SECTION 3.121. Assistance to Local Agencies

(a) Introduction. In the numerous jurisdictions in which department officers are stationed, a myriad of events peculiar to those areas will occur which may prompt local governmental agencies to call on the department for assistance. Examples are as numerous as the number of jurisdictions. Some of these are: traffic control at high school or college sports events, crowd supervision at community events, assistance in moving livestock across public roads, or assisting the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in the movement of inmates from one facility to another.

(b) Policy. The department will assist other law enforcement agencies or political subdivisions with such events or such situations when a reasonable request is made by an appropriate authority and resources permit.

(1) Officers should exercise good judgment in assisting with crowd or traffic control and will confer with their immediate supervisors immediately if they feel the activity might have adverse effects.

(2) Unless assigned to such duty by a supervisory officer, troopers should remember that primary duties take precedence over other activities and should take this into consideration when deciding whether or not to assist. However where an activity provides a real service to the community, troopers should make reasonable effort to provide the requested assistance.

(3) Troopers will not be routinely assigned to crowd or traffic control duties at private commercial enterprises such as sporting events, festivals, or other private economic ventures. Such duties are the responsibility of the owner and promoter of the event. In the case of a potential civil disturbance or a need to provide law enforcement, the director will provide the resources deemed necessary to address the problem.

Source Note: The provisions of this §3.121 adopted to be effective July 17, 1997, 22 TexReg 6460