by media | Aug 3, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Live, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News, Police Department, Police News
Pharr City Manager Chief Andy Harvey Named New LEITF Co-chair
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr is proud to announce that earlier today, the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force (LEITF) named City Manager Chief Andy Harvey as the new LEITF Co-chair.
The announcement was made in the following press release:
Chief Andy Harvey Named New LEITF Co-chair
PHARR, TEXAS — Chief Andy Harvey of Pharr, Texas — on the border with Reynosa, Mexico — is a new co-chair of the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force.
Harvey currently serves as Police Chief and City Manager of Pharr and has been outspoken about the need for better border and immigration policies, including in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee about policing and immigration in 2019.
He assumes his leadership role at a pivotal moment for border and immigration reforms. In polling earlier this year, about 4 in 5 respondents said they would support “Republicans and Democrats working together on immigration reforms that strengthen border security, create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, and ensure a legal, reliable workforce for America’s farmers and ranchers.”
“What’s actually occurring in our local communities is important to the larger conversation surrounding immigration. We are all less safe without commonsense immigration reforms and practical, effective border security. Let’s work together to make our nation safer,” said Chief Andy Harvey of Pharr, Texas.
“Chief Harvey’s more than 26 years of public service and leadership experience, spanning positions in law enforcement, the military, and city government, as well as his expertise in immigration are welcome assets as he joins the task force’s leadership,” said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez of Harris County, Texas.
Chief Harvey’s fellow co-chairs are Sheriff Ed Gonzalez (Harris County, Texas) and Sheriff Margaret Mims (Fresno County, California).
View the release in its entirety here: https://leitf.org/[2022][08][harveycochair][].
by media | May 12, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Live, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News, Police Department, Police News
Pharr Police’s Therapy K9 Ammo to Visit Nurses at DHR TOMORROW, Friday, 5/13 @ 11 am
Pharr, Texas – The Pharr Police Department’s Therapy K9, Ammo, will visit nurses at the DHR Health Women’s Hospital, this Friday, May 13.
As we know, a nurse’s job can be tedious and stressful at times, since they play a vital role in the medical community and are constantly helping save lives. We realized this more than ever, when the pandemic hit and changed our lives forever.
That’s why the Pharr Police Department is thrilled to be able to bring to joy, smiles and comfort to the dedicated, hard-working nurses at DHR.
Ammo will take part in the Hospital Week Celebration that will be held at the DHR Health Women’s Hospital.
Nurses will have the opportunity to interact with and pet Ammo, who has undergone months of specialized training to be deemed a therapy K9.
All media is invited to meet Ammo and his handler Officer Alfredo Ortiz of the Community Engagement Unit.
DETAILS
WHAT: Pharr Police’s Therapy K9 Ammo to Visit Nurses at DHR Health Women’s Hospital
WHEN: TOMORROW, Friday, May 13, 2022, from 11 am to 1 pm
WHERE: DHR Health Women’s Hospital (5502 S. McColl Rd.) in Edinburg, TX
Point of Contact at Event: Officer Danny Garcia (956-648-6264)
Pharr Police’s Therapy K9 Ammo
(more…)
by media | May 2, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Live, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News, Police Department, Police News
Pharr Police Department Mental Health Unit Awarded Organization of the Year by Texas CIT Association
City management congratulates the Pharr Police Mental Health unit for their recent recognition as the “Organization of the Year.” They received the distinction at the CIT Association’s Annual Conference. We are Team Pharr.
Pharr, Texas – The Pharr Police Department’s Mental Health Unit was awarded “Organization of the Year” by the Texas Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Association at its annual conference held this past weekend. The recognition is a well-deserved honor for the members of Pharr’s Mental Health Unit for the work it is doing to provide specialized police responses to individuals with mental illness or who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
“We are seeing the positive impact that the Mental Health Unit is directly having in our community, and to be recognized by a statewide association that focuses specifically on the relationship between law enforcement and behavioral health is a great honor,” said Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “We want to congratulate the members of the team on this notable distinction, and look forward to continuing to implement innovative community policing efforts such as this to benefit the public safety and wellbeing of our community,” he added.
Pharr’s Mental Health Unit was created in December 2020 to help educate officers about how to respond to cases in which a person is experiencing a mental health crisis. The goal of the unit was to improve policing and train officers to respond appropriately to such scenarios without having to resort to excessive use of force or jail time. The Unit has partnered with the local mental health authority, Tropical Texas Behavioral Health, and was recently awarded a $550,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Justice to continue its efforts.
The Texas CIT Association is a non-profit organization comprised of law enforcement, corrections, the mental health community, and advocacy groups to provide standardized training, support, and education in responding to those affected by mental illness and/or those who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
“The goal of the unit is to provide resources for people in crisis and provide them the help they really need first,” stated Police Chief Andy Harvey.
