DPS official trains SBPD officers

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com 

Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety sent Clif Harris, trainer III for the Texas Crime Information Center/National Crime Information Center, to San Benito this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to teach ground-breaking information to the local police department.

Harris instructed a class entitled, “Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunication System / National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System Less Than Full Access.”

Among other things, the class teaches officers how to properly access the NCIC/TCIC Database, which contains state and nationwide crime statistics, reports and otherwise vital information. Within this database are search fields that allow officers to easily access such topics as: stolen property – from vehicles to boats, guns, currency and more; persons’ files – wanted persons, missing persons; and many more.

Michael Galvan, assistant operations chief for the San Benito Police Department, said, “The main goal for this training is the requirement for mobile data terminals, where the terminal is actually in the police vehicle, so officers can do checks on stolen articles, etc. It will make procedures more efficient with less radio traffic going back to dispatch.”

This education is free of charge to the department, as instructor and other fees are absorbed by the TxDPS.

Reportedly, the only fee SBPD will incur is paying regularly scheduled officers for their time while they attend classes. Officers must obtain this mandated training once every two years. There are two ways in which to earn the certification, one of which is by testing online. The other is to attend up to 40 hours of in-class training. Required hours vary per position.

Harris instructs in nearly 50 counties statewide. “We’ve even had one police officer from Harlingen and six or seven feds take the class,” said Harris on Thursday, the last day of this particular training.

“This system is monitored,” said Galvan. “(Officials) monitor all activity, and if they see an officer abusing it he or she can actually be put in jail for breaking the law. It’s also something we (SBPD) are going to be keeping an eye on.”

Harris said, “The easiest way to explain this system is if someone steals your vehicle, and you report it to your local authorities who enter it into the system, officers from across the Continental US [District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, US Possessions and US Territories] will have access. Anyone who pulls over a vehicle with the stolen vehicle’s VIN numbers will be able to identify your vehicle.”

Beyond convenience, this practice is also designed to help promote safety and efficiency within the department. Galvan said, “Sometimes the dispatcher is tied up on a call, and it places us in danger when we’re waiting to make contact with an individual who is probably armed. Every second matters.”

Galvan said one goal of the SBPD is to place laptops with this technology in every police car. He said, “We don’t know how soon in the future we will get the laptops, but we’re going to dig around and find grants and make it happen.”

With in-unit laptops, officers will have the ability to access this database. Additionally, officers can discover pre-existing warrants for arrest as well as other relevant information on drivers and their vehicles. Chief Martin Morales, with Galvan, is working to obtain grants at this time which officials hope will help the department afford such technology. Additionally, Galvan added, “Having this training, we’ll hopefully show that if we do receive a grant, we’ll be ready.”

“Law enforcement technology is changing so often, I have to re-write my lesson plans four or five times a year,” explained Harris of the ever-expanding technology of TxDPS. He further assured that the advancements are “for the better.”

Read this story in the Oct. 28 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.