McALLEN, TX - Today, the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, the McAllen Police Department, and the Texas Department of Safety announced a finalized MOU to begin creation and operation of the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center (TTIC). The MOU signifies the collaboration of utilizing $2.4 million in funding for the TTIC as a result of a rider authored and secured in the state budget by Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa last legislative session.

House Bill 11, sponsored and passed last session by Senator Hinojosa, authorized the creation of a new multiagency crime information center in the Rio Grande Valley that will be operated by local law enforcement and DPS. Rider 48 authorized the funding of $2.4 million for the operation of the center. The TTIC will serve as a central repository of real-time information related to criminal activity in the counties along the Texas-Mexico border and will operate 24 hours a day.

Senator Hinojosa highlighted the importance of the TTIC with the following comments:

"The creation of a Texas Transnational Intelligence Center is key for the Rio Grande Valley in protecting our border. Through this unique collaboration, our different branches of law enforcement can work together to gather real-time criminal activity and better monitor the Texas-Mexico border to reduce crime.

I am honored to have worked on this legislation with State Rep. Bobby Guerra and the entire Valley delegation to create the center and to have secured the funding to support its operations. The Rio Grande Valley is at the forefront of cutting-edge technology and information-sharing to ensure the safety and security of our families which is of the utmost importance.

Thank you to DPS Director Steve McCraw, Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra, and McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez for your leadership and working together to formalize the MOU."

Each law enforcement agency in a county located along the Texas-Mexico border, a county with a federal checkpoint, the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC), and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) are required to report certain criminal activity to the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center such as home invasions, kidnappings, drug raids, and any suspicious activity along the border. The information reported must be made available to each law enforcement agency in Texas, as well as to TABC and TPWD.

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