Driscoll City Council Unanimously Vote to Disband Police Department

Driscoll Police Department

DRISCOLL, TEXAS (News Release) - The Driscoll City Council members recently voted unanimously to disband the Driscoll Police Department due to budget cuts.

On Friday, February 2, 2024, Driscoll Police Department Chief Joe D. Burns announced the shut down on social media.

Burns stated “I would like to thank the City for the opportunity I had serving this community as your Chief of Police the last 3 years. My family and I will take with us the many memories we shared here with great people and miss the many community events that we organized throughout the year. The community events were my favorite part of this journey.”

In 2018 there were talks of dissolving the department at that time.

"Driscoll is struggling financially. They're looking at where they can cut the budget," John Marez, former Precinct 3 commissioner, said to the Caller Times in a 2018 interview.

With a population of 680 at the 2020 census, down from 739 at the 2000 census, some rural towns opt to de-annexing themselves and function as an unincorporated city.

It has yet to be determined how law enforcement will be handled in the city.