UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
ADMINISTRATIVE MEMORANDUM
SECTION:
General Administration
AREA:
Public Safety
SUBJECT:
Public Safety Standards
1.
NUMBER: 01.F.01
PURPOSE
This document serves to facilitate standards of operations for public safety departments
within the University of Houston System.
2.
STANDARDIZATION
2.1.
Police Staff Qualifications: All Peace Officers hired by any component university
will adhere to the qualifications required by the Texas Administrative Code,
Title 37, Public Safety, Part VII, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
(TCOLE), Chapter 217. Any additional qualifications may be determined by the
component university departments as needed.
2.2.
Police Staff Resources Allocations: Each component university police
department will develop a plan on how to allocate police personnel for that
campus (e.g., staffing level, types of service).
2.3.
Salary Levels and Incentive Pay: Salary levels and incentive pay will be allocated
as needed by each component university.
2.4.
Position Descriptions: Each component university police department will have an
accurate job description for every TCLEOSE certified position.
2.5.
Types of Services: Each component university police department will detail
police services routinely provided and publish the information on the web.
2.6.
Police Vehicle Fleet: All component universities will comply with the following:
2.6.1. Texas Penal Code, Title 7 Offenses Against Property, Chapter 31 Theft,
Section 7 Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle;
2.6.2. Texas Government Code, Title 10 General Government, Chapter 2203
Use of State Property, Section 1 Reporting Use of State Vehicle; Penalties;
and
2.6.3. Texas Transportation Code, Title 7 Vehicles and Traffic, Chapter 545
Operation and Movement of Vehicles, Section 413 Safety Belts; Offense.
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AM No. 01.F.01
3.
2.7.
Policies and Procedures that Define the Role and Responsibilities of the Police
Department: Each component university police department will maintain a set of
administrative policies.
2.8.
Security Officers: Each component university police department may employ
security officers who are not Peace Officers. The security officers will be trained,
assisted, and managed by Peace Officers of the component university police
departments.
2.9.
Police Officer Uniforms: All uniform items will be approved by the component
university police department Chiefs. Uniforms must be clean and serviceable and
uphold the dignity and professionalism of a Peace Officer and state employee.
ANNUAL CRIME REPORTING
The Federal Higher Education Act, Title 20, U.S.C. 1092(f), also known as the Jeanne
Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Police and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery
Act), requires colleges and universities to disclose policy information and crime statistics
as part of published annual campus security reports. Section 485 of the Higher Education
Act requires each institution of higher education to provide the Secretary of Education
with an annual campus crime statistics report.
The vice presidents of the component universities will review and approve their crime
statistic reports. The vice presidents will review the Annual Crime Report with the
Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance before distributing to the
public or to the Secretary of Education.
4.
CAMPUS FIRE SAFETY RIGHT-TO-KNOW
The Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know section of the Higher Education Opportunity Act
(Public Law 110-315) of August 2008 requires that each component university that
maintains any on-campus student housing facility prepare an annual report of fire and life
safety statistics. The report must contain information relating to:
4.1.
The level of fire safety systems protection in the residential life and housing
facilities of the component universities;
4.2.
The System practices and standards associated with fire and life safety, including:
4.2.1. The number of fire drills;
4.2.2. Fire safety training programs for students, faculty, and staff;
4.2.3. Plans for future improvements in fire safety; and
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AM No. 01.F.01
4.2.4. Statistical information related to the number of fires, number of injuries and
deaths associated with these fires and the value of the property damage
caused by the reported fires.
The vice presidents of the component universities will review and approve their fire and
life safety statistical data reports. The component university vice presidents will review
the Annual Report with the Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
before distributing to the public.
5.
PATROL BOUNDARIES
Each component university will establish patrol boundaries for their department and will
define them in their administrative policies. The System commissions Peace Officers for
the purpose of carrying out provisions of the Texas Education Code, Title 3 Higher
Education, Chapter 51, Section 203, Campus Peace Officers.
The primary jurisdiction of a Peace Officer commissioned under this section includes all
counties in which property is owned, leased, rented, or otherwise under the control of the
institution of higher education or public technical institute that employs the Peace
Officer. Where appropriate, a “Memo of Understanding” between component university
police departments and any other adjacent or overlapping police department may be
appropriate.
6.
ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ADMINISTRATION AND
FINANCE
The Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance may make
recommendations relating to police, security, and fire safety matters within the System.
7.
REVIEW AND RESPONSIBILITY
Responsible Party:
Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
Review:
Every three years on or before September 1
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AM No. 01.F.01
8.
APPROVAL
Approved:
Carl P. Carlucci
Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
Renu Khator
Chancellor
Date:
April 9, 2015
REVISION LOG
Revision
Number
Approval
Date
Description of Changes
1
01/12/2005
Initial version (Original title: Police Standards)
2
11/11/2010
Applied revised SAM template to meet current documentation
standards. Title change to “Public Safety Standards.” Added
Section 4.0 to address changes to the Higher Education
Opportunity Act that requires universities to prepare an annual
report of fire and life safety statistics. Position titles were
updated throughout the SAM. Updated links throughout text.
Changed the review period from every three years on or before
June 1st to every three years on or before September 1st
3
04/09/2015
Added new Revision Log. Changed TCLEOSE to TCOLE in
Section 2.1. No additional changes were required per the
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
January 12, 2005; Revised April 9, 2015
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