Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1961 )

. THEAYTORNEYGENERAL 0Frl3cxAs Mr. JoWrph C. Tcnu~e OouJltyAttoPney Sintoa,Texas Res Whethermembersof en auxiliary police department,set up by city ordinance,and appointed by the Chief of Police with the approvalof the City Cozmiasion, ere authorizedby lew to cerq pmio1a while 011duty as en aurlliarypolice,and vhile off De8r Hr. Terms: duty a8 euch euxllierypolice? The City of Taft hes passed a city ordinancesettingup en auxiliary police depmtment. Such officersare subjectto the orders of the Chief of Pollce 02 the City of Taft, end they vork es city police officerses needed. They are appointedby the Chief of Policevith the approvalof the City Commission,end do not receivecompensation.vhich vwld emount ~to $10 par month. You have asked the followingquestion6 concerningthis situ& form 1. &u the eurfllsrypolice euthofizedby lewto terry pistolsunder such cfrcumtences? 2; Am the auxiliarypolice author-fsed to ect se city olfce &en though they are not recsivingcompensetloofa the eeouut of B40 per month? The Terns Penal Code reeds es follove: &ticle 483, Texes Pemel Code: "Whoevershell Carry oa orabouthis person,meddle or In his seddlebage, cn In his portfolio or purse any pistol ,.. shell be puniehedby e fine of not leer then Cme HundredDollars ($100)Mr more then Five HundrednOll.ers~($~) or by confine- ment in JaiLfor not less then one (1) math nor 8ore then one L (1) Year." Articleb@+, Texas Penal Code: "The precedingarticleshell not apply to DoD euy peace officer fn the ectwl~,discherge of his offlcfeldut& 000 nor to any deputy constable,or specialpolicemenvho receivese compen- Mr, Joseph C. Ternus,Page 2 (IiW-gg7)- set&n of forty dollarsor more pep month for hie serviceses such officer,and vho is appointedin conformity9th then statute6authorizingsuch eppointment~90en Article b&b, Penel Co&e of Texasl, shows the intsntionof the Legislature to prohibitepecielpolicemenfrom carryfigpistolsunlerathey receiveforty &I.&&per month or more. Art. 995, VernonlsTexas Civil Statutes,gov@rns the appointmentof a speoielpolice force by the mayor. Such men are ep- pointedby the myor andteke orders f+romthe mayor. The AuxfliaryPolice Depertmentof the City of Taft Is authorizedby city ordinenceend ia subJectto the orderaof the Chiif of'Policeof the City of Taft and its member8are appointedby the Chief of P&Ice with the approvalof the City Commission, It ie clear from the facts'giventhat membersof the AuxiliaryPolice Dspertmentof the City of Taft ere not specialpolice as contemplatedby Art. 95, VernontsTons Civil Statutes. The embers of the AuxfliaryPolice DepartWaItof the dity of Taft ere ap- parentlyappointedunder authorityof Art. #8, Vernon`` T6xae Civil Stetutee,which providesfor the appointmentof police%Y4cers by city ordinance,fflaing of the ak&aryof police officersby the city council, fixingof the term of officeend quelfffcetions of police officersby ordinenceend fixingthe dutiesof police officers. The membersof the AuxiliaryPolice Departmentof the City of Taft sge appointedin conformitytith the lewa governingthe eppofntmentof regular police offfcersend es such are entitledto all the rfghta end dutiesof any math polfce offfcerQ Auxiliarypolice officersof en incorporatedcit]t or town ere peace officerses thet term is definedin Art, 36, Texas Code __ of CrfmfnaLProcedure,AttorneyGeneral'sOpinionPO. 0-5621, The members" of the AuxiliaryPolice Department6f the City of Taft ere authorizedby levto carry pfstols in the performenceof-theirduty as peeca officersin all inetencesvhere eny other member of the regularpolice force <. would be authorizedto carry a pistol, Them is no statutedfsquelffying a police officerbecausehis selery ie not up to e certefnlevel end the fact that come of the policemenin the City of Taft rece%veless than $40 per month is no reasonto disqualify them a5 'pseceofbfcersa The Term “AuxiPiery Police" is not &fined or used 'Lneny 6tetuteof thir State end the use of the term by the City of Taft to deecribepert of its regularpolice force shouldhot be confueedtith thepossible use ofth%.aterm by other cftfesto describeits "Special"police force. . I 1, The memberaof"tho‘AuxiUaryPolice Depart- pent of the City of Taft are authorizedby law to carry pletols in the pnrformmcc of their duties as peace officersin all instanceewhere any other member of the regularpolice force of the City of Taft woul@ be authorized to cm 8 piato1. 2. The membersof the~Auxl3Aary Police Department of the City of Taft are authorizedto act a8 city police even thou@ they are not recelvirqcom- pensationin the amomt of $40 per #lo&h. Yours vei-ytruly, Cecil Canmck, Jr. Aeaiebnt Attorney Geaerel CC:br I?.v. Geppert,chairman Ii.Ray Scruggs BIllAllen J. Arthur Ben- BobShannon ” ,