The police department of the city, to be known as the “Liberty
Hill Police Department,” is hereby created. The position of
city marshal of the city is abolished.
(Ordinance 05-O-75, sec. 2, adopted 11/14/2005; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.001)
The position of chief of police of the police department is
hereby created. The duties of the former office of city marshal are
hereby conferred on the chief of police, who shall also perform such
other duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the city
council. The chief of police shall be a duly sworn and certified peace
officer of the state. The chief of police of the police department
shall have the powers, rights, duties, and jurisdiction granted to
and imposed on peace officers by the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure
and the laws of the state. The chief of police shall receive such
compensation as may be fixed by the city council. The chief of police
shall be supervised by the city manager and shall serve at the pleasure
of the city council. The chief of police may be removed from office
at any time by the city council. The chief of police shall execute
a bond conditioned that he will faithfully perform the duties of office.
The chief of police has the authority and duty to enforce all city
ordinances.
(Ordinance 06-O-44, sec. 2, adopted 5/22/2006; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.002; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
The chief of police may appoint such police officers as he may
deem necessary and appropriate, subject to approval by the city council.
All police officers shall be duly sworn and certified peace officers
of the state and shall have the powers, rights, duties, and jurisdiction
granted to and imposed on peace officers by the Texas Code of Criminal
Procedure and the laws of the state. Police officers may serve all
process issued by the municipal court of the city. Any police officer
may be removed from office at any time by the city council. City police
officers have the authority and duty to enforce all city ordinances.
(Ordinance 06-O-44, sec. 3, adopted 5/22/2006; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.003)
There is hereby created a reserve police unit consisting of
duly qualified and appointed volunteers, which shall augment the regular
city police department as provided in this division.
(Ordinance 05-O-76, sec. 2, adopted 11/14/2005; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.031)
The chief of police shall appoint such number of reserve police
officers as the city council shall from time to time deem expedient.
Appointments shall be made after competent investigation and training
of volunteer applicants. Members shall serve at the discretion of
the chief of police.
(Ordinance 05-O-76, sec. 3, adopted 11/14/2005; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.032)
The reserve police officer shall, before entering upon the duties
of his office, take the oath of office prescribed by the state constitution,
and execute and deliver to the city a good and sufficient bond in
the sum of $1,000.00, payable to the city, conditioned that he will
faithfully perform all the duties required of him by the constitution
and laws of the state, the ordinances of the city, and such further
duties as may be prescribed by the city council.
(Ordinance 05-O-76, sec. 4, adopted 11/14/2005; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.033)
Upon the appointment of any reserve police officer, and after
taking the oath and bond prescribed, it shall be the duty of the city
to issue him a certificate of such appointment, empowering him with
all the rights, powers and duties required by this article.
(Ordinance 05-O-76, sec. 5, adopted 11/14/2005; Ordinance adopting
2009 Code; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.034)
A member of the reserve force who is not a peace officer as
described by article 2.12, Code of Criminal
Procedure, may act as a peace officer only during the actual discharge
of official duties.
(Ordinance 06-O-26, sec. 3, adopted 4/10/2006; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.035)
An appointment to the reserve police unit must be approved by
the city council before the person appointed may carry a weapon or
otherwise act as a peace officer. After the appointment is approved,
the person appointed may carry a weapon only when authorized to do
so by the chief of police.
(Ordinance 06-O-26, sec. 2(b), adopted 4/10/2006; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.036)
Reserve police officers shall be directly responsible to the
chief of police and to such regular and reserve officer as the chief
of police may designate.
(Ordinance 05-O-76, sec. 8, adopted 11/14/2005; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.037)
(a)
When
duly committed to active duty upon the order of the chief of police,
reserve police officers shall exercise like powers, duties and responsibilities
as regular police officers, so far as the same are consistent with
their orders from the chief of police, and in obedience with the laws
of the state and ordinances of the city.
(b)
The
city council may limit the size of the auxiliary police unit.
(Ordinance 05-O-76, sec. 9, adopted 11/14/2005; Ordinance 06-O-26, sec. 2(c), adopted 4/10/2006; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.038)
Reserve police officers may act only in a supplementary capacity to the regular police force and may not assume the full-time duties of regular police officers without complying with the requirements for regular police officers. On approval of the appointment of a member who is a peace officer as described by article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, the chief of police may authorize the person appointed to carry a weapon or act as a peace officer at all times, regardless of whether the person is engaged in the actual discharge of official duties, or may limit the authority of the person to carry a weapon or act as a peace officer to only those times during which the person is engaged in the actual discharge of official duties. A reserve police officer, regardless of whether the reserve police officer is a peace officer as described by article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, is not:
(1)
Eligible
for participation in any program provided by the city that is normally
considered a financial benefit of full-time employment or for any
pension fund created by statute for the benefit of full-time paid
peace officers; or
(2)
Exempt
from chapter 1702, Occupations Code.
(Ordinance 06-O-26, sec. 4, adopted 4/10/2006; 2009 Code, sec. 9.04.039)
