John Whitmire lays out his priorities as he's officially sworn in as Houston's new mayor
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston's new mayor is now on the job.
ABC13 was there as John Whitmire was sworn in right at 12:01 a.m. on Monday.
Whitmire promised to get right to work.
After he was sworn in, he spoke about his commitment to making Houston more safe. He also said he wants to make improvements to infrastructure and city services as Houston's 63rd mayor.
Although, he said public safety is his top priority.
According to the ABC13 Neighborhood Safety Tracker, homicides are down more than 20% in Houston compared to last year. Data shows assaults, robberies, thefts, and burglaries are down compared to last year.
READ MORE: Homicide rates in Houston are down 20%; ABC13 digs into the numbers
Whitmire promised to run a tough and smart administration when it comes to crime and said he plans to collaborate better with other police departments.
"We've got some serious issues with public safety. We need additional officers. We need to collaborate. I'll go ahead and announce tonight that the chief has already done an outstanding job of following one of my commitments to a collaborative effort. We are going to meet Thursday morning at 10:00 with area chiefs," Whitmire said.
Right after Whitmire was sworn in, he went on a ride-along with Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.
Whitmire went on to speak about his commitment to holding violent offenders accountable, saying he'll push for new laws if that's what it takes.
Whitmire has also promised to add more police to better collaborate with other municipalities. Houston Police Officers' Union President Douglas Griffith believes him.
"There are a lot of things going on, a lot of moving parts," Griffith told ABC13. "It's going to be tough for a new mayor to come in and get everything fixed in one day, but we know that over time, I believe he's the right guy for the job.
Marty Lancton, the president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, also believes Whitmire and thinks that for the first time in a long time, firefighters will get a contract with the city they've been lacking for years.
"Public safety is not just police. Public safety is firefighting, paramedic, rescue, all the things that entail dealing with 911," Lancton said. "We are down 500 firefighters from where we were in 2010. We're running nearly twice as many calls as we did in 2010. You cannot not take care of the greatest asset that we have in the Houston fire department, which is the men and women who respond to the citizens on their worst day."
Lancton said he will attend Whitmire's official inauguration at the Wortham Theater on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m., followed by his first city council meeting at 11 a.m.
Sylvester Turner ended 2023 and his 8-year term as Houston's mayor by being honored with a ceremony at The Community of Faith Church.
"When you serve well, and when you stand firmly on what you believe, you can pick your own time when you say goodbye," Turner said.
Turner served as mayor for two four-year terms, the maximum allowed under term limits.
