Government
BY RACHEL LELAND
League City police unit aims to decrease theft on ‘hot spot’ I-45 corridor
“He shoved him to the ground and started to run off,” Esperanza said. That Walmart and a jewelry store inside an H-E-B across I-45—also hit by thieves this summer—are in the district. The unit tasked with addressing these crimes is composed of one sergeant, one detective and four patrol-level officers, Sgt. Seth King said.
League City’s Police Department launched a Business District Unit in July to focus on crime in the I-45 business corridor—an area officers call a crime “hot spot.” Tonio Esperanza, an employee with Walmart located off FM 646 and I-45, recalls when robbers shoved his co-worker before stealing a handful of iPhones in August.
Along with responding to calls, officers said they patrol regularly to maintain a visible presence and deter crime.
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Calls from the business district in League City
18% of all calls originate from the business district 5,050-5,279 average annual calls for service in the business district from 2020-2024 $322,000 of city funds will fund a portion of the unit’s entry-level salaries over three years
Calls for service from the city’s business district have stayed steady since 2020—sitting at around 5,000 calls per year.
5,279
5,153
5,066
5,059
5,050
45
646
2020
2021
2022
2 023
2024
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SOURCE: LEAGUE CITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Looking ahead
crimes will initially result in a slight increase in the number of calls for service, followed by a decline overall. The initial goal is to reduce the overall number of calls in the district by approximately 10%, he said.
surveys—distributing cards with QR codes door-to-door to gather data from businesses about unreported crime—hoping to gain a more complete picture of local crime trends, League City Communications Director Sarah Osborne said. King said encouraging businesses to report all
The LCPD is encouraging business owners to report all crimes, regardless of their severity. This is vital because seemingly minor crimes may be part of a larger trend or linked to crimes at nearby businesses, King said. The department is currently conducting
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BAY AREA EDITION
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