HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-1977-02
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RESOLUTION NO. 77-2
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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
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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 certified; law enforcement instructors have
been trained and certified and have taught thousands of
Texas Law Enforcement officers insuch academies; law
enforcement degree programs have been established in 44
junior colleges and 32 universities, teaching a total of
13,996 students in the last semester alone; 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 significantly; 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 located; 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
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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 1, 1977, and that such funding should be secured
from State general revenue funds; and
WHEREAS, the Legislative Budget Board has voted
to recommend to the legislature that the Texas Commission
on Law Enforcement 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 enforcement, 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 ensure the continued activities of the
Commission.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY
COMMISSION OF LA PORTE, TEXAS, as follows:
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1. That the Legislative 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.
Funds can be assured for these purposes
without additional taxes by. voting for a bill
adding a sufficient amount to the court costs
assessed law violators who necessitate the
establishment and maintenance of the criminal
justice system.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this
resolution be forwarded to the Governor, to each member
of the Legislative Budget Board and each State Representative
and State Senator, 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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our
hands and caused the Seal of the City of La Porte, Texas
to be affixed this 17th day of January 1977, A. D.
ATTEST:
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Mayor
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I. J. Kibodeaux
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