Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC)

The Criminal Justice Advisory Committee was formed in 1982 to promote, foster and coordinate criminal justice planning and to review and prioritize applications for criminal justice funds by local entities. This committee is required by the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division (CJD).

Staff Liason

Karina Trevino

CJAC Purpose

The CJAC reviews and prioritizes local applications for criminal justice funds. It comprises of participants from around the 10-county region, who are appointed by CAPCOG’s Executive Committee. The committee reviews and scores each criminal justice application based on its own merit, prioritizes the list of scored applications and presents a list of funding recommendations to the CAPCOG Executive Committee for approval to submit to the Governor’s Office. Neither CAPCOG nor the committee makes funding awards; all funding decisions are made at the sole discretion of the Governor’s Office, Criminal Justice Division.

CJAC Bylaws

According to the CJAC’s bylaws the committee promotes, fosters, and coordinates community planning of criminal justice, juvenile justice, and victim services-related activities in CAPCOG State Planning Region 12. It also reviews and prioritizes applications for criminal justice funds by local entities; performs other tasks as assigned by contractual agreement with the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division; and perform other tasks as directed by the CAPCOG Executive Committee. The bylaws establish how local jurisdictions and their residents are represented on the committee and creates a structure for which the CJAC operates.

CJAC Bylaws

CJAC Membership

CJAC consists of at least 17 members appointed by the CAPCOG Executive Committee. Each of the ten counties in CAPCOG’s region has at least one representative on the CJAC. Austin and Round Rock also have their own representation. Committee members must reside or work in the jurisdiction they are to represent and should represent one of the following disciplines: citizens or parents; drug abuse prevention; education; juvenile justice; law enforcement; mental health; nonprofit organizations; prosecution and courts; and victim services. No single group or discipline may constitute more than one-third of the CJAC.

CJAC Members include:

  • Mr. Jay Monkerud, Caldwell County, Juvenile Justice, Chair

  • Ms. Latreese Cooke, Travis County, Citizen, Vice Chair

  • Ms. Selena Xie, City of Austin, Victim Services

  • Ms. Jenifer Murphy, Bastrop County, Victims Services

  • Chief Deputy Robert Woodring, Blanco County, Law Enforcement

  • Captain Mike Sorenson, Burnet County, Law Enforcement

  • Mr. Erwin Sladek, Jr., Fayette County, Education

  • Mr. Matthew Grantham, Hays County, Prosecution/Courts

  • Assistant Chief Bob Klett, Hays County, Law Enforcement

  • Judge Michael York, Lee County, Prosecution/Courts

  • Lieutenant Sean Johnson, City of Round Rock, Law Enforcement

  • Ms. Juliana Guirguis, Travis County, Mental Health

  • Captain Thomas Szimanski, Travis County, Law Enforcement

  • Lieutenant Jerod Morris, Williamson County, Law Enforcement

  • Ms. Kathy Pierce, Williamson County, Mental Health

  • Commissioner Walt Smith, Hays County, Executive Committee Liaison

    VACANT, Llano County, Prosecution/Courts

    VACANT, City of Austin

    VACANT, City of Austin

CJAC Meetings

CJAC meets as needed and as directed by the CAPCOG Executive Director, the Executive Committee liaison or the committee as a whole. The majority of its meetings take place between September and March and open to the public.

Most of the meetings pertain to CAPCOG’s Criminal Justice Program and Criminal Justice Advisory Committee reviewing and updating or creating a regional strategic criminal justice plan, setting regional priorities, and updating the application review process for Office of the Governor Criminal Justice funding opportunities.

For past committee agendas and minutes contact:

Robert Jones