE, THAT ARE INTERNING IN VARIOUS, UH, DIVISIONS AND BUREAUS OF THE PD NOW.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT, BECAUSE I REMEMBER SEEING IT DURING THE SUMMER WHENEVER ALL THESE COMMITTEES WERE BEING BROUGHT OUT.
OH, THE, THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE YAK PROGRAM.
I'M NOT TOO SURE IF THEY KEPT THAT.
I THINK, UM, JAMIE WAS DOING THAT.
I THINK THEY REMOVED IT AT THE LIBRARY.
I DON'T THINK THEY MEET AS OFTEN AS THEY DID.
THEY MAY HAVE DISMANTLED IT, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE, THERE IS, UM, ONE VACANCY ON THE BOARD.
AND THEN, UM, I'M NOT TOO SURE ABOUT THE OTHER POSITION.
SO THAT MAY BE A DISCUSSION WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, TO RECONSIDER WHEN CONSIDERING THE APPOINTMENTS RECONSIDERING CHANGING THAT APPOINTMENT TO A YOUTH, UM, A YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE.
AND I MEAN, THAT'S A DISCUSSION, AN IDEA IF YOU'D LIKE TO, TO BRING THAT TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WOULD CONSIDER BRINGING UP TO COUNCIL.
IT IS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT MAKE THAT COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, THEY, I BELIEVE THEY'VE COME BEFORE.
SO HOW IS IT ARRANGED TO GET WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE FROM THIS PANEL? WHO ARRANGES THAT? I THINK WE HAVE TO BRING IT UP AS A TOPIC, VOTE ON IT, AND THEN, UM, PRESENT IT TO 'EM.
UH, NO, WE COULD ALWAYS ASK, UM, THEM TO STOP BY A COUNCIL, UH, A-B-P-A-C MEETING.
OR IF YOU DIDN'T WANNA WAIT UNTIL THAT POINT.
UM, I THINK THE BPAC APPOINTMENTS WILL BE IN MARCH.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, AS CHAIR, UH, CHAIR RIGHT NOW, UM, WE CAN GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION TO BOTH OF THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BRING IT UP TO THEM.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THEY WANNA BRING THAT UP TO COUNCIL AND GET THAT POSITION CHANGED, THAT WOULD BE UP TO THEM WHENEVER THEY CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENTS.
ALSO CONSIDER THE CREATION OR THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD ITSELF TO CHANGE ONE, YOU KNOW, UM, APPOINTMENT TO A YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT.
SO I COULD, I COULD GET YOU, IT'S, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALVARADO AND COUNCIL MEMBER GRAHAM.
THEY'RE BOTH ON THE BOARD OR ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I THINK ANOTHER ANGLE WOULD BE TO USE YOUR NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHIEF OVER AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR YOUR PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SEE IF YOU COULD GET SOME COMMITTEE WORK WITHIN THE SCHOOL TO GIVE YOU ADVISORY INFORMATION.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BOARD
[01:35:02]
AND WE PARTICIPATE WITH THE, UH, THE SAFE SCHOOLS.I MEAN, AND I, I ASK, I'M SAYING A LOT OF THINGS.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH EVERYTHING YOU, YOU'VE DONE SO WELL.
IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT STUFF TOO.
SO, UM, I ALWAYS PARTNER WITH, I'M THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT IF YOU WANT THAT, UM, PERSPECTIVE.
I, I, I'M VERY HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, UH, STUART RUSSELL IS, HE WAS CHIEF OF POLICE FOR PASADENA'S ISD FOR, FOR YEARS.
UM, I'VE SPENT SOME TIME WITH HIM AND I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH HIM, AND I THINK HE'S IN IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
AND, UM, AND THEN HE'S, UH, HE'S BEEN EASY TO WORK WITH SO FAR.
MATTER OF FACT, THEY ASSISTED US THE OTHER DAY ON, UH, UH, SHOTS FIRED CALL BEHIND LEE HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SUSPECTS.
AND, UH, THEY RESPONDED TO THE, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH US AND, UH, HELPED US TAKE TWO SUSPECTS INTO CUSTODY.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH 'EM.
