1786 RES LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS RECOGNIZE NEED TO IMPROVE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENTRESOLUTION 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.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, as follows:
l. That the Legislat,ive Budget Board reconsider its
position and action in voting to merge the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards
and Education with the Board of Private Investigators
and Private Security Agencies; or upon failure of the
Legislative Budget Board to reverse its decisions
that the legislature vote against such merger.
2. That the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
Standards and Education remain an independent agency
dedicated solely to the service of law enforcement
officers and departments throughout the State.
3. That the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
Officer Standards and Education be funded entirely
from state general revenue funds.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be
forwarded to the Governor, Dolph Briscoe, to Senator A. M. Aikin,
Jr, and to Representative Pete Patterson and to each member of the
Legislative Budget Board, in order that they may have made known
to them the extreme gravity and public concern which we hold for
the matters expressed in this resolution.
Passed and adopted this 14th day of February, 1977.
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J s M. 13-r n , Mayor
A TTEST:
~
. . reene, City lerk
2t=.e. OVED O FORM:
aynes, COr ty ttorney