Data shows a 16% increase in use-of-force incidents by HPD in traffic stops from 2022 to 2023. Getting HPD out of non-safety traffic stops is the only way to keep Houstonians safe.

The Houston Chronicle reports a 16% increase in use-of-force incidents from 2022 to 2023. This troubling trend shows exactly why we need to get HPD out of traffic stops. The majority of people experiencing this abuse are Black and Latine drivers, and the City of Houston must do more to protect them. “More police interactions for non-safety traffic stops only increases the probability of an individual, particularly those who are Black or brown, to be assaulted by the police,” said Christopher Rivera, outreach coordinator for the Texas Civil Rights Project and RISE Steering Committee member.