 In Houston and the surrounding area, data shows Black and Brown (Hispanic/Latino) drivers are stopped by police at higher rates than white drivers, often disproportionate to their share of the population. Here’s what the most recent data and analyses say:
Traffic Stop Rates (Recent Data) Houston Police Department & area agencies (2023 data):
These disparities do not automatically prove unlawful motives, and there are many potential contributing factors (location of patrols, driving patterns, crime rates, local policies, etc.). However, the statistical evidence does show that Black and Hispanic drivers are stopped and searched more often than white drivers relative to their share of the population in Houston. According to the data, non-safety traffic stops function as a predatory enforcement practice. They are routinely used to cycle Black and Brown people in and out of the criminal legal system through citations, fines, warrants, arrests, and jail stays—often for conduct unrelated to public safety. These stops also serve as a primary pipeline for the surveillance, detention, and deportation of Brown immigrant communities. Rather than improving safety, non-safety traffic stops deepen racial disparities, destabilize families, and erode trust between law enforcement and communities of color. The data shows they rarely prevent violent crime, yet they disproportionately expose marginalized communities to punishment and state control. If Houston is serious about becoming safer—and about restoring trust with Black, Brown, immigrant, and poor communities—then non-safety traffic stops must end. Public safety should be rooted in harm prevention, accountability, and community investment, not predatory policing practices that criminalize poverty and identity. Written By: RoShawn C. Evans CIVIL RIGHTS CORPS FILES FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS, ALLEGING BRUTAL ATTACK ON DISABLED BLACK MAN DURING TRAFFIC STOPCivil-rights-corps-files-federal-lawsuit-against-houston-police-department-officers-alleging-brutal-attack-on-disabled-black-man-during-traffic-stop Black drivers more likely to be pulled over by HPD for non-moving violations, report shows13802240 Civil rights lawyer hosts press conference at City Hall citing racial profiling in HPD traffic stops civil-rights-lawyer-hosts-press-conference-at-city-hall-citing-racial-profiling-in-hpd-traffic-stops
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 If we are going to create laws and public policy, those laws must be grounded in justice shaped by shared values and moral clarity—not rooted in racism, bigotry, classism, sexism, or political convenience. Justice cannot be selective. We cannot give passes to some while aggressively punishing others for similar or lesser conduct based on political party, race, gender, or status. What’s right is right. What’s wrong is wrong.
Locally, Harris County Treasurer Dr. Carla Wyatt has been accused of burglary of a vehicle despite publicly available information indicating there was no forced entry, no broken glass, no extra set of keys, no vandalism, and nothing stolen. Yet law enforcement was called, charges were filed, and the situation is now being positioned in a way that could allow Governor Greg Abbott and the Republican Party to attempt to remove her from office and replace her with a partisan appointee. This raises a fundamental question for us all: How does this situation align with the United States’ proclaimed emphasis on due process? How can our legal system claim to value fairness when rushed punishments, political circumstances and regressive agendas are prioritized? Governor Abbott is a vocal supporter of President Donald J. Trump, who was convicted in New York on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. Despite this historic conviction, Governor Abbott has not pursued or supported efforts to remove the President from office or otherwise challenge his legitimacy. Instead, he continues to embrace Trump politically and strategically. So the question must be asked plainly: If due process is sufficient for the President of the United States, why is it not sufficient for the Harris County Treasurer? Why is one official afforded patience, restraint, and political loyalty while another is immediately subjected to legal maneuvering that could overturn the will of the voters before the courts have even fully done their work? This disparity suggests something deeper than concern for the law. It points to selective enforcement, partisan power plays, and an effort to gain control of Harris County through political means rather than democratic ones. Due process should not depend on party affiliation. Voters’ choices should not be overruled for political agendas. Justice should not shift based on who holds power. And the law should never be weaponized to undermine democracy. If we truly believe in justice, then we must apply it consistently, fairly, and without political bias—no matter who is in office. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE, OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK* PART 59 https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFs/press/PDFs/People%20v.%20DJT%20Clayton%20Decision.pdf D.A Bragg Announces 34-Count Felony Trail Conviction of Donald J. Trump https://manhattanda.org/d-a-bragg-announces-34-count-felony-trial-conviction-of-donald-j-trump/ Written By: RoShawn C. Evans |
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