Houston is the fourth largest city in the nation and as such, crime is eminent. CQ Press ranked Houston the 10th most dangerous city, per capita, of cities in the U.S. with a population greater than 500,000 (http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime/Population_Rankings.pdf). We do not have to settle for this. Problems with zoning and 9-1-1 blunders are often contributing factors to the city's high crime rate. There are many flaws in our 9-1-1 system that need to be addressed. For example, when calling from just outside of city limits, callers are often transferred between operators and left on hold, which should not occur in an emergency situation. Criminals are aware of these types of flaws in our 9-1-1 infrastructure and use them to their advantage. There needs to be increased public awareness of these shortcomings, but most importantly, we need to alleviate them.

With the presence of the Mexican Drug Cartel growing in our city, recruitment and employment of additional Houston Police officers is paramount. Additionally, we need to redirect some of our traffic task force officers to assist in investigating crimes of a more serious nature. Although traffic violations are potentially dangerous, it is of greater importance to reduce more serious crimes and thus, our city's crime ranking.

The DNA Testing Bill passed the Senate Criminal Justice Committee requiring DNA testing for all felony offenses. In support of this bill, we will work with the Harris County Corrections Department to ensure that all felony offenders' DNA is procured and recorded prior to release. DNA is like a fingerprint and everyone's DNA is unique. With this simple procedure, many crimes will be solved expeditiously and criminals will be prevented from committing additional crimes. We are living in the 21st century, yet our crime solving methods are lagging. These systems need to be updated to afford the citizens of Houston greater measures of safety. We need to ensure that the latest technology is utilized so crimes can be solved with greater efficiency and accuracy.

In addition to these steps, TJ Huntley plans to stop crime at the root by investing in our children and future generations. Various programs are offered throughout Houston that educate children about the dangers of crime and encourage them to live an appropriate lifestyle. Through support of these organizations we can help keep children and teens off our city streets and in safe habitable conditions.