1786 RES LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS RECOGNIZE NEED TO IMPROVE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

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RESOLUTION NO. 1786 . WHEREAS, Law Enforcement Officers throughout the State of Texas, recognizing the need to improve the level of performance of local law enforcement through training, education and minimum moral, mental and physical standards, sought and obtained legislation in 1965, creating the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education; and, WHEREAS, since its creation, the Law Enforcement Commission has steadfastly pursued the aims of its creators and through its efforts 45 police academies have been created and certi- fied; law enforcement instructors have been trained and certified and have taught thousands of Texas Law Enforcement officers in such academies; law enforcement degree programs have been es- tablished; management training for police administrators has been provided; records management systems for local law enforcement agencies have been developed; validated entry examinations have been developed and implemented for police applicants; and through all these efforts the average educational level of more than 30, 000 law enforcement officers in the State of Texas has increased sfgnificantly; and, WHEREAS, all of these achievements by the Commission have been accomplished without a charge by the Commission to the officer or the community in which the law enforcement department is lo- cated; and, WHEREAS, the Commission has previously relied primarily on federal grants from the Governor's Criminal Justice Division for its funding, with the State furnishing only 18% of the total budget from state general revenue funds; and, WHEREAS, the Criminal Justice Council has passed a written resolution declaring that under its policies it can no longer fund the activities of the Commission after September l, 1977, and that such funding should be secured from State general revenue funds; and, WHEREAS, the Legislative Budget Board has voted to recom- mend to the legislature that the Texas Commission on Law Enforce- ment Officer Standards and Education be merged with the Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies, and has not only failed to recommend adequate funding for the Commission, but has recommended reducing by 29% the State's current funding of the Commission out of general revenue funds; and, WHEREAS, it is imperative that the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education remain an independent public service agency dedicated solely to the service of law enforce- ment, and not be joined with a private industry agency governing activities operated for private profit; and that adequate funding from State general revenue funds be provided to insure the continued ac- tivities of the Commission.