Houston Mayor John Whitmire has responded to Governor Greg Abbott’s announcement of a new violent crime task force for Houston and Harris County.
The task force, introduced earlier this week, will combine state and local resources to address violent crime, which Abbott noted has fallen 22 percent in Houston compared to last year.
Despite the decline, Abbott said additional action remains necessary.
The task force includes Department of Public Safety (DPS) Special Agents, Texas Rangers, and aircraft units working alongside the Houston Police Department (HPD), the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and other local law enforcement agencies.
Whitmire confirmed that Abbott contacted him last week about the initiative. He told KPRC 2 News that Houston has worked with DPS since he assumed office and that the new state resources will strengthen ongoing efforts.
“I’ve said all along we’re going to make Houston a greater city, a safer city,” Whitmire said. “Any given day, we may have 70, 75 DPS officers helping HPD.”
He emphasized the importance of DPS technology, adding that helicopters can safely end police pursuits and that the task force will provide investigative and forensic tools unavailable to HPD.
On funding, Whitmire noted, “You and me — we pay state sales tax. And so it comes out of the state budget.”
In connection with the announcement, Abbott urged Texans to support Proposition 3 in the upcoming election. The measure would permit judges to deny bail to suspects accused of violent crimes.
Whitmire agreed that accountability is needed in the judicial system. “We need to hold violent offenders accountable and not be giving them low bonds,” he said.
State and city leaders will monitor the task force’s effectiveness as it becomes a central component of broader public safety efforts in Texas.
