Do you have a training or employment to promote? Go to the CONTACT US page.
Welcome to the Coastal Bend Peace Officers Association
Serving the Coastal Bend and it's Officers Since 1966.
important update regarding the cbpoa fall meeting
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Please note that the fall meeting of the Coastal Bend Peace Officers Association, which had been scheduled for Thursday October 26th, has been moved to Thursday November 16th. This change was necessitated due to other scheduling conflicts in the area. The meeting will still be held in Beeville at the Bee County Coliseum, and will be co-hosted by the Bee County Sheriff's Office, Beeville Police Department, and the Refugio County Sheriff's Office.
Check out the trailer for the future podcast
The Podcast Trailer is Out
In our ever-evolving media landscape, the CPBOA is looking at branching out into the podcast realm. Go to Spotify and check out the trailer for "10-8/10-41."
https://open.spotify.com/show/4gnj8pRc6rSlayKiCv6XvT?si=fe105808560240fd
follow us now on instagram
We're Growing
The Coastal Bend Peace Officers Association has now branched out to more social media, as we are now on Facebook as well as on Instagram.
Please follow us and like us: cbpoa911
official press release from District attorney rob lassmann
Please Read
The enclosed press release is from District Attorney Rob Lassmann regarding the recent turmoil regarding his office and potential budget cuts. His letter should explain all that is going on.
Applications for CBPOA scholarships being accepted
Apply Now
Applications for CBPOA scholarships are being accepted for children of current CBPOA members, and who wish to pursue a career in law enforcement. To obtain an application and to see the requirements, go to the bottom of this home page and download the "Scholarship Application" and "Scholarship Requirements."
some scenes from our june 2023 meeting in nixon. thanks to Gonzales Co. sheriff keith schmidt and nixon pd chief mike cantu
Welcome to the Coastal Bend Peace Officers Association
There's much to see here. So, take your time, look around, and learn all there is to know about us. We hope you enjoy our site and take a moment to drop us a line.
San Patricio County Chief Deputy Adrian Rodriguez
CBPOA President
your upcoming cbpoa meeting for 2023
Thursday November 16, 2023
The Bee County Sheriff's Office, Beeville Police Department and the Refugio County Sheriff's Office will close out 2023 hosting our fall meeting. The event will be held on Thursday November 16th at the Bee County Coliseum.
Texas removes age limit for law enforcement candidates
The new law retains the minimum age of 18 but removes the age limit of 44 for interested in applying
By Matt Smith
Cleburne Times-Review, Texas
CLEBURNE, Texas — A law set to go into effect Sept. 1 passed by the Texas Legislature and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott removes the age cap for men and women interested in applying for jobs in law enforcement.
Cleburne Police Chief Rob Severance, who joined other law enforcement officers from across the state in pushing for the bill, called passage of House Bill 1661 a win for law enforcement and the public.
"I'm so excited this bill passed," Severance said. "Everywhere across the state, really across the nation, law enforcement agencies are struggling to hire enough officers. This should help a lot and, we hope, greatly increase the pool of potential applicants not just for the Cleburne Police Department but everywhere."
Under the current rule, a person wishing to take the entrance exam for a position in most police departments must be 18 but no older than 44 with the exception of officers transferring from one agency to accept a job as chief of police at another. The new law retains the minimum age of 18 but removes the age limit.
The maximum age limit soon to be dispensed with applies only to municipal civil service departments, of which CPD is one. The age limit did not apply to law enforcement agencies not classified civil service departments, Severance said.
"Cleburne is one of the departments in 102 Texas cities, and the only law enforcement agency in Johnson County, under municipal civil service," Severance said. "It was adopted at the city's Jan. 8, 1948, election and approved by the [Cleburne City Council] on Jan. 23, 1948."
The benefits of operating under a civil service model are fairness and accountability, Severance said.
"The purpose for police and fire departments, although this new law only affects police departments, is to remove politics from public safety employment decisions," Severance said. "It sets up requirements and due process steps. So, in other words, I can't just hire who I want. There has to be a competitive exam and a process to hire or disqualify applicants in order of that list."
State Rep. Dewayne Burns, R-Cleburne, discussed the bill during a recent visit to the Cleburne Rotary Club.
"There's a shortage of police officers and this should help with filling those vacancies," Burns said.
