EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso County will receive $700,000 in federal funding to help local law enforcement prevent, investigate, and prosecute cybercrimes, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announced on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
According to Cornyn, the grant comes through the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s Office on Violence Against Women as part of the Local Law Enforcement Grants for Enforcement of Cybercrimes Program. It was authorized by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.<\/p>\n
Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, supported the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization in 2022, which reauthorized the legislation through 2027 to fund programs for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom online harassment and deepfakes to the sharing of non-consensual intimate imagery, predators are finding new and alarming ways to harm innocent Texans that we must combat,\u201d Cornyn said. \u201cWhile the threat landscape continues to evolve and grow more perilous with the onset of AI and advanced technologies, the goal remains the same \u2013 to fight crime, bring perpetrators to justice, and support victims, most of whom are women.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the announcement, the grant funding will support specialized training for investigators and prosecutors, the expansion of digital evidence handling capabilities, enhanced victim advocacy, and the development of response protocols for cyber-related offenses.<\/p>\n
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