“We are honored to have been awarded this recognition by this network of our peers in the field across the state who understand the importance of having this specialized Mental Health Unit, which has helped to de-escalate situations and ultimately, save lives,” Harvey added.
PRESS RELEASE
Media Contact: Yuri Gonzalez
Phone: (956) 310-2139
Email: [email protected]
by media | Apr 22, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Live, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News, Police Department, Police News
Pharr Appoints Chief Andy Harvey as City Manager
Pharr, Texas – There’s a new city manager in Pharr, and he is a familiar face. Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. and the City of Pharr are pleased to announce the appointment of Police Chief Andy Harvey as the city’s new City Manager. With his extensive leadership experience and background in public service management, Harvey is uniquely poised to transition into this new role. Harvey will remain Chief of Police as well.
“Having served for more than 26 years in local government has prepared me for this important leadership role of city manager,” said Harvey. “I am humbled by the opportunity and trust afforded to me by Mayor Hernandez and our Commission to lead the men and women that care for and serve our city every day,” Harvey continued. “Our future is bright and can’t wait to get going,” Harvey added.
“Chief Harvey is a progressive leader with innovative ideas and a proven track record of success, qualities that align perfectly with our vision to keep moving Pharr forward,” said Mayor Hernandez. “We are proud that he is taking on this new role as City Manager to continue steering Pharr in the right direction – towards the future,” Hernandez added.
Since becoming the Pharr Police Chief in July 2020, Harvey’s innovation and leadership has propelled the agency into a future-focused, 21st century police department. Under Harvey’s watch, the department added the first-ever Mental Health Unit and Horse Mounted Unit in the region, expanded the community outreach, and added a Motorcycle Unit to the fleet. The department has increased transparency by working with local media, enhancing our social media platforms, and recently aired the first-of-its-kind police department podcast called Police On Air.
Harvey’s leadership experience covers both military and law enforcement professions. After a distinguished military career with over 20 years of service, Harvey retired as the First Sergeant of the 136th Mission Support Group in Ft. Worth, Texas. Harvey led in crisis on two different occasions; in Kuwait at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom and in New Orleans just days after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. During his enlistment, Harvey attended several Air Force academies, including the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy and the First Sergeant Academy where he earned the Distinguished Graduate Award and the coveted Commandant’s Leadership Award, respectively.
Harvey also retired from the Dallas Police Department in 2017. His leadership assignments include patrol, investigations, community policing, and media relations. As a Patrol Watch Commander, Harvey implemented a policing model that places high value in team members’ contributions, promotes problem-solving, excellent customer service, a heightened sense of responsibility, and in developing team members to understand the big picture.
As the Dallas Police Media Relations Commander, Harvey implemented several programs including the creation of social networking services and a web video series called First Watch, both in English and Spanish. Harvey has been interviewed frequently on local and national news programs.
Harvey graduated from the University of North Texas with a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Command College in Huntsville, Texas, the Caruth Police Institute in Dallas, Texas, and ILEA Police School of Supervision in Plano, Texas.
Harvey champions community policing having authored a book titled Excellence in Policing which has been presented to and read by police of all ranks around the country. In November of 2019, Harvey testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee about immigration and policing.
by media | Apr 8, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Live, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News, Police Department, Police News
Contact: Officer Irving Segura
Phone: 956-467-7016
Pharr Police Department Mounted Patrol Stables
Phone: 956-402-4863
MEDIA ADVISORY – Mounted Unit Patrolling Pharr Neighborhoods TODAY at 10 am
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr Police Department is pleased to announce that its Mounted Unit will be patrolling Pharr neighborhoods THIS MORNING at 10:00 a.m. Interested media is invited to come out and meet our officers and horses, Bullseye and Bandit. The Mounted Unit will be at the Grand Estates located at Sam Houston and Flag Street in Pharr beginning at 10 am.
Media is invited to attend.
by media | Mar 29, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Live, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News, Police Department, Police News
Pharr, Texas – The City of Pharr Police Department cordially invites all media to meet our newest addition to our mental health unit, Ammo. Ammo is part German Shepherd and part Malinois and has been training for the last month to be an emotional support dog not only for the police department but also for the entire community.
Interviews and media availability is TODAY from 11 am to 11:30 am with Ammo at the canine training facility, Canines in Action (4501 Rio Grande Care Rd.) in Edinburg.
When Ammo is not in Pharr’s police facility, he will be out in the community at events, at schools, and will help respond to situations of people in crisis.
“There’s something about dogs that lower the emotional temperature in people. Ammo will do that for police officers and those who could use a friend with unconditional love. This is another tool in our commitment to mental wellness in our community,” stated Chief Harvey.
Media is invited to attend.
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