Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Wednesday the creation of a new multi-agency law enforcement task force aimed at cracking down on repeat violent offenders in the Harris County region. The initiative, which begins immediately, seeks to reduce crime by targeting individuals with prior criminal histories.
Speaking at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) regional headquarters in Houston, Abbott emphasized that repeat offenders are responsible for a significant share of violent crime in the area. “Most violent crimes in the Houston area are committed by repeat offenders,” Abbott said. “Today we’re putting those criminals on notice: ‘We’re coming for you. We’re going to target you, arrest you, and put you where you belong, which is behind bars.’”
The task force will deploy DPS troopers and special agents, Texas Rangers, and local Houston-area officers, with support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and DPS aircraft. Law enforcement officials said the operation will focus on using intelligence to identify repeat offenders, monitor gang activity, and ensure that those out on bond, parole, or probation are complying with release conditions.
Although crime in Houston has dropped by approximately 22% this year, Abbott noted that residents remain concerned about safety. “There are still far too many victims of crime in Harris County,” he said.
Sydney Zuiker, of Crime Stoppers of Houston, said repeat offenders account for more than half of violent crimes in the city. “That’s not just a statistic,” Zuiker said. “It represents lives lost, families changed forever, and communities left to pick up the pieces.”
DPS Director Col. Freeman Martin said the increased presence of law enforcement in high-crime areas has proven to reduce criminal activity but that many efforts to track offenders would be conducted behind the scenes. “We often know who the repeat offenders are,” Martin said. “We’ll be checking that those out on bond, parole, or probation are complying with the terms of their release.”
The announcement comes as crime has become a national focus. President Donald Trump has deployed federal agents to urban areas including Chicago, Memphis, and Portland. Abbott emphasized, however, that Texas has not required federal intervention. “The president does know that I, as governor, and our local law enforcement are very committed to this,” Abbott said.
Abbott described Houston as a potential national model for public safety in major cities. While Houston Mayor John Whitmire did not attend the press conference, Abbott said the mayor and city law enforcement officials will participate in the task force.
Houston Police Officers’ Union Executive Director Ray Hunt highlighted the dangers posed by repeat offenders, citing the example of a suspect who, while out on felony bond last year, is now facing murder charges for a road rage incident that killed Jadrian Edwards. “Repeat offenders are the number one problem,” Hunt said.
The new task force builds on earlier efforts by DHS, which established a regional Homeland Security Task Force in Houston this year to address cartel and gang activity. State lawmakers have also pursued legislative reforms to address violent crime, including tightening rules around personal recognizance bonds for violent offenders and giving judges greater discretion to deny bail in cases where public safety may be at risk.
Some reforms intersect with federal oversight. Since 2019, misdemeanor bail practices in Harris County have been subject to the ODonnell federal consent decree. Although the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the precedent in 2023, the decree remains in effect, and federal monitors recently warned that compliance with new state laws on bail could put judges at risk of contempt or criminal charges. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking to end the federal court’s enforcement of the consent decree.