AND HE AND I DISCUSSED THAT YESTERDAY AS A MATTER OF FACT.
I, I THINK IT CAN, YEAH, I'D LOVE TO BUILD ON IT.
UH, ARE WE DONE WITH BUSINESS ITEMS OR, UH, IF Y'ALL ARE DONE WITH BUSINESS ITEMS, DEFINITELY.
[a. Consider setting the date, time and location for the next Baytown Police Advisory Committee meeting, along with any related tasks and procedures.]
ON THE AGENDA IS SCHEDULING THE NEXT MEETING.INTRODUCE YOU, JUST MAKING SURE YOU GOT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UM, MBA
SO THAT WOULD BE UP TO YOU TO DISCUSS IF THERE'S AN IDEA FOR WHERE THE NEXT MEETING LOCATION WILL BE.
I KNOW TODAY WAS, UH, MOVED TO WEDNESDAY.
I'LL TYPICALLY DO TUESDAYS, BUT WE'RE NOT PERMANENTLY MOVING TO WEDNESDAYS, ARE WE? NO, SIR.
WELL, REAL QUICK, BEFORE WE DIS DETERMINE THE NEXT, THE LADY AT THE LIBRARY, SHE STEPPED ASIDE AND WE KIND OF ASK HER TO COME BACK IN.
UH, SHE IS, UH, WE DO HAVE AN INTERIM LIBRARY DIRECTOR, UHHUH
UM, JAMIE STILL DOES FACILITATE, UH, SHE DOES DO THAT FOR THE CITY.
SHE JUST HAS A VERY BUSY SCHEDULE.
SO SHE SAID DEPENDING ON YOUR GOALS, YOUR OBJECTIVES, WHAT YOU MAY WANT FROM HER TO FACILITATE.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE DATE, TIME, LOCATION.
UM, I BELIEVE CHIEF WAS MAYBE GONNA WORK ON THAT WITH HER.
OH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING.
DO MY QUESTION IS, IS DO WE NEED HER, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT SHE'LL DO IS HELP, SHE, UM, HELPED CREATE THIS SHEET ON THE ASSESSMENT, WHAT ALL YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHAT YOUR FUTURE GOALS ARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE OUTLINED SEVERAL GOALS TONIGHT, UM, AND IDEAS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ASKING HER TO COME AND FACILITATE AT THIS POINT IS NECESSARY, BUT THAT IS UP TO Y'ALL.
IT'S JUST, UM, SHE'S NOT ALWAYS AS AVAILABLE AS YOU MAY, YOU KNOW, NEED HER TO BE FOR THAT.
I, I, I THINK THIS IS A, A REALLY GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE AND IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND GET STUFF DONE.
AND, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE NEXT MEETING HERE.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M GOOD WITH ANYWHERE.
AND REMEMBER, WE'VE GOT A REALLY NICE, UH, COMMUNITY.
THE POLICE FACILITY WAS REALLY GOOD.
I MEAN, IT IT DOES, IT DOES GET BOOKED UP.
BUT, UM, I THINK TUESDAY NIGHTS ARE PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE THE, THE HIGH POINT OF ITS USE.
WE KNOW A GUY ON THE INSIDE HERE, YOU CAN GET US IN.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT NO, I MEAN, I'D, I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT AND, AND WHAT BETTER PLACE FOR, UH, FOR OUR CITIZENS TO COME TO, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, 'CAUSE IT'S, YES.
IT'S THE PUBLIC SAFETY CAMPUS, BUT IT BELONGS TO CITIZENS, YOU KNOW? THAT'S FINE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE KIND OF PUSH, WE WALK IN THROUGH THE LOBBY.
IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY SITTING IN ONE OF THE SEATS, TAKE 30 SECONDS AND ASK THEM, HAS ANYBODY TAKEN CARE OF YOU? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED AT WHAT A BIG DEAL THAT MAKES TO OUR CITIZENS.
YOU KNOW? UM, I MEAN, THEY LINE UP ON YOU.
OH YEAH, THEY'VE ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF ME.
