Chuck Norris Helps Texas Gov. Abbott Promote School Safety

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is turning to a well-known Texas Ranger to help prevent school shootings.

Actor Chuck Norris, who starred in the television series "Walker Texas Ranger," is taking part in a new public service announcements promoting Abbott's safety program that calls on parents, teachers, and students to report suspicious activity on the state's iWatch website.

"Parents, teachers, and students deserve to feel safe and secure returning to school this fall, and who better to help spread the message about the iWatchTexas reporting system than 'Texas Ranger' Chuck Norris?" Abbott said in a statement released Tuesday.

Norris, whose series ran 1993-2001, says he loves "bringing bad guys to justice."

"But law enforcement can't stop the bad guys if they don't know who they are," the 82-year-old actor, wearing a cowboy hat, says in the PSA.

"That's why I wanted to tell you about iWatch, a website, phone app, and service that allows Texans to report suspicious activity.

"Whether it's criminal acts, terror threats, or someone wanting to harm children, if you see something, say something, and help keep communities in the great state of Texas safe."

Abbott called for increased promotion of the iWatch system, which has been in place for several years, following the May mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school.

The governor has joined other Republicans in rejecting calls for more gun control measures, and instead says there needs to be a focus on mental health resources and school security measures.

"We ask Texans to utilize iWatchTexas to report nearby suspicious activity to help our law enforcement quickly and effectively respond to any criminal, terroristic, or school safety threats," Abbott said in his statement.

Abbott's press release also included a list of actions he has taken to provide all available resources to support the Uvalde community following the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School. They include:

• Providing $105.5 million to enhance school safety and mental health services in Uvalde and throughout Texas.
• Requesting Texas lawmakers convene special legislative committees to begin examining and developing legislative recommendations on school safety, mental health, social media, police training, firearm safety, and more.
• Directing the Texas School Safety Center to begin immediately conducting comprehensive school safety reviews to ensure all Texas public schools are following the appropriate procedures to maximize school safety.
• Instructing the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training programs to provide training to all school districts across the state, prioritizing school-based law enforcement.

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