HISD Police Department reminds parents, students to have a safe graduation and end of school year 

With HISD graduation week upon us, the Houston Independent School District Police Department wants to remind students and parents to be safe during festivities.

“While this is a memorable and exciting time for many families, we want to remind everyone throughout HISD to plan for safe celebrations,” HISD Chief of Police Robert Mock said.

HISD PD and other local law enforcement agencies will work together around the clock to assist each other during graduation events. In addition, the department teamed up with local religious leaders, and school district and area law enforcement agencies today to host the annual Project Safe Start press conference at the Spring Branch Independent School District Police Department headquarters.

For the last 25 years, Project Safe Start aims to help prevent crime in the immediate vicinity of schools and throughout neighborhoods surrounding district campuses, and increase safety as students’ summer vacations begin. Additional patrol officers and religious leaders are placed on or near campuses to help monitor and decrease any illegal activity during the last few days of the school year.

Mock wants to encourage parents to be both mindful and vigilant, and speak to their children about the safety risks and ground rules associated with celebrations.

“While we understand that parents want their child to have fun, it is important to exercise good judgment and obey the laws,” Mock said.

“One of our top priorities is to help protect our community by making sure students are being mindful and making good decisions,” he said. “As always, the Houston Independent School District Police Department would like to congratulate all of the HISD graduates during this significant milestone and wish them a memorable and happy graduation season, and safe end of the school year for our students.”

Tips for a safe graduation and end of the school year:

  • Stay with a group—Surround yourself with a group of friends that you can trust. A small group watching out for each other provides more safety than a single person.
  • Charge your cell phone—Even with all the planning in the world, emergencies can still occur. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged so you will be able to contact the right people in case of a situation arising.
  • Never leave anything unattended—Parties can be loud and chaotic. Anything can be placed in an unattended bag or drink. 
  • Always know your driver—Don’t get in the car with someone unless you have been with them all night. You don’t know if they are impaired by alcohol or other substances. Have a trusted driver in your group to prevent unnecessary travel issues.
  • Trust your parents—Keep parents in the loop on plans throughout the day of graduation and at night. It will put their mind at ease and keep someone informed of your whereabouts if a problem should arise.