RECOGNIZING DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY

In cities all across this country,
there is an awakening of responsibility
for the safety of one’s community,
one’s churches, one’s loved
ones at gatherings of any kind.
There is an understanding that We
The People, must prepare. We must
stand ready to act in the event that
we sense danger. We must look
to our peace keepers for guidance
and understanding so that we can
stand together – prepared – in our
churches, our businesses, our gatherings
to recognize the signs of a
threat and hopefully avoid another
tragic loss of life.
“Public Safety is a state of mind.”
said Chief Burby when I met with
him to discuss the Town Hall Meeting
that will be held December 5th
at 6 PM at the Doyle Convention
Center. The Police Department has
invited the District Attorney’s office
as well as members of the FBI to ensure
that a consistent message addressing
the increased frequency of
these attacks on an unsuspecting
public. The behaviors of a potential
attacker, while more noticeable to a
trained eye, often goes unnoticed
by a lay person. That said, being
attuned to, and avoiding, situations
which can leave one vulnerable, as
well as being willing to report anything
that might seem out of the
ordinary to the police as soon as it
is noticed, are two proven methods
that impede criminal behavior and
keep people safe.
Understanding that not reporting
a potentially dangerous situation or
person could lead to someone being
harmed is the responsibility of
every member of our community.
It is understandable that we might
hesitate to call 911 every time we
are “uncomfortable” so knowing the
non-emergency number for your
police department is very good information
for you to have . Not sure
it’s an emergency?
……CALL409-948-2720……
This number is the direct line to
the Police Dispatch. When you really
are not sure, call this number and
speak to a person who has experience
dealing with crime. Corporal
Timothy Herd pointed out that Chief
Burby always stresses that the citizens
are a “force multiplier” allowing
our police force to work much
more effectively and with much better
information.
Texas City is a comfortable place
to live. We feel safe. We feel at
home. Some of us might even feel
we are not a place where things like
the shooting in San Antonio would
ever happen. And the good news is
that while we might feel complacent,
our police force is vigilant; around
the clock, day in and day out, so
that we can remain comfortable
and safe in our “home”. The part
each of us plays is to be the eyes
and ears for our police force. Reporting
an individual who seems
out of place or a situation in which
we may feel uneasy – even if we
might feel foolish doing so; THAT
is the part each of us plays.
By taking the time to attend a
Town Hall Meeting, getting involved
in Citizen Police Academy,
supporting the Texas City Explorer
program, all are ways we
can become a valuable resource
for the men and women who put
their lives on the line every day to
keep us safe. So mark your calendars.
We look forward to seeing
everyone on December 5th.