HOUSTON – "We need to make sure they get more than a slap on the wrist."
Houston police Chief Art Acevedo is a guest on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and says criminals in Houston need to know things will be getting much tougher for them.
"We’ll focus on people that are doing harm to our community, especially violent crime and people breaking into homes," he said.
He admits the job is more challenging with the recent increase in HPD retirements ahead of the new pension rules and what he says are limits placed on city spending because of revenue caps, something he’s campaigning to remove.
"We’ve seen a growth of 500,000 residents in Houston in about a 20-year period. Despite that growth we are down several hundred officers during that same time frame," he said. "It’s eye-opening. People get it."
Acevedo touches on several more topics, including his reaction to the Texas Legislature’s recently passed "sanctuary cities" bill.
Also
Career and Recovery Resources celebrates its 21st annual Barrier Breakers luncheon by honoring Mayor Sylvester Turner and former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels.
CEO Vernus Swisher, D.Min says his organization has been around for more than 40 years to help the down and out.
"We know that individuals may be homeless. Individuals may have been laid off. Individuals may have become transitioned as a result of a merger. We want those individuals to come to us."
More information
- Chief Art Acevedo, Houston Police Department , 713-308-1600, Art.Acevedo@houstonpolice.org, Twitter:@ArtAcevedo
- Vernus Swisher.D.Min., CEO Career and Recovery Resources, 713-754-7000, www.careerandrecovery.org
- Tom Wilson, Career and Recovery Resources, 713-754-7000 www.careerandrecovery.org