Crimes Committed in Galveston County, Texas

The county of Galveston may have a smaller population, but that doesn’t mean police officers take it
easy. Galveston County law enforcement agencies made 2,325 arrests, with nearly half of them in the city
of Galveston. Many of these included violent crimes such as assault or home robbery.

Listed below are some common offenses committed by people in Galveston County.

• Marijuana
  possession;
• Cultivating
  cannabis;
• Drug trafficking;
• Strangulation;
• Sexual
  assault;
• Prostitution;
• Drug
  manufacturing;
• Prescription
  drug fraud;
• Illegal transfer of a
  firearm;
• Domestic
  assault;
• Human
  trafficking;
• Child
  pornography;
• Unlawful
  possession of a firearm;
• DWI;
• DWI with BAC of .15;
• Intoxication assault;
• Intoxication
  manslaughter;
• Manslaughter; and
• Murder

Crime Statistics for Galveston County, Texas

The Galveston County Sheriff’s Department submit data to an FBI run program called Uniform Crime
Reporting (UCR). The program only records certain offenses which include rape, assault, burglary,
larceny, auto theft, robbery and murder. The FBI then compiles all the data into a spreadsheet so they
can note any possible trends.

Listed below is arrest data collected by the Galveston County Sheriff’s Department in 2018.

• 9,319 offenses were recorded by Galveston County’s Sheriff Department officers;
• 6,108 people were arrested for a type of theft;
• 759 people were charged with grand theft auto;
• 1,513 people were criminally charged with burglary;
• 207 people were arrested for robbery;
• 497 residents faced charges for assault; and
• 15 people were charged with murder

Galveston County Court Resources

Galveston County Criminal Courts – Galveston County has five criminal
courtrooms that are also used for civil cases. These courts only preside over minor crimes such as class
A and B misdemeanors. Each court is presided by a chief judge that is elected by four-year terms.

Judicial District Courts in Galveston County – Texas uses District
Courts to handle felony criminal cases or civil matters that exceed $200. You can locate the District
Court at 600 59th street in the city of Galveston, Texas.

Galveston County District Court – John D. Kinard is the current
District Clerk for Galveston County courts. He acts as the custodian of all records related to cases in
Galveston County’s District Courts. The District Clerk’s office can be found at 722 Moody Avenue in
Galveston.

Fourteenth Court of
Appeals – When a legal error may have compromised a case, you can file for an appeal. All
appeals in Galveston County District Courts are sent to the 14th Court of Appeals in Texas. The
Fourteenth Court of Appeals can be found at 301 Fannin Room #245 in the city of Houston.

Texas Supreme
Court – Cases that have been appealed multiple times head to the Texas Supreme Court. The court
is composed of eight justices and one chief justice who are all elected by their community. The Supreme
Court can be found at 201 West 14th Street #104 in Austin.

Galveston County Law Enforcement Resources

Galveston
County Sherriff – The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office vows to serve its residents with
respect, fairness and sensitivity. The current elected Sheriff for Galveston County is Henry Trochesset.
You can locate their offices at 601 54th Street in the city of Galveston.

Galveston
Police Department – The Galveston Police Department protects it’s residents by providing quality
law enforcement services. The current Chief of Police for the department is Vernon Hale. Their offices
are located at 601 54th St. in Galveston.

Texas
Highway Patrol – The Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) division for freeway traffic
offenses is referred to as the Highway Patrol. Highway Patrol officers are responsible for monitoring
motorists on the highway. You can locate the nearest Highway Patrol officer near you by using the link
above.

Texas Department of
Justice – The Department of Criminal Justice handles detention facilities such as prisons or
state jails in Texas. They also regulate programs by the Board of Criminal Justice and rehabilitation
programs designed to reduce chemical dependency in offenders.

Cities Located in Galveston County, Texas

Galveston County has 12 incorporated cities and 7 unincorporated communities. The following are some
prominent cities located in Galveston County, Texas.

