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New sobering center could help Houston save money, change lives
Houston Public Media | March 7, 2013
The facility will cost the city about $1.5 million a year to operate compared to the $6 million that’s spent right now to process public intoxication cases through the city jail. HPD makes around 17,000 public…
Sobering center opens in downtown Houston; expected to help city save money on jail costs
KTRK | March 7, 2013
The City of Houston is taking a much different approach to handling people under the influence and it will mean far fewer prosecutions for public intoxication. Officers can now take them to a so-called sobering center…
Looking to create ‘pathways to recovery’ at Sobering Center
Houston Chronicle | February 21, 2013
Approved by Houston City Council last May, the Sobering Center looks to save money and time by not booking public intoxication offenders into jail, allowing officers to return to patrol more quickly. “It’s really not so much about…
City approves $4.3 million for sobering center
Houston Chronicle | May 16, 2012
Police officers who detain people whose only crime is being drunk in public will have the option of dropping them off at the so-called sobering center for at least a four-hour stay without an arrest on their record…
City council approves new Houston sobering center
Houston Mayor’s Office | May 16, 2012
Houston City Council today approved Mayor Annise Parker’s innovative plan to create a public/private partnership to operate the Houston Sobering Center. Council also approved including the Houston Police…
Houston plans ‘sobering center’ at shelter instead of jail
Houston Chronicle | February 28, 2012
City officials plan to open a “sobering center” at the Star of Hope Mission downtown later this year. It would be an 84-bed facility that would allow people whose only offense is being drunk to bypass jail. Houston police arrest 19,000…
Mayor Parker unveils plan for sobering center
Houston Mayor’s Office | February 28, 2012
Houston Mayor Annise Parker today unveiled the first phase of her plan to help address overcrowding in the city jail. The new approach diverts public intoxication cases from the jail to a Sobering Center to receive…
Houston to open a sobering center for drunk arrests
Houston Public Media | February 26, 2012
Before getting into politics, Councilmember Ed Gonzalez was a Houston police officer for 18 years. He’s used that experience to launch an idea that would change how the Houston Police Department responds to people who are publicly…