Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces New Reporting Requirement to Rein in Rogue District Attorneys and Ensure the Prosecution of Violent Criminals

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has introduced a new reporting mandate to strengthen oversight of district and county attorneys in Texas counties with populations exceeding 250,000. Unveiled on March 31, 2025, this initiative targets what Paxton calls "rogue" prosecutors, whom he accuses of neglecting to pursue violent crime cases adequately, thus jeopardizing public safety and the integrity of justice across Texas communities.

Under the new rule, these prosecutors must provide detailed quarterly and annual reports on their management of violent crime cases. The mandate also defines key terms such as "violent crime" and sets up a mechanism to chase down late submissions. Failure to comply could trigger penalties, ranging from civil lawsuits to removal proceedings spearheaded by Paxton’s office. He argues this step will boost transparency, empowering citizens to scrutinize the actions of their elected prosecutors.

This move extends Paxton’s ongoing efforts to keep tabs on local prosecutors, especially in urban centers where he believes some have adopted overly permissive policies, like refusing to prosecute specific offenses. It aligns with his larger goal of ensuring uniform prosecution of violent offenders statewide, reflecting his vocal disapproval of officials he claims favor criminals over victims. While the rule’s final form may shift following public feedback or procedural reviews, it represents a bold escalation in Paxton’s push to shape local prosecutorial conduct.

Meanwhile, earlier in 2024, the Houston Police Department (HPD) came under fire for flaws in its crime data reporting. An alarming discovery revealed that from 2016 to 2023, HPD left over 264,000 cases uninvestigated, closing them with a code—“Suspended - Lack of Personnel”—that cited staffing shortages as the reason. This practice distorted Houston’s crime stats, underrepresenting violent crimes like assaults and sexual assaults, and potentially painting a falsely rosy picture of public safety.

The issue surfaced after HPD Chief Troy Finner ordered an internal review in 2021, but it wasn’t until February 2024 that the problem’s magnitude became public. A subsequent probe, launched by Mayor John Whitmire and executed by a committee formed in March 2024, verified that over 260,000 reports—including 4,017 adult sexual assault cases with viable leads—were improperly dropped. The committee’s December 2024 report blamed systemic issues: chronic understaffing, weak leadership, and a culture fixated on case clearance rather than resolution.

The fallout was significant. HPD’s 2022 crime data, which boasted an 8% drop in violent crime and a murder decline from 477 to 435, was later doubted as it ignored the unaddressed backlog. Critics, from victim advocates to city leaders, warned that this endangered the public by leaving offenders unchecked and shattered trust in HPD. The department has since mobilized 32 detectives and extra staff to tackle the pile-up, reopening over 83,000 cases by late 2024. Chief Finner stepped down in May 2024 amid the controversy, with Acting Chief Larry Satterwhite taking over and vowing to prioritize reform and openness.

HPD’s troubles highlight a wider struggle with crime data reliability, common among strained police forces nationwide. Though 2024 stats showed a 4.36% crime drop and a five-year murder low, past missteps cloud these claims. New case management systems and staffing boosts aim to mend credibility, but rebuilding public faith could prove a slower task.