Residents urge stronger police response and traffic cameras during public comment

At the public-comment period on Sept. 2, two Weslaco residents urged the City Commission to address what they described as insufficient police response to recurring neighborhood safety problems.

Sandra Reina told the commission an Aug. 28 incident at Texas Boulevard and 2nd Street nearly resulted in a collision when another vehicle cut across her path while she had the right of way. She said a police supervisor (badge 3D1146) told her minor traffic violations are difficult to enforce because the department lacks officers. "I filled out a police report and spoke to [a] officer supervisor, badge 3D1146...he stated that it's hard to enforce the law of minor traffic violations because of the lack of officers in the police department," Reina said. She urged the city to make recruiting more officers an urgent priority and to consider installing video cameras at intersections to help enforcement.

Alicia Vargas, a North Liberty neighborhood resident, described repeated juvenile harassment and said officers have declined to take reports or to follow up despite security-camera evidence. "We've had to deal with juveniles that constantly harass us and officers are willing to take a report…The officer that came last night…he said, 'oh, you don't have a strong case,'" she said, adding that she wants a meeting with assistant city managers and the police chief to resolve the issue.

Mayor Gonzales asked staff to coordinate follow-up meetings; city staff confirmed they would arrange a meeting including the assistant city managers and the chief to address the specific neighborhood concerns.

The comments were not accompanied by a motion or immediate policy change; they were taken under public comment and staff committed to follow up with law-enforcement leadership regarding staffing, enforcement options and the potential use of traffic-camera technology.