Women In Community Service Inc.

December 2003 Bush Airport ''Rangers'' Enhance Security

Jan 09, 2004

It was a gorgeous Friday morning as we walked across the fresh mowed airport field. It promised to be a perfect day for photography and the many cameras already setup by news agencies from across the area were in for a great story.

Houston Airport System Director, Mr. Richard M. Vacar, welcomed everyone and opened the ceremony while mounted on his horse Lad. This is the beginning of the Bush Intercontinental Airport?’s unique community watch program on horseback. Mr. Vacar said, ?–?“ ?…the riders out here will be civilians. They will have background checks and badges and they will be our extra set of eyes and ears. You know, we have about 10 thousand acres?… there will be about 20-25 miles of trails totally when we?’re finished. The first one here is about 5 miles, there?’ll be a second one in a week or so that?’ll be another 5 miles and then we?’ll start the north and the west side of the airport.?” He then introduced the Airport Manager Mr. Tom Bartlett who headed up the ?‘rope?’ cutting ceremony.

Mr. Ernie Desoto of Airport Media Relations then invited all present to go on the trails with the riders and see the facilities then come back and look at the maps and ask questions.?” This is a very unique program; Mr. Vacar came up with this himself. We don?’t know of any other airport in the United States that is doing this. (It?’s) like a Community Watch Program on horseback.?” The FAA has a rule that you can?’t give away (airport) property, but opening up this area allows us to put it to use and the cost is very minimal to maintain it?….crews have set up the fences and troughs, we are going to set up Portacans?… (there is a lot of) area out here, a lot of it unexplored. The people out here today are those who have been involved and had input into how this could work. With all the development in the area, there is no place for them to ride. HPD and Harris County riders are here but they?’re not here in an official capacity.?”

I spoke with several of the riders and found that many of them are with local law enforcement and also have a love of riding. They are really looking forward to this program. It will offer them a great place to ride and exercise their horses and at the same time, give a law enforcement presence to the area. There were John Deere mini trucks available to carry the cameramen around. Tony and I took a stroll through the first short leg of the trail. It was well cleared and spread with fresh mulch. Halfway through the trail we came across a small platform with an elevated watering trough. Also nearby, a split-rail fence for tying off. Reporters were enjoying the beautiful day, as were the riders and the horses.

Some of the trails were already in existence. There have been poacher trails in the woods for ages. People have been coming out here and poaching deer. There is an old farm and other buildings that vagrants and other undesirables can live in. This program will lend toward the discouragement of persons illegally trespassing, especially those carrying firearms.

The airport has a state forester (Jenkins) who was able to cut 4/10ths of a mile (first section) in just a few hours. Comments from riders offered praise at the good job that had been done on the trails themselves. Hopefully the remainder of the trails will be cut in shortly and with all the same amenities, they promise to be first class trails. According to Mr. Desoto, local equestrian groups are very excited about this. ?– ?“It?’s a double benefit, it keeps us advised us what?’s going on out here and at the same time it lets them get use of the property.?”

Mr. Mark Mancuso, formerly a Captain with the Houston Police Department and now the Deputy Director of Public Safety at Bush Intercontinental, informed us that the riders will be required to carry cell phones, the trails will be marked and riders can tell the airport exactly where they are. ?“The area will still be patrolled by uniformed police, it will not be unsupervised?”, says Mancuso. ?“We?’re going to get together and have discussion about how the program runs ?… for us it?’s a Citizen on Patrol on horseback. We have invited the Houston Police Department, Harris County Mounted Patrol, and Precinct 4 Constables office to come out and exercise their horses and participate and we are very, very pleased that they have accepted our invitation as well. And out of the Airport Division, we have invited the Bike Patrol to come out if they?’re able to navigate the trail. We see this as an effective way to patrol the thousands of acres surrounding the airport. This is the post 911 era, and we are blending technology - it?’s a way for people to become involved and also pursue a hobby or activity.?” Mancuso says there are also some other programs on the board. We learned that it might also be possible for the HPD Stables to utilize the airport area.

I?’ve learned that ownership is a very important dynamic in the health of a community. It is important that people recognize that this airport facility is theirs and they must become responsible for the stake that they have in the community. We have seen the benefits of that with other community involved programs like PIP, Positive Interaction Program, of the Houston Police Department. That?’s positive.

Mancuso commented, ?“Yes I don?’t know how much more positive you can get than this.?”

For more information on the airport ?‘Rangers?”, visit the Bush Intercontinental Airport website at http://www.houstonairportsystem.org
WICS