Governor Greg Abbott has announced the creation of the Texas Repeat Offender Program (TxROP), a new task force that will focus on addressing violent crimes committed by repeat offenders in the Houston area. The initiative is a collaboration between state and local law enforcement agencies.
“Today, we are putting violent repeat offenders on notice,” said Governor Abbott. “We are coming for you. We are going to target you, arrest you, and put you behind bars where you belong. This is a Texas-sized effort by both the Texas Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement at every level to crack down on dangerous repeat offenders in the Houston area. Our goal is simple: every Houstonian deserves to walk the streets, take their kids to school, open their businesses, and go shopping or dining without fear.”
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will work with the Houston Police Department and federal partners to identify individuals with a history of violent offenses. The task force aims to prioritize field operations targeting these offenders and ensure compliance with court-ordered conditions.
DPS will use resources from its Air Operations Division, Homeland Security Division, and Criminal Investigations Division to support troopers during this operation. These resources will be coordinated with local and federal partners for intelligence gathering as well as tactical and covert operations.
Earlier this year, Governor Abbott signed legislation intended to keep violent repeat offenders incarcerated by strengthening bail laws in Texas. Measures included giving prosecutors more power to appeal bail decisions in severe cases, prohibiting public funds from being used by nonprofits to post bail for criminals, requiring written explanations when arrests are made without probable cause, and mandating judges deny bail for those charged with serious crimes if they pose a threat or are unlikely to appear at trial.
