Texas Education Code 51.203 – Campus Peace Officers
(a) The governing boards of each state institution of higher education and public technical institute may employ and commission peace officers for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subchapter. The primary jurisdiction of a peace officer commissioned under this section includes all counties in which property is owned, leased, rented, or otherwise under the control of the institution of higher education or public technical institute that employs the peace officer.
(b) Within a peace officer’s primary jurisdiction, a peace officer commissioned under this section:
(1) is vested with all the powers, privileges, and immunities of peace officers;
(2) may, in accordance with Chapter 14, Code of Criminal Procedure, arrest without a warrant any person who violates a law of the state; and
(3) may enforce all traffic laws on streets and highways.
Terms Used In Texas Education Code 51.203
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Property: means real and personal property. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) Outside a peace officer’s primary jurisdiction a peace officer commissioned under this section is vested with all the powers, privileges, and immunities of peace officers and may arrest any person who violates any law of the state if the peace officer:
(1) is summoned by another law enforcement agency to provide assistance;
(2) is assisting another law enforcement agency; or
(3) is otherwise performing his duties as a peace officer for the institution of higher education or public technical institute that employs the peace officer.
(d) Any officer assigned to duty and commissioned shall take and file the oath required of peace officers.
(e) Any person commissioned under this Act must be a certified police officer under the requirements of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.