Harris County Constable Precinct 6 - Houston Andy Thrash Email
RESERVE PEACE OFFICER TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Applications may be obtained at 333 Lockwood, Houston (713) 923-9156

Cpl. Caldwell - Recruiter/Trainer 

Harris County Precinct 6 (as well as most other departments) require a basic peace officer certification prior to commissioning. After completing the mandated training, a reserve candidate may begin the application process by contacting our personnel division at (713) 923-9156. Several Houston area colleges, such as U.H.Downtown, H.C.C.System and C.O.M. Texas City offer peace officer classes and academies. Please go to TCLOSE web site for other state requirements, certification and licensing information or contact our office.


The total mandated training of 560 hours (mandated by T.C.L.E.O.S.E.) usually only represents the minimum hours of state certified training a Reserve acquires. Many academies surpass the minimum amount of hours to ensure cadets receive quality training. Along with the required Academy training, Reserves as well as Regulars must complete TCLEOSE mandated in-service training for continuing education every year; along with an annual firearms qualifications.


The number to the right of the title is the minimum number of hours for that section.
Basic Reserve Course 1002 Effective December 1, 1994 (Revised October 1997)
Basic Reserve- 1002
    Topics - Hours
  1. Introduction and Orientation 2
  2. U. S. & Texas Constitutions and Bill of Rights (Unit 4) 10
  3. . Penal Code (Unit 8) 40
  4. Use of Force - Law (Unit 17) 8
  5. Use of Force - Concepts (Unit 18) 16
  6. . Strategies of Defense - Mechanics of Arrest (Unit 19) 40
  7. Strategies of Defense - Firearms (Unit 20) 40
  8. Traffic Law 9.1 (Unit 9.1) 24
  9. Code of Criminal Procedure (Unit 6) 16
  10. Emergency Medical Assistance (Unit 21) 16
  11. Professionalism and Ethics (Unit 3) 8
  12. Juvenile Issues - Texas Family Code (Unit 13) 8
    Total Hours 228

Intermediate Reserve Course 1003 Effective December 1, 1994 (Revised October 1997)
Intermediate - 1003
    Topics Hours
  1. Arrest, Search and Seizure (Unit 7) 24
  2. Traffic (continued 9.2 - 9.4) (Unit 9.2-9.4) 48
  3. Patrol Procedures (Unit 27) 40
  4. Civil Process and Liability (Unit 10) 12
  5. Interpersonal Communications/Report Writing (Unit 16) 24
  6. Field Notetaking (Unit 15) 4
  7. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code (Unit 11) 4
  8. Emergency Communications (Unit 22) 12
  9. Family Violence and related assault offenses (Unit 29) 16
  10. Recognizing and Interacting with Persons with Mental Illness and Mental Retardation (Unit 30) 6

  11. Total Hours 190

    Advanced Reserve Course 1004 Effective December 1, 1994 (Revised October 1997)
    Advanced - 1004
      Topics - Hours
    1. Drugs (Unit 12) 8
    2. Multiculturalism and Human Relations (Unit 25) 12
    3. Victims of Crime (Unit 28) 8
    4. Crowd Management (Unit 31) 2
    5. Hazardous Materials Awareness (Unit 32) 6
    6. Fitness and Wellness (Unit 1) 6
    7. Criminal Investigation (Unit 33) 45
    8. Professional Police Driving (Unit 24) 32
    9. History of Policing (Unit 2) 3
    10. Criminal Justice System (Unit 5) 2
    11. Stress Management for Peace Officers (Unit 14) 8
    12. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking (Unit 23) 4
    13. Professional Policing Approaches (Unit 26) 6
      Total Hours 142

    A candidate may test for a basic peace officer certification after completing all three phases.

    Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education

    CHAPTER 415 LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE - DEFINITIONS
    License holder -- Any person who holds a current, valid license of any type issued by the commission, whether or not under current appointment.
    Officer -- A peace officer or reserve.
    Peace officer -- A person elected, employed, or appointed as a peace officer under the Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 2.12, under the Education Code, Section 51.212 or 51.214, or under other law. Placed on probation -- Has received an unadjudicated or deferred adjudication probation for a criminal offense.
    Reserve -- A person appointed as a reserve law enforcement officer under the provisions of the Local Government Code, Sections 85.004 (reserve deputy sheriff), 86.012 (reserve deputy constable), or 341.012(municipal police reserve). Telecominunicator -- A dispatcher or other communications specialist appointed under or governed by the provisions of Chapter 147, 70th Legislature, 1987.

