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.

Structure Texas Statutes

Texas Statutes

Code of Criminal Procedure

Title 1 - Code of Criminal Procedure

Chapter 2 - General Duties of Officers

Article 2.01. Duties of District Attorneys

Article 2.02. Duties of County Attorneys

Article 2.021. Duties of Attorney General

Article 2.022. Assistance of Texas Rangers

Article 2.023. Notification to Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Article 2.024. Tracking Use of Certain Testimony

Article 2.025. Special Duty of District or County Attorney Relating to Child Support

Article 2.03. Neglect of Duty

Article 2.04. Shall Draw Complaints

Article 2.05. When Complaint Is Made

Article 2.06. May Administer Oaths

Article 2.07. Attorney Pro Tem

Article 2.08. Disqualified

Article 2.09. Who Are Magistrates

Article 2.10. Duty of Magistrates

Article 2.11. Examining Court

Article 2.12. Who Are Peace Officers

Article 2.121. Railroad Peace Officers

Article 2.122. Special Investigators

Article 2.123. Adjunct Police Officers

Article 2.124. Peace Officers From Adjoining States

Article 2.125. Special Rangers of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Article 2.126. Peace Officers Commissioned by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas

Article 2.127. School Marshals

Article 2.13. Duties and Powers

Article 2.1305. Carrying Weapon on Certain Premises

Article 2.131. Racial Profiling Prohibited

Article 2.132. Law Enforcement Policy on Racial Profiling

Article 2.133. Reports Required for Motor Vehicle Stops

Article 2.134. Compilation and Analysis of Information Collected

Article 2.136. Liability

Article 2.137. Provision of Funding or Equipment

Article 2.138. Rules

Article 2.1385. Civil Penalty

Article 2.1386. Eyewitness Identification Protocols

Article 2.1387. Intervention Required for Excessive Force; Report Required

Article 2.139. Reports Required for Officer-Involved Injuries or Deaths

Article 2.1395. Reports Required for Certain Injuries or Deaths of Peace Officers

Article 2.13951. Notice of Violation of Reporting Requirements for Certain Injuries or Deaths; Civil Penalty

Article 2.1396. Video Recordings of Arrests for Intoxication Offenses

Article 2.1397. Duties of Law Enforcement Agency Filing Case

Article 2.14. May Summon Aid

Article 2.15. Person Refusing to Aid

Article 2.16. Neglecting to Execute Process

Article 2.17. Conservator of the Peace

Article 2.18. Custody of Prisoners

Article 2.19. Report as to Prisoners

Article 2.195. Report of Warrant or Capias Information

Article 2.20. Deputy

Article 2.21. Duty of Clerks

Article 2.211. Hate Crime Reporting

Article 2.212. Writ of Attachment Reporting

Article 2.22. Power of Deputy Clerks

Article 2.23. Report to Attorney General

Article 2.24. Authenticating Officer

Article 2.25. Reporting Certain Aliens to Federal Government

Article 2.251. Duties Related to Immigration Detainer Requests

Article 2.26. Digital Signature and Electronic Documents

Article 2.27. Investigation of Certain Reports Alleging Abuse

Article 2.271. Investigation of Certain Reports Alleging Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation

Article 2.272. Law Enforcement Response to Child Safety Check Alert

Article 2.273. Release of Child by Law Enforcement Officer

Article 2.28. Duties Regarding Misused Identity

Article 2.29. Report Required in Connection With Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information

Article 2.295. Report Required in Connection With Unauthorized Acquisition or Transfer of Certain Financial Information

Article 2.30. Report Concerning Certain Assaultive or Terroristic Offenses

Article 2.305. Report Required Concerning Human Trafficking Cases

Article 2.31. County Jailers

Article 2.31. County Jailers

Article 2.32. Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations

Article 2.33. Use of Neck Restraints During Search or Arrest Prohibited

Article 2.33. Duty to Request and Render Aid

Article 2.33. Law Enforcement Policy on Use of Force by Drone