Gov. Abbott’s public safety plan includes elimination of red light traffic cams

Texas Governor Greg Abbott today announced Monday his policy proposals to increase public safety in Texas by reducing violent crime, cracking down on human trafficking and organized crime, combating violent gangs, and ensuring law enforcement officers have the resources they need to do their jobs.

“The State of Texas is sending a message to criminals and gang members that any attempts to compromise the safety of our communities will not be tolerated,” said Abbott in a news release. “My top priority as governor is keeping Texans safe, and these latest proposals will help me do just that.”

The governor made the announcement at the official opening of the Texas Anti-Gang Center in McAllen, Texas.

His plan proposes:

An additional $10 million to create two additional Texas Anti-Gang Centers, while also providing additional resources to existing TAG centers. Requires jail time for criminals convicted of human trafficking and sexual assault. Invests an additional $10 million in rifle-resistant vests for law enforcement officers. Trains and equips first responders with naloxone, an opioid antidote, for use in cases of exposure to potentially fatal synthetic opioids.

The governor’s plan also prohibit local adoption of red light cameras and would preempt any local ordinances or policies permitting red light cameras already in force. “Red light cameras are expensive and studies indicate they may increase accidents where deployed. They also pose constitutional issues. Texas should ban the use of these devices by preempting local authority to utilize them,” the governor’s office said.

Abbott’s plan would fund two additional Texas Anti-Gang Centers in Waco and Tyler, while providing additional resources to existing TAG centers. Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) centers are operations involving the cooperation of federal, state, and local law enforcement to share information and crack down on violent criminal activity. There are six centers currently operational in Texas and “they have achieved significant successes in curtailing Texas gangs,” the governor’s office said.

In order to disrupt gang activity in prisons, correctional officers who engage in organized crime with incarcerated gang members would lose their pensions and would never be permitted to serve as a correctional officer or a peace officer. “Some corrupt correctional officers have coordinated with prison gangs to commit criminal acts,” the governor said, “Texas must impose severe penalties against correctional officers who assist with organized crime behind prison walls.”

In order to disrupt human trafficking and smuggling, the governor proposes that, upon final conviction, the owner of a property that has been used as a stash house to facilitate human trafficking and other crimes must forfeit the title to charitable organizations. To combat criminal activity facilitated by means of stash houses where drugs, human trafficking victims, and other contraband are held, the law should be amended to require, upon final conviction of the owner, that these houses be transferred to charities such as child advocacy centers, women’s shelters, and anti-trafficking groups. The governor’s proposal would also require jail time for human trafficking and sexual assault crimes, which would make convicted individuals ineligible for deferred adjudication or probation.