In an assertive response to a recent act of terror, Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to intensify efforts by the Texas Anti-Terrorism Task Force. This move comes on the heels of a tragic event where Shamsud-Din Jabbar from Houston, reportedly inspired by ISIS ideology, took the lives of 14 individuals in New Orleans. "Terrorism has no place in Texas," Governor Abbott emphasized, signaling a statewide mandate for law enforcement to rigorously pursue and thwart the radicalization pathways leading to such heinous attacks, according to a statement released by the Governor's office.
The Governor's directive outlines a multi-faceted approach, whereby DPS is to enhance joint operations with the FBI's Anti-terrorism Joint Terrorism Task Force, simultaneously bolster the number of intelligence analysts focusing on threats, and collaborate with federal entities to pinpoint Special Interest Migrants who have previously been flagged in terrorist watch lists, highlighting a concern underscored by the hundreds of illegal immigrants tracked over the past years. In a bid to amplify preventative tactics, DPS is also slated to extend the Bomb-Making Materials Awareness Program (BMAP) with the US Department of Homeland Security deepening the bridge between the private sector and law enforcement.
Moreover, the official announcement details initiatives aimed at solidifying protection and mitigation strategies, including partnerships between DPS Regions and local law enforcement for securing public spaces and events which will entail vulnerability assessments and deployment of security personnel and technology as warranted. Abbott's mandate goes further, earmarking the development of new exercises focusing specifically on physical threats to critical infrastructure, and enhancing the Texas Infrastructure Liaison Officer Program for heightened intelligence sharing and coordination with private sector counterparts.
Fresh training and educational resources are to be distributed to communities to better inform on anti-terrorism measures, whereas the DPS's provision of advice and workshops for mass casualty attack response underlines a proactive approach to community preparedness. With an eye also on the Capitol complex, DPS will evaluate susceptibility to vehicular assaults and other terrorist strategies, tasked with delivering security enhancement recommendations reflective of the Governor's safety vision for Texas, as per the Governor's office.
