The city manager shall appoint a chief of police, who may or
may not be a resident citizen of and a qualified voter of the City
of Mexia.
The chief of police shall be ex-officio Sergeant-at-arms to
the city council, and shall either in person or by deputy, attend
all meetings. He shall have charge of the city hall or council chamber;
and shall have same cleared, provide fuel, fire and light at the expense
of the city, for the council when it meets, and perform such other
duties in connection therewith as the council shall direct. Upon the
order of the mayor he shall notify the council members and city secretary
of the time and object of all call meetings of the council.
It shall be the duty of the chief of police to execute all process
or orders issued to him by the mayor or other officer of the city
having authority to issue the same, and to make the returns thereon
according to law.
He shall be the keeper of the city prison or “calaboose,”
shall keep the same in a clean, wholesome condition and keep all prisoners
legally confined therein until discharged. He shall have charge of
all prisoners while at work on the streets or other public works of
the city.
The chief of police shall be active in quelling all riots, disorders
and disturbances of the peace within the limits of the city. It shall
be his duty to arrest, without warrant, all violators of the public
peace and all who obstruct or interfere with him in the performance
of his duties, or who shall be guilty of any disturbance or disorderly
conduct, and he shall have authority to take suitable or sufficient
bail for the appearance before the corporation court, of any person
charged with a violation of the laws or ordinances of the city or
state, of which the corporation court may have jurisdiction.
The chief of police shall attend either in person or by deputy,
the corporation court of the City of Mexia, when in session, shall
preserve order therein, and shall promptly and faithfully execute
all writs of process issued therefrom. He shall bring all prisoners
for trial before said court at the opening thereof each day, and he
shall furnish to the city attorney each day before the opening hour
of court, a statement of the arrests made, by whom made, the offense
charged and the names and residences of the witnesses, together with
such other information as may be required. He shall enforce and collect
all judgments rendered in said court for violation of the laws and
ordinances of the city and state, and shall be responsible on his
official bond for the collection of same.
It shall be the duty of the chief of police to keep all records
appropriated for the running of an efficient professional police department
or otherwise required by law.
The chief of police shall make a report to the secretary on
or before the third day of each month, and at such other time or times
as the commission may require, showing all cases tried in the corporation
court, since the last report on which judgment has been entered, giving
date of trial, name of party, nature of offense, amount of fine imposed,
amount collected, amount worked out as provided elsewhere, amount
still uncollected in each case, together with the total amount of
moneys received by him belonging to the corporation, and turned over
to the city since the last report.
The chief of police may make a statement under oath to the city
council giving his reasons why any fine has not been collected, and
the city council may, if it deems proper, excuse the chief of police
from the payment of such uncollected fines.
It shall be the duty of the chief of police to enforce the laws
and ordinances of the City of Mexia, the State of Texas, and to enforce
all laws and take such actions as are appropriate for a licensed peace
officer in the State of Texas.
The chief of police shall report to the mayor all nuisances
and all things made unlawful by laws or ordinances; and to give or
cause to be given an alarm of fire when a cause exhibits therefor.
That Section 12, Article XIV of the Charter of the City of Mexia
be amended so as to be repealed.
