The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reported there is “no indication of racial bias” in traffic enforcement in its annual racial profiling report for the third straight year.
However, in its demographic breakdown, 11.7% of stops were conducted on Black drivers, despite Black people making up 5.9% of the county’s population. In 2020, 10.43% of stops were conducted on Black people, who made up 6.26% of the county’s population. In 2019, 10.41% of stops were conducted on Black people, who made up 5.9% of the county’s population.
Approved at the Feb. 8 Commissioners Court meeting, the report showed officers made 49,358 traffic stops in 2021, up from the 37,147 stops conducted in 2020, but a decrease from 55,155 stops made in the county in 2019.
The report is required annually by the state Senate Bill 1849. Also known as the Sandra Bland Act, it was named in honor of a woman who died in a Waller County jail. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law in 2017.
MCSO Lt. Scott Spencer said the agency believed the intent of the Sandra Bland Act is to identify racially biased individuals conducting traffic enforcement and “is not a measure of the inclusiveness of an agency.”
“Based on our report we believe our deputies are fair, impartial and are focused on improving the safety of our roadways,” Spencer said.
In the 2021 report, the sheriff’s department included a combined population percentage of both Harris and Montgomery counties, reasoning the counties’ shared border influenced Montgomery County traffic habits. Spencer cited I-45 and US 59 as two roadway systems the counties shared.
“As is the case with our crime statistics—which showed Montgomery County had an increase in crime from Harris County residents—we also know our traffic data is similarly impacted,” Spencer said. “Logically, Montgomery County’s traffic data is heavily influenced by Harris County’s population demographics.”
The sheriff’s department received one complaint of alleged racial profiling in 2021, which was described as “unfounded” in the report. One count of physical force was used in the county against a Black person in 2021, down from six counts against people of unspecified races in 2019.
Spencer said all county deputies have in-car and body cameras and require training courses for deputies to prevent racially motivated traffic enforcement.
County commissioners approved the report as part of a consent agenda vote. The Sandra Bland Act mandates that reports are due March 1 of the year following the reporting period. There was no discussion, and Sheriff Rand Henderson was not present.
The complete report can be read here:
Sheriff’s office racial profiling data (2019-2021 except where specified otherwise)
