Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Launches Good for Texas Tour: Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program Edition

October 2, 2024

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Launches Good for Texas Tour: Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program Edition

Through his Good for Texas Tour series, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is highlighting rural law enforcement and prosecutor offices that received more than $125 million in grant funds authorized by the Texas Legislature. Today Hegar is visiting Tom Green, Schleicher and Menard counties, which were among the local governments provided with supplemental salary assistance to help ensure professional law enforcement and legal representation of the people's interests throughout the state.

The Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program, administered by the Comptroller's office, was enacted by Senate Bill 22 during the 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, and provides for qualified counties and prosecutor offices to apply for grants for the 2024-25 biennium. By the end of fiscal 2024 on Aug. 31, Hegar's office had awarded $125.7 million to 502 grant recipients.

"For years, many of these rural law enforcement and prosecutor offices have lacked the resources they need to attract and retain personnel or to buy much-needed equipment," Hegar said. "These men and women are the backbone of their communities, and Texas is committed to supporting them. In some areas officers are purchasing their own weapons and counties can't afford to pay their sheriffs a respectable living wage. This program is a critical step toward ensuring these crucial entities have the resources they need to keep our communities safe, and it's been a privilege to support our hard-working men and women. I'm grateful to the Legislature for trusting me with this effort."

During his Good for Texas Tour: Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program Edition, Hegar is spotlighting information his office has gathered about these rural law enforcement and prosecutor offices and how they have used the funds to help serve their populations.

Through the program, Tom Green County received $1.3 million; Menard and Schleicher counties each received $525,000. The grants allowed these local governments to increase salaries of sheriffs, deputies, jailers and other employees as well as hire additional staff and purchase equipment such as patrol vehicles.

The grant program authorizes the Comptroller's office to administer the following to counties with populations of fewer than 300,000 people:

• The Rural Sheriff's Department Salary Assistance Grant awards grants between $250,000 and $500,000. The funding must be used to provide specified minimum salaries, give salary increases, hire additional deputies or staff for the department, or to purchase safety equipment for the sheriff's department.
• The Rural Constable's Office Salary Assistance Grant provides a minimum salary of $45,000 to an elected constable who makes motor vehicle stops in the routine performance of the constable's duties.
• The Rural Prosecutor's Office Salary Assistance Grant awards grants between $100,000 and $275,000. The funding must be used to increase the salary of assistant attorneys, investigators and victim assistance coordinators, or to hire additional staff.

Visit the Comptroller's website for more information on the Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program.

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