I am publishing my first “Major Opinion” today. It is important, and it is well, major.
Read and inwardly digest.
If you want to discuss, please use my Facebook page.
Well, ok fine. I wrote that I was finished writing about Uvalde and here I go writing again.
I am adding my highly educated opinion to the discourse. This goes back to well before the happenings on that fateful day.
Too Many Police Entities:
For many years, I have contended that Texas has far too many police entities. Let us just look at the Houston local area.
Houston Police Department (HPD): As one might expect, Houston has a police department. They have not been defunded yet. They patrol the city, enforce traffic laws, and respond to calls of criminal activity. Plain vanilla.
Harris County Sherriff’s Department (HCSD): Expected to provide the policing functions outside of Houston city limits but still within Harris County. In reality they provide a shadow force backing up HPD. They are just as likely to show up anywhere in Houston as HPD.
Harris County Constable’s Department: I do not know what they are supposed to be doing but in practice they provide a shadow patrol service behind HCSD.
School District Police: Every local school district has their own police department. One might expect that they provide security and police services on school premises. Well, no. They patrol too.
Texas Department of Public Safety: Yep, the good ol’ Highway Patrol. We do not see them very much but in case of a big event (like a school shooting) we can expect them to show up.
The local equivalents in Uvalde all showed up along with others:
Border Patrol
DEA
San António Police
Nearly 400 officers showed up. There was no chance of a coordinated response.
Stand by for more of my “Major Opinions,” as they occur.