UVALDE, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that the Department of Public Safety will be providing more than 30 law enforcement officers to Uvalde CISD.
The announcement comes as the district prepares for the upcoming school year, which starts on September 6, and adds to security measures already implemented through private and public funding.
Families in the town are demanding security measures after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary on May 24.
“The beginning of a new school year should be an exciting time for students and teachers, and the State of Texas is working to provide that for the Uvalde community,” said Governor Abbott.
DPS security presence was requested by the UCISD Superintendent Dr. Hal Harrell and is intended to help students, parents, and school staff members feel secure as they return to school.
In addition to the 30 law enforcement officers, Governor Abbott says the state has also taken other steps to ensure school safety in Uvalde.
They include the following, according to his office:
Initiating the
State of Texas’ comprehensive plan to assist and support members of the community, including co-locating state agency representatives to the Family Assistance Center for on-hand assistance in finding benefits.Investing
an initial $5 million to establish a long-term Family Resiliency Center in Uvalde County to serve as a hub for community services, including access to critical mental health resources.Providing
$1.25 million to Uvalde Consolidated School District for trauma-informed counseling, crisis intervention, and community outreach.Working with the OneStar Foundation to create a
one-stop webpage for donations to support the victims’ families, teachers, and the Uvalde community.Directing the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to ensure all children in Uvalde have
access to behavioral health resources and community support.Providing
$105.5 million to enhance school safety and mental health services in Uvalde and throughout Texas.Issuing a
disaster declaration to accelerate all available state and local resources to assist the Uvalde community.Requesting Texas legislative leaders convene
special legislative committees to begin examining and developing legislative recommendations on school safety, mental health, social media, police training, firearm safety, and more. Directing the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) to begin immediately conducting
comprehensive school safety reviews to ensure all Texas public schools are following the appropriate procedures to maximize school safety.Directing the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to
provide strategies to make Texas public schools safer through heightened safety standards.Instructing the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) programs to
provide training to all school districts across the state, prioritizing school-based law enforcement.Directing TEA, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to expand and accelerate the ability to report suspicious activity through the
iWatchTexas reporting system.Directing TEA to create a new
Chief of School Safety and Security position within the agency. Urging the Texas District & County Attorneys Association (TDCAA) to
increase lie-and-try prosecutions of people who lie on information provided for gun background checks.