HOUSTON – Houston Metro launched its new METRO Police Department Mobile Operations Command Center (MOCC) at Moody Park on Houston’s Northside, drawing questions from some residents about the police presence at the location during early voting.
METRO Police said the mobile unit is designed to bring officers, assistance and services directly to riders, employees and neighborhoods throughout the transit system. Moody Park was the unit’s first stop, with plans to move it to other locations based on transit and community needs.
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KPRC 2 has received calls and concerns from residents who reported seeing a significant police presence at Moody Park, where early voting began Monday, Oct. 19. One resident said they had voted at the community center for years but had not previously seen a similar police presence there. The resident also questioned why officers were visible at that location but not at a polling place near River Oaks.
The resident expressed concern that the presence could discourage voting in the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. However, it has not been established that the mobile command center’s deployment was connected to early voting or intended to affect voter participation.
