Texas adds 15 new law-enforcement agencies per year

The number of law enforcement agencies continues to grow. Back in 2004, Texas has 2,540 separate agencies. Since then, the state has added around 15 new law-enforcement agencies per year to reach 2,644 today, according to the website of the state licensing agency. At those agencies, reports TCLEOSE:

CURRENTLY THERE ARE

74,762    Peace Officers
261    Reserve Licensees
23,781     Jailers
2,273     Temporary Jailers
8,821     Telecommunicators
948     Temporary Telecommunicators

APPOINTED IN TEXAS

An early, lengthy post on this blog argued that, for a variety of reasons, "The proliferation of small, specialized police forces threatens to undermine the credibility of law enforcement, especially at smaller agencies, and has caused accountability for police officers generally to decline." The arguments made back then only grows stronger as more and more penny ante agencies are added to the rolls. The public would be better served - and law-enforcement more efficient, less redundant, and better supervised - if the trend were toward consolidation of police agencies instead of expanding their number. Why this state needs 15 new law-enforcement agencies per year is beyond me.