Sec. 1701.3545. INITIAL TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR CONSTABLES. (a) A public institution of higher education selected by the commission shall establish and offer a program of initial training and a program of continuing education for constables. The curriculum for each program must relate to law enforcement management. The institution selected under this subsection shall develop the curriculum for the programs. The curriculum must be approved by the commission.

(b) Each constable must complete at least 40 hours of continuing education provided by the selected institution under Subsection (a) each 48-month period. The commission by rule shall establish a uniform 48-month continuing education training period.

(b-1) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (b), during each 48-month continuing education training period each constable must complete at least 20 hours of continuing education instruction on civil process to be provided by a public institution of higher education selected by the commission under this subsection. The commission shall establish minimum curriculum requirements for the continuing education course on civil process required by this subsection. The commission may waive the continuing education requirements of this subsection if:

(1) a constable requests a waiver because of hardship; and

(2) the commission determines that a hardship exists.

(c) An individual appointed or elected to that individual's first position as constable must complete at least 40 hours of initial training for new constables in accordance with Subsections (d) and (e).

(d) A newly appointed or elected constable shall complete the initial training program for new constables not later than the second anniversary of that individual's appointment or election as constable. The initial training program for new constables is in addition to the initial training required by this chapter. The commission by rule shall establish that the first continuing education training period for an individual under Subsection (b) begins on the first day of the first uniform continuing education training period that follows the date the individual completed the initial training program.

(e) The institution selected under Subsection (a) by rule may provide for the waiver of:

(1) all or part of the required 40 hours of initial training for new constables to the extent the new constable has satisfactorily completed equivalent training during the 24 months preceding the individual's appointment or election; or

(2) the continuing education requirements of Subsection (b) for an individual who has satisfactorily completed equivalent continuing education during the preceding 24 months.

(f) An individual who is subject to the continuing education requirements of Subsections (b) and (b-1) is exempt from other continuing education requirements under this subchapter.

(g) The commission shall establish procedures to annually determine the status of the peace officer license of each elected constable and to ensure that constables comply with this section. The commission shall forward to the attorney general's office documentation for each constable who does not comply with this section. A constable who does not comply with this section forfeits the office and the attorney general shall institute a quo warranto proceeding under Chapter 66, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, to remove the constable from office.

(h) To the extent of a conflict between this section and any other law, this section controls.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 954 (H.B. 1588), Sec. 2, eff. June 18, 2005.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 622 (H.B. 487), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 177 (H.B. 1415), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.