The Houston Police Department and I would like to thank the Lebanon Times for its commitment to crime prevention and safety awareness in allowing us to present safety topics directly to you each month. We appreciate the Arabic Community for understanding that it takes a steadfast partnership between the police and community to improve upon the quality of life for us all. We are in this together.
Through our partnerships, we have reduced violent crime in our area. One such success story is our efforts to address Juggers, who are criminals that target bank customers. Through proactive police work, we successfully arrested several teams of Juggers preying on our community. The collaboration between citizens, the business community and police were vital in removing these dangerous criminals from our streets. Your help is greatly appreciated.
As we approach the holiday season, I have instituted a Holiday Overtime Program to help safeguard holiday shoppers. This program increases the number of officers on patrol to increase visibility, improve traffic congestion and to process shoplifters without negatively affecting our routine operations. I have also adding bicycle officers for roving patrols in some shopping areas, and assigning officers to conduct surveillance to reduce vehicle burglaries. Unfortunately, this will not be enough. The key is your vigilance in being aware of your surroundings, always keeping safety in mind. Please report suspicious conduct to the police, no matter how insignificant. Your tip may prevent someone from being victimized.
Thanks again to you, and the Lebanon Times for making our community a safer place to live and work. I hope that each of you has a safe and happy holiday season.
Officer H. Amri
The Houston Police Department would like to thank the Lebanon Times and its readers for yet another year of support and trust. We would like to remind everyone of a few crime prevention and safety awareness tips, now that the holiday season is upon us. Stay aware of your surroundings and have your keys ready when approaching your vehicle and homes. If you go to the bank, do not carry excessive amounts of money, be aware and make sure you are not being followed. If you fear you are being followed, call 911. Please be responsible, and do not drink and drive, or text while driving.
We look forward to continue to strengthen our relationship with the Arabic community. Your concerns, worries and needs are important to us. Remember that we are always available for any questions you may have. Please feel at ease to approach any officer, police storefront or police station. You can find the hours, addresses and phone numbers at our home page at www.houstonpolice.org. We would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season filled with happiness and joy.