MCSO announces multi-agency ‘Take Back the Streets’ Task Force to launch this weekend

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle and law enforcement leaders from across Montgomery and Harris County called a press conference today to announce they are taking a stand against illegal street takeovers, reckless driving, and public safety threats with the launch of a new task force.

Multiple local law enforcement agencies – including the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Conroe Police Department, Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and more – will work in tandem this weekend to crack down on the recent spate of ‘street takeovers’ such as racing, speeding, light-running, and burnout and donut sessions in parking lots. The timing of this task force was chosen because these issues could be exacerbated by a large car show coming to Conroe this weekend.

“The Lone Star Throwdown is a popular event for motorists, and the organizers are concerned that some participants might take the opportunity to ‘go overboard’ and cause issues on the streets, roads, and highways of the county,” a highly placed member of the Sheriff’s Office told Woodlands Online. “We appreciate the proactive steps that Throwdown organizers have taken to work with us to stop bad things from happening.”

Doolittle had a strong message for those who might choose to “break our laws, disrupt our way of life, and expose our community to dangers” that their actions will not be tolerated.

“We have zero tolerance for reckless driving and street takeovers,” he told members of the community and media assembled at the press conference. He stated that more than 100 officers from multiple agencies would be out in force from Friday through Sunday to send a clear message that any illegal activity would be swiftly dealt with, from misdemeanor to felony.

Though in office just over a month, Doolittle has made road safety a top priority in his administration, especially after a series of incidents including unsafe driving in areas such as Willis and Shenandoah. “After being elected, I welcome these challenges and opportunities,” he said.

Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon was even more blunt in his assessment of those who were considering crossing into Montgomery County to break the law. “If you’re a jackass, we’ll have a stall for you,” he said, reminding those assembled of the billboard that greets visitors from the Houston area at the county line: Criminals: This is Montgomery County. We Fund Law Enforcement. We Prosecute.

“I’d love it to be a zero-arrest, fatality, and property crime weekend; that would mark this a success,” he added.

Department of Public Safety Major Terry Truett also addressed the crowd. “We encourage everyone to prioritize safety during the car show,” he said.

Houston Police Department’s Executive Assistant Chief, Alvaro Guzman, stressed the importance of agencies inside and outside the Conroe area working together. “We’ve seen the benefits of collaborating.”

Harris County Sheriff’s Office Major Anthony McConnell assured the assembly that his own crew of road warriors would be ready to spring into action from ‘south of the border.’

“This is my blue family,” he said, acknowledging the dozens of officers around him. “If they ask for help, I’m coming.”

To preemptively assist the task force in its efforts, law enforcement is distributing flyers to attendees of the car show that break down how much trouble a lawbreaker could face. Tidbits included:

• Doing burnouts or donuts in a parking lot is a crime punishable by jail time
• Blocking a police car in the street or a parking lot is punishable by up to two years in jail
• Racing is punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a $2,000 fine, and the chance of the offender’s car bein seized
• A racing crash is punishable by up to 20 years in prison if someone is hurt or dies
• An offender can be sentenced to up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine if they refuse to leave private property, including a parking lot

Stay tuned to Woodlands Online for traffic and road-related updates.

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