Lonestar Heroes Wanted: Texas boosts rapid response training for police in wake of Uvalde school shooting

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Governor’s Public Safety Office is boosting travel funds for police departments so law enforcement agencies can send more officers for Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT).  

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made the announcement as a follow-up to his June press release announcing the approval of $105.5 million to support additional school safety and mental health initiatives through August 31, 2023. The funding included $3 million toward ALERRT travel assistance and $50 million for bullet-resistant shields.

The additional safety funds were approved in response to the May 24 school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, that took the lives of 19 children and two teachers.

“The State of Texas is working to ensure our law enforcement partners across the state are able to protect our children, teachers, and schools as the new school year begins," Abbott said. “These new funds will give law enforcement officers expanded access to training for active shooter scenarios, as well as critical protective equipment.

“All Texans join with the families and community of Uvalde in mourning their loss. We sadly recognize we cannot do anything to bring back the precious lives that were taken; however, we must do everything in our power to prevent the same tragic ending from happening again,” the governor said in a letter to Dr. Pete Blair, executive director of the ALERRT Center.

“An important part of these prevention efforts must focus on the proper training of law enforcement and school administrators on how to respond when they face the threat of an active shooter on their campus.”

ALERRT travel assistance was designed to help law enforcement agencies offset the cost of sending its officers to ALERRT training Texas State University in San Marcos. The state-of-the-art training facility has helped train more than 130,000 law enforcement and fire personnel since 2002.

The 16-hour program is a force-on-force scenario-based training that teaches first responders about advanced active shooter response. At the website, organizations can view upcoming classes or request training for a specific timeframe.

The Bullet-Resistant Shield Grant Program will pay $50 million in FY2023 to pay for bullet-resistant shields compliant with the National Institute of Justice Level III, III+ or IV. Schools, universities, law enforcement agencies and other local governments are eligible for the shields, as long as they have attended ALERRT training within the last 24 months or will complete the training within the next 24 months.

Applications for the Bullet-Resistant Shield Grant Program open on Sept. 1 and must be submitted by Aug. 31, 2023.

“I encourage all eligible law enforcement agencies and local government entities to apply for this additional funding as we work together to keep all Texans safe,” Abbott said.