WACO, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott made a pit stop in Waco Wednesday to meet with local law enforcement leaders and discuss how everyday community members can help curb violence.
He made a keynote address at 35th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Conference awards luncheon where nearly 400 crime organization members attended. There, he spoke on Texas' ongoing efforts to protect local communities, especially when it comes to the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
"A public safety necessity that we root them out, locate them, find them, arrest them, jail them, wherever Tren De [Aragua] exists," he said.
He urged the public to really take advantage of Texas Crime Stoppers and provide any information they may have about the gang, or any other crimes where authorities need tips.
"Texas Crime Stoppers is an essential tool in our efforts to keep Texas safe," Abbott said. He added how the organization helped close 4,000 cases in Texas last year.
Waco Police Chief Sheryl Victorian joined the luncheon. She assured Waco residents that there hasn't been any crime related to Tren de Aragua. Even so, she also backed Abbott's urge to use Texas Crime Stoppers.
"When they hear Crime Stoppers information go out, make sure that they're calling in, providing information regarding any investigation," she said. "Even if information is not going out and they have information related to a crime that they can call crime stoppers to help us get that case solved."
Victorian said as far as Waco crime goes, it's lower than in years past. Earlier in February, she highlighted there was a decrease in both violent and non-violent crime over the past 5 years.
From 2018 to 2023, the crime rate has gone from 2,650 to 2,283 for violent crimes. For non-violent crimes it has decreased from 18,080 to 16,239, she said.
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How you can submit a tip to Crime Stoppers
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)
- Submit a tip online
The Texas Crime Stoppers hotline is open 24 hours a day. Callers’ anonymity is guaranteed by law. If you provide information that leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a $5,000 reward.