I'VE GOT AN OFFICER COMING IN, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU CHECKING ON ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S LITTLE STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT GET 'EM IN THERE TO SEE, I, WHEN WE WALK THROUGH AND, AND THE, THE, WE GAVE THE, THE NEW MARINE ORIENTATION AND LET HIM KNOW WHAT OUR UH, WHAT WHAT HAD GONE ON IN THE LAST TWO YEARS SINCE HE HAD BEEN ON COUNCIL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HE WALKED THROUGH THE FACILITY AND HE SAID, MAN, THIS IS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR AND
[01:40:01]
MORE.THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW INTO THE FUTURE AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON MORE BUILDINGS OR GO RENT SOMEPLACE OFF SITE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, SOMETHING ELSE THAT HE SAID WAS, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU PROBABLY HEARD ME TALK ABOUT IT REFLECTS THAT BUILDING, REFLECTS THE LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS PROVIDE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WHEN YOU WALK INTO THAT, UH, THAT LOBBY, IT IS A PROFESSIONAL, CLEAN, NEAT, SQUARED WAY APPEARANCE.
AND THAT'S YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION.
IF IT'S THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE COME TO TALK TO A POLICE OFFICER, I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY THIS.
I'D LOVE FOR THE CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED WITH BPAC AND FOR THAT TO BE A PLACE WHERE THEY'LL COME AND THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON A GOOD DAY, NOT THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIVES.
SO YOU WANNA HAVE IT THERE? I MEAN, THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS.
I'M JUST SAYING IT'S AVAILABLE.
I MEAN, THAT'S FINE WITH ME TOO.
I STILL, THEY STILL OWE ME A TOUR.
SO WE'LL MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR SURE.
I MEAN, IS THAT ANY OBJECTIONS? OH, NO.
I MEAN, IF IF IT'S, IF IT'S AVAILABLE, WE CAN HAVE THE NEXT MEETING THERE AND, AND NOW OUR FRONT PARKING LOT IS OPEN.
YOU GOTTA WALK ABOUT A QUARTER A MILE TO GET TO THE DOOR.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S THE FUN PART.
THAT WAS THE SMARTEST GOOD EXERCISE THEY EVER DID.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANNA WALK THAT FAR TO, TO COMPLAIN
BUT, UH, IF, UH, IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, HONESTLY, IF ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY KIND OF PHYSICAL RESTRICTIONS AND NEEDS TO MAKE A POLICE REPORT, YOU HAVE THEM CALL US AND WE WILL WALK OUT THERE AND HELP THEM.
IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A WALK, BUT WE WILL HELP THEM GET WHAT THEY NEED.
WHAT TIME IS OUR MEETING? IT'S, UH, YOUR MEETINGS ARE TYPICALLY THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
SO IT WOULD BE MARCH THE 25TH.
AND THEY'RE TYPICALLY AT 6:00 PM 6:00 PM YEAH.
SO THERE WAS, UM, AN EMAIL SENT OUT, MESSAGES SENT OUT FOR GIVING US THAT INFORMATION FOR THE NEXT SIX, I THINK MEETINGS.
YES, MS. ANGIE MAY HAVE SENT 'EM OUT.
I THINK IT, I'M NOT SURE IF IT HAD A COUNCIL CHAMBER ON THEM OR JUST IT HAD TIME.
ALL OF IT WAS NO MEETING PLACED WAS ALL, ALL TO BE DETERMINED.
MEETING, SO THOSE WILL BE, BUT THE DATES AND TIMES, SHE JUST BLOCKED THE CALENDAR DATE.
SO NEXT MEETING, MARCH 26TH AT, UH, 6:00 PM 25TH.
TUESDAY, MARCH 25TH, 6:00 PM THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE, UH, UH, BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, MEETING ROOM.
AND WE'LL GET YOU, UH, JESSICA MATA'S, UH, INFORMATION SO THAT SHE CAN BOOK IT FOR YOU.
THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY ASSISTANT.
UH, WITH, UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, WE'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT, UH, 7 45 ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH.