Rep. Cuellar Announces $367,374 in Federal Funding for School Violence Prevention to Mission CISDFunding will be used to purchase new technology for early intervention in case of a dangerous situation
Washington | Charlotte Laracy, DC Press Secretary (202-226-1583); Leslie Martinez, District Press Secretary (956-286-6007),
November 4, 2019
Tags:
Education
MISSION, TX- Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced $367, 374 in federal funding for Mission CISD. These funds, awarded through the Department of Justice COPS Office School Violence Prevention program, will be used to improve security at K-12 schools in Mission CISD through evidence-based school safety programs. Specifically, the grant will support purchasing dispatch consoles and other technology for schools to communicate with law enforcement and better intervene in possibly dangerous situations. “It is critical we do everything we can to ensure our schools are safe learning environments for all students,” said Congressman Cuellar. “By improving school security infrastructure and providing training to teachers, school administrators and law enforcement, we can prevent senseless and tragic violence in our community. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fund programs that support school safety across the nation. I would like to thank Superintendent Dr. Carol Perez and the rest of her staff for their work to prevent school violence in Mission.” “The COPS grant will really help the district as it continues to make improvements to school safety and security,” said Dr. Carol G. Perez, Mission CISD Superintendent of Schools. “We are continuously working on improvements and strengthening the communication with our community first responder partners should really help make a difference.” School Violence Prevention Program The School Violence Prevention (SVP) program was authorized by The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018). The SVP program aims to assist school districts in coordinating with law enforcement, trainings, and technology enhancement. Up to $25 million in funding were available through this year’s COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). Project Specifics The proposed project will focus on the need for reliable “Direct Communication” during a school situation or crisis with first responders. The grant will support purchasing new communication technology for schools to better intervene in possibly dangerous situations. Equipment such as two-way radios, call boxes, and emergency alert dispatch consoles will be purchased. Call boxes will be stored at secure locations on each campus/district building and will be accessible to anyone in the event of an emergency. First responders will be able to connect to staff, law enforcement agencies, and the direct radio network in extreme emergencies to gather intelligence for critical situations. By implementing the radio program, first responders will be able to communicate with law enforcement agencies in an emergency-situation/crisis. |