Severance praised efforts by Burns and state Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, in support of the bill.
"We approached [Burns] and asked if he would introduce the legislation," Severance said. "We also communicated with Sen. King's office. Both they and their staffs were great to work with. I testified for the bill before the House Committee on Urban Affairs. They asked a lot of good questions and there were others there in support of the bill."
For a variety of reasons, it's become harder to hire police officers in recent years throughout the country.
"Fully staffed we would be 55 officers including myself," Severance said. "We're currently eight short from being fully staffed and I've heard issues of similar or larger staff shortage challenges from police chiefs around the state."
Severance said several at or near the current age limit have expressed interest but previously would not have been able to apply.
"We're working through our last eligibility list to hire or disqualify candidates," Severance said. "But we have fewer people on that list than we have vacancies. So we're going to have to test again. Which, we'll probably do sometime in September after the new law goes into effect so we'll have a broader pool of applicants, potentially at least."
CPD has long recruited at Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood.
"In talking to police chiefs around the state we found that a lot of people who retired after a career in the military at 45 or older still have a passion for service," Severance said. "Under the current law couldn't apply to [municipal civil service departments] but will be able to now. [Johnson County Sheriff Adam King], the sheriff's office isn't under civil service, told me that some of his best deputies have been people who were past their 44th birthday when they were hired."
One would think that younger officer candidates would be better suited for police position jobs, but such is not always the case, Severance said.
"Some people at 40, 50 or older are in better shape than most 20-year-olds," Severance said. "So it's really a case-by-case situation rather than lumping everyone into age groups. All applicants old or young will still have to take the fitness test, have a medical exam and go through all the requirements everyone has to go through."
Another plus, Severance said, is that CPD pays for accepted applicants to go through police academy training and pays them while they're attending.
"You can apply to [CPD] and don't have to have a peace officer's license," Severance said. "We'll send you to the police academy pay for that and pay your salary while you're attending. Not every department will hire somebody and fully train them like that."
The new law, once it goes into effect, may inspire officers 45 and over at larger Metroplex police departments to consider Cleburne, Severance said.
"Cleburne has a good, hometown feel and as police here we get a lot of support and appreciation from the community," Severance said. I think that's an opportunity for some of the officers working in bigger cities who maybe don't feel that appreciation.
"Here you get a chance to do community policing in a manner where you get to know people in the community and feel like you're making a difference. I don't know that you always get the same sense of satisfaction like that working in a larger department.
"Overall, this new law should help us in our continuing goal to get word out to everybody about opportunities in Cleburne and what a great community this is to work in."
___
(c)2023 the Cleburne Times-Review (Cleburne, Texas)
Visit the Cleburne Times-Review (Cleburne, Texas) at www.cleburnetimesreview.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Meet your 2023 directors
Want to Meet Your 2023-2024 President & Directors?
Click on the "Our Directors and History" page to see our updated list.
having trouble finding training near you? check online.
Check out PoliceOne.com
Have your agency Chief contact:
Customer Service: 866.941.4090
About Us
Serving the Coastal Bend and it's Officers Since 1966
Serving the Coastal Bend and it's Officers Since 1966
Serving the Coastal Bend and it's Officers Since 1966
"The purpose of the CBPOA shall be to promote the cooperation and understanding of all persons involved in the enforcement of laws of the State of Texas and of the United States; the continued and convenient interchange of information and training between various Federal, State and local agencies, and to conduct ourselves in a manner that
"The purpose of the CBPOA shall be to promote the cooperation and understanding of all persons involved in the enforcement of laws of the State of Texas and of the United States; the continued and convenient interchange of information and training between various Federal, State and local agencies, and to conduct ourselves in a manner that will gain the respect of those we serve and to constantly strive to improve our position.'
Scholarships
Serving the Coastal Bend and it's Officers Since 1966
Serving the Coastal Bend and it's Officers Since 1966
The Coastal Bend Peace Officers Association is responsible for awarding thousands of dollars of scholarship money each year to qualified and responsible sons and daughters of CBPOA members who wish to carry on the tradition of law enforcement and law enforcement related fields.
Our Members
Serving the Coastal Bend and it's Officers Since 1966
Our Members
Whether you help through providing meeting locations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of members like you.