Susan Tracy Harris is manager of public affairs at Atmos Energy. She’s also now officially a crime fighter.
Harris was recently named Crime Fighter of the Year by the North Texas Crime Commission for her work to help keep neighborhoods in Dallas safe.
For the past 10 years, Harris has been a part of the city’s annual National Night Out event, which attracts up to 1,000 participants in surrounding neighborhoods to help build communities, promote police-community partnerships and inspire neighborhood camaraderie—all to help make communities safer.
It’s at these events where Harris hears the stories—of someone whose house was robbed or someone who was the victim of a scam. “I’ve always been fascinated by law enforcement,” said Harris, who is a member of her own local neighborhood watch.
She joined the North Texas Crime Commission to help further ties between Atmos Energy and first responders. Her work with the National Night Out program attracted the board’s attention, and she was quickly invited to join—one of only a few “civilians” in a room full of police officers, attorneys and others in law enforcement.
Since then, she has become a part of the commission’s Crime Stoppers Committee, which supports a hotline for teenagers to report crime and bullying and provides incentives for community members to inform law enforcement about crime happening in their neighborhoods. She also has coordinated training for first responders and hazmat teams.
“Our top priority is safety, which is why Atmos Energy partners so closely with the men and women who keep North Texas safe,” said Harris. “Thanks to our close relationships with local first responders, we are better positioned to educate communities we serve about the importance of calling 911 and Atmos Energy if a natural gas emergency occurs. It’s a true privilege to receive this honor from the North Texas Crime Commission.”