Contact: press@protectandservetx.com
HOUSTON – September 6, 2023 – Amid attacks on law enforcement and first responders in recent years, only one Houston mayoral candidate has continuously had the backs of the men and women in uniform working every day to protect the safety of Houston residents. John Whitmire has built and earned his reputation for proactively supporting law enforcement while honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
Honoring Fallen Officers
In May 2013, John Whitmire served as the guest speaker for the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Peace Officers Memorial Service, honoring fallen law enforcement and their families.
In 2017, Whitmire authored legislation establishing a permanent committee to institute and oversee the ceremonies honoring the lives of police officers killed in the line of duty, authorizing private and public funding to support annual memorial services.
The legislation followed an unprecedented number of fatal attacks on Texas police officers in 2016, including the ambush of Dallas police officers that took the lives of five law enforcement officers – the deadliest day for law enforcement in the U.S. since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
In 2019, Whitmire served as the keynote speaker at the Texas Peace Officers Memorial Monument candlelight vigil ceremony, during which 21 fallen police officers were honored and inducted onto the Memorial wall.
In 2021, Whitmire authored legislation in the Texas legislature honoring Houston Police Officer Bill Jeffrey, who was killed in the line of duty on September 20, 2021, highlighting that Officer Jeffrey “exemplified the highest ideals of law enforcement through his selfless commitment to protecting and serving the public.”
In 2022, Whitmire spoke at memorial services for fallen Houston Police Officer Vidal Lopez, who was killed in an accident while reporting for duty.
Proactively Supporting Law Enforcement
At the beginning of 2023, Whitmire made a strong public commitment to coordinate a law enforcement “surge” to the streets of Houston “before day one on the job as Mayor,” a plan he later confirmed would include bringing approximately 200 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to assist and support the understaffed Houston Police Department. Whitmire told Houston Landing in August:
“Law enforcement is short in Houston. People are coming up to me in large numbers saying, ‘You’ve got to do something’… I think it is a temporary solution to our understaffing. If we would do a serious recruiting and add to the Houston Police Department’s numbers, we probably wouldn’t need the DPS, except for special events.”
Houston Police Officers’ Union president Douglas Griffith applauded Whitmire’s plan, confirming that:
“DPS troopers would be a big asset for us for accidents, traffic control, speeding… When you’re talking about bodies, we can use whatever we can get.”
In 2017, Whitmire authored legislation to help improve interactions between law enforcement and members of the public, noting that:
“As law enforcement increases its training, we need the public to essentially increase their training too.”
In June 2022, Whitmire spoke at Crime Stoppers’ inaugural State of Public Safety forum drawing attention to increased violent crime in Houston, telling attendees:
“If we do not come together as a community to fight violent crime, we will not have a community… Every elected official at every level has to recognize we have a problem – you can’t solve a problem if you won’t admit we have one. We have a problem in Houston – and the citizens know it.”
In September 2022, Whitmire sounded the alarm on the urgent need to address rising crime in Houston by ensuring repeat violent offenders – who continually strain resources and threaten the lives of law enforcement officials – are kept off the streets. Whitmire told Fox 26 Houston:
“It is just unheard of that you would give a violent offender, a murderer, and even instances in Harris County, capital murders, a bond. And you see individuals violate conditions in their first bond and get another one. The murders of Houstonians by people out on bond are just reprehensible. It doesn't have to happen. People are staying home. They are scared. It's not good for Houstonians. It's not good for our reputation around the state and the nation.”
Protect and Serve Texas PAC (PSTX PAC) spokesperson Donald Baker said:
“John Whitmire has been a steady, consistent presence in the Houston and broader Texas law enforcement community – not just when tragedy strikes, but year-round and at events and forums honoring officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities. He has always been there, not seeking the limelight, but attending as a fellow member of the community to demonstrate his unwavering support for police officers and their families. It should be clear to Houston voters that the city needs a Mayor who has always had the backs of law enforcement, not just when it’s politically convenient to do so.”
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Protect and Serve Texas is a political action committee (PAC) dedicated to supporting candidates across Texas who support public safety, back law enforcement and first responders, and work to decrease violent crime. Protect and Serve Texas also engages in ballot initiatives where support for law enforcement or first responders is on the ballot. Originally founded to counter the "Defund the Police" movement, Protect and Serve Texas PAC continues to advocate for the brave women and men in our state who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.
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