An authority may commission and employ peace officers, and certain older authorities with smaller principal municipalities may also establish a security force, hire security personnel, and commission them as peace officers.
Sec. 451.108. PEACE OFFICERS. (a) An authority may commission and employ peace officers. (b) An authority created before 1980 in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 1.9 million may establish a security force, employ security personnel, and commission security personnel as peace officers. (c) A peace officer commissioned under this section, except as provided by Subsections (d) and (e), or a peace officer contracted for employment by an authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 1.3 million, may: (1) make an arrest in any county in which the transit authority system is located as necessary to prevent or abate the commission of an offense against the law of this state or a political subdivision of this state if the offense or threatened offense occurs on or involves the transit authority system; (2) make an arrest for an offense involving injury or detriment to the transit authority system; (3) enforce traffic laws and investigate traffic collisions that involve or occur in the transit authority system; and (4) provide emergency and public safety services to the transit authority system or users of the transit authority system. (d) A peace officer who holds a commission under this section from an authority in which the principal municipality has a population of more than 1.9 million and who has filed with the authority the oath of a peace officer has all the powers, privileges, and immunities of peace officers in the counties in which the transit authority system is located, provides services, or is supported by a general sales and use tax. (e) A peace officer who holds a commission under this section from an authority created before 1980 in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 1.9 million and who has filed with the authority the oath of a peace officer has all the powers, privileges, and immunities of peace officers in the counties in which the transit authority system is located, provides services, or is supported by a general sales and use tax while the peace officer is on the transit authority system property or performing duties in connection with the transit authority system or its users. Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 142, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1221 (S.B. 1263), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1163 (H.B. 2702), Sec. 148, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 644 (H.B. 4559), Sec. 252, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 709 (H.B. 2190), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2023.