Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and other Houston law enforcement officials are on a mission to engage directly with the community in response to rising concerns about crime in the Third Ward. Through the overnight initiative, the city aimed to demonstrate a visible presence and foster dialogue with local businesses and residents.
In a meeting held on Thursday, Finner and community leaders discussed solutions for combating crime, particularly along Emancipation Avenue. Increasing police visibility and presence in the community are essential to curbing criminal activity, according to the chief.
Back-to-back shootings within the neighborhood in the last week highlighted the urgent need for action. A strong stance by Finner showed his commitment to dealing with these issues: “We’re not going to tolerate that.”
“You think that we are just going to stand by and let you drive down the streets, shooting guns, discharging weapons and shooting at people,” Finner said. “I’ve been very successful, and not just me, my entire team. When I step up and when we step our feet into a particular neighborhood, we have good results. And that’s what we’re here tonight. It’s the start of it.”
According to Finner, as the city undergoes development and sees an influx of residential and entertainment establishments, it is important to maintain clear communication because there are no zoning regulations.
“If you are in the city of Houston, and you conduct business, you can be a club, a bar, a convenience store, whatever business, you need to be a good neighbor,” Finner said.
Finner said the ultimate goal is to make residents feel safe walking down the street at night.
“We have our staffing issues, but I’m not wanting to make excuses. I listen to people and I just want to thank all of our community members for being honest,” Finner said. Now it’s time to put a plan in place and execute, execute that with the community members. So we can make it a better place to live.”
As part of its community engagement efforts, the Houston Police Department’s South Central Division has mobilized additional resources, including traffic enforcement and a crime suppression team. A number of citations were issued as a result of their coordinated efforts, including the retrieval of three assault rifles and three pistols.