Houston Mayor John Whitmire told reporters on September 9 that a sharp increase in misdemeanor marijuana arrests by the Houston Police Department is largely the result of a change in Harris County district attorney, Houston Public Media reported. Whitmire said charges do not come about without talking to the district attorney, and said the numbers were being played loose with.
The comments followed a Houston Public Media analysis that found a nearly 1,200% increase in misdemeanor marijuana arrests by HPD under Whitmire compared with the three years before he took office. The outlet’s review of Harris County criminal court records found misdemeanor marijuana prosecutions rose from an average of 151 a year in the preceding three years to more than 1,600 in 2024, before District Attorney Sean Teare took office in 2025. Former District Attorney Kim Ogg, who ran the office through 2024, disputed the mayor’s account and attributed the increase to arrests returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Kingwood sits inside Houston city limits, so Houston Police Department policy and City Hall are local news here.
