Congressman John Carter (TX-31) released the following statement after the Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office awarded $5.4 million in grant funding to the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University.  This award was made possible by Rep. Carter’s POLICE ACT, which was signed into law in 2016. The POLICE Act expanded access to COPS grants for programs like Texas State University’s ALERRT program to receive further active shooter response training.

“This is why the POLICE Act is so important – we’ve given our first responders access to vital funding, ensuring they have the resources necessary to keep themselves and our communities safe in the event of an active shooter. These are funds many of our Texas communities did not have access to before the POLICE Act, and it is outstanding to see our officers receiving the training they need.”

“This is big news for the ALERRT Program at Texas State. I have worked hand in hand with the ALERRT program for over a decade. ALERRT is an elite program that gives our police, fire and EMS the tools needed to effectively respond to an active shooter situation. This $5.4 million grant ensures that our first responders continue to get top-notch training so they can save lives and stay safe in the midst of these tragedies.”

Rep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Fort Hood, the largest active duty armored military installation in the free world. He serves as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, co-chairman of the Congressional Army Caucus, is on the Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice and Science and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.