NCJ Number
187038
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2001 Pages: 24-25-56
Date Published
2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The author, the sheriff of Bell County, Tex., describes the work of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, of which he is a member.
Abstract
Improving the standards, education, and training requirements of Texas peace officers continues to be the greatest challenge facing the commission today. The nine voting members set policy for the commission and take votes on various rules, regulations, standards, training requirements, and licensing regulations for law enforcement agencies statewide. The commission also regulates licensed jailers and emergency communicators. Commission members are appointed by the governor, and the composition of the commission's voting members is statutorily set at three law enforcement administrators (at least one must be a sheriff), three law enforcement officers who are not of command status, and three civilian members not working in law enforcement-related fields. Just recently, the commission found itself divided over a draft proposal that would require all Texas peace officers to have a 4-year baccalaureate degree prior to being licensed. Many sheriffs' offices and small agencies were particularly concerned about such a policy, because it was an unfunded mandate with which many felt they could not comply. The commission's presiding officer appointed an education committee to study this issue. Although research data compiled by the committee should have alleviated concerns over costs and applicant pools, the committee refrained from making a formal recommendation until these issues could be further studied within the context of the State's characteristics. Objections outweighed support for the proposal among law enforcement agencies statewide. The commission consequently has abandoned the proposal as a mandate. In the author's opinion, without direct local input in the decision making process, there might well have been an unattainable, unfunded State mandate that could have had a devastating effect on a small agency's ability to hire and retain qualified staff.