By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
The San Benito Police Department (SBPD) received $20,000 through a resolution approved by elected officials at their recent public meeting.
The Operation Lone Star grant, as it’s called, is provided by the Texas Governor’s Office, Homeland Security Grants Division, and is valid through August 31, 2026.
An executive summary shared with the San Benito Commissioners during their Nov. 18 meeting states that the grant reimburses the city for overtime hours officers worked under Operation Lone Star.
San Benito City Manager Fred Sandoval told leaders that funding does affect the police department’s overall operations.
San Benito Police Chief Mario Perea elaborated further. “It’s used to target areas of criminal activity such as drugs and narcotics,” Perea said. “We identify areas that we feel need patrols, and officers in those areas have determined to have criminal activity.”
Commissioner Deborah A. Morales asked him if the operation is related to immigration, to which Chief Perea answered, “No.”
He explained that police officers will not go to job sites, but rather to areas that have been “identified as problems.”
He said that once the department begins assigning overtime, reports will be produced to show the public how the funds are being used.
According to paperwork provided during the meeting, the estimate is just over 500 overtime police officer hours will be subsidized by the grant.
The funds would be used only for on-duty officers.
San Benito PD typically provides financial and arrest reports, Chief Perea said after answering questions about how past grants under different names, such as “Border Security,” have worked. He explained that the reports always show how many hours are being used, which then influences the reimbursement process.
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