Texas Governor Greg Abbott has unveiled a new statewide violent crime task force, with Houston chosen as the pilot city. While Abbott says violent crime is already down 22% compared to last year, he insists it’s still not enough — and this latest initiative aims to push those numbers even lower.
OUR FIRST REPORT: ‘All-in effort’: Governor Abbott unveils public safety initiative in Houston to combat violent crime
But key questions remain: How exactly will this work? Where is the funding coming from? And why was Houston selected?
A Multi-Agency Approach
The task force will involve at least six agencies, including:
- DPS Special Agents
- Texas Rangers
- State aircraft units
- The Texas Department of Homeland Security
The goal? To flood high-crime areas in Houston and Harris County with additional law enforcement resources.
Despite repeated requests, Abbott’s office has not yet provided answers to specific questions about:
- Where these officers will come from
- What facilities they’ll operate out of
- What part of the state budget is funding the initiative
- Which neighborhoods are being labeled as “high crime”
Instead, reporters were referred back to the governor’s original press conference.
Targeting Repeat Offenders
Crime Stoppers of Houston, who participated in the announcement, says that 55% of violent crimes in the city are committed by repeat offenders — a figure their team says comes from local court records.
Andy Kahan of Crime Stoppers explained how the task force will work in practice:
“They want to concentrate additional resources on rounding up particularly violent offenders who are either on parole, probation, or bond and are not in compliance with their conditions,” said Kahan.
“Law enforcement will monitor defendants for violations like missing curfew or tampering with ankle monitors.”
Proposition 3: A Push for Bail Reform
During the announcement, Governor Abbott also encouraged Texans to support Proposition 3 in the upcoming November election. If passed, it would allow judges to deny bail to suspects charged with violent crimes.
Kahan referenced the case of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, whose accused killers were granted bond — not by choice, but due to constitutional limitations at the time.
“There was outrage,” said Kahan. “But the judge had no choice. This proposition would change that.” At this time, there is no confirmed launch date for the task force.