SEBASTIAN – A Willacy County woman believes county budget problems are leading to a compromise in her security.

She says her children don’t get the police protection they need.

Sebastian resident Flor Alvarado says although she loves her little slice of the Rio Grande Valley, the only problem is she doesn't feel safe.

Alvarado tells CHANNEL 5 NEWS she wants to see a more economically vibrant town. She says when businesses and people make more money in her hometown, there is more tax revenue to make the place look a little nicer.

"The town of Sebastian needs better streets and roads," says Alvarado.

However, for the most part, Alvarado says it is rare to see law enforcement around her home.

"There is no security with the police. You are not safe you cannot completely trust the police," she notes.

Though Alvarado says she sees Department of Public Safety troopers filling in a lot of the holes in law enforcement in Willacy County, she would like to see more county law enforcement around her streets so she can feel safer.

"Because of the eight-liners, we need more security because people from out of town come here. You don't know them," she explains.

CHANNEL FIVE NEWS reached out to Willacy County Sheriff Larry Spence to see whether more county law enforcement can be available in Sebastian.

He says his department is short-staffed and has budget limitations. He says in order to bolster the county budget, the department has had to take money from the federal government to house federal prisoners in the county jail.

"They pay us $45 a day," says Spence. "We take them in and that money goes to help the county."

Spence says the county has not housed federal prisoners in the last month and that has hurt the department's budget.

But, he adds, federal law enforcement agencies are likely going to change that.

"They said they're going to send us some tomorrow. How many? We're not really sure. It could be up to 20 or more," he notes.

Spence says he needs all the help he can get to ease the concerns of folks like Alvarado. 

The county sheriff explains he wants to replace an investigator he lost during the cutbacks in 2015. He also wants to add at least two patrol officers to the staff as well as another dispatcher.