by Analise Ortiz
Posted: 08.06.2015 at 10:12 AM

Hidalgo County handed out about $4.7 million to local law enforcement on Tuesday for border security work.

The money — part of a $55 million federal program called Operation Stonegarden — funds overtime and equipment for border security.

Recipients ranged from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, which received $1.8 million, to the Palmview Police Department, which received $84,500.

The funding makes a major difference, said police Lt. Saul Uvalle.

Border Patrol routinely requests backup from local law enforcement. While Palmview police were happy to help, responding to drug smuggling and immigration arrests cost money.

When the Texas Department of Public Safety deployed more state troopers to the Rio Grande Valley last year, the surge helped lessen the load, Uvalle said.

“Before the DPS surge came about, we were responding a lot to back Border Patrol up along with river,” Uvalle said. “And even when they’d have pursuits spilling into our cities. We were assisting them tremendously with manpower.”

Palmview received $40,500 for 1,125 overtime hours, according to grant records reviewed by the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court. Operation Stonegarden also will pay for equipment, including all-terrain vehicles.

In return, Palmview pledged to have 20 police participate in border security work.

“The Palmview Police Department will aggressively patrol its area of responsibility by placing twenty officers focusing on illegal immigrant smuggling and narcotics trafficking in efforts to curb and/or eliminate criminal activity,” according to the grant application.

Cities farther from the border may also request Operation Stonegarden funding, which allows them to patrol highways and other smuggling routes through the Valley.

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/st...9#.VcOmIfkYMSo