Governor Abbott Announces Additional Funding For Border Prosecution Unit
“Texas has made great strides in securing our southern border, and the Border Prosecution Unit has been effective in helping investigate and prosecute criminals,” said Governor Abbott.
Governor Greg Abbott today announced $365,000 in grant funding for the Border Prosecution Unit (BPU).
The BPU is made up of 17 district and county attorney offices within the Texas border region that focus on investigating and prosecuting cases related to narcotics, weapons, human trafficking, organized crime, gangs, and other border-related offenses.
This grant brings the total amount awarded to the BPU this year to $6 million in funding. The Texas Border Prosecution Unit was established in 2009 by the 81st Legislature.
The Governor’s Homeland Security Grants Division (HSGD) administers the grant program which funds prosecution resources for district and county attorneys along the border and in counties significantly affected by border crime. The HSGD has 20 active BPU grants for 2018.
The grants support salaries for prosecutors, paralegals and investigators, as well as training for unit members and law enforcement agencies. Last fiscal year, the BPU programs reported more than 5,200 cases filed and 2,800 individuals attending training sessions.
The counties receiving additional funds include: Bee, Cameron, Dallas, Hidalgo, Uvalde, Webb and Zavala.
In addition to this new grant, border prosecutors, investigators, and other support personnel will gather in Austin next week for the annual BPU Conference.
Approximately 70 personnel are expected to attend trainings and meetings during the course of the four days. Conference activities center around continuing education, unit coordination, and budgeting and planning for future grant cycles.
