Leander ISD will create district police department in response to House Bill 3
LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Leander ISD will create its own police department to comply with a new state law.
The district's board of trustees approved the decision Thursday. The initial department will include a chief, an assistant chief and 10 marshals.
The Leander ISD Police Department is the district's response to House Bill 3, a law that went into effect Sept. 1 and requires armed security officers at every school campus in Texas.
The district said the vote will let the district "take initial steps in immediately bolstering on-campus security presence with the marshals." LISD currently has school resource offices at each high school through partnerships with the Cedar Park Police Department, Leander Police Department and Travis County Sheriff's Office.
The board also approved a $1.1 million budget amendment to fund the department. It will be paid for in the general operating fund of the 2023-24 budget, according to LISD agenda documents.
Police department costs also include training, insurance, equipment and an administrative role, according to the district.
The next steps include applying to be an authorized police department with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and hiring school resource officers, according to LISD.
Similar to Leander ISD, the Eanes ISD board of trustees voted to create a district police department in June.