PLEASE NOTE: Nothing in this publishing or on this website should be taken as legal advice.
LAW CHANGE: Hays County Sheriff Candidate Missing Active TCOLE License
On September 1, 2023, the Texas Legislature affirmed a choice they voted for in a March 26, 2023, bill filing. S.B. 1124 lays the framework for those attempting to run for Sheriff.
In Texas, candidates for sheriff who are not licensed peace officers have a certain amount of time to become a licensed peace officer after their election to office. However, there have been instances where a newly elected sheriff was unable to meet the qualifications to become a peace officer, hindering their ability to fulfill one of the primary duties of a sheriff, enforcing criminal law. S.B. 1124 seeks to ensure that a candidate for sheriff has the proper experience and training in law enforcement before serving as sheriff by requiring candidates to hold an active permanent peace officer license prior to running for office.
S.B. 1124, Bill Analysis, 88R, dated 5/30/2023, by King
Hays County Sheriff Candidate Running without a License
Now, one candidate, Alexander (Alex) Villalobos is in the race for Hays County Sheriff without an active Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) license.
Records obtained by TCOLE on August 30, 2023, indicate Villalobos does not have an active peace officer license in the State of Texas. The records indicate his license went out of compliance on September 1, 2021.
Hays County Sheriff Candidate has to Reactivate License
Per TCOLE, anyone attempting to reactivate a license has to complete certain steps. In this case, Villalobos’s license has been out of compliance for over two years, and he has over ten years of law enforcement time listed with TCOLE.
In order for Villalobos to have an active license and run for Hays County Sheriff, he would need to meet current licensing standards. He would also need to complete state and federal law update training, take the supplemental peace officer training course, be fingerprinted, submit a $250 application fee, and pass the state exam.
It appears, Villalobos has until the time to officially file for his party candidacy to complete the requirements of SB 1124.
Can he state he is running for Hays County Sheriff at this point? That is an unknown because this is a new law passed on September 1, 2023.
Personal Status Report from TCOLE
The Personal Status Report (PSR) from TCOLE shows Villalobos to have ten years and eight months of full-time employment with the Texas State University Police Department. His employment listed on record was from October 16, 2007 through June 22, 2018.
After which, he has one year and five months as a reservist with the Hays County Constable for Precinct 3. He is listed as being a reservist from March 12, 2019 through August 11, 2020.
He claims initial peace officer licensing through Austin Community College and records show he has 6,744 hours of cumulative training. He also recorded a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree. His Master Peace Officer certificate was issued on October 28, 2014.
The record also shows he has completed the supplemental peace officer course on March 14, 2023. There is a 2-5 year reactivating listed on his PSR, but as of August 30, 2023, the records still indicate he does not have an active license.
A Couple of Our Other Reads
You may be interested in our publishing on the campaign finance reports filing in July of 2023 for the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
Or you may find our publishing on the termination of three Texas State University Officers in 2022, of interest.
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