Sec. 260A.017.  DUTIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT; JOINT INVESTIGATION.  (a)  The department shall investigate a report of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other complaint described by Section 260A.007(c)(1) jointly with:
(1)  the municipal law enforcement agency, if the facility is located within the territorial boundaries of a municipality; or
(2)  the sheriff's department of the county in which the facility is located, if the facility is not located within the territorial boundaries of a municipality.
(b)  The law enforcement agency described by Subsection (a) shall acknowledge the report of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other complaint and begin the joint investigation required by this section within 24 hours after receipt of the report or complaint.  The law enforcement agency shall cooperate with the department and report to the department the results of the investigation.
(c)  The requirement that the law enforcement agency and the department conduct a joint investigation under this section does not require that a representative of each agency be physically present during all phases of the investigation or that each agency participate equally in each activity conducted in the course of the investigation.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 7 (S.B. 7), Sec. 1.05(c), eff. September 28, 2011.