Criminal Justice
BVCOG receives planning funds from the Criminal Justice Division (CJD) of the Governor for regional criminal justice planning, technical assistance to grantees and facilitation of the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. Department staff also seek and send out notices of grant funding opportunities to local agencies. Staff work with area law enforcement, victim service organizations, schools, non-profits, and other agencies to develop the BVCOG Strategic Plan. This plan addresses local priorities and needs in victim services, juvenile justice, law enforcement, mental health, and substance abuse. The priorities outlined in this plan are used by the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee to score and rank grant applications.
Criminal Justice Advisory Committee
The Brazos Valley Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) leverages the experience, expertise, and regional and statewide connections of the CJAC membership to review and score applications, share regional opportunities and provide information to agencies and organizations throughout BVCOG. The Brazos Valley Homeland Security Advisory Committee (HSAC) is comprised of leaders from the county and local government, first responder communities, the private sector, volunteer organizations, faith-based groups, and academia.
The Criminal Justice Advisory Committee meets in January, March, May, and September of each year in the Brazos Valley Board Room at the Brazos Valley Council of Governments. All meetings are open to the public and agendas are available online via Texas Secretary of State Website: http://www.sos.state.tx.us
Law Enforcement Training Grant
BVCOG administers a grant that provides tuition reimbursement to regional law enforcement agencies for TCOLE approved courses. These agencies can receive 75% of the tuition cost for sending officers to TCOLE approved courses. Funds are only available to law enforcement agencies, no funds can be given to individuals.
Juvenile Justice Alternatives Grant
BVCOG administers a pass-through grant to rural juvenile justice departments in the region. This grant is distributed based on the percent of the juvenile population to the 6 rural counties in the COG. These counties can request reimbursement for approved expenses that include:
- Counseling and Classes for Juveniles on Probation
- Psychological Testing
- Drug Abuse Treatment and Testing
- Short Term Residential Care