The dangers of the U.S. Mexico Border

Of the 5,230 total vehicle pursuits that DPS troopers engaged in since March 2021 — across all of Texas’ 254 counties — 3,558 of them (68 percent) occurred in the 60 OLS counties. The report also noted that those 60 OLS counties only account for 13 percent of the state’s population.

United States police departments have put restrictions in place for vehicle pursuits, including the Houston Police Department. The report emphasized that these restrictions reflect growing acknowledgement that vehicle pursuits lead to a “high risk of loss of life, serious personal injury, and serious property damage.”

The report emphasized that not all of the people killed or injured during these pursuits were directly involved in the pursuits. Among the bystanders was a 7-year-old girl who was killed, and five additional children, ages unknown, have been injured, the report highlighted.

81 percent of the vehicle pursuits that occurred in OLS counties were initiated because of traffic violation, 97 percent of which were traffic misdemeanors, which can include a failure to obey an attempted stop by law enforcement, speeding, or not obeying traffic signals.

The report reminded State officials that they are obligated to respect the rights of Texas residents and people in Texas including protecting the human right to life, regardless of their citizenship.

“A first step should be ending vehicle chases; a second should be ending Operation Lone Star and investing taxpayer dollars instead in tackling specific and genuine public safety threats, and improving the schools, roads, infrastructure, and communities of Texas,” the report concluded.