Who are those Las Colinas Patrol guys?

[TacMac]

They make arrests and patrol public streets but they have amber lights? A quick internet search showed that they are directly employed by community of Las Colinas, but doesn't say what they were exactly. Any of you Dallas guys know about this?

[yngcp89]

I haven't seen them, but they could be off duty officers working a security job. What kinds of arrests do they make?


***Edit*** I looked them up. It looks like they are just security guards. They don't make arrests, they notify IPD to come handle the problem.

[TacMac]

I saw two of them making an arrest at a gas station. And at any rate, they patrol public streets. Why would Irving have a separate division just to patrol Las Colinas, and why couldn't they just have IPD do it?

[dgtx42]

They are security that patrol. Kind of like mall security patrolling a parking lot. I am sure they were just detaining somebody until police arrival, not making an arrest.

For more info, here is the page for them.

[TacMac]

Yeah I saw their page but I still don't understand. Why do they patrol public streets? And what's the point of them if they have Irving PD? Are they just like Community Service Officers just under a different name?

[yngcp89]

They are security guards that drive around and are visible in the community. They don't work for Irving PD. They aren't connected to IPD in any way, from what I can tell. Like dgtx42 said, like mall security, but in a community instead. And the point of having them is the point of having any security guard: visibility.

[allen_gamble]

I am sure they were just detaining somebody until police arrival, not making an arrest.

Which is interesting because to my knowledge ONLY peace officers have the authority to detain someone.

But I've run across it more than once, and I usually give a pretty stern warning that their arrest authority doesn't extend beyond felonies or breach of peace. For example, I had a security guard draw his gun to keep a car from leaving that had a prostitute and a john in it. Prostitution is neither a felony or a breach of peace. The guard is lucky I didn't arrest him for agg assault.

So if these security officers are detaining people on public streets (or anywhere for that matter), it better be because they witnessed a felony or breach of peace.

[K9krazy21]

Tacmac, what is it that you do?

[K9krazy21]

It's interesting none the less!

[dgtx42]

Yeah I saw their page but I still don't understand. Why do they patrol public streets? And what's the point of them if they have Irving PD? Are they just like Community Service Officers just under a different name?

Here is your answer:

"The Association has five marked vehicles which patrol throughout the development 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Officers are on the lookout for any suspicious activities or emergency situations, and they notify the City´s police or fire department when any of these situations are found."

It is private security for the neighborhood. I am assuming it is a gated or restricted community governed by an HOA. I'd think that part of the dues for residents, within the HOA, pay for the extra security officers' presence.

[TacMac]

Here is your answer:

"The Association has five marked vehicles which patrol throughout the development 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Officers are on the lookout for any suspicious activities or emergency situations, and they notify the City´s police or fire department when any of these situations are found."

It is private security for the neighborhood. I am assuming it is a gated or restricted community governed by an HOA. I'd think that part of the dues for residents, within the HOA, pay for the extra security officers' presence.

I thought Las Colinas is just a name for part of the city just like Valley Ranch. But why do they patrol public roadways if they are only meant to cover the HOA?

[TacMac]

Which is interesting because to my knowledge ONLY peace officers have the authority to detain someone.

But I've run across it more than once, and I usually give a pretty stern warning that their arrest authority doesn't extend beyond felonies or breach of peace. For example, I had a security guard draw his gun to keep a car from leaving that had a prostitute and a john in it. Prostitution is neither a felony or a breach of peace. The guard is lucky I didn't arrest him for agg assault.

So if these security officers are detaining people on public streets (or anywhere for that matter), it better be because they witnessed a felony or breach of peace.

The prostitute would probably still press charges and have him arrested. Even if it was an arrestable offense, you still can't pull out your gun unless your life is in danger.
But isn't theft and vandalism also covered under citizens arrest laws in Texas?

[Caballero1508]

Tacmac, what is it that you do?

[TacMac]

I work security

[Rudy8116]

They are probably like Village Patrol, which patrols The Village in Dallas. They use the public streets to get from one place to another, and you can also see issues on your private property from the streets.