The Houston Police Department (HPD) recommends that City Council approve an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Houston and Harris County. The City of Houston, through HPD, applied for and received the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force - Houston Metropolitan Area Grant in the amount of $522,128 from the Office of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division. This grant allows HPD to continue to reduce the exploitation of children by expanding the number of affiliate law enforcement agencies and personnel dedicated to investigating and prosecuting Internet-related crimes against children. The grant period began June 1, 2015 and ends August 31, 2016.
The target geographical area of the grant program is the Houston Metropolitan Area, which includes incorporated as well as unincorporated areas of Harris County, Texas; and all areas of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller Counties. As the lead agency, HPD is entering into an Interlocal Agreement with Harris County which will complete the special condition requirement of the grant for this year’s funding. Pursuant to the Interlocal Agreement, the City of Houston will use $99,975 in grant funds to reimburse the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for salaries and benefits of its investigator/detective participating in the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force during the grant period.