National Night Out
Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Join the Houston Police Department (HPD) at the 30th Annual National Night Out on Tuesday, October 1, 2013. This is an opportunity to get out and meet your neighbors, as well as interact with HPD officers to discuss crime concerns in your community. Additionally, Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Police Chief Charles A. McClelland Jr. will visit several communities.

Take advantage of this opportunity to meet the officers who patrol your neighborhoods and help strengthen police and community relations. Thousands of citizens in neighborhoods all over the city are expected to step out of their homes to meet their neighbors and renew their commitment to public safety.

Civic leaders and citizens interested in scheduling an event, finding their area coordinator or seeking more information on National Night Out, should visit  http://www.houstontx.gov/police/chief/nno13/NNO13.pdf or call 713.308.3200.

To learn more about HPD, visit http://www.houstonpolice.org/.

Oct. 7th  – JUNK WASTE

“Junk Waste” is defined as items such as furniture, appliances, and other bulky material.

Tree Waste is accepted during Junk Waste Months; however, to ensure your Tree Waste is recycled, you may hold your tree waste materials until the next Tree Waste designated month or take it to a Neighborhood Depository/Recycling Center.

The City of Houston is Watching and Will Prosecute Illegal Dumpers

The City of Houston (COH) is beginning a pilot project to catch those responsible for illegal dumping. Funding for the project, approximately $250,000, was provided by a budget amendment presented by District B Council Member Jerry Davis. Five surveillance cameras have been placed at undisclosed locations in Davis’ northeast Houston City Council district.

The exact locations of the cameras will NOT be made public. During the three-month pilot project, Houston Police Department’s (HPD) Environmental Investigations Unit (EIU) will monitor and maintain all activity captured by the cameras. When signs of illegal dumping are observed, EIU will send the information to HPD’s North or Northeast Divisions for follow-up. It is estimated 50 to 80 cases will be generated each month.

The following information will help in deciding whether or not the program should be expanded:

• Number of violations
• Number of people involved
• Pounds, volume, or cubic feet of items dumped
• Types of arrests and charges
• Types of trash being dumped (furniture, garbage, tires, tree trimmings etc.)
• Interviews with the suspects to determine why they dumped at this location, have they dumped before, do they know about the COH sites for legal elimination of items.

The COH offers monthly Tree Waste and Junk Waste collection and operates several drop-off facilities. Information about the Tree Waste and Junk Waste collection schedule for your neighborhood as well as the locations of the neighborhood depositories is available by calling the 311 helpline.

311 is also the place to call to report illegal dumping. Additionally, you can make a report online by downloading the 311 app or by visiting www.houstontx.gov/311.

Text “ItcanwaitHou” to 464329 to Pledge Never to Text While Driving

Mayor Annise Parker has kicked off Mayors United Against Texting While Driving, a social media campaign challenging all Texans to take the pledge to not text and drive. In partnership with AT&T, Mayor Parker and the City of Houston launched the nation’s first citywide It Can Wait, Houston campaign in April 2013. Mayors United Against Texting While Driving will expand what Houston started all across Texas.

The Mayors United Against Texting While Driving campaign will run in Houston, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio and Fort Worth Thursday, September 19 through Monday September 30, 2013, with each city vying to get as many citizens as they can pledging to never text while driving. Each city will have its own city-specific texting code. Houston residents can take the pledge by texting “ItcanwaitHou” to 464329. Show Houston is the safest city in Texas and pledge now!

Those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash. In 2011, 13 percent of the over 3,000 traffic fatalities in Texas were due to texting while driving. Research released by AT&T indicates that 43 percent of commuters admit to a “habit” of texting while driving, even though they are aware of the risks. Take the no texting while driving pledge now by texting “ItcanwaitHou” to 464329.

Chief’s Citywide

“Positive Interaction Program”

September’s program presentation topic will be:

“HPD Bomb Squad”

This informative presentation will outline the department’s highly trained unit that responds to all suspected explosive devices and suspicious items.

WHERE: . . . . . 1602 State St. (Auditorium)

Houston, Texas 77007

 Tuesday  September 10^th 2013 7:00 p.m.

 From: Officer James Sobota

        Hope to see you there.

Voice # 713-308-9079   E-mail: james.sobota@houstonpolice.org