Law Enforcement in Texas

Law enforcement officers in Texas are called “peace officers.” Their duties include investigating reported crimes, executing warrants for arrest, and protecting the public in emergency situations.

Altogether there are about 80,000 sworn law enforcement officers in Texas, employed in about 2,800 sheriff’s departments, police departments, constable’s offices, other local agencies, and state agencies, according to data from the Department of Public Safety.

Local Agencies

Texas has about 788 municipal police departments. The Dallas Police Department, Houston Police Department, and San Antonio Police Department are among the largest law enforcement agencies in Texas. 

Additionally, Texas has 254 sheriff’s offices — one in each county. Sheriffs and their deputies generally provide public safety in rural areas, while municipal police departments fulfill that role in cities (though even urban Texas counties have their own sheriff).

Sheriffs have the additional responsibility of running local jails that hold misdemeanor convicts and pre-trial defendants. Texas counties employ more than 20,000 jailers.

Other local law enforcement include college and university police, county constables, school district police, and, in some cities, transit police.

Local law enforcement in Texas operate under standards set by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. This regulatory agency, however, provides little direct oversight of local law enforcement. Instead, each agency is accountable to its own local governing body — for instance, a school board in the case of school district police. Additionally, the Texas judiciary plays a critical role in ensuring the due process rights of criminal defendants.

Some local law enforcement agencies consist of only a few officers, or in some cases, just one officer. Critics of this system, including the Texas Sheriffs’ Association, have said that the state has too many agencies, making it difficult to ensure that minimum standards are met. 

State Agencies

The largest state law enforcement agency in Texas is the Department of Public Safety, which employs state troopers and the Texas Rangers.

Additionally, the following state agencies employ peace officers:

• Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission – Enforcement Division
• Texas Attorney General – Criminal Investigations, Gang Resources & Training, Cyber Safety, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
• Comptroller of Public Accounts – Criminal Investigation Division
• Texas Department of Criminal Justice
• Texas Department of Insurance – Fraud Unit, State Fire Marshall’s Office
• University of Texas System Police
• Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife
• Texas Juvenile Justice Department – Office of the Inspector General
• Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Rangers

Powers and Duties of Law Enforcement Officers

The powers and duties of Texas law enforcement officers are enumerated in the Texas Code of Criminal procedure and other laws, and are also defined by local regulations, such as policies set by a city council or county government. Law enforcement practices thus vary somewhat throughout the state.

In general, the powers of law enforcements officers include the following:

• Patrol public areas and perform surveillance of suspected criminal activity.
• Conduct investigations at crime scenes, including by gathering physical evidence, video evidence, witness statements, etc.
• Enforce traffic laws by issuing tickets or arresting offenders in more serious cases, such as driving while intoxicated.
• Arrest, without warrant, when the officer has witnessed a felony crime or a breach of the peace, i.e., behavior that threatens the safety of others.
• Arrest, without warrant, if the officer has probable cause to believe that a person has committed assault or an offense involving family violence.
• Present case information to a judge to obtain an arrest warrant.
• Execute an arrest warrant or search warrant against a person suspected of having earlier committed a crime.
• Meet with prosecuting attorneys to provide them information for filing charges.
• Prepare evidence for grand jury presentations, and make other court appearances during trials against alleged offenders.

Anyone arrested by a law enforcement officer in Texas, whether a citizen or non-citizen, Texan or non-Texan, must be brought before a judge within 48 hours. The judge will inform the detainee of the charges against him or her and make a decision whether to continue the detention, in which case the judge will also set conditions for bail, or release him or her.

Qualifications to Become a Peace Officer

In order to become licensed as a peace officer in Texas a candidate must meet minimum standards for enrollment, pass a basic licensing course, pass a state licensing examination, and receive an appointment by a law enforcement agency.

The minimum enrollment requirements for training include:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Possess a high school diploma, equivalency certificate, or honorable discharge from the U.S. armed forces after at least 24 months of active duty service.
• Be declared physically sound for the performance of duty
• Pass a drug test
• Never have been convicted of any family violence offence
• Not be prohibited from operating a motor vehicle
• Not be prohibited from possession a firearm
• Not currently face any criminal charges
• Never convicted of an offense above the grade of Class B misdemeanor in the last 10 years
• Be at least 21 years of age, or 18 years if the applicant has received an associate’s degree or 60 semester credit hours from a college or university.

Texas Crime Statistics

According to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data used by law enforcement agencies throughout Texas, as reported by the Texas Department of Public Safety, there were 2,666.7 crimes per 100,000 population in Texas in 2020.

The number of violent crimes in Texas increased in 2020, while the number of non-violent crimes decreased.

Federal Law Enforcement in Texas

There are over 150 federal law enforcement offices in Texas, including those for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Customs and Border Protection; Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Secret Service; Office of Inspectors General and U.S. Marshals. 

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, a federal law enforcement agency is “an organizational unit, or subunit, of the federal government with the principle functions of prevention, detection, and investigation of crime and the apprehension of alleged offenders.”

Collective Bargaining

The vast majority of Texas law enforcement agencies, about 96%, employ their officers on an “at will” basis. Many of the larger cities and counties, however, have negotiated collective bargaining agreements with unions.

Continuing Education Requirements

Texas law enforcement officers are required by law to complete at least 40 hours of continuing education every two years, including a unit about recent legislative changes. Additionally training requirements apply on a four-year cycle. 

Special training requirements apply to police chiefs, constables, university peace officers, and jailers. For example, constables must complete a course in civil process every four years.