Author: HCMUD 150

As a cold front brings freezing temperatures, chilly air, and maybe some snow to our region over the next several days, we strongly encourage you to closely monitor the weather while meteorologists guide us through what promises to be a significant event.

It’s likely a hard freeze will occur in the coming days, potentially putting people, plants, pets, and pipes in jeopardy. This also means we could experience sleet on our roadways.

While we still have questions about how much of the Arctic air will reach us, it’s now time to prepare:

• Protect People: Check on your neighbors, relatives, and friends, especially seniors, to ensure they have sufficient warmth.
• Protect Pets: Bring your four-legged companions inside. If pets must be left outside, give them an enclosed shelter with protection from the wind.
• Protect Plants: Plants should be covered and those in containers should be brought inside.
• Protect Pipes: Allow water to drip from faucets, especially those facing exterior walls, and open your cabinets so the warmer air can circulate.
• Stay Alert: Take all necessary precautions on and off the roads and follow the guidance of local officials.
• Activate Emergency Alerts: Monitor the local NWS forecast and sign up for emergency alerts at ReadyHarris.org.

Our Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) is in the community doing all they can to help those without housing stay warm and safe with blankets, jackets, and information on open shelters and available resources. In preparation for the extreme cold, HOT deputies have adjusted their schedules to offer around the clock coverage and proactive support to our most vulnerable neighbors.

According to the Coalition for the Homeless, nearly 4,000 people are experiencing homelessness in the Houston area.

The unit was established in 2015 and now operates in all five of our patrol districts across Harris County, offering aid and assistance through our community partners and transportation to hospitals, shelters, and facilities that specialize in providing services to the homeless.

This work is more challenging than ever because of the pandemic – shelters and emergency warming centers are not able to expand their capacities to accommodate people who are looking to come inside during the winter months.

As we work together to stop the spread of the coronavirus, our Homeless Outreach Team remains on the front lines. Since the beginning of the pandemic, these deputies have spread awareness about the virus and provided essential supplies and hygiene products at homeless encampments.

Additionally, they have hosted cleanup days with community partners and volunteers, removing debris and trash from intersections, esplanades, and underpasses.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, HOT deputies and fallen Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal’s family distributed over 100 meals to the homeless. UTMB Health, Hope Center Houston, Love Network of Baytown, and Deputy Dhaliwal’s family donated many of the blankets that are being handed out to those in need.

There are countless stories of this unit connecting people experiencing homelessness with much-needed resources. A military veteran was driven to the U.S.VETS Houston office where he started the permanent housing process. A suicidal person experiencing homelessness and a mental health crisis was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and care. He was later discharged and driven to his new housing location by our Homeless Outreach Team deputies.

At the Sheriff’s Office, we know jail is not an appropriate solution to homelessness. And yet, the people held in our jail are more likely to suffer from poor physical and mental health, along with addiction. When appropriate, we’re committed to diverting people experiencing homelessness away from the criminal justice system and toward more appropriate care, resources, and services.

Homelessness is among the most important, complex issues facing our criminal justice system today. It’s critical we address these issues through innovative, multi-faceted strategies and compassion.

This unit is an example of community policing and what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies and the community collaborate. We are proud to be part of the team effort setting a viable path forward for those experiencing homelessness. Although our partner agencies have different missions, we’re all united around the call to serve our most vulnerable neighbors and keep everyone safe. Public safety is always our North Star.

During a time of uncertainty, I am deeply encouraged and inspired by the strides we’ve made as a community. This unit – and the many initiatives across our region led by our partners – are truly helping those who are most in need.

Stay warm and be prepared.

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Today we celebrated three recently retired K9s – Gerard, Lucky, and Rico – and wished them well as they take in some much-deserved rest and relaxation with their handlers. They were issued their last shift on duty and are enjoying their golden years.

Each K9 partner was presented with a retirement certificate and Sgt. Chris Moore, who serves as the K9 Unit’s trainer and lead supervisor, shared their career highlights and success stories.

These K9s and their handlers functioned as a team from the start – entering our handler training course together to learn a broad range of instruction and critical support to get certified as a pair. Our four-legged partners are skilled assets who help us apprehend wanted suspects, locate missing persons, identify explosives, and seize narcotics and jail contraband. They are partners in every sense of the word.

Our K9 Unit is an integral part of our day-to-day operations. One of the main goals of this unit it to increase the safety of our patrol deputies. In many cases, deployed K9s are the first in contact with a suspect, giving deputies space and reaction time to have them surrender without incident.

We’re grateful for their faithful years of service and dedication to our teammates and community. We cherish them and take great pride in their contributions.

Meet the Retired K9s

K9 Gerard is a 12-year-old K9 trained to identify explosives and track a scent. He has worked alongside his handler, Deputy Love, on 421 patrol deployments, 270 captures, and 110 explosive sweeps. In 2018, K9 Gerard and Deputy Love were honored by the 100 Club for apprehending a suspect who shot and wounded a Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable. K9 Gerard has conducted numerous explosive sweeps at city-wide events, such as Super Bowl LI. He has 8 years of public service.

