HOUSTON – The Houston Police Department is investing time, money, and manpower in shutting down the streets that have had historically high rates of sex trade activity.
The initiative started last week.
“Shutting them down after hours, we don’t want to impede business hours. But after hours, we’re shutting those streets down. We’re putting barricades up. We want them to know that type of business is closed,” said Houston City Councilmember Edward Pollard.
Pollard’s “District J” is home to the portion of Bissonnet Street that sees a lot of prostitution, and has for years.
The streets will shut down nightly after most businesses are closed.
Typically, two streets between the Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet, Centre Parkway and Plainfield Street, will be blockaded.
The program is currently being funded from the Houston Police Department’s budget and has no set expiration date.
“They do one day or two, they come back again. Consistency is the key,” said local grocer, Lloyd Obi.
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Multiple suspects in ‘the pimp game’ accused of trafficking young girls on infamous Bissonnet Track