Crime Stoppers in Action – February
February was Teen Dating Violence (TDV) Prevention and Awareness Month and your Crime Stoppers of Houston joined the nationwide efforts by sharing information material (download our TDV Prevention flyer here), insightful blog entries (read here) and an eye-opening video (watch here). Through e-news and social media we diligently educated the communityat large on what teen dating violence is, what it may look like and what we can do to prevent it from happening and encouraged everyone to take a stand for respectful and healthy relationships. We also partnered with Sheriff Ron Hickman for a captive discussion at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Town Hall Meeting at the beginning of the month that revealed staggering numbers: 1 in 3 adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner. Approximately 8,325, or 21% of registered sex offenders that live in TX, live in Harris County.
Beyond that focus we continued to engage with the citizens of Houston on other as important crime related topics and to provide tips to stay safe. In partnership with The Buzz Magazines, Crime Stoppers Executive Director Rania Mankarious has touched on timely, thought-provoking issues on a new blog series “Sunday Mornings with Rania” (among others Homelessness in Houston, Open Carry Law or Animal Cruelty). She also discussed Valentine’s Safety with Anoushah Rasta on KPRC (in case you missed it watch the interview here).
Later in the month we talked with Rita Garcia on FOX 26 Houston about the work we do through our Safe School Student Ambassador program that empowers students to take campus safety seriously and into their own hand (click on the picture to the left to watch the Feel Good Friday story about Crime Stopper student ambassadors at Spring Branch ISD’s Cornerstone Academy).
Last but not least we attended the Greater Houston Partnership State of the County Luncheon, visited with communications students at the University of Houston Downtown, joined the Unity for a Solution Meeting, met with Council Members Ellen Cohen, Jack Christie, Karla Cisneros, Steve Le and Mike Laster, as well as presented at the 21st Annual Campus Crime Stoppers Conference, in Odessa, TX.
Apart from our mission to keep Houston safe, we are committed to solving crime in the Harris County through our 713-222-TIPS (8477) tip line program, which the Houston Police Department highlighted as a national crime prevention model that strives to empower and motivate citizens to report crime tips anonymously. In February, we held 3 press conferences in partnership with the Harris County Constable’s Department Pct 6. and the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division asking for the public’s assistance in identifying suspects responsible for aggravated robbery, capital murder and murder. Together with the Chron.com – Houston Chronicle we also kicked off “Fugitive Friday” posts to further foster the success of the program.
For detailed numbers please read below!
- Received 533 tips
- 10 tips – Solved felony cases
- 36 tips – Executed felony warrants
- Arrested 37 suspects
- Solved/executed 46 cases
- Cleared 30 offense reports
- Paid 37 anonymous tipsters
On November 28, 2015, a female accompanied by her young child parked her vehicle when two suspects approached to rob her. One of them pointed a pistol at her stomach and demanded her property, while the other one searched and looked for valuables. The female begged the suspects not to harm her or her child. After taking what property they could find, both suspects ran off to a waiting vehicle.
About a month later a sketch of the suspect with the gun was constructed based on the female’s memory. It was then used to for a Crime Stoppers media release to ask for the public’s assistance identifying the suspect.On January 4, 2016, Crime Stoppers received a web tip providing the suspect’s name, address and supporting pictures. We forwarded the information to a Houston Police Department Robbery investigator who filed charges on the suspect and arrested him on February 9, 2016.
- Solved 4 school – based cases
- Held 32 Safe School presentations
- Trained 1,801 students
- Reached 118 teachers/law enforcement members
- Reached 36 parents
Crime Stoppers wants everyone to understand that “bullying is not conflict; it’s abuse!” In fact, the problem can be severe enough to inflict irreparable damage to the victim, causing some to react with violence. According to Crime Stoppers, a whopping 71 percent of school shooters were victims of bullying. Prevention of bullying will create a secondary effect of reducing the devastation caused by school violence… Click here to read the entire story via The Buzz Magazine.
Posted by on 30 Mar 2016