Mayor, Police Chief Kickoff New Crime Initiative, Safety Campaign

October 30, 2007 - Houston Mayor Bill White and Police Chief Harold Hurtt joined officers of the Houston Police Department’s Northeast Patrol Division today (Oct. 30) to introduce a crime reduction initiative and a public safety crime prevention campaign dubbed “Keep Houston Safe,” intended to reduce crime along the Interstate 10 East (East Freeway) corridor.

The I-10 East Freeway Crime Reduction Initiative will address crime issues along the East Freeway corridor from the 11000 through the 13000 blocks of the East Freeway service roads. The area has a high volume of businesses, restaurants and strip centers, which attract large numbers of patrons. Unfortunately, it also attracts criminal perpetrators from surrounding neighborhoods, other parts of Houston and adjacent areas of Harris County.

The Mayor and Police Chief unveiled plans for the initiative and “Keep Houston Safe” campaign to business leaders and area residents at a news conference in the parking lot of the Home Depot, the Academy Sports and Outdoors, and Circuit City at 13500 East Freeway service road at Market Street. The campaign is designed to create a partnership with business and the community in a collaborative effort with the Houston Police Department to reduce crime, especially burglaries of businesses, residences and motor vehicles.

This effort will seek to be more than just a public awareness campaign. During the next 60 days:

• Patrol activities will increase through an overtime program designed to target specific crimes in the area.
  
• There will be an increase in hours of storefront operations.
  
• The HPD Mobile Command Post will be utilized at businesses and neighborhoods to disseminate literature at local businesses and improve police community relations.
  
• An E-mail Community Alert Network will be initiated to notify each other and the police department of problems in the area.
  
• Finally, citizens will be asked to sign a pledge to help “ Keep Houston Safe.” In return for following simple crime prevention tips, citizens will receive bumper stickers and hang tags indicating “I Help Keep Houston Safe.”

Citizens requesting more information on this campaign can contact the HPD Public Affairs Division Community Services Unit at 713-308-3200.

JFC/VHS 10-30-07

For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.