DPS approves $2.4 million for Texas Transnational Intelligence Center
MCALLEN, RGV – The Texas Department of Public Safety approved the transfer of funds for the amount of about $2.4 million to the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the McAllen Police Department for the construction of the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center.
During the last Texas legislative session in 2015, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa sponsored and passed House Bill 11. According to the Texas Legislature website, the bill relates to the powers and duties of the Texas Department of Public Safety ( TX DPS), military and law enforcement training, and the investigation, prosecution, punishment and prevention of certain offenses; creating an offense and increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.
According to a press release from the Texas Senate, House Bill 11 authorized the creation of a new multiagency crime center in the Rio Grande Valley that will be operated by local law enforcement and DPS. The Texas Transnational Intelligence Center (TTIC) will be a 24/7 repository for real-time information related to criminal activities in counties along the Texas-Mexico border.
Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra said the TTIC will gather criminal activity information from about 532 law enforcement agencies along the Texas-Mexico border and counties with a checkpoint. TTIC will also house the RGV Texas Anti-Gang center (TAG). TAG is an information-sharing organization targeting gangs that already has nine agencies committed to the project. The crime center will also have a communications component where data analysts can analyze crimes in the region.
Read more: http://riograndeguardian.com/dps-approves-2-4-million-for-texas-transnational-intelligence-center/