Finally HPD does something right

Some good news from HPD today. They announced the results of their newest crime prevention opperation. Surprise, surprise, surpris, a law enforcement agency actually trying to prevent crime instead of generate revenue.

A police crackdown that dispersed 100 officers per day to five high-risk apartment complexes has netted more than 300 arrests since the program began earlier this month, authorities said.
"Houston is not safe for criminals, and we're making it much less safe for criminals every single day," Mayor Bill White said Tuesday at a news conference to announce the preliminary results.

And of course our Mayor has to be there to help spin things.

"The overall goal of (STOP) is to direct resources where they are most needed; saturate the area; and actively engage in crime suppression, criminal apprehension and the restoration of order," said HPD Capt. M.E. Lentschke .
More than 600 criminal charges were filed since June 2, police said, when the additional contingent of HPD officers began patrolling the targeted apartment communities.

You know I thought that is what the police department was suppoesed to do, but you never know. And this from the City Council member who's district this is happening in.

Houston City Council member Anne Clutterbuck, who said her Fondren-area district has endured insufficient police coverage in the past, was encouraged by HPD's latest program to flood the area with additional officers.
"I think it's a very positive step," Clutterbuck said.
"The good police officers that serve our city are out there working very hard — trying to do their job and protect the city."

And finally here is what you want to hear from elected officials.

Houston City Council member Adrian Garcia said officers assigned to the southwest Houston efforts were doing "a phenomenal job under tough circumstances.
"But they get the job done. That's just what I would expect," said Garcia, chairman of the city council's public safety and homeland security committee.
"You give them a task (and) they are going to go out there and put their heads together and figure out the best way to do it," Garcia said.
The initiatives, though welcome, are only a temporary fix. Recruiting more officers is the long-term solution, Garcia said.
"We know what it takes to keep neighborhoods safe, and that's boots on the ground," Garcia said.
White pledged that the stepped-up police efforts would continue as long as necessary.
"Until I see the drop in the violent crime rates ... we're going to put the resources that we need to within these districts," White said. "We won't always advertise it. We want to keep the criminals guessing."

Now is the time for Mayor White and Chief Hurd to follow up on this with getting more officers on the streets.