Crime stats show safer Chambers County
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office has seen an overall decrease in crime over the past few years.
ANAHUAC— Overall, crime has decreased in Chambers County over the past few years, and recently, Sheriff Brian Hawthorne provided a breakdown of those statistics.
Hawthorne shared annual statistics at the Chambers County Commissioners Court regular meeting on Tuesday, May 13, sharing that overall crime has decreased from 2022 to 2024.
“Chambers County is a very safe county to live in in relation to surrounding counties,” Hawthorne said. “We, in a lot of ways, have crime going down.”
Arrests decreased by 422 people, with 1,499 in 2024, incidents decreased by 1,448, with 9,269 in 2024, and traffic stops increased by 1,060, with 10,322 in 2024.
Hawthorne said his office is trying to increase traffic enforcement, explaining the increase in traffic stops. He also noted that arrests will likely increase as population increases.
The number of inmates booked decreased by 124 with 2,154 in 2024 and dispatch calls have increased by 799 with 39,261 in 2024.
For violent crimes, murder decreased by nine with just one in 2024, sexual assault decreased by six with 13 in 2024, aggravated sexual assault decreased by four with seven in 2024, simple assault decreased by 80 186 in 2024 and aggravated assault decreased by 12 82 in 2024.
Robbery decreased by two with six in 2024, burglary decreased by 2 with 138 in 2024 and motor vehicle theft decreased by 57 with 81 in 2024.
Hawthorne said his office tries to keep people from Harris, Jefferson and Liberty counties out of Chambers County as most violent crimes are committed by people outside of the county.
“Statistically, our major crimes are people coming here committing the crime,” Hawthorne said.
Hawthorne noted that these crime statistics should be increasing as the population continues to increase in the county, but “fortunately, they’re not.”
Vehicle pursuits have increased by four, with 38 in 2024, but crashes have decreased by three, with six in 2024. Terminated pursuits, or pursuits ended for safety, decreased by just one, with nine occurring last year.
Average distance increased by a mile, with the average being seven miles last year, and stop sticks used decreased by three, with eight uses in 2024. Outside agencies initiating pursuits that involved the county increased by five, with 13 in 2024.
Hawthorne said that with each vehicle pursuit, an action review is conducted by a team, critiquing mistakes and commending what was done correctly.
“It’s been very effective for us to have safe vehicle pursuits,” Hawthorne said.
Use of force was at 17 in 2022, 24 in 2023, and 22 in 2024, showing an overall increase of five.
In 2024, tasers were utilized 11 times, physical force was used seven times, a firearm was used once and K-9s were used three times.
Hawthorne noted that the K-9s have been very effective in reducing the need for force, as K-9s are a visual deterrent.
Statistics from 2020 and 2021 were not included as numbers were skewed by COVID-19.
Hawthorne ended the report on a positive note, thanking the court for efforts in ensuring the sheriff’s office has what it needs to protect the community.
“The success that we find on our annual report is not the success of the sheriff, it’s the success of the whole team, the county government,” Hawthorne said.