Click here to meet Gerard and Deputy Love.

K9 Lucky is a 10-year-old K9 trained to identify explosives and track a scent. He has worked with handler, Deputy Bair, on 332 patrol deployments, 88 captures, and 151 explosive sweeps. He has conducted numerous explosive sweeps at city-wide events, including Super Bowl LI. In 2015, he responded to an officer-involved shooting, deploying at the scene and tracking the suspect’s shotgun to a wooded area. He has 7 years and 5 months of public service with more than 2,400 training hours.

Click here to meet Lucky and Deputy Bair.

K9 Rico is a 9-year-old K9 trained to identify narcotics and track a scent. He has worked alongside his handler, former Deputy Troy Guidry, on 127 patrol deployments, 48 captures, and 98 narcotic operations. Additionally, the team helped train handlers from the Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies – dedicating about 160 hours per month to the instruction. K9 Rico has more than 6 years of public service with more than 3,100 training hours.

Click here to meet Rico and Waller County Sheriff Guidry.

Public Safety Forums

At the Sheriff’s Office, we pride ourselves on working with you to keep our neighborhoods safe.

On Tuesday, Patrol District IV led a virtual public safety forum for west Harris County residents with a key presentation from our High-Tech Crimes Unit on internet safety and ways we can protect our children online no matter how they access the web. Sgt. Ortiz, who leads our newly formed Traffic Crimes Unit, provided an update on our efforts to combat the rise in street racing and street takeovers and Dr. McNeese, a forensic and clinical psychologist with our Behavioral Health Division, shared how our agency is providing mental health services and support to our teammates.

Public safety forums are an opportunity for you to join your neighbors and patrol district leaders for a meaningful discussion about public safety issues in your neighborhood. They are also an opportunity for you to learn more about our initiatives, to ask questions, and to share any concerns with the very leaders patrolling and protecting your block.

Stay Informed

Each of our five patrol districts has started hosting regular virtual safety forums with support and updates from various agency leaders. If you’re interested in being notified about your district’s next meeting, fill out our interest form. By signing up today, you’re ensuring you’ll be among the first to know when the next safety forum is scheduled.

Follow Us on Social Media

In the meantime, stay connected with us by following your patrol district on Twitter and our agency on Nextdoor. You will receive breaking news, missing persons and wanted suspects alerts, crime prevention resources, and more.

A safe and compassionate community requires constant attention, care, and collaboration. Thank you for your partnership, and for joining us on this journey.

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We welcomed 60 new deputies to our Sheriff’s Office family this week. The graduation ceremony – and each cadet’s pledge to our oath of office – was the culmination of resilience, teamwork, and a passion to serve others.

As each cadet prepared to celebrate this exciting milestone with our command staff, academy instructors, and loved ones, we learned two deputies were shot at by a suspect with existing felony warrants. One deputy was wounded.

Deputy Barragan, who is expected to make a full recovery, was hit several times and suffered injuries to his cheek and hands. His protective vest stopped a bullet that struck his torso. The suspected shooter, now identified as Moises Martinez, fled the scene on foot as the other deputy, Deputy Miller, returned fire and attempted to pursue him. In a matter of minutes, deputies in the area on an unrelated call were among the first to respond to the scene and quickly applied a tourniquet to Deputy Barragan’s wounds. A Precinct One deputy constable arrived on location, assisting the responding deputies with getting the wounded deputy to medical care.

Deputy Decatur and his partner Deputy Alegria drove our teammate to a nearby hospital in a patrol vehicle. The responding deputies’ swift actions and training were instrumental in getting him the care he needed.

After a scene investigation and active search, Martinez was taken into custody without further incident. We’re grateful to our law enforcement partners across the region for always rallying behind us. We’re also grateful for your outpouring of prayers and positive messages – comforting words we’ve come to expect during scary moments like this.

Tuesday evening was a grave reminder of the dangers of the job. But it is also served as a reminder of how we as a community support each other.

Academy Class B1-2020

This academy class pressed on despite the uncertainty and necessary restrictions brought on by the pandemic, reimagined instruction, and the sudden and heartbreaking loss of a classmate and friend, Cadet Cornelius Anderson.

B1-2020, you will always be remembered for your strength and unwavering commitment to be there for one another. You vowed to carry on Cadet Anderson’s dream of becoming a deputy by following your calling in the face of hardship.

Cadet Anderson possessed a positive spirit and love for our profession that continues to inspire everyone at the Sheriff’s Office. His memory is sewn into every stitch of the uniforms worn by our new deputies.

