ABOUT THIS STORY

Chronicle reporters used annual traffic enforcement data from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement as well as the state's staffing numbers for each department. Staffing numbers represent a point in time and departments contacted by the the Chronicle said the size of the department may have fluctuated slightly over the course of the year. The Chronicle also reviewed a random sampling of tickets from several cities along with budget and ticket data. Finally, reporters spoke with motorists, experts, and law enforcement officers from many of the towns identified in this piece.