Private University LEOs

[gljjt]

I would like to see the legislature close the Corporate Cop loophole.

I think most of us agree it's appropriate we have DPS troopers, county sheriffs, municipal police, etc. They work for government agencies.

I don't think there's any legitimate public safety reason for TCU, Valero, Dell, or other corporations to have private security with full police powers, etc.

Are private companies such as Dell and Valero allowed to establish police departments?

There's a difference between hiring of duty cops and establishing a full fledged police department.

When I left Dell a few months ago, it was private security only. Looked like mainly parking lot presence to prevent car break in, rumored to be a problem. No peace officers.

[Charles L. Cotton]

As others have said, my comments are directed at the current state of the law, not at any Forum Member.

I think we should repeal all peace officer authorizations for everything other than DPS, sheriffs and deputies, constables and police officers. We have gone way overboard in authorizing various state agencies and schools to create police forces. For example the State Board of Pharmacy, municipal utility districts, Comptroller officers, water control and water district officers, Texas Medical Board investigators, Hospital District officers, Texas Racing Commission investigators, and numerous others. (See http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... 2.htm#2.12" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

This is crazy!

Chas.

[nightmare69]

As others have said, my comments are directed at the current state of the law, not at any Forum Member.

I think we should repeal all peace officer authorizations for everything other than DPS, sheriffs and deputies, constables and police officers. We have gone way overboard in authorizing various state agencies and schools to create police forces. For example the State Board of Pharmacy, municipal utility districts, Comptroller officers, water control and water district officers, Texas Medical Board investigators, Hospital District officers, Texas Racing Commission investigators, and numerous others. (See http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... 2.htm#2.12" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

This is crazy!

Chas.

I agree there is a huge list of who are peace officers in Texas. I and others in LE believe that we, officers employed with private universities who hold a peace officers license in Texas should be added to the list.

I have yet to meet 50% of the amount of peace officers in CCP Article 2.12.

[mojo84]

I agree with Charles that there are too many departments/organizations that have peace officers.

I think if schools and other organizations want dedicated policing, they should contract with the local government police agency that had jurisdiction and reimburse them for the additional costs. However, as it stands now, I'm going to regard university cops as cops unless and until things are change.

[nightmare69]

I agree with Charles that there are too many departments/organizations that have peace officers.

I think if schools and other organizations want dedicated policing, they should contract with the local government police agency that had jurisdiction and reimburse them for the additional costs. However, as it stands now, I'm going to regard university cops as cops unless and until things are change.

Lots of ISDs still contract cops from local LE. One reason schools are starting their own PD is to have more control of the officers. A contract SRO devotion will always fall on whoever holds their commission and the school will always be #2.

[Captain Matt]

Lots of ISDs still contract cops from local LE. One reason schools are starting their own PD is to have more control of the officers. A contract SRO devotion will always fall on whoever holds their commission and the school will always be #2.

So you can probably understand why many people are opposed to giving full police (government) privileges to people who work for a private sector entity.

[nightmare69]

Lots of ISDs still contract cops from local LE. One reason schools are starting their own PD is to have more control of the officers. A contract SRO devotion will always fall on whoever holds their commission and the school will always be #2.

So you can probably understand why many people are opposed to giving full police (government) privileges to people who work for a private sector entity.

ISD police already have full athority within the county they are commissioned in, so do officers who work for public universities.

[srothstein]

I agree there is a huge list of who are peace officers in Texas. I and others in LE believe that we, officers employed with private universities who hold a peace officers license in Texas should be added to the list.

Officers employed by private universities are already on that list. They are mentioned in Article 2.12(8).

I have mixed emotions about whether or not private universities should be allowed their own police. I fully understand the concern about them being private and not truly being public servants, but I also understand that you are performing the exact same functions as a university officer from a public university and facing the exact same dangers or problems. I think the answer to the problem might lie in section 51.212(d) of the Education Code. The university hires and pays the officers, but the commission is carried by the city. And I note that it does not, by law, have to be the city the college is located in.

I have yet to meet 50% of the amount of peace officers in CCP Article 2.12.

Keep going to training classes. Out of the 36 types listed in 2.12, I have probably met representatives of about 25 of them in various training classes. Add in railroad and Special rangers of the TSCRA. I cannot remember ever meeting any adjunct officers yet, but since I would have identified them as university officers, I might have.

