9/1/2021
<br />MVCPA Taskforce Grant Negotiation
<br />The Northeast Texas Auto Theft Force is a two-man task force coveting (9) nine county coverage area. The City of Paris Detective
<br />- Task Force Commander is supervised by the City of Paris Criminal Investigation Division which consist of a Captain, Detective
<br />Lieutenant, and a Detective Sergeant The Task Force Commander reports directly to the Detective Lieutenant who monitors the
<br />daily activities, and reports to the Criminal Investigation Division Captain. The Lamar County Detective will be directly supervised
<br />by the Chief Deputy who reports the Sheriff of Lamar County. The City of Paris Detective will be assigned cases from the Criminal
<br />Investigation Division Captain, and the Lamar County Detective will be assigned cases from his Chief Deputy. Both Detectives will
<br />combine efforts with other cases in the program area that are not from their home agencies, and jointly work cases from each
<br />others home agencies as needed.
<br />The Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force has been able to retain highly trained auto climes investigators who have been
<br />assigned to the task force since 2011. The detectives have developed professional relationships with law enforcement agencies,
<br />citizens, business owners, and industries inside and out of the coverage area. The task force maintains these working relationships
<br />and continues to develop new ones with the rising community growth. The City of Paris and the Lamar County Sheriff command
<br />staff acknowledges the Detectives experience, ability, and need to conduct operations throughout the program coverage area with
<br />little to no supervision.
<br />It is the intent of the Northeast Auto Theft Task Force, through this application, to continue to serve the citizens of our community
<br />and state by canying out the following programs made possible by Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority. The task force
<br />investigators devote majority of their time to locate and recover stolen vehicles, conduct investigations, prepare cases for
<br />prosecution, and arresting persons responsible for committing these type offenses. The detectives are also involved with educating
<br />the public through community events, presentations, and distribution of literature to help teach the public how to limit the possibility
<br />of being a victim. The detectives also make routine inspections on salvage yards, auto repair shops, metal recyclers, and conduct
<br />DMV 68-A inspections to help reduce the amount stolen vehicles being transferred.
<br />The program has positive effected the community of law enforcement as well as the citizens. Law enforcement agencies from
<br />Texas DPS, Sheriffs Offices, District Attorney's Offices, and local municipal police departments the Northeast Texas Auto Theft
<br />Task Force that can help with identification of vehicles and assisting with preparing a case for prosecution. The citizens know they
<br />have knowledgeable detectives with their best interests in mind. Who can assist them with recovering their property, and helping
<br />them through the DMV registration process. Continuing this program is an asset to the public as well as the law enforcement
<br />community.
<br />Grant Problem Statement
<br />2.1 Provide an assessment of the burglary from a motor vehicle (including theft of parts) problem in the coverage area of this
<br />application. Include loss data consistent with the reported incident numbers above.
<br />The participation area of the program for the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force ( Lamar Co and its municipalities) had a total
<br />of 161 burglary of motor vehicles reported in 2019 with total loss of $90,350 (UCR) and 163 in 2020 with a total loss of $99,159
<br />(UCR). The majority of these climes are committed in residential neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and large parking lots.
<br />These climes are random and typically the suspects search for unlocked vehicles. Security cameras have captured several
<br />suspects being dropped off by a vehicle in a neighborhood and walking the streets searching for unlocked vehicles. The suspects
<br />will travel to different areas quickly, making it difficult to predict locations where the climes will occur.
<br />During these climes personal items, money, personal identification, and firearms are most frequently taken. There are incidents
<br />where keys are left in a vehicle, resulting in a theft of a motor vehicle. Suspects use the stolen vehicles, personal identification, and
<br />firearms to commit other crimes as well. The task force detectives have interviewed arrested burglary suspects and learned that
<br />some suspects are only looking for firearms. These firearms are sold, traded for narcotics, and used to commit other violent
<br />climes. In Burglary of motor vehicle climes suspects also take financial information to commit identity theft.
<br />In 2019 through 2020 the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force combined with Homeland Security conducted an investigation
<br />where suspects were identified and arrested associated with the Felony Lane Gang. This gang originated from Florida, but travel
<br />the United States committing burglary of motor vehicles solely to take personal and financial information. Dubbed the Felony Lane
<br />Gang since they use the furthest lane at banks to cash forged checks using stolen identities taken from vehicles. The information
<br />stolen has also been used to purchase vehicles as well to register the vehicle under a victim's name to avoid detection.
<br />2.2 Provide an assessment of the motor vehicle theft problem in the coverage area of this application. Include loss data consistent with
<br />the reported incident numbers above.
<br />The program coverage area consist of (9) counites Bowie, Red River, Lamar, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Hopkins, Delta, and Titus.
<br />There is a combined est. population of 475,060(per 2019UCR). The coverage area mainly consist of rural areas, but does have a
<br />few larger cities such as Texarkana, Sherman, Greenville, Sulphur Springs, Mount Pleasant, and Paris. There were a total of 721
<br />motor vehicle thefts reported in 2019 ( UCR) and 823 reported in 2020(UCR). That is an approximate 14% increase in the number
<br />of auto thefts. NICB reported as of 2019 Texarkana is ranked #152 and Sherman is ranked #197 in the nation for auto thefts.
<br />These numbers do not include trailer thefts, ATV thefts, farm equipment, and water craft thefts. These type thefts are problematic
<br />in these areas due to the geographical area. The Items stolen are commonly transported to Oklahoma to avoid detection because
<br />of the lack of state registration requirements in Oklahoma. Trailer thefts are prevalent in the program area due to the amount of
<br />rural farm land, and the false sense of security by the residents.
<br />ATVs, farm equipment, and trailers are often recovered with the public identification number removed. It is necessary to have
<br />qualified investigators with the ability and knowledge to identify those items to get them recovered for the citizens. It is also
<br />necessary to have qualified investigators with the ability and knowledge to identify burned and dismantled vehicles to help counter
<br />insurance fraud and chop shop operations.
<br />https:Hmvcpa.tamu.edu/NegotiationrrFGPrintApplication.asp?ApplD=l 88&FiscalYear--2022 5112
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