TCC police await enforcing city laws
by Tiffany Davis, south news editor

    Students need to know that they could face costly repercussions if the state laws and college policies are not honored while driving on TCC campuses.

    “In an effort to protect our community and make the campus a safe environment, we are enforcing the law as always. In addition to that, we will be stopping speeders and traffic violators and running criminal background checks on the drivers and the cars,” Frankie Buchanan, TCC chief of police, said.

    “In the past, we have found that students aren’t being responsible and following the laws of the State of Texas,” he said.

    According to the Transportation Code of the Texas Law Handbook, “A person required to hold a license shall have in their possession the class of license appropriate for the type of vehicle being operated.”

    “Some students have not been driving with a driver’s license or are even driving with a suspended license, which is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $200,” Buchanan said.

    “Students should have a current driver’s license, maintain liability insurance, inspection stickers and registration stickers and have the correct license plate for their vehicles,” he said.

    Buchanan explained that problems could arise when an officer stops a student for a moving violation. “When we start to check out the driver and the vehicle, it causes a domino effect. The situation then goes from a routine traffic stop to possibly an arrest.

    “We are not here to arrest students. We are here to make sure students have a safe place to learn. We need the students to help out by following the law so that we don’t have to make any arrests,” Buchanan said.

    Once the student is in trouble with the police officers on campus, it can then escalate to being in trouble with the dean of students. “For example, if a student refuses to cooperate with the police officers, a report will be given to the dean, and the situation will be handled further through the dean of students office,” he said.

    “If the situation reaches my office, according to the student code of conduct, disciplinary action will begin and the student could be reprimanded or even suspended depending on how severe the situation is,” Daniel Chacon, South Campus dean of students, said.

    Buchanan wants students to know that the authorities here at TCC are not against them, but are here to help them.

    If students ever feel as though the situation is vise versa—the police are harassing them or causing any wrong doing to them—they may speak directly to Buchanan about the situation, and it will be looked into.

    Also students have the option to go to the dean’s office if they do not feel comfortable dealing with another officer about the situation.

    Nate Riley, former South Campus lieutenant, explained the process that a TCC officer follows when stopping a student. “From the time an officer observes a moving violation, he will began checking out the vehicle and the owner of the vehicle by calling into our central dispatch station.

    “The officer will give the dispatcher the license plate number and a general description of the vehicle,” he said.

    “In return, the dispatcher will get on the computer and identify the vehicle and the owner and determine if the car is wanted or if there are any warrants out for the owner’s arrest,” Riley said.

    “The officer will proceed through a series of routine checks first by making sure the driver’s license is good, registration is correct and liability is current,” he said.

    Buchanan said that an officer also can run the driver through the Texas Law Enforcement Terminal System (TLEX).

    “If a person has warrants, they will show up. The officer then can give students a warning or hold them for respective authorities. Of course, if the warrant is a felony, the officers will transfer the criminal to the respective authority,” Buchanan said.

    Riley said that students should understand that TCC officers will check anyone stopped for a valid license, registration, inspection sticker and license plate.

    “Students should be aware we will be checking for these items as previously stated and it is against the law to not have them,” Riley said.

    Brochures with the parking regulations and information related to the laws can be obtained in the police department or on the back of your parking decal.