(Newswire.net — October 9, 2017) Mathis, Texas — Henry Porretto, currently serving as consultant for the Mathis Police Department in Texas, recalls a partnership that bore excellent results in curbing criminality during his stint as Chief of the Galveston Police Department.
In 2011, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the City’s Police Department recognized their “shared interest” to effectively intervene and interdict crime and keep the community safe, including the neighborhoods around the UTMB campus.
The UTMB is a world renowned Academic Health Center at Galveston. It includes the John Sealy Hospital, the Regional Level I Trauma Center and houses the Galveston National Laboratory.
Under the leadership of publicly recognized Henry S. Porretto of the Galveston Police Department and the leadership of Chief Thomas Engells of the UTMB Police Department, the Criminal Detective Enrichment Program was created to highlight the common goal of the two agencies and bolster the new functional relationship.
“The past relationship between these agencies was marked by a mutual suspicion built upon a foundation of misunderstanding. The Program is a visible marker of an actual partnership and a tool for such change,” Porretto emphasized.
In a 2-page article he co-wrote with Chief Engells and published in the FBI-LEEDA Insighter in April 2013, Porretto explained that the Program sought to “enhance the training and experience of the participating university police officers.” To do these, such officers were designated to be assigned in Criminal Investigation Division at the Galveston Police Department. Steps were taken to acknowledge and mitigate the risks involved in these courses of action.
Then-Chief Porretto and Chief Engells reported that the Criminal Detective Enrichment Program “has far exceeded [their] expectations.” They cited how the first officer who underwent training became involved in the successful seizure of a large quantity of illegal marijuana and actively participated in surveillance activities and follow-up investigations of violent crimes.
According to Porretto, the Program also brought about improved frequency of the exchange of operational information between UTMB and the Galveston Police Department. It also became clear that both agencies markedly enhanced their sharing of resources and demonstrated cooperation.
Porretto and Engells agreed that the Criminal Investigator Enhancement Program “yielded substantive results that far out-weigh the risks and costs.” They emphasized that the program paved the way for education and training of officers for coordinated crime control and crime prevention efforts involving campus, city and county law enforcement agencies. For more background information about Henry Porretto, view his SlideShare page.
About Henry S. Porretto
Henry Porretto is the current consultant for the Mathis Police Department in Texas. Having served in law enforcement for over three decades, he was Chief of Police at the Galveston Police Department from 2011 to 2015. His accolades include Officer of the Year in 1994 and 2006 and the Commanders Coin of Excellence in 2009. He was recently recognized by the City of Mathis for his dedication and leadership as consultant for the City’s Police Department.
Henry S. Porretto
214 N Nueces StMathis, Texas 78368
United States
(361) 547-2341
henryporretto@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-s-porretto-205190146/