About the UMHB Police Department
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Police Department operates under the authority given to private universities in section 51.212 of the Texas Education Code and section 2.12 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedures. To this date, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Police Department continues to function as a recognized police department within the State of Texas.
As part of the Campus Planning and Support Services Division, the department employs 10 full-time police officers and 10 part-time police officers. Each UMHB officer is licensed and certified as a Texas Peace Officers by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standard and Education; and are vested with all rights, powers and privileges associated with the position of Peace Officer in the State of Texas. All officers have arrest authority.
The Department is staffed 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. We are a diverse and progressive organization which desires to exceed the expectations of those we serve. Some of the services provided include assistance to stranded motorist; development of crime prevention programs; investigation of reported crimes, disturbances, traffic accidents, driving violations; escorts on campus; patrol and inspection of campus grounds and buildings as a deterrent to criminal activity and to detect potential safety or security concerns.
The UMHB Police Department is located at 816 College in Belton, Texas. Our administrative offices are open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The offices are closed on campus holidays and weekends. The Police emergency number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays. If you are in need of Police assistance, call 254-295-5555 or 5555 from any campus telephone.
The jurisdiction of the department is defined in Section 51.212 of the Texas Education Code. In accordance with University policy, the primary jurisdiction of the UMHB Police Department is property owned and/or under the control of the University. As a result, the UMHB Police Department is the primary reporting and investigating law enforcement agency for all crimes occurring on the UMHB campus. Although The City of Belton Police Department is the primary reporting and investigating law enforcement agency for all crimes occurring outside the boundaries of the campus; the department's extraterritorial jurisdiction provides UMHB officer the ability to respond in an emergency to any location within Bell County.
Community Oriented Policing and Crime Prevention are the basic philosophies, which guide the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Police Department. The department's law enforcement strategies are built on these fundamental policing practices which emphasis risk reduction and the implementation of lasting solutions to problems. This approach to campus policing requires new resolve from citizens and new way of thinking from police officers.
The goal of community policing is to reduce crime and fear while at the same time maintaining a sense of order. Likewise, our crime prevention efforts are designed to identify potential crime/safety risk and then, implement action to remove or reduce the potential effects of the risk. This style of policing has built a bond between members of the UMHB community and the university. Our Police officers interact with members of the UMHB community on a daily basis and encourage them to be a part of this vital effort. Our goal is to develop a strong partnership with the community and encourage citizen involvement. Working together, members of the community realize that an officer's effectiveness is directly linked to the support they receive from members of the UMHB community.
