On March 10, 2016, the Houston P.D. Vice Division received the “Law Enforcement Innovation Award” from CEASE Network. (CEASE = Cites Empowered Against Sexual Exploitation)
The CEASE Network is a collaboration of pioneering cities committed to reducing sex-buying by 20 percent in two years. This action-oriented network is dedicated to innovating, testing, and sharing strategies with a proven impact on deterring people from buying sex in many major metropolitan areas. (https://www.ceasenetwork.org/)
Here are some examples of the innovations that were implemented over the past year and why the Houston Police Department-Vice Division was selected for this award:
The Doll House – Vice Division massage parlor reversal netting 64 arrests of buyers
- Operation Traveling Circus – Prostitution Reversals in “Hot Spots” netting over 200 arrests of buyers
- Vice Investigator School – 40-hour TCOLE approved school for vice investigations, first of its kind in Texas
- Vice Investigator Field Training Manual – On-the-job training manual and checklist for vice operations
- Vice Decoy School – Taught two schools which trained over 40 non-Vice Division officers to augment our female investigators as decoys
- Differential Response Team (DRT) Training – Modified Houston City Ordinance to allow DRT officers (uniform officers) access to illicit massage establishments, training them on the process
- Major City Site Visits – Visited NYPD, Cook County Illinois Sheriff, Las Vegas Metropolitan PD, San Francisco PD, and Dallas PD vice units to bring back best-practices
- Formation of LEVICE – Formed “Law Enforcement: Vice Collaboration and Enforcement” in order to coordinate activities with other law enforcement agencies in Harris County
- Chapter 125 Nuisance Abatement Database – Created a database to track and prioritize locations eligible for civil action designed to bring a location into compliance with law or to have it shut down
- Human Trafficking Hotline Access at Houston City Jails – Coordinated to allow access to the National Human Trafficking Hotline for those processed into Houston city jails
In recognition and dedication of the investigators of the Houston Police Department Vice Division. The division is a great place to work, where innovative ideas, the forging of positive relationships with non-profit organizations, and training are paramount to investigators and supervisors when addressing vice related investigations in the Greater Houston area. The Vice Division is led by Captain H. D. Harris.
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