    Sec. 219.70. Minimum Training Standards for Reserves
    (a) The minimum training standards for permanent licensing for a reserve on and after December 1, 1994, shall be:

    (1) completion of the 560-hour basic peace officer course; known as the successfiil completion of the college level law enforcement courses, which are criminal justice transfer curriculum with law enforcement emphasis and the Texas peace officer sequence;
    (3) completion of any specifically required supplementary or remedial training; or
    (4) credit for sufficient previous training which is equivalent to the current basic peace officer course, including specifically, completion of one each of the separate reserve component courses which together meet or exceed the learning objectives of the basic peace officer course.
    (b) On and after December 1, 1994, the commission shall issue one of the following licenses to an applicant who meets all other reserve licensing standards, including the appropriate state examination:
    (1) a permanent peace officer license to a reserve applicant who meets the full peace officer training standards and who has passed the peace officer exam; or
    (2) a conditional reserve license to an applicant who has passed the reserve exam and who:

    (A) under the professional training path, has received credit for at least the 228-hour basic reserve course; or
    (3) under the academic path, has successfully' completed at least the college level law enforcement courses which are known as the criminal justice transfer curriculum with law enforcement emphasis and the course, known as Texas peace officer skills, from the Texas peace officer sequence.
    (c) A conditional reserve license expires if the holder has not received credit for the following training, or successff1lly completed the following courses, under each respective path, within the specified time from the conditional license date:

    (1) under the professional training path:
    (A) the 190-hour intermediate reserve course within two years;
    (B) both the 190 hour intermediate reserve and the 142 hour advanced reserve courses within courses within both the 190-hour intermediate reserve and the 142-hour advanced reserve four years; and

    (2) under the academic path:
    (A) the Texas peace officer laws course within two years; or
    (13) both the Texas peace officer laws and procedures courses within four years.
    (d) In any event, a conditional reserve license will expire after four years if the h9lder ha~ not passed the peace officer exam and, if it has expired after four years, such license will never be reinstated or reissued. If it has expired after two years, the commission may reinstate an expired conditional reserve license for the balance of the original four-year period, but only if the holder has been reported to the commission as having successfully completed either the 190-hour intermediate reserve course or the Texas peace officer laws course, under each respective path.

    (e) The commission may, through its executive director, review documentation of previous training submitted by a potential license applicant or an appointing agency and may then either:
    (1) accept that training as equivalent to any training required under the current commission standards; or
    (2) require specific supplementary or remedial training necessary to equate the - p previous training to those current standards. if However, if the previous training is out-of-state, the applicant may challenge the state license exam -referred to in Section 211.74 of this title (relating to State Examinations) once. If challenged and passed, the license will be issued. If failed, the applicant may not be retested until successff1l completion of a supplementary peace officer training course in addition to any out-of-state training which may have been credited.
    (g) Each reserve course, basic, intermediate, and advanced, shall cover the subjects and be taught in accordance with the current instructor guides provided ) the commission.
    (h) The basic reserve course shall consist of 228 hours of instruction, including the following topics and hours: Introduction and Orientation (2 hours), U.S. & Texas constitutions and Bill of Rights (10 hours), Penal Code (40 hours), Use of Force-Law (8 hours), Use of Force-Concepts (16 hours), Strategies of Defense-Mechanics of Arrest (40 hours), Strategies of Defense-Firearms (40 hours), Traffic Law (24 hours), Code of Criminal Procedure (16 hours), Emergency Medical Assistance (16 hours), Professionalism and Ethics (8 hours), Juvenile Issues-Texas Family Code (8 hours).

    (i) The intermediate reserve course shall consist of 190 hours of instruction, including the following subjects and topics: Arrest, Search & Seizure (24 hours), Traffic (48 hours), Patrol Procedures (40 hours), Civil Process and Liability (12 hours), Interpersonal Communications/Report Writing (24 hours), Field Note taking (4 hours), Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code (4 hours), Emergency Communications (12 hours), Family Violence and Related Assault Offenses (16 hours), Recognizing & Interacting with Persons with Mental Illness & Mental Retardation (6 hours).

    (I) The advanced reserve course shall consist of 142 hours of instruction, including the -following topics and hours: Drugs (8 hours), Multiculturalism and Human Relations (12 hours), Victims of Crime (8 hours), Crowd Management (2 hours), Hazardous Materials Awareness (6 hours), Fitness and Wellness (6 hours), Criminal Investigation (45 hours), Professional Police Driving (32 hours), History of Policing (3 -hours), Criminal Justice System (2 hours), Stress Management for Peace Officers (8 hours), Problem Solving and Critical Thinking (4 hours), Professional Policing Approaches (6 hours).

    (k) On and after January 1, 1989, an applicant for a conditional reserve license, who has met the minimum training standards for reserves, must pass the required (state licensing examination before two training years has elapsed after meeting those standards. If not, training courses that would otherwise meet the minimum standards of this section must be supplemented by completion of the supplementary peace officer training course. The executive director may, in his discretion, determine the exact date of completion or credit in unusual or questionable cases.

