Commissioners Court Special Meeting

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Meeting Date:	01/18/2022
VAWA Grant Application Authorization Request by the Webb Co. Sheriff's Office
Submitted for:	Martin Cuellar	Submitted By:	Anita Guerra
Department:	Sheriff

Subject:

Discussion and possible action to approve the submission of a Violent Crimes Against Women Criminal Justice and Training (VAWA) grant application as developed, written, and submitted by the Webb County Sheriff’s Office Grant Writer to the Criminal Justice Division (CJD) Office of Governor (OOG) and in the amount estimated at $7,000 for training and supplies for investigators and patrol officers working at the Webb County Sheriff’s Office serving victims of violent crimes against women and authorizing the County Judge to execute all relevant documents; and any other matters incident thereto. This grant requires a Thirty (30%) percent cash match, or a $3,000 cash match, which will be met by the Webb County Sheriff's Office state forfeiture funds. Thus, this grant will have no impact to the general fund. All required documents were sent to the Economic Development Department and were found in compliance with the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) policy. [Requested by Martin Cuellar, Sheriff; Grant Fund #2605; Cash Match Account #2151-9080-001-485005 (Transfer out from State Forfeiture Funds)]

Issue: Violence against women is among the most intractable and deadliest criminal justice problems in the United States, especially domestic violence and in the South Texas area. According to published statistics, the number of American women between 2001-2012 who were murdered by current or ex male partners in the United States was 11,766. That's almost double the amount of casualties lost during wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Women who will be victims of severe violence by an intimate partner in their lifetimes number 1 in 4. (“30 Shocking Domestic Violence Statistics That Remind Us It’s An Epidemic” Vagianos 10/23/2014).

Solution: Grant application to enhance the tools, techniques, and training to those investigators who follow-up to calls for assistance, conduct interviews with these victims, file incident reports, provide these victims information/referrals to service providers, initiate arrests of perpetrators, refer cases for prosecution, and prepare testimony/evidence for trial in cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

Result: Enhanced law enforcement services, including investigative techniques, to deal with emergent criminal trends, such as cyber stalking, and improved efficacy of the law enforcement response to the needs of victims of violent crime.

Background:

The purpose of this grant application is to assist in developing and strengthening the Webb County Sheriff’s Office law enforcement strategies to combat family violence, sexual assault, sexual human trafficking, dating violence, and stalking crimes against women and to develop and strengthen the Webb County Sheriff’s Office victim services in such cases.

Previous Court Action:

This grant is authorized for submission and acceptance on a yearly basis.

Fiscal Impact

Budget Account Number:	2605
Funding Source:	Grant Revenue
Balance:	$7,000
Financial Impact:
$7,000 estimated grant funds Thus, there will no impact to the general fund

Budget Account Number:	2151
Funding Source:	State Forfeiture
Balance:	$3,000
Financial Impact:
$3,000 from the Sheriff's state forfeiture to cover cash match. Thus, there is no impact to the general fund.