The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) dedicates every day to making sure Texas roadways are safe for all travelers. To that end, as part of a multi-agency law enforcement initiative, we have established temporary traffic regulatory checkpoints in the Rio Grande Valley designed to promote compliance with the laws governing driver license, insurance and vehicle safety regulations.
DPS appreciates those members of the public and the government officials who support our law enforcement efforts to ensure safe and secure roadways for all Texans. Unfortunately, false information and mischaracterizations have been circulating regarding this law enforcement effort.
This short-term effort was conceived as a response to various criminal activities and unsafe driving behaviors identified in South Texas. For example, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Rio Grande Valley’s Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties led the state in the number of citations DPS issued to drivers for “no driver license.” The same area is second only to the Houston area for “no insurance” citations issued by DPS during the same time period. In fact, 15 percent of all DPS-issued “no driver license” citations in the state occurred in the same three counties in the Rio Grande Valley in 2012.
Some uninformed individuals have claimed that these checkpoints are illegal — which is false. A traffic regulatory checkpoint is an authorized law enforcement strategy that has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court (City of Indianapolis vs. Edmond, 531 U.S. 32, 2000) and by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (Lujan vs. State, 331 S. W. 3d 768, 2011). DPS conducts traffic regulatory checkpoints under its general authority to enforce the laws protecting public safety.
I want to reassure the public that these traffic regulatory checkpoints are used only for the purpose of determining compliance with specific regulatory traffic statutes, including failure to display a driver license, failure to maintain financial responsibility, as well as vehicle safety and registration requirements. As with any other traffic stop, if a violation is found, a citation or warning is issued, and warrant checks are conducted. Troopers also have the authority to address obvious criminal violations; such as, driving while intoxicated.
It is important for everyone to know that these regulatory checkpoints have not and will not be used to ascertain immigration status. Moreover, reports that Border Patrol agents are present at these checkpoints are blatantly false. Such false allegations do a disservice to the public by spreading inaccurate information to their communities and unnecessarily alarming the public.
No immigration arrests have been made at any of the traffic regulatory checkpoints; however, there have been a number of citations for not having a driver’s license or insurance, not wearing seat belts, or having proper vehicle registrations.
Our goal for these checkpoints is simple: Do everything in our power to protect the drivers and passengers on our roadways. No law-abiding drivers should be concerned with traffic regulatory checkpoints if they are in compliance with the traffic laws and carrying insurance on their vehicles.
The majority of drivers in Texas value and obey traffic laws, and carry insurance on their vehicles, because they understand the significant consequences of being involved in an automobile crash with a driver who is uninsured and unlicensed. Unfortunately, law-abiding Texans are often forced to suffer the physical and financial consequences when others fail to adhere to driver license, insurance or vehicle safety requirements.
Drivers who do not comply with traffic laws not only put themselves in danger but also risk the lives and safety of innocent individuals. Our goal is to reduce those risks.
I have personally spoken with members of the Texas Legislature about this important law enforcement initiative, including the regulatory checkpoints and have encouraged lawmakers to visit the Rio Grande Valley to observe these checkpoints firsthand.
DPS is continually thankful for the public’s support, and we will continue our mission to uphold the law and protect the people of this great state.
Steven McCraw is Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
