The Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) has launched an online Community Survey to obtain input about criminal justice services in Deep East Texas. This includes information about juvenile services, mental health services, crime victim services, and other aspects of the criminal justice system. Information gathered will help guide future funding decisions for criminal justice and victim services grants.
“We need input from all 12 counties to prioritize needs and identify gaps in services that should be addressed,” said DETCOG Public Safety Director Mike Claude. The input we receive will be used to develop a regional strategic plan which will be used by our Criminal Justice Advisory Committee to help determine priorities for yearly grant applications.”
The Criminal Justice Advisory Committee is made up of 26 community members from throughout Deep East Texas, representing citizens, non-profit service organizations, mental health service providers, law enforcement, and prosecutors. This group advises the DETCOG Board of Directors on criminal justice issues and screens grant applications for criminal justice grant programs.
“Our criminal justice grant funds come through Governor Greg Abbott’s Office,” explained DETCOG Executive Director Lonnie Hunt. “The grants are intended to address priorities and fill gaps that are identified in the regional strategic plan. That’s why it’s so important for us to receive input from persons in each of our 12 counties who are knowledgeable about these programs.”
The online survey will be widely distributed in the DETCOG region by email, social media, and posting on the DETCOG website. Persons are encouraged to share the survey with friends and co-workers. There are a variety of topics covered in the survey, and Claude says citizens are asked to provide responses on any topic they are knowledgeable about. If a person doesn’t have knowledge about a particular topic, there is an “unsure” box that can be checked.
The survey link can be found on the Public Safety Program page of the DETCOG website (www.detcog.gov) on the Public Safety Program page. For more information, contact Public Safety Director Mike Claude or Planner Candy Hartman at 936-630-0592 or 936-630-0593.
