| Item Title: | DA- Border Prosecution Unit Grant FY20 Request to Apply | | Submitted By: | Jaime Esparza, District Attorney, District Attorney's Office (915) 546-2059 | | Subject: | Approve and authorize the District Attorney's Office to apply for the Office of the Governor Homeland Security Grants Division grant for El Paso County's Border Prosecution Unit (BPU Grant) for fiscal year 2020 for the period beginning September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020 in the amount of $1,236,000. No County match is required.
| | Background: | The grant was put in place by the Governor’s Office. It includes a network of 17 state prosecutors with jurisdictions along the Texas/Mexico border (encompassing 48 border counties) and 4 district attorney offices with prosecutors dedicated to the Texas- Anti-Gang (TAG) Centers in El Paso, Bexar, Harris and Dallas who work in close partnership with DPS and local law enforcement agencies to coordinate their investigatory and prosecutorial response to criminal enterprises threatening security in the border regions of Texas. Collectively, border prosecutors concentrate on cases involving violent criminal street gangs, drug traffickers, money laundering operations, car theft rings, illegal weapons transactions, and human trafficking operations. The Legislature committed additional resources to District Attorney Offices to supplement local law-enforcement efforts combating border crime. Increased efforts in law enforcements result in increased caseloads for local prosecution offices in border counties- hence the Border Prosecution Unit. | | Fiscal Impact: | Account will be set up at the time the grant is awarded and approved by Commissioners Court.
The grant application is for $1,236,000. | | Recommendation: | Approve and authorize the District Attorney's Office to apply for the Office of the Governor Homeland Security Grants Division grant for El Paso County's Border Prosecution Unit (BPU Grant) for fiscal year 2020 for the period beginning September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020 in the amount of $1,236,000. No County match is required. | | Prior Action: | BPU Grant Award for FY19 Approved by Commissioners Court 10/30/2018 item #8; Grant Award $1,090,000.00 with $0 cash match; contract # 2018-0769
BPU Grant Application (request to apply) for FY19 Approved by Commissioners Court on 1/22/2018 item #19; contract# 2018-0193.
BPU Grant Award for FY18 approved by Commissioners Court on 8/21/17 item #9 ; Grant Award $1,090,000.00 with $0 cash match; contract# 2017-0509
BPU Grant Application (request to apply) for FY18 approved by Commissioners Court 2/27/17 item# 18; Contract #2017-0215 | | Strategic Plan: | .. | | Strategic Plan Information: | |
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