Texas Game Wardens Made 13 Arrests, Issued 782 Citations and Warnings Over Labor Day Weekend
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Texas game wardens patrolled Texas waters for more than 2,500 hours statewide over the busy Labor Day holiday.
They made 13 arrests and issued 782 citations and warnings statewide, up by around 100 from last year.
Several were for boating or driving while intoxicated.
“With last year’s sharp increase in water-related tourism and accidents, our agency took every precaution available to ensure the safety of all visitors on the water and in our parks,” said Cody Jones, assistant commander for Marine Enforcement for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
“We had 354 Texas game wardens on patrol, and they made contact with at least 34,770 vessels on the water, confirming everyone aboard was equipped with life vests, children were supervised, and boats followed state law,” he said in a statement.
The ramp-up in patrols and boater-education outreach programs led to the biggest success of the weekend — a 43% decrease in boating-related accidents and a 50% decrease in open-water drownings since last year, Jones said.
TPWD also supports its warden in the field with state-of-the-art equipment, new technology, and sophisticated training to achieve its goal of zero fatalities and zero boating accidents.
“Until then, we remain vigilant,” Jones said.
