RSS
|
Mobile
|
Daily Emails
|
We Twitter
| Make us your home page
AUSTIN -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Friday that in too many cases transnational gangs have law officers outgunned but that police help is on the way.
Perry told the Texas Municipal Police Association that a new law will allow for more electronic monitoring of gang members, subject them to possible civil lawsuits and establish "gang-free zones" in such public places as schools, playgrounds and youth centers.
"That puts some teeth in the efforts to combat one of the biggest threats I think that we have in the state right now and that's with transnational gangs," Perry said. "In too many cases they've got you outgunned. They're very well organized, and they're better funded than ever before."
Perry, who signed the bill into law in June, said gang violence is a problem statewide. He has been particularly outspoken against gang activity along the Texas-Mexico border.
"The bottom line is that we acknowledge gangs are a significant threat, and we're going to give you the resources that you need to drive them out of existence," Perry said.
Perry drew chuckles from the law enforcement audience when he took a jab at the American Civil Liberties Union, saying, "If it were up to the ACLU, I'm sure the response would be to hand out more milk and cookies."
Rebecca Bernhardt, policy director for the ACLU of Texas, said her organization is "an easy target. That's not new." But she said her group worked hard on the legislation Perry was touting and felt that it improved throughout the legislative session.
The ACLU of Texas pressed for increased accountability in homeland security, more training for criminal intelligence collection and a law enforcement focus on threats such as Mexican drug cartel crime and prison gangs -- and away from traffic stops, she said.
"I guess my main point is, no milk and cookies on that list," Bernhardt said.
The governor called this year's legislative session "a great success." He said he's pleased lawmakers renewed state funding for border security, though he still wants more help on that front from the federal government.
Perry never mentioned his 2010 Republican primary race against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. But he seemed to be working to shore up support from law enforcement, noting that he has a long history of working with the police association. He praised the work of police and other first responders during and after Hurricane Ike last year.
