HPD Chief Announces Task Force Combating Parole Violators

HOUSTON, TX -- Low bond amounts imposed by municipal court judges in Harris County, and parolees who fail to follow the conditions of their release are making it hard for law enforcement agencies to do their jobs.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said the low bond amounts set by magistrates are putting violent felons right back on the streets.

“This legislative session, the governor and lieutenant governor, and members of the legislature need to decide: Are they going to stand with victims, are they going to stand with law enforcement, or are then going to stand with the bail industry?” he said.

By the same token, too many of those who are released on parole from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are reoffending, with many of them by committing violent crimes, Acevedo added.

His comments came during a press conference Tuesday evening as officials shared information on the arrest of capital murder suspect, 46-year-old Jose Gilberto Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was on parole when he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor and went on a crime spree that resulted in three murders, an attempted murder, and an aggravated robbery over the span of five days.

As a way of dealing with violent offenders, Acevedo and Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez plan to create a multi-agency task force focused on dealing with violent offenders and parole absconders.

The task force would be comprised of deputies, constables and police officers from every law enforcement agency in Harris County.

“We want to create an environment in Harris County where parolees know they have one of two choices: They can come here, live here and abide by the circumstances of parole, or they can rest assured that the second they abscond...this is not a county that’s going to play. We are done,” Acevedo said.

There are an estimated 18,000 parolees in the city of Houston, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

An estimated 600 of those parolees are considered high-risk, Acevedo said.

Aside from the task force creation, Acevedo vowed to ask the state legislature when it convenes in January, to give law enforcement officials random search authority when parolees come into contact with the police, making it a condition of parole.

“In this county, we are going to set the standard,” he said. “It’s coming.”

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