Text of article effective on January 01, 2025
Art. 2A.007.  ADJUNCT POLICE OFFICERS.  (a)  With the consent of the governing board of a private institution of higher education located in a county with a population of less than 200,000, the chief of police of a municipality in that county or the sheriff of that county, if the institution is outside the corporate limits of a municipality, that has jurisdiction over the geographical area of the institution may appoint not more than 50 peace officers commissioned under Section 51.212, Education Code, and employed by the institution to serve as adjunct police officers of the municipality or county, as applicable.
(b)  An adjunct police officer appointed under this article:
(1)  shall aid law enforcement agencies in the protection of the municipality or county in the geographical area designated under Subsection (c);
(2)  may make arrests and exercise all authority given peace officers under this code only within the geographical area designated under Subsection (c); and
(3)  has all the rights, privileges, and immunities of a peace officer but is not entitled to state compensation and retirement benefits normally provided by the state to a peace officer.
(c)  A chief of police or sheriff who appoints an adjunct police officer under this article and the private institution of higher education at which the officer is employed shall annually designate by agreement the geographical area in which adjunct police officers may act as described by Subsection (b). The geographical area may include only the institution's campus area and an area that:
(1)  is adjacent to the institution's campus;
(2)  does not extend more than one mile from the perimeter of the institution's campus; and
(3)  is inhabited primarily by students or employees of the institution.
(d)  A person may not serve as an adjunct police officer for a municipality or county unless:
(1)  the private institution of higher education at which the person is employed submits the person's application for appointment and certification as an adjunct police officer to the applicable chief of police or sheriff;
(2)  the chief of police or sheriff to whom the application under Subdivision (1) was made issues the person a certificate of authority to act as an adjunct police officer; and
(3)  the person undergoes any additional training required for that person to meet the training standards of the municipality or county, as applicable, for peace officers employed by the municipality or county.
(e)  A chief of police or sheriff who issues a certificate of authority under this article may revoke the certificate for good cause.
(f)  A private institution of higher education is liable for any act or omission by a person employed by the institution while serving as an adjunct police officer outside of the institution's campus in the same manner as the municipality or county governing the applicable geographical area is liable for any act or omission of a peace officer employed by the municipality or county. This subsection may not be construed as a limitation on the liability of a municipality or county for the acts or omissions of a person serving as an adjunct police officer.
(g)  A private institution of higher education that employs an adjunct police officer shall pay all expenses incurred by the municipality or county in granting or revoking a certificate of authority to act as an adjunct police officer under this article.
(h)  This article does not affect any duty of the municipality or county to provide law enforcement services to a geographical area designated under Subsection (c).
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 1.001, eff. January 1, 2025.