Message from Sheriff Ed Gonzalez:
Nineteen years ago today, our nation lost 2,977 souls to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Today, we pause to remember all of them, including the 412 first responders who perished while striving to save others. They will never be forgotten.
At the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, we honor the sacrifices made by the first responders who served during 9/11, as well as those who protect their communities during other tragedies and disasters, by helping them get through tough times.
This morning, a caravan of Sheriff’s Office teammates returned to neighboring communities in Southwest Louisiana to continue supporting first responders – the very people who are helping their cities get back on their feet – and their families affected by Hurricane Laura.
Thanks to your generosity, essential relief items and meals from our collective drive and the Houston Food Bank reached residents in the DeRidder, DeQuincy, Leesville, and Merryville communities.
Over the past two weeks, our deputies have seen the storm’s widespread destruction and the subsequent need first-hand. The communities in Hurricane Laura’s direct path sustained significant property damage from the powerful wind surge, leaving many with prolonged power outages and unlivable conditions.
We’re grateful to our Harris County community for coming together and rallying behind those who lent us a hand during Hurricane Harvey three years ago. This is how we honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11.
Project Guardian
We launched Project Guardian to improve our agency’s interactions with children and adults in Harris County on the autism spectrum. The innovative program engages families with loved ones with autism and provides deputies with critical information about the person with autism, including whether they may have any special needs deputies should know about when encountering them during a call of service.
A simple interaction with law enforcement could be a very stressful or traumatic situation for a person with autism. Families are encouraged to participate in the program by submitting basic information about their loved one with autism.
We do all we can to best serve our residents with compassion and understanding.
Our deputies strive to respond as professionally, humanely, and safely as possible to the scene of a behavioral health crisis. Project Guardian engages the community, builds positive relationships, and embraces public safety as a shared responsibility.
For more information on Project Guardian or to register a loved one with autism, click here.
National Suicide Prevention Week
In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Week, our Behavioral Health and Mental Health Divisions joined forces with VA Houston to host a Facebook Live discussion on suicide prevention resources and to answer questions from the community on crisis support.
The current pandemic may feel overwhelming and cause strong emotions. Coping with stress in a healthy way will make you, your loved ones, and your community stronger.
During this pandemic, it is critical that you recognize what stress looks like, take steps to build your resilience, and know where to go if you need help.
The following warning signs from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline may help you determine if a loved one is at risk for suicide, especially if the behavior is new, has increased, or seems related to a painful event.
- Talking about feeling hopeless or being a burden to others
- Substance abuse
- Acting anxious or behaving recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves
- Showing rage or extreme mood swings
If you or someone you know is having a hard time, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for free, confidential support 24/7.
God bless you, and may God bless the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
