POLICE Department

Radar Task Force

Prior to the creation of the Traffic Enforcement Division in 2002, a group of officers assigned to the Accident Division started a “Speed Squad”. Their primary duties were to work the freeways conducting radar enforcement in order to curb speeding vehicles that were making the roadways of Houston less safe.

After an extensive review of the results from the “Speed Squad”, Assistant Chief Charles McClelland tasked Lieutenant Shannon Broze with forming a new division that would specifically address traffic issues throughout the City of Houston. This new division was aptly named the Traffic Enforcement Division.

A press conference was held at 1200 Travis where Chief C. O. Bradford announced the newly formed Traffic Enforcement Division. He spoke of why the division was needed, created, and it’s mission, which was to address traffic issues and to make the city safer. The Traffic Enforcement Division began operations in May of 2002. Their first assignment was to address Red Light violations at Beltway 8 at Beechnut.

Today, the Traffic Enforcement Division serves 2.3 million residents covering 655 square and 4,000 lane miles of freeways and expressways. At 655 square miles, the City of Houston could contain the cities of New York, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis and Miami.

Our mission is the same as it was when the division was created; to keep Houstonians safe.