Podcast

Episode 1: Mayor Sylvester Turner

Stephanie Rawlings talks with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner about the challenges he faces as Mayor of the nation’s fourth-largest city. Now serving his 2nd term, Mayor Turner has managed significant challenges, including leading Houston’s response to the COVID-19 global pandemic and responding to national unrest and calls for improving community/police relations. 
Mayor Sylvester discusses these challenges, how being smart on crime does not mean being soft on crime, how he’s on a mission to enact such smart-on-crime policies as Mayor, and answers the question: What keeps him up at night?

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An cybersecurity illustration. On the left, a man sits at his desk while working on a monitor and desktop computer. He is connected by a cord to a server. The cord has a cloud with a lock on it. On the right, a woman sits at her desk while working on a monitor and desktop computer. She is also connected by a cord to a server. The cord has a cloud with a lock on it.

Topics discussed: 

  • Increase in the crime rate and what’s under those numbers
  • Police reforms, including the “eight that can’t wait”
  • The Mayor’s Task Force on Policing Reform  
  • Responding to people in crisis
  • Relational Policing – building trust with the community  
  • Safe Harbor Court