HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9800 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9800
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council August 18, 2015
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*a SUBJECT: VOLUNTEER SAFETY GROUPS
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The purpose of this Informal Report is to brief the City Council on criminal statutes that may be
applicable to situations encountered by the City's volunteer safety groups ("a volunteer" or
"volunteers"), such as Code Blue. The applicability of a particular statute will depend on the facts
and circumstances of the incident. While this Informal Report highlights a number of criminal
offenses, all of the offenses in the Texas Penal Code could potentially apply to crimes committed
against City volunteers. From a law enforcement perspective, an offense committed against a
volunteer will be handled in the same manner as an offense committed against any other
individual in the community.
TEXAS PENAL CODE
Offenses Against the Person
SECTION 20.02 UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT
A person commits the offense of unlawful restraint if he intentionally or knowingly restrains
another person. Section 20.01 defines the term "restrain" as restricting an individual's movement
without their consent, moving an individual from one place to another, or confining an individual.
SECTION 22.01 ASSAULT
A person commits an offense under Section 22.01 by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly
causing bodily injury to another individual, threatening another individual with imminent bodily
injury, or causing physical contact with another individual when the actor knows or should know
that the other individual will consider the contact offensive.
SECTION 22.07 TERRORISTIC THREAT
Section 22.07 sets forth a list of acts which may constitute the offense of terroristic threat.
For example, a person commits the offense of terroristic threat if the person threatens to commit
an offense involving violence to another individual or property with the intent to place any
individual in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.
Offenses Against Property
SECTION 28.03 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF
The offense of criminal mischief is committed when a person, without the owner's consent,
intentionally or knowingly damages or destroys the owner's tangible property, tampers with
property and causes a pecuniary loss or substantial inconvenience, or makes markings or
drawings on the owner's property.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9800
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council August 18, 2015
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SECTION 28.04 RECKLESS DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION
A person commits the offense of reckless damage or destruction if, without the owner's
consent, he recklessly damages or destroys the owner's property.
Offenses Against Public Order and Decency
SECTION 42.01 DISORDERLY CONDUCT
Section 42.01 provides a list of conduct which may constitute the offense of disorderly
conduct. The list of prohibited conduct includes, intentionally or knowingly using abusive or
profane language in a public place if the mere utterance of the language tends to incite an
immediate breach of the peace and abusing or threatening a person in a public place in an
obviously offensive manner.
SECTION 42.062 INTERFERENCE WITH REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
A person commits a crime pursuant to Section 42.062 if the person knowingly prevents or
interferes with another individual's ability to place an emergency call or recklessly renders an
electronic communications device, such as a telephone, unusable.
SECTION 42.07 HARASSMENT
A person commits the offense of harassment if, with the intent to harass, annoy, or abuse
another individual; the person threatens to inflict bodily injury on the individual, a member of the
individual's family, or the individual's property.
If you have any questions, please call Chief Rhonda K. Robertson at 817-392-4213.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS