Reducing crime in Harris County - What's Your Point?
HOUSTON - A truly stunning and in my mind, "game-changing" development this week.
It came from Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez who reported that in the 8 months since significant over-time was finally approved for his department - the additional "boots on the ground" he's been able to deploy have arrested nearly three thousand wanted fugitives - more than half of them "violent".
That's when I asked if county leaders had approved the same kind of added "manpower" in 2020 and 2021 - as many in the public demanded - Could our community have gotten ahead of the ongoing "violent crime wave?"? This was the sheriff's candid response.
"Yeah absolutely - anytime we have any additional overtime or resources it's always going to be a force multiplier." "Ever since I was elected sheriff we have been asking for additional resources as we assess crime in our community."
That "dead-solid-honest" assessment by the democratic sheriff devastated the claim of Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Adrian Garcia - that Harris County law enforcement and prosecutors were appropriately and sufficiently funded during the ongoing escalation of violent crime.
This admission came as Hidalgo and Garcia were attempting to defend their record on public safety.
Harris Co. proposed budget allows $232 million for 8 constable precincts
Panel discusses the ruling from Texas Comptroller, Glen Hager, with evidence that Judge Hidalgo and her democratic allies "de-funded" #$3 million dollars from constables, Ted Heap and Mark Herman, departments savings accounts during an on-going crime wave.
With 78 days until Harris County voters decide whether to keep them or fire them, Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Adrian Garcia claimed they have backed the largest investment in public safety "ever".
Many are questioning that boast, citing line items totaling more than $100 million taxpayer dollars for programs that barely qualify as "crime fighting", if at all.
- How about $50 million to mitigate neighborhood blight?
- How about $31 million for so-called "workforce development"?
- How about $8 and half million for new trails ?
- How about $1 point-five million for public wi-fi?
- How about more than $13 million for early childhood development and after-school programs?
The essential question - during a crime wave - is how frightened taxpayers want their money spent?