WASHINGTON CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE PRESENTS MID-YEAR ACTIVITY REPORT

  

Mid-year statistics from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office show a decline in some categories of criminal activity, but rising trends in others.

Sheriff Trey Holleway presented a report during commissioners court today (Tuesday), comparing data through the first half of 2025 to the entirety of 2024.  Using information recorded through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the sheriff’s office has handled 527 offenses so far this year, compared to 900 for the full year of 2024. 

Of the 527, 97 are considered “Group A” offenses, made up of assaults, sex offenses, burglaries and thefts.  Based off of the 97 through the first six months of the year, the sheriff’s office is on pace to fall underneath the 293 “Group A” offenses reported throughout last year.

The other piece is “Group B” offenses, which consist of trespassing, weapon violations, fraud, and drug or intoxication offenses.  This year, the sheriff’s office has handled 430 halfway through the year, a number on track to exceed the 607 for 2024 as a whole.

Other trends of note for the first-half statistics include total incident responses, logging at 16,016 in comparison to 21,701 for all of last year; calls out to the City of Burton, which currently sit at 645 after recording at 814 for the entirety of 2024; traffic tickets, coming in at 724 compared to 1,234 during last year; and traffic warnings, which already exceed last year’s total of 2,738 at 2,959 for this year so far. 

Looking only at the month of June, the sheriff’s office saw a drop in crimes reported at 97 – made up of 16 “Group A” and 81 “Group B” – when compared to May’s numbers of 123 – combining 21 “Group A” and 102 “Group B”. 

Holleway also reiterated the warning extended last week about the increase in scam calls, involving people impersonating sheriff’s office employees and demanding payment to resolve warrants. 

Also at today’s meeting, commissioners heard an update from PlanNorth Architectural Company about the progress being made with planned upgrades at the Expo and a new judicial center.  The projects are associated with the Expo master plan and involve county-owned land at and adjacent to the fairgrounds.

PlanNorth Principal Architect Katie Burch said after meeting with community stakeholder groups to discuss facility needs, critical items at the Expo include infrastructure, safety, electrical, ventilation and heat control, drainage, and accessibility and maneuverability around the site. Other topics mentioned were challenges posed by the main entrance to the fairgrounds on Blue Bell Road, as well as looking into ways to accommodate different group activities.  Burch said one option being studied is the possibility of renovating and adding to the Expo sales facility.

For the judicial center discussion, Burch said they have consulted with the county and district attorneys, county and district court judges, county and district clerks, adult and juvenile probation, and constables.  A priority being evaluated is close proximity to the sheriff’s office and jail, as Burch said conversations have been held with other counties who did not connect their judicial facilities to their jail and expressed regret that they did not.  She said keeping the facility close will allow law enforcement transport of prisoners to be more efficient and free up personnel.

Burch said she intends to bring plans back for commissioners to review when it comes time for her next update.  Sheriff Holleway said working with PlanNorth has been eye-opening as to what the sheriff’s office’s needs are and that he likes where the project stands right now.

Commissioners also agreed to allow the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to use the parking lot east of the constables’ office for collecting chronic wasting disease (CWD) samples during the upcoming hunting season.

CWD is a degenerative prion disease that affects the deer population.  It erodes the victim’s neurological function, leading to symptoms like weight loss, stumbling, salivating and an overall appearance of “wasting” away.  It is ultimately fatal, and there is no treatment or vaccine.

TPWD Natural Resource Specialist Stephanie Damron said last hunting season in Washington County resulted in the submission of 167 samples for testing.  Nineteen of those came from the 2-mile surveillance zone created around the area of the first positive case confirmed in March 2023, located just north of Brenham with the airport close to the center.  There have been no new positive cases, so the county remains at only the one positive originally reported two years ago. 

In other business, the court:

• Renewed a memorandum of understanding between the sheriff’s office and MHMR Authority of Brazos Valley.
• Tabled action on hiring an elections clerk approximately a month in advance of the current employee’s scheduled retirement and on a budget amendment from salary contingency for the clerk’s position in the elections and voter registration office.  Commissioners wished to meet with Elections Administrator Carol Jackson to speak about her schedule and the need for the extra time to train the new employee.
• Approved an order of public interest and the plat revision for the Anton subdivision in Precinct 4.
• Discussed a formal notice from Industry Telephone Company for a new service line installation across the county right-of-way of Dead End Lane in Precinct 4.  No action was needed.