The details
Whitmire announced that the two-night initiative included Whitmire and Police Chief Noe Diaz out on Washington Avenue Corridor Dec. 13-14 where they ensured clubs and outgoers followed city ordinances and did not cause noise violations. This initiative is in collaboration with the METRO Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
“Public safety is our highest priority, and if we don’t make people feel safe and be safe, [and] hold bad actors accountable, probably nothing else matters,” Whitmire said. “This is all about quality of life and being safe; not only being safe, feeling safe.”
What they’re saying
Diaz said the plan was to make sure clubs and people are being compliant with city ordinances and state laws, addressing violations such as street takeovers, loud noises and people on dirt bikes. He also said they planned to visit club managers and owners to address these concerns.
“We want people to come to the Washington Corridor, but we want them to be safe, we want them to have fun [and] we want them to be responsible,” Diaz said. “It’s an area for young people to congregate, and we want them to be there to congregate.”
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said this initiative is not just about breaking the law, but reckless actions they’ve seen in the Washington Avenue Corridor such as street racing and drunk driving.
“Early [Dec. 13], our deputies were out in the field and they arrested a 17-year-old for driving recklessly, doing donuts, and her passenger, her companion, was armed with a pistol,” Gonzalez said. “Reckless behavior that we do not need to see on the streets, especially during this holiday season.”
Gonzalez shared that 139 arrests were made for racing on highways and 165 arrests for reckless driving just this year alone. Seventeen of those arrests resulted in deadly consequences, he said.
“We can’t do it all by ourselves; we need our community to be involved, to take ride sharing seriously and making sure they’re planning ahead,” Gonzalez said.
