Operation Lone Star, officer safety gear, other programs to benefit from $500M in public safety grants

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Border security, police officer safety gear, and crime victim/survivor support are some of the focuses of programs that will benefit from more than $500 million in grants provided through the governor's Public Safety Office this year.

Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday announced that the office would administer the funding to several public safety programs and services across Texas.

“Ensuring the safety and security of Texans is our top priority in Texas," Abbott said in the release. "These 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. With this $500 million in grant funding, we will continue to build a safer Texas for all." 

Abbott's release listed 25 efforts the money will be dispersed across, with each focus having several different grant awards being funded.

The area with the highest amount of funding was "Serving Victims of Crime and Addressing Violence Against Women." There were 509 awards totaling $194.9 million to "provide services directly to victims of crime to speed their recovery and aid them through the criminal justice process, as well as projects that promote a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach to improve the justice system’s response to violent crimes against women," according to Abbott's office.

Border security and homeland security were also listed several times as areas receiving funding.

Operation Lone Star, the state’s massive and unilateral border enforcement effort that was created in 2021, was given 87 awards totaling $55.7 million. Abbott's office said that money will go toward projects that "enhance interagency border security operations supporting Operation Lone Star including facilitation of directed actions to deter and interdict criminal activity."

The state has spent at least $11 billion on Operation Lone Star since it started in 2021, per KXAN reporting from September of this year. Lawmakers intend to continue and expand the efforts.

Border Fire Zone departments were awarded a total of $3.1 million spread across 22 awards. Abbott's office said that will "assist professional fire departments in the border region with the acquisition of specialized equipment and medical supplies to support emergency services associated with the execution of activities that deter crime in the border region."

Seventy-four awards totaling $5.5 million went to local border security efforts or Operation Border Star. The release said that money will "provide for overtime and operating costs that support an increased law enforcement presence to detect, deter, and disrupt drug, human, and other trafficking along the Texas-Mexico border."

Homeland security efforts were given 316 awards totaling $56.5 million to "help prevent terrorism and prepare for the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to the security of Texas and its citizens," the release said. The projects fund equipment, planning, training, exercises, and other activities for local, regional, and state-level agencies and strengthen core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal.

Police officer equipment was another focal point for the grant money. There were 98 awards geared toward body-worn cameras, a total of $4.6 million. That will help equip peace officers with body-worn camera systems to document investigative activities, per Abbott's office.

There was also money designated to bullet-resistant shields and bullet-resistant vests.

One hundred awards, totaling $4.9 million, are going toward the shields, and 113 awards totaling $1.8 million will go toward the vests.

Several other public safety programs will also get some of the $500 million. Those are listed and detailed on the Public Safety Office website.