ASIS-HOUSTON CHAPTER MINUTES

12/14/06

The luncheon meeting was held at the Renaissance Hotel with Region VI RVP Mike Crocker CPP, CSC presiding. 80 members and guests attended.

Pledge: Mike Crocker

Prayer: Paul Rux

Introduction of Guests and New Members

COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES

Region VI: RVP Mike Crocker discussed a Region VI initiative that resulted in the pro-bono design and installation of a security system for a new display at Space Center Houston. Space Center Houston is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit educational organization that is the official visitor center for the Johnson Space Center. SCH could not afford the cost of the security system needed to protect the new T-38 display at the entrance to their property. Mike coordinated the efforts of several contractors who pulled together their expertise and resources and created an extremely efficient and effective system. Tom Norman CPP/PSP (Protection Partners International), Randy Simpson CPP and Terry Simpson (Tech Systems), and Maurine Dorsey (Anixter Internal Inc.) were 3 of those contractors present during the announcement. Please watch for the article in our newsletter and in the ASIS Dynamics Magazine detailing this extraordinary project. Mike encouraged every vendor and contractor to contribute to at least one pro-bono project in 2007 to benefit a non-profit organization.

Mike will also be continuing as the RVP for Region VI in 2007.

Golf: Paul Rux announced the tournament will be on May 14, 2007 at the Willow Creek Country Club. Registration forms will be posted and distributed. It is not too early so that the planning can be efficient and coordinated. They are currently recruiting for sponsorships and auction items.

Treasurer’s report: Bob Cascino CPP distributed the report. Invoices for annual local dues are being mailed. Please be prompt with your payment and commitment to the local chapter. We are pleased that 360 of the 610 members assigned to our Chapter support the Chapter with their local dues ($25). The local dues help offset the cost of luncheons for guests and plaques for our speakers, with discounted benefits to members for Chapter activities. Bob also announced the annual seminar raised $4675 for the Chapter. This could not have been achieved without the generous donation by Mark Caldwell CPP at his facility (AIG).

Elections: Mike Crocker conducted the swearing-in ceremony for the Chapter’s 2007 Executive Board. Chairman: Posie Clinton IV; Vice-Chair Andrea Laughlin; Treasurer: Tom Norman, CPP, PSP; Secretary: Greg Walker Esq, ARM, CPP.

Door prizes: Two door prizes were awarded, generously donated by Michael Crocker CPP & Associates.

Special Announcement: Bob Cascino announced that Mike Crocker has been recognized by Security Management Magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential executives in the Security profession. These top executives impact and encourage hundred of thousands of colleagues.

Public Safety Award: Officer Daniel P. Fike, Houston Police Department

On June 23, 2006, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Officer Daniel Fike, who is assigned to the Airport Division, was on patrol when he noticed a suspicious male walking in the grassy area between the south ramp and south runway at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Because of heightened security at the airport, Office Fike stopped his vehicle in the grass to investigate. After learning that the man was a stranded traveler, Officer Fike offered to take him back to the terminal to get a taxi.

When the officer opened the rear door of the patrol vehicle to offer the traveler a seat, he heard a loud noise from behind. Turning to see the source of the noise, Officer Fike saw a Ford F-150 truck crossing the grass median which was approximately 50 yards in width, tumbling end over end directly towards him. The officer quickly took hold of the traveler and pushed him away within seconds of the patrol vehicle being crushed by the truck. The truck burst into flames upon impact. The driver of the Ford truck was traveling northbound on John F. Kennedy and was rounding a curve when he lost control striking the curb and crossing the median.

Officer Fike checked the safety of the traveler then found the driver trapped in the now burning wreckage. He pulled the victim from the truck and contacted the dispatcher. Within moments, HFD had arrived at the scene to extinguish the flames and administer first aid.

Greg Walker, Esq, ARM, CPP presented Officer Fike a plaque as our token of appreciation for his commitment to the safety of the community. Officer Fike was accompanied by his wife and supervisor, Captain Bounds.

Speaker: Mayor Bill White, City of Houston

Topic: “City of Houston’s Security”

Mayor White started his presentation outlining the five most important issues for his administration:

o Public Safety

o Economic Development

o Reducing Traffic Congestion

o Efficiency of City Government

o Quality of Life for the Citizens

His staff meets the first day of the week to outline their goals and agendas and then meet on the last day of the week to review what was accomplished.

Houston IS a safe city. Our stats are true and accurately reported. We are safer than we’ve been in all major categories but one, due in part to some “hot spots”. It is not a coincidence that we are safer: we have excellent local law enforcement.

Mayor White stated some facts:

• Houston has the most professional and highly-educated police department in the country.
• HPD has the highest productivity per officer.
• HPD has some of the most rigorous recruitment screening and training programs of any in the country.
• HPD is well-led. This leadership is chosen by ability, not by politics or seniority.
• HPD is one of the best-equipped, with the exception of radios. This new equipment and inter-agency communication capability is one of his highest priorities.

HPD suffered from the boom to bust hiring cycles throughout the 1980’s. They had the highest average age (45) which is starting to come down. Pay increases were consistently being deferred until they reached 14% in arrears, just as he took office. These increases were off-set with incentives designed for retirement. With an older force reaching those retirement ages, recruitment became increasingly difficult. By holding focus groups, he was able to make changes that benefit day-to-day life and new applications are on the increase. This enhanced recruitment does not come cheap. $114 million has been added to the Public Safety budget.

This past year, Houston has seen an influx of 160,000+ residents from Katrina victims. Most of them are hard-working citizens, but there are a percentage of criminal elements in that influx. These residents mostly settled in three districts which sorely taxed the law enforcement resources for those areas. Many of our narcotics efforts were further compromised by our federal efforts to fight terrorism, resulting in an increase in drug-related crime especially in those districts. 35% of this year’s homicides occurred in those districts; however violent crime rate is down 30% over the summer of 2005 due to hard work. 2500 apartment complexes were evaluated and a small percent of all crime occurred in specific complexes. A new ordinance was recently enacted that will make apartment owners more accountable for security on their property. The will be expected to install security devices, enforce restrictions and evict the tenants that conduct criminal activity on that property.

Mayor White and the Chief Hurtt are setting their 2007 goals to increase the number of officers on the street and increase the productivity of each of those officers. Some of the ways to accomplish better productivity is to minimize the number of false alarms, increase self-reported minor accidents instead of tying up an officer to fill out that paperwork, and requiring credit card companies to conduct their own investigations into credit card fraud. Productivity keeps the taxes down.

Mayor White also announced that next week he is organizing a new task force to focus on security issues in convenience retail establishments. Store clerks are truly on the front-line. He is looking to our Chapter to identify representation on this task force who will actively coordinate help from all private and corporate security entities. Mike Crocker offered to help solicit that representation. Please contact Mike or Christina Cabral in Mayor White’s office if you have a committed interest.

We were honored to have Mayor White as our speaker and presented him with a plaque in appreciation of his time and commitment to the public safety of our community.

The next luncheon will be Thursday January 18.