• Bayou Vista - Bayou Vista is a town in the Galveston County with a population
  of about 1,644. If you have been pulled over in this area, it is likely that it was off of
  either I-45 or Highway 6, those are the nearest highways in the area. Bayou Vista is a
  waterfront community, most of the homes are right on the water with access to the bay
• Clear Lake Shores - Clear Lake Shores was developed in 1926 and became a city
  in 1962. The city is home to about 1,443 people and was renamed by the senate as “The Yachting
  Capital of Texas”. This is because this small city has more boat slips than it has people, and
  some of the residents live on their yachts. Clear Lake shores is in northwestern Galveston
  County on Farm Road 2094 about 22 miles from Galveston. If you don’t live in this beautiful city
  it is a great place to visit. They have great restaurants, a local pub, and sandbar
• Dickinson - Dickinson is at the northwest corner of Galveston County on Highway
  3 and I-45 in the Galveston metropolitan area. Dickinson is one of the larger cities in
  Galveston County with a population of about 25,000. The city has many advantages, it is
  sometimes known as the best kept secret on the Gulf Coast. It is located near so many great
  places because it is between Houston and Galveston. Its only 20 minutes from the beach and only
  10 miles from the Clear Lake Resort, Johnson Space Center, and three major shopping malls.
• Galveston - The city of Galveston is on Galveston Island in the Gulf of Mexico.
  It is about fifty miles from Houston and not far from I-45, actually at the southern tip of 45.
  The city of Galveston is a great vacation area and a great weekend getaway especially for those
  living in Houston and surrounding cities. There is so much to do in this wonderful city such as
  water recreation, great restaurants and bars, and even shopping.
• Hitchcock - Hitchcock is fourteen miles from Galveston in Galveston County. The
  surrounding roads and highways are Highway 6 and Farm Roads 519 and 2004. Hitchcock is one of
  the oldest communities in Galveston County and has a population of about 6,386. Hitchcock
  features an array of attractions from Harbor Walk with a bay club, marina, and great real
  estate. There is also Jack Brook’s Park, a great location for recreational events.
• Jamaica Beach - Jamaica Beach is located on Galveston Island, on West Bay and
  Farm Road 3005. The population in the area is of about 1,075 people. Jamaica Beach has a
  reputation of being one of the safest areas to live in Galveston.
• Kemah - Kemah is in northeastern Galveston County on Galveston Bay, on Highway
  146 and Farm Road 518. The population in this area is about 2,330.
• La Marque - La Marque is a residential community in Galveston County located
  off of I-45, state highway3, and Farm Roads 519, 1765, and 2004. The population in this area as
  of 2000 was about 13,682 people.
• League City - League City has a population of about 45,444, one of the largest
  cities in Galveston County. It is off of State Highway 3 and U.S. Highway 75.
• Santa Fe - Santa Fe is five miles west of I-45 between Houston and Galveston.
  The city covers about 12 square miles and has an estimated population of about 10,500 people.
• Texas City - Texas City is a deep water port on the mainland in Galveston
  County. It is only Seven miles from Galveston, with a population of 41,521 as of the year 2000.

Additional Resources

Texas
State Law Library – Visit the official website of the Texas Law Library to learn more about the
Texas Constitution and statutes. Access the laws to get answers to legal questions you have. You can
also access their research guides to help you to delve further into a topic.

Galveston District Attorney – Visit the official website of Jack Roady,
the Galveston County’s District Attorney. Attorney Roady leads prosecutors and represents the county of
Galveston in criminal cases. Access the site to obtain records information, proposal requests and more.

Criminal Defense Attorneys in Galveston, Texas

If you or someone you know has been criminally charged in Galveston County, it’s imperative you seek
legal representation. You can find quality legal counsel with the attorneys at [firm]. Our team has
years of experience with criminal matters ranging from DWI to violent crimes.

Contact us now at [phone] to set up a free consultation. [firm] accepts clients throughout the
communities of Galveston and Houston including West University Place, Pasadena, League City and Texas
City.

This article was last updated on March 21, 2019.