(a) Department established.
The city council is empowered
to establish and maintain a police department and to provide for the
direction, organization, and staffing thereof, and to fix the salaries
therefor. There is hereby created and established the police department
of the city. The council may abolish or combine one or more departments
created by it and may assign or transfer duties of any department
of the city from one department to another, by ordinance.
(b) Composition; appointment and qualifications of chief.
(1) The police department shall consist of a chief of police and as many
peace officers as the city council shall authorize and direct by budget
approval or other ordinance.
(2) In addition to those requirements established by charter, to oversee
the police department, a chief of police shall also meet the following
minimum requirements:
(A) Must meet the minimum standards for initial licensure;
(B) Must have at least five years of bona fide law enforcement experience;
(C) Must hold at least a basic certificate issued by the Texas Commission
on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE);
(D) Shall have demonstrated a competency in personnel and department
management;
(E) Shall coordinate the appropriate budgeting, staffing and training
of the department with the city manager to ensure that all requirements
established by the city council are met and maintained; and
(F) Shall not hold any other law enforcement related off-duty employment
outside of the city and/or the city’s ETJ, except when working
in conjunction with another jurisdiction’s regular law enforcement
agency.
(c) Officer positions.
The chief of police will have authority
to create, establish, and define the varying officer positions by
departmental policy as authorized and approved by the city council.
The peace officers must meet the minimum standards for initial licensure
as established in state law.
(d) Powers of members.
The members of the police department
appointed pursuant to this section shall have all the powers, rights,
and authorities vested in police officers pursuant to the common law
and state statutes.
(Ordinance 1207 adopted 10/17/19)
(a) No
person shall be allowed to serve as chief of police or in any other
officer position unless the person meets the minimum standards for
initial licensure, and all department personnel shall be subject to
all provisions of the city personnel policy and pay classification
plan as are other city employees.
(b) The
chief of police and any other officer shall comply with the minimum
training standards established by the state commission on law enforcement
officer standards and education established for all peace officers.
The chief of police shall establish the qualifications and standards
of training for members of the police department and shall establish
rules and regulations governing police officers as authorized and
approved by city council.
(c) The
chief of police shall establish minimum physical, mental, educational
and moral standards for members of the police department, but in no
case shall the standards, when applicable, be less than that established
by the state commission on law enforcement officer standards and education.
(Ordinance 1207 adopted 10/17/19)
In time of danger or emergency, the mayor may, with the consent
of the city council, take command of the police, and govern the city
by proclamation, and maintain order and enforce all laws, to the extent
authorized by state law.
(Ordinance 1207 adopted 10/17/19)
The chief of police shall supervise the daily operations of
the police department. The duties of the chief shall consist of the
following:
(1) The
chief shall manage the daily operation of the police department; and
the chief shall supervise all department personnel.
(2) The
chief shall prepare the proposals for the police department budget,
which are submitted to the city manager and city council.
(3) The
chief shall provide oral and/or written reports to the city manager
and/or city council when requested or required in order to ensure
that proper communication exists between the city manager and/or city
council and the police department.
(4) The
chief shall be responsible for all departmental expenditures, disbursements,
and collected funds in accordance with the laws and statutes of the
state and the city.
(5) The
chief shall oversee and be responsible for all equipment, vehicles
and capital assets assigned to the police department.
(6) The
chief shall establish comprehensive operational policies for the police
department and as authorized and approved by the city council. Such
policies shall be regularly reviewed and updated to maintain best
practices, and as recommended by the Texas Police Chiefs Association
and Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, or comparable equivalent.
At a minimum, department policies shall be reviewed and submitted
to the city council for approval not later than December 31st of any
year in which the state legislature convenes in session.
(7) The
chief shall establish weapons and ammunition specifications for the
police department. The officers of the police department shall carry
only those weapons and ammunition as authorized by the chief.
(8) The
chief shall be in charge of all reserve officers within the police
department.
(9) The
chief shall be responsible for all training programs and training
records for department personnel.
(10) The chief shall be responsible for and have authority to maintain
the discipline of departmental personnel and to assign shifts and
duties of all departmental personnel.
(11) The chief shall represent the police department and city at local
events that he and/or the city council deems appropriate and promote
a positive image of, and good community relations between the public
and the police department.
(12) In addition to maintaining proficiency in peace officer certification,
the chief shall complete any management training completed by other
department heads within the city, as recommended by the city manager
and authorized by the city council.
(Ordinance 1207 adopted 10/17/19)