Beaumont: Local police operation takes guns off streets

Beaumont Enterprise
Megan Zapalac, Kim Brent, Staff writer, Photojournalist
Aug. 23, 2023

In February, Beaumont Police Chief James Singletary and others laid the groundwork for a new operation with one mission -- get guns off the streets and out of the hands of violent criminals.

Operation Ceasefire was made up of the Beaumont Police Department Special Assignment Unit, the Special Services Detail, the Criminal Investigation Division and patrol in collaboration with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

It's a multi-faceted effort that U.S. Congressman Brian Babin on Wednesday morning said pushes "the ball in the right direction to ensure the well-being of the city where I grew up."

Operation Ceasefire officers hit the ground running in May and finished the operation last Thursday.

It's only the end of the first chapter of the department's plan to decrease gun violence in the community, Special Assignment Lieutenant Matt Laird said. He was responsible for building the intelligence needed, creating a plan for the operation and overseeing its progress. He said it will continue, just in a slightly different format, in the future.

In its six-month run, Operation Ceasefire resulted in 891 high-risk traffic stops; 260 arrests, 12 of which were turned in for federal firearms violations; and recovery of 80 firearms, according to Singletary.

Arrests made during the operation ranged from possession of a controlled substance to firearms possession and violations, unlawfully carrying a weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Many of the suspects arrested were also known violent offenders with substantial criminal histories, and some were known homicide suspects, according to Singletary.

Singletary said the strategies used during this operation will be integrated into future policing but stressed that they cannot do the work without public cooperation and assistance. That starts with not leaving guns in unlocked vehicles.

According the Beaumont Police Department, 99 firearms were stolen from vehicles in Beaumont this year to-date, and 86% of firearms stolen from vehicles in 2023 were stolen from unlocked vehicles.

He said the department also needs cooperation in solving these crimes because “many times in the past” people know who the assailant is but do not work with police.

"We can't do this without you," Singletary said. "We need your help and cooperation in investigations."

It's a sentiment that was reiterated throughout the press conference by every speaker taking the podium in Singletary's wake.

"We as a community need to show up -- Beaumont police can't do it alone," Mayor Roy West said. "It's going to take the entire community being collaborative and trusting in the police."

City Manager Kenneth Williams said it is his priority to keep Beaumont safe, and the city wants to give the police department the resources they need to be able to fight the problem.

“We want you to know that Beaumont is a safe city,” Williams said. “We're working to keep Beaumont a safe city and we're going to continue that into the future. Police departments are committed to that effort; City Council is committed to that effort.”

“New technology, new information gathering techniques are all being utilized and you can see the success of it,” West said. “I'm excited about what's to come and some of the new technology that the police department will be using. But I'm also excited to see how the residents of Beaumont, Texas show up for one another, because that is where we'll see the greatest change.”

Babin has supported legislation to ensure that law enforcement nationwide, and especially in Texas, has the tools necessary to accomplish their mission, including special, targeted programs like Operation Ceasefire.

Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens said she is passionate about keeping the City of Beaumont safe while filling her role as head of the department that has all of Jefferson County under its watch.

"I grew up here. I want my parents who live here to be safe," Stephens said. “When I hear people talk about how unsafe the city of Beaumont is, know that the boundaries don't just end at the city limits of Beaumont,” Stephens said. “The same crooks that are in Beaumont, guess where they go? Jefferson County."

Stephens thanked her colleagues in Beaumont for spearheading an effort to combat the problem of gun violence and crime.

"While you're sleeping safely in your homes, things you don't know about are going on to keep this community safe," she said.