Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office using federal grant money on new technology

KCBD
By Natalie Faulkenberry
Published: Oct. 24, 2023 at 2:50 PM GMT-7

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) -Lubbock law enforcement agencies are already spending hundreds of thousands of dollars from a federal grant to target public safety needs. Last week, we told you how the Lubbock Police Department plans to spend the money to speed up traffic stops. We now know how the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office plans to use its portion of the funds.

Lubbock County Sheriff Kelly Rowe tells us his department is no stranger to the Justice Assistance Grant. As technology continues to factor into crimes and the legal process, funds like this are what help keep our local agencies up to speed.

“The way it is structured is it requires that we, the sheriff’s office, and the police department partner up on whatever portions are dedicated for great Lubbock,” Sheriff Rowe said.

The Justice Assistance Grant allocated over $229,000 to be split between LPD, LSO, and the District Attorney’s Office. Rowe says the biggest need is new technology.

“We are looking at enhancing some additional crime scene equipment for those investigators who are specifically responsible for that,” Rowe said.

Rowe tells us those enhancements include new cameras and other technology that would help investigators who are working a scene. Something he says could help solve crimes and help the DA’s office prosecute cases.

“It is all a matter of data transfer being in a position to smoothly move that data from officers and investigators to those individuals over there for processing and everything so they can begin their work,” he said.

Rowe says the department will also use the funds to prevent cybercrimes, something he says is only getting worse as technology continues to enhance.

“Everybody has devices of some sort in their hands if not multiple devices, so much stuff occurs from a crime standpoint with those we have to have the ability to pull that forensic information from off of those items,” Rowe said.

The Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office itself received around $42,000 from that grant. Rowe tells us his department is already in the process of utilizing those funds.