East Texas Police Academy Offering Training on Gas Pump Skimmers
East Texas Council of Governments • September 11, 2020
Specialized training offered to law enforcement officers
The East Texas Police Academy held at Kilgore College will hold specialized training for law enforcement officers to identify skimmers and collect evidence that can lead to the prosecution of criminals installing the devices on gas pumps. The course also will focus on how officers and their departments can educate store owners on securing gas pumps and preventing them from being tampered with.
There will be several classes held throughout the month of September at not cost to local agencies thanks to a training grant with the Texas Department of Agriculture and secured by the East Texas Council of Governments.
To maintain social distancing protocols, the classes will be capped at a total of 25 students.
To sign up for classes, you can visit the Kilgore College Training Calendar.
ETCOG announces that $3.1 million in grants from the Office of the Governor's (OOG) Public Safety Office have been awarded to East Texas jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations. These funds are aimed at enhancing public safety and supporting victims of crime. The program’s mission is to strengthen Texas communities by supporting initiatives that help victims recover and feel secure while also preventing crime through programs that: Prevent juvenile delinquency and support truancy prevention Provide services to victims of crime and address violence against women Support law enforcement and improve the criminal justice system Prevent child sex trafficking, bring justice to its perpetrators, and restore victims ETCOG's Public Safety Division assists jurisdictions in applying for these funds annually, and applications submitted for funding are ranked and scored by the ETCOG Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, which is comprised of local subject-matter experts from across the region. The following Victims of Crime Act, Justice Assistance, Violence Against Women Act, and Juvenile Assistance grants totaling $3,136,019.36 have been approved by the OOG for funding in East Texas: Victims of Crime Act Funds - $2,528,962.18 The Crime Victims Assistance Grant Program (VOCA) devotes resources to providing direct services to victims of crime to help them recover and navigate the justice system.
State agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, universities or colleges, and federally recognized Native American tribes can soon apply for FY 2026 grant funds from the Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office , State Homeland Security Grant Program and Criminal Justice division. New and continuing applicants in ETCOG’s fourteen (14) county region are invited to attend FREE grant application workshops hosted by the ETCOG Public Safety division . Workshops for each grant category to be held virtually from December 18, 2024, through February 13, 2025. Grant funding will be available for the following programs: Homeland Security State Homeland Security Program – Regular Projects (SHSP-R) Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA) Criminal Justice General Victim Assistance Direct Services Program (VOCA) Violence Against Women Justice and Training Program (VAWA) Juvenile Justice & Truancy Prevention Grant Program (SF-JJTP) Criminal Justice Program (DJ-JAG) “The goal is to improve public safety, support victims of crime, and assist jurisdictions by filling gaps in the region via funding that promotes innovative solutions to regional problems,” said ETCOG’s Public Safety Director, Stephanie Heffner. “We help applicants understand what needs to go into their grant applications and what they have to track once they receive funding from the state so we can successfully bring public safety projects to East Texas.” Workshops for Homeland Security will be held on the following dates: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 1, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 8, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 10:00 AM Workshops for Criminal Justice will be held on the following dates: Monday, January 7, 2025 - 2:00 PM Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 10:00 AM Thursday, January 23, 2025 - 2:30 PM Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 2:00 PM Workshops are mandatory if you plan to apply for funding. To participate in a virtual workshop for Homeland Security, visit www.pineywoods911.com/homeland-security . To participate in a virtual workshop for Criminal Justice, visit www.pineywoods911.com/criminal-justice .
