The North Houston District Public Safety Committee is a group that meets at least quarterly to discuss updates in the area, share information among law enforcement agencies and key stakeholders, and coordinate efforts relating to the safety and security in the area. Tracy Harrison, the District’s VP of Public Safety, talked with us about the recent meeting and the committee’s goals. 

The Public Safety Committee exists to facilitate collaboration on pressing issues and noticeable trends in the North Houston area, as well as share information on problematic establishments that might affect neighborhood safety and provide updates on infrastructure projects taking place in the District.

The Committee also provides a forum for networking and open lines of communication between agencies, community leaders, and North Houston District board members. “The meetings are a great opportunity to introduce new personnel in the area, or announce changes in leadership at the different departments. The North Houston District is a multi-jurisdictional area, so having this touch point for coordination is crucial,” says Tracy Harrison, the District’s VP of Public Safety.

Additionally, stakeholders connect on details for annual events and community outreach, such as the Public Safety Award Ceremony, National Night Out, and Aldine ISD Police’s Trunk or Treat event. According to Harrison, the Committee meetings typically see between 25 and 35 attendees.

Inter-agency Cooperation 

The Public Safety Committee is a strong example of the collaborative, multi-layered approach to safety and security that the North Houston District and its partners have established in the area. The Committee is run by Harrison and attended by North Houston District staff and Board Members, the Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, METRO Police Department, Aldine ISD Police Department, Harris County Attorney’s Office & District Attorney, and faith and community leaders.

While the Public Safety Committee has always existed as part of District operations, it has changed over time to include more law enforcement agencies and bring together department heads and leaders in the community to discuss ongoing issues.

As an internal operational forum, this Committee serves a different purpose than the Houston Police Department PIP Meetings, which take place monthly (general public meetings every third Tuesday, and business and apartment meetings every third Thursday). PIP meetings bring in different units from HPD to speak with the public and are focused on HPD operations and meeting the community’s needs.

“We don’t just discuss look-back statistics, because those don’t always tell the full story. We discuss hotspots and what’s happening on the streets currently. We talk about what’s not working and how we can do better through joint efforts,” Harrison says.

July Committee Meeting Topics

The Committee met recently on July 16 and the agenda included current construction updates at Wussow Park, progress at the future HPD North Belt Division station, future plans for a new Aldine ISD Police Department, and Metro Police Department’s future mobile command. Two captains were introduced—the new Captain at HCSO District 2 and the new Captain at the HPD North Belt Division—and the Committee also heard updates from Crime Stoppers on laws taking effect on Sept. 1 that may impact law enforcement partners.

“Coordinated efforts positively impact the safety and security of our area. Each entity and organization has a special skillset and has access to different tools and resources. When we work together, we can move the needle more quickly on improving public safety,” Harrison explains.