Pictured left to right: Schleicher County Sheriff Jason Chatham, Comptroller Glenn Hegar, County Treasurer Jennifer Henderson and County Judge Charlie Bradley met to discuss the SB 22 grant program.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, whose office administers the grants, embarked on a Good for Texas Tour to see how several counties benefited from the first round of funding distributions.

The first leg of the Comptroller’s tour took him to Menard, Schleicher and Tom Green counties in the West Texas economic region. Before sitting down with officials in Tom Green County, Hegar viewed the tactical vehicle the sheriff’s office purchased with grant funds. The plan is to use this vehicle to assist with cases not just in Tom Green but in surrounding counties for crossover efforts.

Pictured: Tom Green County Courthouse with the Lenco BearCat tactical police vehicle the sheriff’s office purchased with SB 22 grant funds.

The need for competitive wages has been a common topic during discussions with local law enforcement; a large portion of grant funds are allocated to this area. Tom Green County Sheriff Nick Hanna said law enforcement is a competitive job force so having funds to not only attract new officers but to retain current ones is vital.

Pictured left to right: County Judge Lane Carter in discussion with Hegar inside the Tom Green County Courthouse.

With those funds, the departments can do what is necessary to become fully staffed and well-equipped agencies, enabling them to better protect their communities’ residents. Hegar said there is nothing more important than safe communities across Texas.

Pictured left to right: Hegar talked with District Attorney Tonya Ahlschwede, Sheriff Buck Miller and Sheriff-elect Burl Hagler at the Menard County Courthouse.

In Menard County, local officials shared their experiences with Hegar, describing how they benefited from grant funding. They used their grant allocation to hire employees, provide raises and purchase new patrol vehicles. District Attorney Tonya Ahlschwede said rural counties deal with some of the same types of crime as the bigger cities do, but with fewer resources.

Pictured: Chatham and Hegar viewing new weapons that were purchased with grant funds.

Schleicher County Sheriff Jason Chatham showed Hegar new rifles and safety equipment purchased for deputies, who in the past may have had to carry their personal weapons when the department ran short. The sheriff’s office also used grant funding to hire additional deputies to fill vacancies, addressing circumstances in which there would only be one deputy per shift responding to calls, with no backup. Besides providing additional coverage, the increased workforce allows for staff to take time off to be with their families, Chatham said. Competitive salaries also help attract well-qualified individuals, further improving public safety.

Pictured left to right: Smith County Chief Deputy Jimmy Jackson, Hegar and Sgt. Pete Peters viewing types of service weapons that were purchased with grant funds for the sheriff’s office.

In Smith County, law enforcement officials described how deputies previously had to supply their own weapons and tactical gear. The grant allocation allowed all deputies to receive department-issued equipment, including tactical weapons. Deputy Sabrina Rodriguez said it could be a financial burden for officers to purchase a gun and safety equipment, especially for new officers. With the new weapons and equipment, that burden is removed from current and future deputies.

Pictured left to right: Comptroller Hegar and Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds conversing during the SB 22 visit to Comal County.

The final tour stop took Hegar just north of San Antonio to fast-growing Comal County. Hegar saw the safety equipment that the sheriff’s office purchased, and he heard about how the grant funding helped with salary increases for the prosecutor’s office. Criminal District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said the grant has provided her with an asset that she can use to attract and retain prosecutors.