[tbrown]

ISD police already have full athority within the county they are commissioned in, so do officers who work for public universities.

Apples and Oranges. If I homeschool, that doesn't mean I get to carry a handgun into bars and football games.

[Charles L. Cotton]

As others have said, my comments are directed at the current state of the law, not at any Forum Member.

I think we should repeal all peace officer authorizations for everything other than DPS, sheriffs and deputies, constables and police officers. We have gone way overboard in authorizing various state agencies and schools to create police forces. For example the State Board of Pharmacy, municipal utility districts, Comptroller officers, water control and water district officers, Texas Medical Board investigators, Hospital District officers, Texas Racing Commission investigators, and numerous others. (See http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... 2.htm#2.12" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

This is crazy!

Chas.

I agree there is a huge list of who are peace officers in Texas.

Well, you aren't saying whether you support or oppose this huge list. We don't need 36 flavors of LEOs. We don't need, nor should we want to support, more than DPS, Sheriffs, city police and constables (limited to civil service). Nothing good comes from having a baker's dozen times three (almost). Crime isn't reduced and the tax bill for all of these folks, equipment, etc. is wasted money that could be used elsewhere.

One of the best, most candid, statements I've ever heard about the impact LEO's have on crime was made by a female city police officer. She said, There is no 'thin blue line.' That's just something we COPs tell ourselves to make us feel important." She wasn't saying LEO's are useless or they serve no purpose. She was saying that COPs don't prevent crime and more COPs don't even reduce crime, because criminals aren't afraid of getting caught. She was also saying that people cannot rely upon COPs keeping them safe because only the very lucky will have a COP present when they are victimized.

It appears that every state agency, local agency, unit of local government, or even private colleges and universities, feel they must have their own police force/officers in order to play with the big boys. I don't care to stroke their egos.

Chas.

[MeMelYup]

Does this mean that universities with their own police departments are eligible for military surplus items? Such as MRAPS, M-16's, grenade launchers, etc.. How about hospitals, etc..

[Charles L. Cotton]

I split these posts from the Critical Legislation thread. That thread is for discussion about bills that are either guaranteed to be filed or likely to be filed.

Chas.

[tbrown]

As others have said, my comments are directed at the current state of the law, not at any Forum Member.

I think we should repeal all peace officer authorizations for everything other than DPS, sheriffs and deputies, constables and police officers. We have gone way overboard in authorizing various state agencies and schools to create police forces. For example the State Board of Pharmacy, municipal utility districts, Comptroller officers, water control and water district officers, Texas Medical Board investigators, Hospital District officers, Texas Racing Commission investigators, and numerous others. (See http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... 2.htm#2.12" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

This is crazy!

Chas.

I agree there is a huge list of who are peace officers in Texas.

Well, you aren't saying whether you support or oppose this huge list. We don't need 36 flavors of LEOs. We don't need, nor should we want to support, more than DPS, Sheriffs, city police and constables (limited to civil service). Nothing good comes from having a baker's dozen time three (almost). Crime isn't reduced and the tax bill for all of these folks, equipment, etc. is wasted money that could be used elsewhere.

One of the best, most candid, statements I've ever heard about the impact LEO's have on crime was made by a female city police officer. She said, There is no 'thin blue line.' That's just something we COPs tell ourselves to make us feel important." She wasn't saying LEO's are useless or they serve no purpose. She was saying that COPs don't prevent crime and more COPs doesn't even reduce crime, because criminals aren't afraid of getting caught. She was also saying that people cannot rely upon COPs keeping them safe because only the very lucky will have a COP present when they are victimized.

It appears that every state agency, local agency, unit of local government, or even private colleges and universities, feel they must have their own police force/officers in order to play with the big boys. I don't care to stroke their egos.

Chas.

[n5wd]

i'm still trying to figure out how a thread entitled "I S D Police Officers"meaning Independent School District Pollice Officers (like those of Dallas ISD) wound up talking about Private University officers.

[EEllis]

I and others are looking into have a local LE agency within the county carry our commission to get around this restriction. We shouldn't have to hold a separate commission with another department but until this law is changed we will continue to look at other avenues. All the local Police Chiefs and Sheriffs agree that we should be on the same level as other Texas peace officers. I have yet to hear anyone in LE disagree.

I tend to think that while serving the public you should actually be responsible to the public. Now that just is not so. The truth of the matter is you want something you are not going to get at your current job. Deal or get a new job.