HOUSTON – It’s a New Year, and Harris County has a new District Attorney; Sean Teare was officially sworn in a minute after midnight on New Year’s night.
RECAP: ‘This victory is for everyone’: Sean Teare elected new District Attorney for Harris Cou
On X, the DA’s office proudly touted the moment saying “New Era.”
NEW ERA
— Harris County District Attorney (@HarrisCountyDAO) January 1, 2025
1.1.25 pic.twitter.com/YO7orC77PB
Dozens gathered in the chamber—-one minute into the new year—Sean Teare took his oath as the new district attorney, followed by swearing in incoming senior staff members.
As far as business is concerned, Teare noted there will be some immediate changes, he says he plans to overhaul the Harris County Intake Division.
“It’s getting experienced prosecutors back in there on the phones to be a resource for law enforcement to be the voice on the other end of the line when officers have questions to really be gatekeepers to make sure we’re arresting who we should arrest for the charges they should be arrested for,” he said after the swearing-in ceremony. “And that’s going to start today.”
Following a primary election in March, Teare emerged as the Democratic candidate after winning against incumbent DA Kim Ogg.
In this election, Teare faced Republican candidate Dan Simons, who he defeated 51% - 49%. Before the results were called on Election Day, our cameras caught a cordial moment between the opponents, where they not only shook hands but agreed they shared the same vision to improve the DA’s office.
“Good luck tonight, seriously. Either way it goes, I think it’s gonna be a much better office than it was.” Simon said.
“Better than it was!” Teare repeated in agreement.
Teare previously served as Division Chief of the Vehicular Crimes for the DA’s Office before he resigned in February 2023. During an exclusive interview back then with KPRC 2 Investigates reporter Joel Eisenbaum, he revealed how becoming the DA was always his dream and why he decided to run against his former boss.
“I have wanted to have that job for at least 15 years when I came in as an intern in my first year of law school. It felt like home,” Teare said back in 2023. “There’s a morale issue. There’s... there’s a very big morale issue in the DA’s office.”
Now that Teare has officially been sworn in, he reiterated his plans to create a more empathetic justice system, saying he is ready to get the ball rolling.
“We have a lot of work to do in the coming years to improve the criminal justice system,” Teare explained. “I have been building a plan during this transitional period that ensures we have experienced prosecutors on hand to swiftly identify the difference between a good case we should pursue in the name of justice and a case not supported by probable cause that will clog up our system and divert valuable resources from our mission of keeping our community safe.”
