$500M Worth of Texas Public Safety Grants Announced by Gov. Abbott

On Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the Public Safety Office will begin administering over $500 million of grants for various safety programs and services across Texas.

Enhanced Public Safety in Texas

Gov. Abbott included in the announcement that the "public safety grants will provide critical funding to strengthen Texas agencies and organizations as they work to secure the border, prevent human trafficking, ensure justice for victims, and protect Texans from dangerous criminals and violence."

The Texas Tribune reports that the proposed funds are sourced from hundreds of individual grants by the Public Safety Office through the office of the Texas Governor. Recipients of such grants "include local police departments, nonprofit organizations focused on deterring crime, district attorney offices and state agencies, among others."

Some of the largest grants will include the following awards:

• $194.9 million dedicated for victims of crime and violence against women. This will help speed victim's recoveries while addressing improvements to the criminal justice system.
• $56.5 million for Homeland Security in preventing terrorism on U.S. soil. This also is meant to fund equipment and training for state-level agencies.
• $55.7 million for Operation Lone Star meant to enhance border security and eliminate criminal activity.
• $30.4 million for non-profit security enhancement that will support the physical security of nonprofits like synagogues, churches or other religious buildings against terrorist attacks.

Abbott includes that this is all made possible through a combination of federal and state dollars, and that the safety of all Texans is the top priority.