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Almost all of the small town police agencies use reserve officers, as do the county sheriff and constable units. In each case, the department makes its own rules, within what TCLEOSE specifies, for hiring and working. In some cases, you will work on patrol duty only. In some you will not be allowed to patrol on your own. In some, you will be treated just like any other officer. A smart agency will use whatever skills you do have, such as computer analysis and forensics, since they are in shrot supply in most departments.

TCLEOSE will require you to complete a regular police academy (it can be part time at night) and meet all of the same training requirements and hiring requirments as any other officer. TCLEOSE will recognize you as a regular police officer, as does the Code of Criminal Procedure. In addition to the academy, TCLEOSE now requies all officers to go through a field training program, so expect to be working with a partner for several months after you start on the department.

One of the differences in departments is how often they require you to come in and work. Some departments will require one 8 hour shift per week, some require as few as 16 hours per month. Some will not require any regular but will have mandatory special duty assignments you have to work.

I am out of town doing training for the next two weeks, but if you have any other questions I can help with, you can meet me or call with me at the office.