About the Department

The UT Southwestern Medical Center Police Department is the law enforcement agency that provides security, enforces state and local laws, takes accident reports, and offense or incident reports for the UT Southwestern campus.

The University Police Department has an authorized strength of:

  • 42 Law Enforcement Officers
  • 72 Non-Commissioned Officers
  • 12 Police Communications Operators
  • 12 Administrative and Civilian Staff

The guard personnel assist the police officers in providing security to both the 60 acre south campus and the 90 acre north campus, as well as off campus properties. The University Police Department employs a bike patrol unit to assist the existing patrol units.

The UT System Board of Regents commissions the department's officers per article 51.203 of the Texas Education Code. The officers are defined as "peace officers” under article 2.12 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Therefore, University police officers have the same authority to detain and arrest as municipal officers and other state officers. An amendment by the Legislature in 1987 to section 51.203 of the Texas Education Code extends the jurisdiction of University police officers to include all counties in which property is owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the UT System. A policy issued by the UT System Board of Regents in 1987 defines the primary jurisdiction of UT Southwestern police officers as the area within the geographical boundaries of the campus and within the boundaries of property owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the UT System or UT Southwestern Medical Center.

University police officers have the power and authority to:

  • Lawfully stop and detain individuals
  • Lawfully arrest individuals
  • Obtain and/or execute search or arrest warrants
  • Enforce local and state traffic laws and regulations
  • Issue court appearance citations for applicable state penal code or traffic offenses

Training

UT Southwestern police officers are trained at the University of Texas System Police Academy located in Austin, Texas. The UT System Police Academy recruits must successfully complete intensive classroom, practical, and physical training in order to receive their state peace officer license issued by the Texas Commission On Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE). In addition to the basic training provided at the UT System Police Academy, commissioned police officers are required by TCLEOSE to receive additional in-service training annually. University police officers also receive specialized training in a variety of law enforcement related fields.