    Government Code Chapter 415 Sec. 211.85. Proficiency Certificates

    (a) A permanent peace officer license holder who is reported to the commission as currently appointed as a peace officer may, if qualified, be issued one of the following proficiency certificates:
    (I) basic peace officer;
    (2) intermediate pence officer;
    (3) advanced peace officer;
    (4) master peace officer;
    (5) crime prevention inspector;
    (6) investigative hypnotist;
    (7) drug recognition expert;
    (8) standardized field sobriety testing; or
    (9) mental health officer.

    (b) A permanent peace officer license holder who is reported to the commission as currently appointed as a reserve may, if qualified, be issued one of the following proficiency certificates:
    (1) basic peace officer;
    (2) intermediate peace officer;
    (3) advanced peace officer; or
    (4) master peace officer.

    (c)A permanent reserve license holder who is reported to the commission as currently appointed as a reserve may, if qualified, be issued an intermediate reserve proficiency certificate.

    (d) A permanent jailer license holder who is reported to the commission as currently appointed as a jaller may, if qualified, be issued one of the following proficiency certificates:
    (1) basic jailer;
    (2) intermediate jailer; or
    (3) advanced jailer.

    (e) Any person, if qualified, may be issued a homeowners insurance inspector certificate.

    (f) To qualify for a basic peace officer certificate, the applicant must hold a permanent peace officer license.

    (g) To qualify for an intermediate peace officer certificate, the applicant:
    (1) must have one of the following combinations of points and peace officer experience:
    (A) 20 points and eight years experience;
    (`3) 40 points and six years experience;
    (C) 60 points or an associate's degree and four years experience; or
    (`3) 120 points or a bachelor's degree and two years experience; and

    (2) if the basic peace officer certificate was issued or qualified for on or alter January 1, 1987, must also complete an intermediate proficiency course which must:
    (A) be approved by the commission;
    (`3) be taught in conformity with the instructor guides provided by the commission;
    (C) require passing a final examination; and successful completion: consist of the following subjects, each credited with three points upon child abuse prevention and investigation, crime scene investigators, use of force, and arrest, search, and seizure.

    (h) To qualify for an advanced peace officer certificate, the applicant must have already qualified for an intermediate peace officer certificate and have either:
    (1) 40 points and 12 years experience;
    (2) 60 points or an associate's degree and nine years experience;
    (3) 120 points or a bachelor's degree and six years experience; or
    (4) a post-graduate degree and four years experience.

    (i) To qualify for a master peace officer certificate (NIPOC), the applicant must:
    (1) have already qualified for an advanced peace officer certificate; and
    (2) have an associate's degree and 20 years experience, or 60 points and 20 years experience; a bachelor's degree and 15 years experience, or 120 points and 15 years experience; a master's degree and 12 years experience, or 165 points and 12 years experience; or a doctorate and 10 years experience, or 200 points and 10 years experience.

    (h) To qualify for an intermediate reserve certificate, the applicant must:
    (1) have passed the reserve licensing exam; and
    (2) either have completed the 70-hour or the 145-hour basic and the 131-hour intermediate reserve courses; or
    (3) have completed the seven college transfer curriculum courses and either Law Enforcement 1 or both the Texas peace officer skills and laws courses.
    (k) There is no advanced reserve certificate to be awarded and no basic reserve certificate will be issued on or alter January 1, 1989

    (I) To qualify for an intermediate jailer certificate, the applicant:
    (1) must attend training related to the management and operation of a correctional facility (including county jails) and related courses as determined by the commission;
    (2) must have one of the following combinations of points and jailer experience:
    (A) 20 points and six years experience;
    (`3) 40 points and four years experience;
    (C) 60 points or an associate's degree and two years experience; or
    (0) 120 points or a bachelor's degree and one year experience; and

    (3) if the basic jailer was issued or qualified for on or alter March 1, 1993, the applicant must also complete an intermediate proficiency course which must:
    (A) be approved by the commission;
    (`3) be taught in conformity with the instructor guides provided by the commission;
    (C) require passing a final examination; and
    (D) consist of the following subjects, each credited with three points upon successful completion; suicide detection and prevention; use of force in jail setting; inmate rights and privileges; interpersonal communications; or as otherwise required by the commission.

    (m) To qualify for an advanced jailer certificate, the applicant must have already qualified for an intermediate jailer certificate and have either:
    (1) 40 points and eight years experience;
    (2) 60 points or an associate's degree and six years experience;
    (3) 120 points or a bachelor's degree and four years experience; or
    (4) a post-graduate degree and two years experience.

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