As officers with the Houston Police Department perform their ongoing duties these days, they’ll do so as part of an agency that features a full roster.
With the recent addition of Lane Haley (who is back for a second stint with the department), the HPD now has 11 officers. That allows for at least two officers to be working at all times and makes it easier for them to know when they will be “on” (which in turn creates more consistency and makes it easier to plan daily activities).
“And that really helps with officer safety,” said Houston Police Chief Brad Evans. “It’s always nice to know you have back-up, and to know they’re not coming from 20 miles away. It also helps us serve the citizens better, which is why we’re here.”
Evans has been with the HPD for 21 years and has been chief for about four years. Under his watch in 2024, total dispatched calls increased to a record 9,485, as opposed to 9,063 in 2023.
“That’s always on the rise,” Evans said.
Other statistical highlights of the agency’s efforts in 2024 include the fact that theft and burglary were down significantly from 2023. HPD officers responded to 128 theft calls and eight burglary calls last year compared to 179 and 15, respectively, the previous year.
Domestic dispute calls also decreased, with 47 recorded last year compared to 67 the previous year. Traffic crashes also went way down, with officers responding to 95 in 2024 after dealing with 132 in 2023.
And there were no murders last year in Houston.
“That’s always a positive,” Evans said.
Even the number of written reports generated by HPD officers dropped from 729 in 2023 to 603 in 2024. But officers conducted 7,098 security checks last year compared to 4,091 the prior year, and they logged 88,404 miles in their patrol vehicles in 2024 while using 8,904 gallons of fuel.
“That’s the most milage I can recall since I’ve been here,” Evans said. “Our officers stay active with moving around in the community, and I’ve received several compliments about that from citizens in the area. They took notice of the officers patrolling the residential neighborhoods, and I think that has a big impact on crime.”
The size of the roster has allowed the HPD to form two squads, one led by Sgt. Travis Thompson and one by Sgt. Josh Green. It will also allow for Lt. Matt Woodmansee to concentrate more on detective work, meaning officers won’t have to do as much follow-up work on lengthy, complicated cases.
“Lt. Woodmansee helps a lot with administrative work,” Evans said, “but he’s taking on a lot of the investigation in these cases that require it, which saves the guys from having to spend their patrol time investigating crimes and allows them to be out on the road responding to calls and helping the citizens.”
FUNDING AND MORE
The HPD is funded in large part by a sales tax approved by voters in 2019. But last year, Evans and Company obtained several grants totaling more than $92,000 that helped with the purchase of several types of equipment, like a truck (equipped for the agency’s K-9 officer, Omen), a specially-designed evidence-drying cabinet, digital crime scene cameras, digital forensic software, a new laptop, and lights, sirens and trauma kits for patrol vehicles. One grant also provided funding for traffic enforcement overtime pay.
“It’s always good when we can avoid using the tax funding to make purchases,” Evans said.
This year, the HPD will obtain two new Ford F-150 pickups and officers will be equipped with new, state-of-the-art tasers. Evans also intends to purchase a drone outfitted with thermal imaging, and two officers recently became certified pilots.
“There are many things that can be used for,” Evans said, “including assisting other departments within the city.”
One thing all HPD officers appreciate is the continued support they receive from local residents.
“It’s wonderful,” Evans said. “We live in a great community, and it’s great to work where most people are so supportive of law enforcement officers.”
The HPD now has possession of all upstairs space at City Hall, with Evans and Woodmansee both occupying offices there.
“Things were getting kind of crowded downstairs,” Evans said, “and this has helped a lot.”
Evans said the City Council has been very supportive in helping the HPD create an environment that promotes officer retention.
“They know there’s a need for good officers,” he said, “and I think we’ve done what we can do to retain them. I’m very pleased with where we’re at and how everything is going.”
HPD ROSTER
(with officer number)
•Chief Brad Evans (803)
•Lt. Matt Woodmansee (805)
•Sgt. Josh Green (804)
•Sgt. Travis Thompson (807)
•Officer Adam Stevenson (806)
•Officer Jeremy Wink (809)
•Officer Alex Flores (810)
•Officer Bobby Willhite (811)
•Officer Levi Endress (812)
•Officer Lane Haley (813)
•Officer Cathryn Davis (818)
•Reserve officer Dustin Hartman
•Reserve officer Terry Wolfe
•K-9 officer Omen
