By McClendon                                          H.R. No. 1056

         75R16286 SGW-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, Thousands of communities across the State of Texas

 1-2     endure the frightening reality of violence and crime on the streets

 1-3     where their homes and businesses are built and their children play;

 1-4     and

 1-5           WHEREAS, These communities need not stand by helplessly but

 1-6     can take positive action to defend their property and loved ones,

 1-7     for the battle against crime is best fought and won at the local

 1-8     level; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, The San Antonio Police Department currently sponsors

1-10     an innovative program, Cellular On Patrol (COP), that gives

1-11     residents an opportunity to work closely with the police to make

1-12     their neighborhoods safer places in which to live; and

1-13           WHEREAS, The purpose of the COP program is to prepare

1-14     neighborhood residents to be the "eyes and ears" of the police and

1-15     to promote closer cooperation between residents and the city

1-16     agencies that exist to serve them; and

1-17           WHEREAS, Participation in the program requires completion of

1-18     training that consists of eight hours of classroom lectures and

1-19     discussion and the opportunity to ride along with a district patrol

1-20     officer; and

1-21           WHEREAS, COP's success stories are numerous; in some

1-22     neighborhoods, reported property crimes decreased as soon as COP

1-23     patrols began, and in all COP neighborhoods, COP patrol members got

1-24     to know their neighbors and their neighborhood police officers

 2-1     better, and residents expressed an increased feeling of

 2-2     neighborhood security; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, In light of the demonstrated success of the COP

 2-4     program in San Antonio, it is entirely fitting that the Texas House

 2-5     of Representatives lend its full support to the development of this

 2-6     worthy program on a statewide scale; now, therefore, be it

 2-7           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

 2-8     Legislature hereby direct the Department of Public Safety to study

 2-9     the feasibility of implementing a COP program statewide; and, be it

2-10     further

2-11           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward official copies

2-12     of this resolution to the director of the Department of Public

2-13     Safety and the chair of the Public Safety Commission.