Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock has announced the creation of a Law Enforcement Advisory Panel. The new panel aims to improve cooperation between the Comptroller’s office and law enforcement leaders throughout Texas. According to Hancock, the group will advise on public safety grant programs and highlight issues that may need attention from the Comptroller or its Criminal Investigation Division.
“Texas depends on strong partnerships with the men and women who protect our communities every day,” Hancock said. “This advisory panel ensures we are hearing directly from law enforcement professionals as we administer critical grant programs and continue supporting public safety across our state.”
The advisory panel will offer guidance on two major grant initiatives: the Senate Bill 22 Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program, which helps rural sheriff’s offices and prosecutors with recruitment, retention, and equipment needs; and the Senate Bill 8 Sheriff’s Immigration Law Enforcement Grant Program, which provides support for counties involved in federal immigration enforcement agreements by covering personnel, training, and operational costs.
Panel members are scheduled to meet quarterly. Their meetings will focus on reviewing how these programs are implemented, sharing best practices from their own agencies, and discussing new challenges facing law enforcement in Texas. The membership of the panel may expand over time as it develops.
Members named to the inaugural panel include:
– Bill Waybourn (Chair), Sheriff of Tarrant County
– Randy Aguirre, Sheriff of Bee County
– Al Auxier, Sheriff of Kendall County
– Hunter Barnes, Sheriff of Hill County
– Joseph “Guy” Baker, Sheriff of Jim Wells County
– William A. “Tony” Bennie, Sheriff of Grayson County
– Ricky Bishop, Sheriff of Taylor County
– Thaddeus C. Cleveland, Sheriff of Terrell County
– Richard “Rick” DeLeon III, Sheriff of Matagorda County
– Wesley Doolittle, Sheriff of Montgomery County
– Brian Hawthorne, Sheriff of Chambers County
– Tracy Murphree, Sheriff of Denton County
– Jacob Putman, Criminal District Attorney for Smith County
– Bo Stallman, Sheriff of Brazoria County
– Brian L. Thomas, Sheriff of Potter County
These individuals bring a range of experience from local policing to federal service roles such as U.S. Border Patrol agents and Texas Rangers.
For more information about these law enforcement grant programs or about the work being done by this advisory panel visit the Comptroller’s website.
