El Paso County officials call DPS pursuits “an ongoing, pressing danger” to residents

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- An extensive review of data provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety, combined with arrest affidavits and previous media reporting determined that DPS pursuits endanger officers and the public, according to officials from the El Paso County Attorney's office.

"Our review did find that DPS pursuits are an ongoing danger," El Paso Assistant County Attorney Bernardo Cruz said during the presentation to El Paso County Commissioners Court Monday morning.

The review was sparked by requests from community members and Commissioners over the past year.

"We understand that there is a role for vehicle pursuits in certain circumstances in any community," County Attorney Christina Sanchez said.

Sanchez added that officer and public safety must be paramount when law enforcement officers engage in such pursuits.

According to research from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), more than 90% of traffic pursuits stem from traffic violations.

PERF also found that roughly 75% of offenders said they would slow down if pursuits were disengaged.

The County presentation noted that following a trend of deaths related to U.S. Border Patrol pursuits, Customs and Border Protection changed their policy in May 2023 to align with guidelines from the Department of Justice.

Assistant County Attorney Cruz added that Texas Governor Greg Abbott's announcement of Operation Lone Star in 2021 increased the number of DPS agents in border communities.

Shortly after in 2022, the city of El Paso's disaster declaration saw a drastic increase of DPS presence in the El Paso area.

For further details on the report's findings and additional comments from officials, tune in to KVIA's afternoon newscasts.