About The Constable Patrol
Since 2011, Woodland Heights Civic Association has administered a Constable Patrol Program, serviced by Harris County Precinct One. Our Constable Patrol Program is a supplemental police force, currently two deputies, hired to patrol our neighborhood for two 40-hour shifts per week.
The program is funded solely by paid subscriptions. Please help us sustain both of our patrol shifts and encourage your neighbors to join — the more members we have, the more patrol coverage we can support.
General Program Details
The boundaries of the Program are the defined areas shown in the map. Each deputy patrols the neighborhood 40 hours/week on different shifts in a marked car to deter crime throughout the neighborhood. They also answer alarm calls, respond to HPD dispatch requests, perform vacation watches and free home security inspections for subscribers, and perform general law enforcement activities such as write tickets/make arrests, etc.
In addition to the benefit of increased law enforcement presence throughout the neighborhood, the program provides benefits to subscribers, such as:
Vacation checks;
Home security checks; and
Email crime alerts through the Nextdoor forum private group for Constable Program members.
The Precinct One Constable Dispatch number is available to contact (713-755-7628) or alert our deputies via the Constable’s Office, though we recommend calling 911 for crimes in progress.
Constable Patrol (AUTO-RENEWING)
The program is funded solely by paid subscriptions. Please help us sustain both of our patrol shifts and encourage your neighbors to join — the more members we have, the more patrol coverage we can support.
For your convenience, your Constable Patrol membership will automatically be renewed on the anniversary of your enrollment. Constable Patrol supporters with auto-renewing membership can log into the web site to alter their membership or payment method at any time.
434
Constable Patrol Beat Activity Report.441
Number of households currrently subscribed to the Constable Patrol Program.530
Number of households required to fund the Constable Patrol Program.23%
Precentage of households currently supporting the Constable Patrol Program.*Numbers as of as of Junuary 2024
Bridging the Funding Gap for Constable Patrol
Our Constable Patrol Program is an essential service that operates at a deficit, meaning the costs to maintain it exceed the funds we currently receive from subscriptions. To sustain and enhance the patrol coverage, a specific number of households need to contribute.
Your support is crucial not only to continue providing these important security services but also to ensure that every street and home in our neighborhood remains safe. Join us in funding the Constable Patrol to close the funding gap and maintain the security and peace of our community.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It is recommended that all crimes in progress be handled through 911. Our Constable deputies monitor HPD communications, and using 911 increases the likelihood of rapid response by bringing HPD into the loop. After calling 911, you may also consider calling Precinct One Dispatch. Several surrounding neighborhoods also have Constable Patrols, and nearby deputies regularly respond to calls in adjoining neighborhoods.
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Thefts and criminal mischief with damage of less than $5000 may be reported through the HPD website at http://www.houstontx.gov/police/online_police_report If the crime involves a vehicle or information that can be used to solve the crime exists, you must call 713-884-3131 to report it. Examples of information that requires a crime to be called in include: signs of forced entry, fingerprints or other evidence left at the scene that could be processed by police, information such as surveillance photos with pictures of the suspect or a license plate number is available). Again, if the crime is in progress, please call 911.
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Please contact the VP of Security on our Contact page.
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We have to commit in advance to patrol contracts, so we are limited in what we can do to experiment with pricing under the theory that lower pricing would increase participation. The surest way to maintain or increase patrol coverage or lower prices is to increase participation – so please encourage your neighbors to join. Of approximately 2000 households in Woodland Heights, we currently have only about 400 Constable Patrol Subscribers.
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Payments are processed automatically. Our payment processor does not allow monthly or quarterly payment plans.
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Please report all criminal activity to HPD. Area law enforcement, and particularly HPD allocate resources depending on need. Crime report data are used heavily in this regard, and are also useful in identifying trends.
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Our deputies prefer that you err on the side of alerting Precinct One Dispatch if you see something that concerns you. They can filter whether it is information to be acted on, and they want to know what is happening in the neighborhood. Don’t hesitate to contact Precinct One Dispatch to report something.
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The program was started in 2011 by David Jordan. Initially, we had a single 40-hour patrol. Casey Ballard took over from David and in her three years at the helm, grew the Program to two 40-hour patrols. We are barely at the sustenance level for two patrols, but there is always hope that we can continue to expand the Program through increased membership.
The WHCA VP Security, in conjunction with the WHCA Board, administers the Program, including direct communications with Harris County Precinct One Administration and our patrol deputies.
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As of November 2019, memberships are not tied to a specific period. They run for a full year from the date you signed-up. We offer a convenient auto-renewing membership that will ensure you stay in the program without giving it a further thought. Those who prefer can still sign up for a year without auto-renewal.