Abbott Announces Over $308 Million In Funds For Public Safety In Texas
When it comes to public safety, Governor Abbott and Republicans in Texas have made it clear that law enforcement and other areas of public safety are a priority. On Wednesday, Governor Greg Abbott announced that a number of public safety initiatives in Texas would be seeing more funding.
Abbott announced on Wednesday that his Public Safety Office will distribute more than $308 million dollars in grant funds for a variety of public safety services and programs throughout Texas. These include victim services, anti-human trafficking programs and efforts, and support for law enforcement. A combination of state and federal dollars made the grant possible.
According to KXAN, the grants recently released include, but are not limited to, funding for the following programs and services:
- Bullet resistant vests
- County innovations to address commercial sexual exploitation
- Crime Stoppers assistance
- District attorney forensic evidence testing
- Homeland security
- Human trafficking
- Internet crimes against children task forces
- Incident-based reporting conversion
- Justice assistance
- Juvenile justice and truancy prevention
- Local border security
- Non-profit security enhancement
- Paul Coverdell forensic sciences improvement
- Project Safe neighborhoods
- Residential substance abuse treatment
- SAFE Ready facilities
- Serving victims of crime and addressing violence against women
- Sexual assault evidence testing
- Specialty courts
In announcing the grant money, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, "nothing is more important than the safety and security of our communities."
As Texans continue to see crime increase throughout the state and a border that is in crisis which allows for human trafficking and drug smuggling, it seems as though this money is well spent to help keep our communities safe.
You can read the full press release from Governor Abbott here.