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Commissioners expand interlocal and federal partnerships for border‑task operations and forfeiture reimbursements
Summary
The court approved an amendment to its Operation Lone Star interlocal agreement and approved a memorandum of understanding with Homeland Security Investigations to allow reimbursement of joint operations expenses from federal forfeiture proceeds and to keep a sheriff’s office captain designated as a task force officer.
Lavaca County Commissioners on April 14 voted to approve both a seventh amendment to the Operation Lone Star interlocal cooperation agreement and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to allow reimbursement of joint operations expenses from federal forfeiture funds.
Sheriff Stephen Greenwell explained the measures as tools to sustain multiagency enforcement and to ensure Lavaca County can receive reimbursements and asset‑sharing proceeds from federal investigations. He said Captain Joshua Savick (also described as a task force officer assigned to HSI) helps maintain direct lines to HSI and the Victoria County U.S. Attorney’s Office, and that keeping that designation opens access to asset‑forfeiture shares when local investigations produce seizures.
Captain Joshua Savick told the court the MOU also allows the county to submit for state and local overtime reimbursement (commonly called “SALO” or similar overtime reimbursements) for officers who work joint federal operations. He said those reimbursements “are ultimately given back to Lavaca County for use elsewhere.”
Court action
The court approved the seventh amendment to the interlocal Operation Lone Star agreement (motion made by Precinct 2, seconded by Precinct 1) and approved the MOU with HSI (motion made by Precinct 2, seconded by Precinct 1). Both motions passed unanimously.
Why it matters: these agreements formalize continued county participation in a multiagency task force and provide a mechanism for Lavaca County to recover overtime and share in asset forfeiture proceeds when local deputies participate in federal investigations. The sheriff described the arrangements as important to targeting drug‑trafficking and human‑smuggling operations.
Ending
Sheriff Greenwell and Captain Savick thanked the court and described the approvals as strengthening the county’s investigative and prosecutorial options; staff will complete required documentation to implement reimbursements and asset‑sharing procedures.
