Announces support for Sen. Caronas SB 11
AUSTIN Gov. Rick Perry was today joined by Sen. John Carona and law enforcement officials to emphasize the need to combat the escalating threat of transnational gangs in our communities. Sen. Carona today filed Senate Bill (SB) 11 legislation that if passed will significantly disrupt the operations of transnational gangs in Texas.
Today we are sending a message to let these violent gangs know that they are not welcome here in Texas and that we will do whatever it takes to drive them out of our state" Gov. Perry said. It is time to act and I believe we should devote the necessary resources to properly address this gang threat head-on in communities across the state."
Gangs like the Mexican Mafia the Texas Syndicate Barrio Azteca and MS-13 are a threat to Texas citizens and growing increasingly sophisticated as they work to expand their influence across our state recruiting members from our schools communities and prisons.
SB 11 will create an offense for the online promotion of criminal gangs which will be a powerful tool in protecting young Texans and preventing them from being recruited into these illicit organizations. The bill will also allow parents communities and government entities to file civil suits against criminal street gangs or individual gang members enabling those parties to recover for damages caused by gang-related crimes.
Gov. Perrys gang initiative builds on the proven border security strategy of working with local law enforcement increasing resources for surge operations providing resources for investigations and prosecutions and establishing a multi-agency gang intelligence section in the Texas Fusion Center. The initiative calls for a multi-jurisdictional gang strategy that includes:
• Expanding the sharing of vital gang information at all levels of law enforcement across the state;
• Centralizing gang intelligence;
• Expanding effective local law enforcement gang operations in identified hot spots";
• Increasing resources dedicated to multiagency criminal enterprise investigations that target leaders of the most dangerous gangs;
• Seeking enabling legislation to arm law enforcement with essential gang fighting tools; and
• Expanding gang prevention efforts.
Securing our international border is a federal responsibility that Washington has yet to fulfill. As a result the Texas Legislature took decisive action last session by providing necessary funding to secure the Texas border. Gov. Perry has urged the 2009 Legislature for continued leadership on this issue by supporting $135 million to fund continued border security efforts and combat transnational gang activity across the state through the next biennium.
