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DPS reports more traffic stops, near‑full staffing and rising crashes in Van Zandt County
Summary
A Department of Public Safety representative told the commissioners court trooper numbers are near target and traffic stops have increased sharply year‑to‑date, contributing to higher citation revenues but also a 9.7% rise in crashes; commissioners discussed school coverage and mutual support with local law enforcement.
Drew, a Department of Public Safety representative, briefed the commissioners on trooper staffing and enforcement activity, saying the county currently has 10 troopers assigned, one position detached, and an 11th expected by November. He said year‑to‑date traffic stops already exceed last year’s total by about 1,200 and that the department has recorded more than 350 criminal arrests so far this year.
Drew noted that increased enforcement has coincided with a 9.7% rise in crashes this year, which he attributed to population and traffic growth as much as enforcement patterns. "We've got more people moving here. We have more people traveling through here," he said, describing traffic‑flow changes on key highways as a factor.
Commissioners and the DPS representative discussed priorities including school‑drill coverage, task forces on I‑45 and FIFA‑related event support, and working relationships with the sheriff’s office. The court heard that concentrating troopers on higher‑traffic roadways can raise ticket counts and citations in certain precincts; DPS emphasized the tradeoff between enforcement visibility and workload.
No policy vote occurred. Commissioners acknowledged that staffing level changes affect county services and budgets and asked how to sustain patrol coverage without increasing county tax rates.
Why it matters: Trooper assignments and enforcement strategy affect public safety, traffic fatalities and county revenue from citations. The court’s staffing and budget decisions will influence local crash prevention and school safety coverage.
Next steps: Commissioners will consider DPS staffing implications alongside other county budget requests during the FY27 process.
