Rural South Texas police department at risk of dissolving; Nueces County may take over

Alexandria Rodriguez | Corpus Christi

Show Caption Hide Caption Nueces County Sheriff Jim Kaelin wants deputies in up-to-date vests Take a look at one of the protective vests Nueces County Sheriff Jim Kaelin wants to fit his deputies with.

A small, rural South Texas police department could soon be a thing of the past.

Talks of abolishing the Driscoll Police Department have been had in recent weeks, Nueces County Precinct 3 Constable Jimmy Rivera said in a July 9 Nueces County Commissioners budget meeting.

"We recently met with the Driscoll City Council, and they are considering abolishing their police department," Rivera said to the commissioners in his request to add two more deputies to his precinct.

News of the talks took most of the commissioners by surprise, one was well aware of the recent discussions.

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John Marez, Precinct 3 commissioner, said there have been talks of dissolving the department. He also said it is not uncommon for small towns that are struggling financially to make such a move.

"Driscoll is struggling financially. They're looking at where they can cut the budget," Marez said. "That is one of the possibilities."

Most small towns in this situation also talk about de-annexing themselves, ceasing to function as a city and begin to function as an unincorporated city — similar to Banquete — Marez said.

Rivera told commissioners two addittional deputies would help his precinct, which would likely pick up deputies in Driscoll, if the department dissolves.

The precinct already picks up slack from the Driscoll and Bishop area.

"We work all their accidents. (The Department of Public Safety) doesn't work in-city accidents. The (Nueces County Sheriff's Office) doesn't work accidents. They have a different set of policies," Rivera said. "Someone has to work them, and that's us."

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If Driscoll's department dissolves, the precinct may have to find other ways to stretch it's four deputies to cover more ground in a 24-hour period.

The precinct also depends on the Nueces County Sheriff's Office to respond to calls in the area, Rivera said.

Brent Chesney, Precinct 4 commissioner, suggested adding deputies to the Nueces County Sheriff's Office to help in longterm efforts.

"We depend on the (sheriff's office), either were gonna take the call or them," Rivera said.

Driscoll City Council members are expected to meet sometime next week. It is unknown if the police department will be discussed.

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A message for the Mayor Marcos Zavala was not returned.