The Houston Independent School District Police Department wants to help district and community members protect their identity by hosting a free document shredding event open to the public on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m.-12 noon.

Personnel from HISD PD and Texas Security Shedding will be on hand during the event at the police department’s headquarters, 3500 Tampa, to shred any document, allowing individuals an opportunity to have their sensitive documents securely destroyed.

There is no limit to the number of documents an individual can bring, and participants will not need to remove staples or paper clips.

“This is usually the time of the year for perpetrators to take advantage of people throwing away important paperwork with personal information,” said HISD PD Chief Robert Mock. “The Houston Independent School District Police Department is always looking for ways to assist with safety concerns within the district, community and businesses, and we would like to use this opportunity to bring awareness to identify theft.”

Identity theft can occur when a person has their personal information, such as a Social Security number, name or credit card number, taken or stolen to commit fraud or other crimes. There are a number of different ways thieves can gain access to personal or sensitive information, including stealing mail, old bills or documents thrown in the trash.

During tax season, thieves can use information to file fraudulent tax returns. HISD PD Lt. G. Jimenez said the department wants to use the free event to help reduce the number of potential identity theft victims across the community.

“This will be the first time the police department is hosting this type of event,”  Jimenez said. “We, along with Texas Security Shredding, are hoping for a large community turnout to fight back against this type of crime.”

For more information about the event, contact Jimenez at (713) 842-3715.