(a) The commission of a district that has established a police force may establish a volunteer police reserve force.
(b) The commission shall establish qualifications and training standards for reserve force members.

(c) The commission may limit the size of the reserve force.
(d) The chief of the district police force shall appoint volunteers to serve as reserve force members. Members are not district employees and serve without pay and at the chief’s discretion.
(e) The chief of police may call the reserve force into service at any time the chief considers it necessary to have additional officers to preserve the peace and enforce the law.

Text of subsection effective until January 01, 2025

(f) A reserve force member 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 discharge of official duties. A reserve force member who is a peace officer under that article must hold a permanent peace officer license issued under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code.

Text of subsection effective on January 01, 2025

(f) A reserve force member who is not a peace officer as described by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, may act as a peace officer only during the discharge of official duties. A reserve force member who is a peace officer under that article must hold a permanent peace officer license issued under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code.

Text of subsection effective until January 01, 2025

(g) The commission must approve an appointment to the reserve force before the person appointed may carry a weapon or otherwise act as a peace officer. On approval of the appointment of a person who is not a peace officer as described by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, the person appointed may carry a weapon only when authorized to do so by the chief of police and only when discharging official duties as a peace officer. On approval of the appointment of a person who is a peace officer as described by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, the chief of police may:
(1) 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 discharge of official duties; or
(2) limit the person’s authority to carry a weapon or act as a peace officer to only those times during which the person is engaged in the discharge of official duties.

Text of subsection effective on January 01, 2025

(g) The commission must approve an appointment to the reserve force before the person appointed may carry a weapon or otherwise act as a peace officer. On approval of the appointment of a person who is not a peace officer as described by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, the person appointed may carry a weapon only when authorized to do so by the chief of police and only when discharging official duties as a peace officer. On approval of the appointment of a person who is a peace officer as described by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, the chief of police may:
(1) 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 discharge of official duties; or
(2) limit the person’s authority to carry a weapon or act as a peace officer to only those times during which the person is engaged in the discharge of official duties.
(h) Reserve police officers may act only to supplement the district’s regular police force and may not assume the full-time duties of regular police officers without complying with the requirements for regular police officers.

Text of subsection effective until January 01, 2025

(i) 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:
(A) a program provided by the commission that is normally considered a financial benefit of full-time employment; or
(B) a pension fund created by statute for the benefit of full-time paid peace officers; or
(2) exempt from Chapter 1702, Occupations Code.

Text of subsection effective on January 01, 2025

(i) A reserve police officer, regardless of whether the reserve police officer is a peace officer as described by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, is not:
(1) eligible for participation in:
(A) a program provided by the commission that is normally considered a financial benefit of full-time employment; or
(B) a pension fund created by statute for the benefit of full-time paid peace officers; or
(2) exempt from Chapter 1702, Occupations Code.
(j) After being appointed under this section, a reserve police officer must execute an oath and execute a bond in the amount of $2,000 payable to the commission. The officer may not perform any duties under this section until the officer files the oath and bond with the commission’s secretary.