On the border, hot pursuits are all too common

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS and TEXAS TRIBUNE ^ | Nov. 20, 2010 | JOHN TEDESCO and BRANDI GRISSOM

[humblegunner]

Fleeing smugglers keep DPS troopers busy in Hidalgo County

McALLEN — On a quiet November morning, trooper Johnny Hernandez patrols the dusty back roads along the Rio Grande in Hidalgo County. In the back seat, his M4 rifle sits within arm's reach. In the trunk, he stores a bulletproof vest. The 15-year Department of Public Safety veteran has been in so many high-speed pursuits that he can't remember the first one, and, to be honest, he says he doesn't even think of them in terms of which one is scariest.

"There's just so much" going on, he says. "Your thoughts are going 100 miles per hour."

Often, so is his car.

Hernandez is one of about 60 DPS troopers on the Texas-Mexico border in Hidalgo County, who together over the last five years have logged far more high-speed chases than officers in any other region of the state.

The Texas Tribune and the San Antonio Express-News analyzed data from nearly 5,000 DPS pursuit reports from January 2005 through July 2010. Nearly 13 percent of all the chases — 656 — happened in Hidalgo County. Of the 10 counties with the most chases, five were counties along the Texas-Mexico border.

For troopers who spend their days and nights patrolling the interstates, highways and meandering caliche roads of South Texas, the reason is simple. "We're the first line of defense out here," Hernandez said. "We're going to have pursuits."

DPS troopers say smugglers are becoming more active and brazen, taking desperate measures to avoid being caught. The database also reveals that troopers use aggressive pursuit tactics - including firing guns and setting up roadblocks - that many other law enforcement agencies prohibit.

[humblegunner]

Texas DPS..

It's not just for drivers licenses anymore!

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/

[humblegunner]

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/

[animal172]

“In the trunk, he stores a bulletproof vest”

A vest in the trunk is virtually useless. When things so south you just don’t have the time to put it on.

[Celtic Conservative]

I would hate to be a DPS supervisor that has to tell an officers loved one about His/Her death on duty, And then have to follow it up with "well he had his vest with him , but it was in the trunk". In My agency if a supervisor finds that you aren't wearing a vest while on armed duty you are looking at a write up and temporary loss or your carry permit.

CC

[Celtic Conservative]

"of your carry permit"

CC

[animal172]

Our PD has had mandatory vest wear for at least 25 years. No vest and you are sent home. No questions asked. As soon as I was hired I bought my own because at the time the department didn’t supply one and did not require the wearing of one. My motto has always been, “I’m not much, but I like me”

[The Comedian]

The vest in the trunk must be some sort of good luck charm, or perhaps it's supposed to increase traction on the rear wheels.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[Celtic Conservative]

"I'm not much, but I like me"

My sentiments exactly! I am somewhat suprised at the apparent lack of self-preservation exhibited by a few of My fellow officers. It seems the newer officers coming online now have "got the message" when it comes to vests. I just pray for the holdouts to figure it out.

CC

[Celtic Conservative]

Like many good luck charms, body armor is best when worn on ones person, kinda like a rabbit's foot, but made of kevlar.

CC

[dusttoyou]

Doubtful the vest was actually in the trunk. Every DPS I have seen wears one. The problem is more likely the stupid publix skooled “journalist”.

[animal172]

I hope you are right. If he doesn’t have one on or chooses not to wear it, then he needs to go home.