Texas Statutes
Chapter 2 - General Duties of Officers
Article 2.13. Duties and Powers

(b) The officer shall:
(1) in every case authorized by the provisions of this Code, interfere without warrant to prevent or suppress crime;
(2) execute all lawful process issued to the officer by any magistrate or court;
(3) give notice to some magistrate of all offenses committed within the officer's jurisdiction, where the officer has good reason to believe there has been a violation of the penal law; and
(4) arrest offenders without warrant in every case where the officer is authorized by law, in order that they may be taken before the proper magistrate or court and be tried.
(c) It is the duty of every officer to take possession of a child under Article 63.009(g).
(d) Subject to Subsection (e), in the course of investigating an alleged criminal offense, a peace officer may inquire as to the nationality or immigration status of a victim of or witness to the offense only if the officer determines that the inquiry is necessary to:
(1) investigate the offense; or
(2) provide the victim or witness with information about federal visas designed to protect individuals providing assistance to law enforcement.
(e) Subsection (d) does not prevent a peace officer from:
(1) conducting a separate investigation of any other alleged criminal offense; or
(2) inquiring as to the nationality or immigration status of a victim of or witness to a criminal offense if the officer has probable cause to believe that the victim or witness has engaged in specific conduct constituting a separate criminal offense.
(f) On a request made by that office, a peace officer shall execute an emergency detention order issued by the Texas Civil Commitment Office under Section 841.0837, Health and Safety Code.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 685, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Subsec. (c) amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 5.0005, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 4, Sec. 6.01, eff. September 1, 2017.
Amended by:
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 4), Sec. 6.01, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 34 (S.B. 1576), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170), Sec. 21.001(2), eff. September 1, 2019.

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