BRENHAM POLICE ANNUAL REPORT PRESENTED TO COUNCIL

  

Brenham’s interim Police Chief Rusty Pancoast presented his department’s annual report to City Council Thursday afternoon. The report shows that in 2017 there were 42 violent crimes committed in Brenham. That compares to 41 in 2016 and 49 in 2015.  The report also shows property crimes were up by 22 percent last year compared to 2016 with 472 reported. Vehicle thefts were down last year to just 20, compared to 36 the year before.  The report to council also included statistics on Brenham’s School Resource Officers and the Citizens on Patrol program.  Council member Weldon Williams asked Pancoast what steps the department has taken towards school security in light of Wednesday’s shooting in Florida:

Pancoast also presented the annual Racial Profiling Report to City Council.  He said he expected the report to be skewed due to the traffic through the city on 290, but it actually show the number of citations and arrest matches closely the racial makeup of the community.  Last year, Caucasians made up 55 percent of the traffic stops and they represent 70 percent of the population.  African Americans made up 23 percent of the stops and are 22 percent of the population.  Hispanics made up 14 percent of the stops and are 10 percent of the local population.  Asians made up 5 percent of the traffic stops and are 2 percent of the local population.

The report also shows that 412 searches were conducted last year, and that 125 of those were consented to.  Council member Danny Goss asked what constituted a non-consent search:

City Council also accepted a $25,000 donation to the Police Department from the Andras Foundation.  The funds will go toward training and equipment for the department.  The Andras Foundation is operated by the parents of Brenham K9 Officer Hunter Andras.