FY 24 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

The Houston Police Department proposes to use funds on law enforcement programs, including technology improvements for law enforcement and overtime initiatives for the City of Houston. HPD will use grant funding to fund eight civilian positions. The six civilian positions in Information Services will provide essential support in implementing computer systems deployed across the department. These roles are critical to the development and maintenance of technology support department wide. The JAG funded Financial Analyst III and IV civilian positions in the Budget and Finance Division will provide oversight of the financial and programmatic activities for HPD. These tasks will benefit the entirety of the department and provide the needed oversight for the federal and state grants administered by the Houston Police Department. The overtime grant funding will be used for targeted law enforcement overtime for patrol and the Victim Services Division. The overtime grant funding for civilians will assist in the administrative duties in other high demand areas as required. The goals are to ensure the security profile of all systems being converged to meet the minimum specifications of the Federal Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) requirements, provide oversight of all financial and programmatic activities for the Houston Police Department, provide a reduction in crime reducing response times for calls for service and back log of violent crime victim requests. The strategies are to develop and maintain the technology support department wide, ensure the security profile of all systems, maintain oversight of all financial and programmatic activities for the department, reducing crime and response times for calls for service. The top five project identifiers are overtime, system improvements, community policing, crime prevention and policing. Harris County will use FY 2024 JAG funds to purchase much-needed technology and equipment, as well as to provide critical training and overtime for personnel. Grant funds will be utilized by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the eight different Harris County Constable Offices. The equipment to be purchased under this grant includes crime intelligence software, crowd control equipment, computers, cameras, portable fingerprint machines, hydraulic shears, and more. The purpose of this project is to invest JAG funds in a way that bolsters Harris County’s ability to provide excellent law enforcement and detention services to the 4.8 million residents of Harris County.