Author: /u/Jet_Attention_617

(I posted a similar thread over at /r/Dallas and thought it could be helpful for this community as a past resident of Houston)

Being involved in local politics is one of the most direct ways you can make an impact on your community. Most, if not all, city ordinances, policies, budget, police reform, etc., are discussed and approved (or rejected) at council meetings. (The HPD chief is not an elected official, he/she is appointed by the city council! These are the people that have the power to set budgets, set policies, and make change.)

If you don’t like what you’re seeing in your city, you can voice your opinions. For example, the City of Houston held a council session on Wednesday, June 3rd, and people showed up to criticize police brutality and disapprove potential increased funding of the police.

The unfortunate thing is that people barely even know about these and don’t attend them. When enough people attend and voice their opinions, maybe change will happen… or maybe not. But it’s certainly worth trying (see Minneapolis).

Obviously, with the COVID-19 pandemic going around, some cities have decided to make their council meetings virtual. All the more reason to easily attend!

(And if you still don’t like what you’re seeing, most city council and mayoral elections are being held on Nov 3rd, just like the presidential election.)

Here are Houston’s and surrounding cities’ council pages with dates of their next meetings:

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/* Houston is a big city, so they also hold committee meetings specific to an issue. For example, there will be a Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee meeting on 6/25, 10am, in which they’ll “provide an overview of internal and external investigative and oversight processes related to HPD officer-involved shootings” (basically, address police matters).

/** These cities haven’t formally posted their next meeting date on their website, but based on regularly scheduled meetings in the past, these are the most likely dates.

By the way, it’s ok to attend these meetings and not say anything. Being informed and listening in is one of the first steps in becoming involved in your local community. Spread the word and stay safe, everyone!