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Chief Hurtt “arrests” AHCCC Lunch Bunch

 Chief Harold L. Hurtt, accompanied by key members of his crack HPD command staff, invaded the Beulah Ann Shepard Acres Home Center for Business and Economic Development, 6112 Wheatley, on Sept. 2, 2004 and arrested the “Lunch Bunch,” at Acres Home Citizens Chamber of Commerce’s monthly (every first Thursday) Network/ Luncheon. Wait! Before you get the wrong idea, I should offer a disclaimer, insofar as only people, who interact with me on a regular basis (up close and personal), know that there’s a comical side to my personality. Therefore my somewhat devilish sense of humor might mislead you to think that must’ve been wearing my publisher’s hat when I wrote that deceptive head.

Because, as I’ve explained many times before, as publisher of Texas’ widest distributed newspaper with a Black perspective and uncompromised voice of Black America (that is often criticized for bashing Black faces in high places), I’m obligated to tell it like it is. On the other hand, as chariman of the the Chamber chairman a community leader, it’s my diplomatic responsibility to meet and greet our visiting city officials and/or guest speakers with the utmost respect. Accordingly, in this instance I’m using “arrest” as a verb, that translates to: “to seize,” or “to catch the attention of,” rather than as the adjective: “under arrest,” or “in legal custody.” In fact Chief Hurtt, proved to be such an engaging speaker, he not only captured the attention of a very political astute “Lunch Bunch,” but also displayed the quick wit of a street smart “brother,” who has spent a little time in the ‘hood.

I’m serious. He even cleverly disarmed African American News & Issues old African warrior’s loaded Taser Gun versus police policy question. Although his answer did little to convince our living historian that Taser Guns will solve the “shoot first and ask questions later” problem (that existed in the Greater Houston area long before the all Black 3rd Battalion marched on 1917 downtown Houston from Freedmen’s Town Camp Logan), he explained how Tasers should ideally work. One of the stories I’ve heard about that race riot involving Camp Logan soldiers, was that their intentions were to avenge the pistol whipping of two of their troopers, who reportedly tried to stop a racist cop from “dogging” a Black woman on a street car. But let’s get back to Chief Hurtt, who graciously allowed as many questions as he had time to answer, rather than only two.
One question came from Dr. Joanna Mann, director of North Harris College-Carver Center. She wanted to know whether, or not, the “video traffic cop” patrolling the freeways voilate citizen’s privacy rights. The crowd cracked up when Chief Hurrt assured Dr. Mann, that it would only be an invasion of motorist privacy, for one who had somebody riding in the front seat that isn’t supposed to be there. To sum up the chief’s message, he expressed a desire to see his police department become true public servants and promised that he would not tolerate the slightest abuse of power from his troops. We’ll have to wait and see as usual, because the proof of the pudding is (like Lacy Restaurant’s & Caterers delicious food that is serve at Chamber luncheon) the taste.
Meanwhile, Chief Hurtt left the “Lunch Bunch” with the same warm and friendly feeling that former chief Clarence Bradford did when he broke bread with them at our Network/Luncheon, that was sponsored by MHMCCD-Carver Center, Houston Community College-NE, Communities In Schools (CIS) HISD, HPD, Reicke Bauman, Malonson Company Inc., African American News & Issues and Shirley Ann Black Art & Kollectibles Showroom. Those “arrested” by the chief’s uplifting speech were, as usual, the Chamber’s senior citizens: Ida Tennessee, Ella Sayles, Callie Hector, Gertie Guidry, Oveta Hunter and Jewell Houston; Don Scurlock (MacNet); Evalyn Carl (Mt. Calvin BC); Alvin Wright, Asst. Chief Dorothy Edwards and Lt. Fred Guidry (HPD); Mary Brewer, R. Austin; Paul Costolow (Sheraton Suites-Houston); “Super Clipper,” Booker T. Spencer, of Spencer’s Barber Shop.

Also enjoying the event were: Cecil Shaw (Music Entertainment); Pat Matthews, Angelica Adams, Chantee Henderson, LaTonya Stredic, Katrina Dowdell, Sylvia Teague, Alberta Harrison, Alma Nickelberry, and Roland Smith (CIS); Susan Wheeler, Frank Jeanes and Clifford Brown (Center Point); Yatarsha Lee and Mark Thiery (Sleep Center); Keidra Lewis, DeeDee Hernandez, Nina Smith (Doctor’s Hospital Parkway); Roseanne Cantu (S. Texas Dental); Jimmy Dansby (Dansby Employee Benefit); Vander Phelps (VEP Consultant); Henry Morgan (2 HLM Specialty); Dr. Pat Malbry, George Williams, Trina Lowery, James Hill, Steve Megregian, Robert Mulcahy, Shemeka Cooper and Claude Taylor (NHC-Carver Center); Noah Payne Jr. (G. P. Homes); Yvette Pinder and Robert Alridge (Paradise Mortuary); and Rieche Baumann, a man with a plan to serve as our Precinct I Justice of The Peace.

Our sponsor’s: Abe Bryant, James Sparks, Patsy Flowers, Delores Clark and Linda Comte, Lois Avery, (HCC-NE); Norman Mosley (Flowers & Flowers); Jacquel and Darryl Thomas (Metrolift); Anna Patrick (Metro); Rebecca Duong (Smith Academy); Lora Phylow Bonaparte (Lo-jag); Bailey Davis (TSU); Atty. Warren Fitzgerald; Atty. Karen Domino (Sen. Rodney Ellis); Gabrielle Hadnot and Shareen Larmond (Sen. John Whitmire); City Controller Anise Parker and Atty. Reginald McKamie, who is campaigning to limit D. A. Chuck Rosenthal’s term. The Chamber host team (Beulah Ann Shepard, Sharon Johnson, Robert Leday, Alicia Marcha and Keith Silas) did their usual outstanding jobs that begins and ends with Beulah, our matriarch blessing our event with prayer. The lucky ticket holder was Darryl Shepard.
I, as usual, closed out the luncheon with an update of Chamber activities, a report on ongoing projects and announcing future plans, which includes having Franklin D. Wesley, the venerable principal of Booker T. Washington High School, as the Chamber’s Oct. 7, 2004 Network/ Luncheon, that will, again, be held at the Beulah Ann Shepard (A.H.C.B.E.D) building. For information call Sharon Johnson @ (713) 692-7003.