On January 9, we observed National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day by thanking the brave men and women who commit their lives to keeping our communities safe. We also took a look back at Commissioner Garcia's career, spanning over two decades from a young police officer to his election as county sheriff. Click here to see his career through the years.

Join Commissioner Garcia and watch the final behind-the-scenes moments of 2023! Experience the heartwarming distribution of bicycles to residents and the joyous spreading of holiday cheer at our annual senior Christmas party. It was a fun and productive end of 2023 — we’re excited for what’s in store for 2024! Click here to watch the video.

This month, the Harris County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) presented its first biennial report to the Commissioners Court. Started in 2021, Commissioner Garcia helped lead the formation of the Harris County SART with the goal of improving services for survivors of sexual assault in a comprehensive way that involves law enforcement, non-profit organizations, and other stakeholders. The Houston Area Women's Center (HAWC) presented the report's findings during a press conference.

Also, the Commissioners Court recently passed two major public safety items. First, the rank of Detention Captain was created for the first time in the Harris County Sheriff's Office history. The two new supervisory positions will oversee an entire command of jail staff and allow detention officers to enhance their career paths. This vision started when Commissioner Garcia was Sheriff and created the Detention Sergeant and Detention Lieutenant positions.  Second, the court passed a motion to create the first sheriff's office substation in nearly two decades. The new substation will help the sheriff’s office to redistribute their patrol deputies to improve response to service calls.

Alma Galvan

Precinct 2 Human Resources Business Partner

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

A: I enjoy playing a role in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workforce. By ensuring equal opportunities for candidates from various backgrounds contributes to a more diverse and representative job market...READ MORE

Q: What are some initiatives has Precinct 2 human resources taken to make it a great workplace?

A: Our human resources team is always looking for ways to make Precinct 2 a great place to work. Here are examples of some initiatives:

Development training: This empowers employees to foster a culture of continuous learning and prepare employees for the challenges and opportunities they may encounter in their careers...READ MORE

The photo above shows Commissioner Garcia with two Precinct 2 residents at the ribbon cutting of the brand-new Partnership Park Pavilion in Pasadena in November 2023.

In the coming months, Precinct 2 will celebrate the completion of several infrastructure projects, including:

• Aldine Mail Route: This project involved the road widening of Aldine Mail Route from Slater Lane to Aldine Westfield, the construction of sidewalks on both sides, drainage improvements, and updated traffic signals.
• High Meadows and Fairgreen Subdivision: The project's primary goal is to improve the subdivision's drainage infrastructure, which will help to reduce flood risk in the area.
• Quitman Street: This project includes new sidewalks and a street bikeway to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

We're excited about the momentum we built in 2023. Last year, the Precinct 2 engineering team marked the completion of 11 projects totaling nearly $60 million. The improvements included new sidewalks, drainage systems, and the resurfacing of nearly 100 streets.

This month, Commissioner Garcia led or voted in favor of the following items:

Green energy in county facilities: Commissioners Court unanimously approved the publication of a request for proposals to install solar panels and batteries at community centers and libraries in Harris County. The Office of Sustainability will return to Court by midyear with a final investment memo that lays out the full cost of the project with construction to start this calendar year. Tentatively, the County will take advantage of the federal tax credits made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which will pay for approximately 40 percent of the project.

SART recommendations: The Harris County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) was established in 2021 with Commissioner Adrian Garcia leading the charge. HCSART brings groups working on sexual violence issues together to coordinate care and streamline response. The recommendations from this report reinstate the importance of providing a collaborative effort to assist all survivors of sexual assault with individualized and trauma-informed care by improving systems specific to the needs of survivors.

Enhancing Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) capacity: Commissioners Court approved $284,116 in funding for new programming to enhance Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) capacity. The approved new programming is similar to Precinct 2’s Biz2Empower Management Training Series, which is specifically designed to provide transaction-level, hands-on management training to help businesses learn how to implement business strategies and teach best practices to overcome systemic barriers to business growth.

Subcontractor study report: Commissioners Court received the results of the Subcontractor Study Report conducted last fall by Harris County’s Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity office, Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum, and Cámara de Empresarios. The months-long web-based survey and in-person focus groups highlighted subcontractors’ desire for smaller contracts, capacity-building programs, as well as a “bid help desk” to provide answers for organizations hoping to do business with the county. Commissioner Garcia’s proposed “Contracts in 5” initiative would seek to address these issues by providing real-world on-the-job training for potential contractors.

Resolution



Commissioner Garcia commended Gloria Gallegos, M. Ed., in honor of her retirement from Pasadena Independent School District. The court celebrated her career as an educator and administrator for 42 years. Ms. Gallegos led Pasadena ISD in developing a bilingual program for the district and published a study that continues to be the cornerstone to assess articulation programs for non-English speaking students in Texas.

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Thank you to Precinct 2

Public Works Team

New non-profit center in Precinct 2 for people with disabilities