Rethinking leaving a gun in my truck at my College.

[nakedbike]

Do campus police have the power to enforce Texas laws? Would you need to show them your CHL in the event of a stop/interaction where they ask for ID?

For the most part, yes. The applicable definitions of what constitutes a "peace officer" under the Texas Penal Code can be found in Article 2.12 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... 2.htm#2.12). That in turn also will point you to Section 37.081 of the Education Code (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... /ED.37.htm), Subchapter E, Chapter 51 of the Education Code (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... /ED.51.htm), Chapter 54 of the Transportation Code (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... /TN.54.htm), and Chapter 554 (specifically Section 554.010) of the Occupations Code (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... OC.554.htm).

For those of us who carry under a CHL, if you haven't done so I'd recommend review of those statutes to understand who really can be a "peace officer" and to whom we need to show our license if asked for identification. Campus officers commissioned as peace officers are certainly included, but there are others you may or may not have considered.

Something interesting is that the Penal Code §1.07(a)(36) references two Sections of the Education Code, but omits an important one. PC §1.07(a)(36) points to Education Code §§51.212 and 51.214, but it is §51.203 that describes the campus officer at a state-owned institution...all three Sections apply, though.

Thank you for the thorough reply. This is why I return to this site. I'm submitting my paperwork Friday for a CCP in New Mexico where it is not required to notify. I do spend a lot of time in El Paso though so I should learn this stuff too.

I wish New Mexico would switch to the electronic finger printing system though...

[CC Italian]

Somebody posted something similar about a month or two ago and was worried about school sanctions. They never posted back to tell us what happened but I do not think they will do anything! Read your school guidelines and I would still leave it in my car. Trust me there is still life after college and trust me in this economy your degree might not be worth the paper it’s written on depending on your major. I would be more worried about finding a good career then that.

[Heartland Patriot]

Well from what I've heard is that even though its ok and you won't get in trouble with the law, the police will still inform your school and then they will take action against you. I hope I am wrong.

That is an accurate statement in regards to the "institute of higher learning" that I am currently attending to earn a technical degree and FAA A&P mechanic certification. The handbook specifically states that firearms and illegal knives are not allowed in vehicles in the parking lot. Once again, while the state may not care as a matter of LAW, the college will "discipline" you if you are caught...and that probably means you are booted out of school. While I do value my safety, and I know I can't get my life back if I'm in a pine box pushing up daisies, I also have to gamble that I won't encounter said sort of trouble at the smaller school I attend because I need this technical degree so someone will hire me. If you don't have A&P to back up the words "Aircraft Mechanic", your resume goes right into the computerized roundfile...I have experience, but I MUST have the piece of paper to go with it. I so despise the spineless members of "our side" who sold out campus carry this past session. I guess if it isn't them that has to deal with the situation, they could not care less...

[n5wd]

If we can't get campus carry passed, I wonder why we couldn't make it illegal for the police to mention anything that isn't illegal to a campus. The police should enforce laws, not university policies.

If your university has its own police department, then the cops, there, are doing what they should do, according to the folks that hire them (the administration) when they report student code violations to the administration.

If, on the other hand, the cops who respond to the school aren't employed by the school (i.e. they're city police, or county deputy sheriffs), then they're probably not going to go tattling to the dean of student life about your CHL.

Do campus police have the power to enforce Texas laws? Would you need to show them your CHL in the event of a stop/interaction where they ask for ID?

If they are certified peace officers (i.e. their badges say "police" and their cars are marked "Police", that'd be a good indicator that they are), then YES. If they are security guards, probably not, but you might be hard pressed to know the difference if you're not familiar with the campus cops.