Is Crime Really Down In Houston The Way The Mayor Claims?

If only fighting crime was really a priority here in Houston.

It was just last week that mayor Sylvester Turner declared that violent crime was trending in the right direction, and the homicide rate was down. Until it wasn't.

"Crime is not down in Harris County, or Houston for that matter" said Doug Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, "We have an epidemic of violence that's going on, and we've got to find a way to put a stop to it."

The problem is the same in blue Democrat led cities across the country, who have pushed to 'defund the police'. But with crime now at an all-time high, it's time to 're-fund' the police.

"There are a couple of things that I think can help turn this around" Griffith told KTRH, "Open up the courts, and have these judges do their jobs. We've got to start holding people accountable. The 2nd thing we have to do, we have to hire officers. We are well over 1,500 officers short for a department our size. The problem is, our base pay is too low, and we've got to get people in the door."

Hopefully, that change will happen in the November midterms.

"The citizens of Houston love and respect what we do every day, they know we're going out there doing the best we can with what we have" noted Griffith, "The issue that comes into play is that our budget is often so low. There's got to be a way, something to be able to get funding in here to make our department where it needs to be."

And that starts at the top with good local leaders, who are not soft on crime.