During their journey, the cadets embraced change when academy instructors temporarily moved in-person classroom instruction to a virtual platform. They remained flexible when tests were re-scheduled, and the hands-on training was altered to comply with public health measures.

Most importantly, they closed ranks and leaned on each other and their instructors through it all.

To make it to graduation, cadets engaged in 1,696 hours of training curriculum ranging from classroom instruction to simulations to emergency vehicle operation. The training topics included critical crisis intervention, de-escalation techniques, tactical communications, Texas Penal Code, and Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.

This academy training lays the foundation for a deputy’s entire law enforcement career and equips them with the knowledge, tools, skills, and mindset to provide a safe and humane response to calls for service. The bonds and camaraderie built over the past six months will last a lifetime.

This class’s motto is “Be the Change.” We cannot think of a more fitting motto. Their roles as public servants are vital in this pivotal moment. At the podium on Tuesday, I challenged them to lead policing into a new era with empathy, respect, and understanding. I asked each of them to hold on to this sentiment throughout their career as peace offers.

I also challenged those in our ranks who came before them to: Guide them. Mentor them. Show them how to honor the badge they wear and carry as a symbol of public faith and trust.

This is just the beginning. These deputies are preparing to enter field training. It’s another crucial step to ensure we’re doing all we can to best serve you.

We are so incredibly proud of them and wish them well. Join me in celebrating this well-deserved achievement.

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The Sheriff’s Office recognizes Stalking Awareness Month and advocates for everyone’s right to feel safe in their lives and communities.

Stalking is a pattern of predatory behavior that causes a victim to feel fear for their well-being or safety. It’s often linked to intimate partner violence and can have a significant traumatic effect on its victims. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly half of stalking victims felt fear of not knowing what would happen next and experienced at least one unwanted contact with their perpetrator per week.

Last year we launched a Behavioral Threat Management Unit to tackle stalking and domestic violence incidents with a stalking nexus. The goal of the unit is to recognize and respond to threatening behaviors and to prevent volatile situations from escalating into violence.

We strive to be proactive and work toward preventing tragedies from occurring in the first place. The unit, led by Brad Rudolph, works through filed reports with a stalking nexus, carefully reviewing each case and thoroughly analyzing each piece of the puzzle. The unit’s investigator and analyst assess the circumstances from the stalking behavior to the perpetrator’s history and propensity for violence. In 2020, the unit reviewed nearly 2,000 incident reports and investigated over 30 harassment cases.

Stalking behaviors can include:

• Making unwanted phone calls
• Sending unsolicited or unwanted letters or e-mails
• Following the victim or waiting at places for them
• Inflicting property damage
• Leaving unwanted items or gifts
• Posting information or spreading rumors about the victim on the internet, in a public place, or by word of mouth

Because the crime of stalking takes place over a period of time, the unit encourages victims to keep a detailed log of the incidents that have been occurring. Even if the victim is not interested in pursuing criminal charges at the time, maintaining a log will be beneficial to law enforcement if the behavior increases or gets worse in the future.

Investigators conduct a threat assessment that focuses on identifying what are called “pre-incident indicators” or behaviors of concern to establish a pattern. Threat assessment is an evolving process where pertinent information is added and considered in real-time. An initial assessment may change significantly after a few pieces of critical information come to the surface. Several individual factors are considered and weighed, including the suspect’s mental and physical health, financial stability, support system and potential triggers. These are critical components of a meaningful threat assessment process.

The unit’s findings are often discussed at roundtable meetings with leading domestic violence partners and service organizations, including the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council and Domestic Violence High Risk Team. This coordinated response against domestic violence offers additional perspective on the best path forward for each case and helps foster collaborations that maximize resources and strategies to keep the victim safe.

The intervention approach varies, but it always starts with research and an open conversation with the victim. This established communication builds rapport and instills confidence and comfort in the process.

Some cases will generate arrests, but in other cases, investigators may pursue emergency housing for the victim and a protective order against the perpetrator. Other times, they may approach it from a mental health standpoint. The unit stays involved in the investigation as the victim receives support from our partners who connect them to resources.

Let’s raise our collective voices against these incidents before they escalate into harm. As a community, we can keep an eye out for potential victims and pay attention to whether a situation seems dangerous for a friend, colleague, or family member. When you suspect something is happening, trust your instincts and say something.

Below are resources if you want to report stalking victimization:

• If you are in immediate danger, call or text 911.
• HCSO Behavioral Threat Management Unit: 713-274-4694
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-7233 or if you’re unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522.
• Houston Area’s Women Center’s 24/7 Hotline: 800-256-0551

We encourage victims to come to us for assistance or to reach out to one of the many organizations in our region whose mission is to end domestic violence for all.

We stand together against stalking. We are a community. And we are here to support you.

“I am passionate about threat assessment and its methodologies because we’re not just reacting to situations,” says Brad Rudolph, Behavioral Threat Management Unit Manager.

“This proactive work can save lives.”

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