LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH COOPERATION OF MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, AND CERTAIN OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code ch. 362

in effect

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 362.001. DEFINITIONS.

In this chapter: (1) "Joint airport" means an airport that is operated jointly by two municipalities and that is situated in two counties. (2) "Law enforcement officer" means a municipal police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, deputy constable, marshal, deputy marshal, investigator of a district attorney's, criminal district attorney's, or county attorney's office, or police officer of a joint airport who has been commissioned as a peace officer under the laws of this state. (3) "Multicounty drug task force" means a mutual aid law enforcement task force that is established as a multicounty law enforcement cooperation between counties and municipalities to enhance multicounty interagency coordination, acquire intelligence information, and facilitate multicounty investigations of drug-related crimes.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 362.002. LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE.

(a) A county, municipality, or joint airport may, by resolution or order of its governing body, provide for, or authorize its chief administrative officer, chief of police, or marshal to provide for, its regularly employed law enforcement officers to assist another county, municipality, or joint airport. This assistance may be provided only when the mayor or other officer authorized to declare a state of civil emergency in the other county, municipality, or joint airport considers additional law enforcement officers necessary to protect health, life, and property in the county, municipality, or joint airport because of disaster, riot, threat of concealed explosives, or unlawful assembly characterized by force and violence or the threat of force and violence by three or more persons acting together or without lawful authority. (b) A county, municipality, or joint airport may, by resolution or order of its governing body, enter into an agreement with a municipality, joint airport, or county to form a mutual aid law enforcement task force to cooperate in criminal investigations and law enforcement. Peace officers employed by counties, municipalities, or joint airports covered by the agreement have only the additional investigative authority throughout the region as set forth in the agreement. The agreement must provide for the compensation of peace officers involved in the activities of the task force. (c) A law enforcement officer employed by a county, municipality, or joint airport that is covered by the agreement may make an arrest outside the county, municipality, or joint airport in which the officer is employed but within the area covered by the agreement. The law enforcement agencies of the area where the arrest is made shall be notified of the arrest without delay, and the notified agency shall make available the notice of the arrest in the same manner as if the arrest were made by a member of that agency.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 362.003. PROVISIONS RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

(a) While a law enforcement officer regularly employed by one county, municipality, or joint airport is in the service of another county, municipality, or joint airport according to this chapter, the officer is a peace officer of the latter county, municipality, or joint airport and is under the command of the law enforcement officer who is in charge in that county, municipality, or joint airport. The officer has all the powers of a regular law enforcement officer of that county, municipality, or joint airport as fully as if the officer were in the county, municipality, or joint airport where regularly employed. Qualification for office in the territory of regular employment constitutes qualification for office in the other county, municipality, or joint airport and no additional oath, bond, or compensation is needed. (b) The law enforcement officer who is ordered by the official designated by the governing body of the county, municipality, or joint airport to perform police or peace duties outside the limits of that county, municipality, or joint airport where regularly employed is entitled to the same wage, salary, pension, and other compensation and rights, including injury or death benefits, as if the service were rendered in the county, municipality, or joint airport of the officer's regular employment. The officer is also entitled to payment for any reasonable expenses incurred for travel, food, or lodging while on duty outside the limits of the territory of the officer's regular employment. (c) The county, municipality, or joint airport regularly employing the law enforcement officer shall pay all wages and disability payments, pension payments, damages to equipment and clothing, medical expenses, and travel, food, and lodging expenses. The county, municipality, or joint airport whose authorized official requested the services shall reimburse the original county, municipality, or joint airport after the payment is made and reimbursement is requested. Each county, municipality, or joint airport may make these payments and reimbursements regardless of any provision in its charter or ordinances to the contrary.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 362.004. MULTICOUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE.

(a) A multicounty drug task force is composed of law enforcement agencies located in two or more counties in this state. A multicounty drug task force may be established and operated only after the Department of Public Safety confirms: (1) a strategic need for the task force; and (2) the composition of the task force. (b) A multicounty drug task force, and any county or municipality participating in the task force, must comply with the policies and procedures established for the operation of a multicounty drug task force by the Department of Public Safety. Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 556 (H.B. 1239 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2005.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 362.005. TEXAS TRANSNATIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER.

(a) The sheriff's department of a county with a population of at least 870,000 that borders the Texas-Mexico border and the police department of the municipality having the largest population in that county shall jointly establish and operate the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center as a central repository of real-time intelligence relating to: (1) autopsies in which the person's death is likely connected to transnational criminal activity; (2) criminal activity in the counties along the Texas-Mexico border and certain other counties; and (3) other transnational criminal activity in the state. (b) The Texas Department of Public Safety shall assist the county sheriff's department and the municipal police department in the establishment and operation of the center. (c) Each law enforcement agency in a county located along the Texas-Mexico border or in a county that contains a federal checkpoint shall report to the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center intelligence regarding criminal activity in the law enforcement agency's jurisdiction, including details on kidnappings, home invasions, and incidents of impersonation of law enforcement officers. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Parks and Wildlife Department shall report to the center intelligence regarding transnational criminal activity in the agency's jurisdiction. (d) The intelligence in the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center shall be made available to each law enforcement agency in the state and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Parks and Wildlife Department. (e) The Texas Transnational Intelligence Center shall comply with Section 421.085 , Government Code, and the rules relating to that section. Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 333 (H.B. 11 ), Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2015.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 362.006. ESTABLISHMENT OF CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

A county may establish a law enforcement agency only if authorized by the constitution or other law. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 511 (S.B. 2143 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.

Source: TX Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Fetched: 6/29/2026