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We instruct the TCOLE Basic Peace Officer Transportation Code Course for the Texas DPS recruit school and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden Academy.
Additionally, we instruct the following three courses to DPS personnel and outside agency peace officers:
Advanced Transportation Code
Transportation Code Train-the-Trainer
Contributing Factors in Crash Investigation
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Details about each course can be found below.
Advanced Transportation Code
Duration: 40 Hours (1 week)
Cost: Free
TCOLE Credit: Yes
Target Audience: Commissioned law enforcement officers, prosecutors, or instructors seeking an in-depth knowledge of the Texas Transportation Code and associated rules and manuals.
Each peace officer in Texas received instruction in the Transportation Code during their police academy as part of TCOLE’s Basic Peace Officer Course. Unfortunately, for many officers, this police academy class is the only formal TRC training they receive for their entire career.
The Advanced TRC covers areas of the Transportation Code that frequently create confusion, uncertainty, or complexity for peace officers. Areas of study include:
- Understanding Reasonable Suspicion, Probable Cause, and Culpable Mental States
- Application of Administrative Code and Case Law
- Important Definitions and TRC Applicability
- Vehicle Registration and License Plates
- Driver’s Licenses and Commercial Driver’s Licenses
- Compliance with Traffic Control Devices
- Moving Violations
- Emergency Vehicle Operation
- Vehicle Lighting and the Federal 108 Lighting Standard
- Bicycles, Golf Carts, and Off-Highway Vehicles
- Pedestrians
- Provisions Regarding Vehicle Size and Weight
Law enforcement officers will be introduced to supporting resources such as Texas Administrative Rule, the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 49 C.F.R. 571.108 Federal Lighting Standard, case law, and TXDPS guidance documents. These resources will be utilized to better understand, interpret, and enforce Transportation Code violations. Students will gain confidence in their enforcement decisions and will develop tools to employ in a well-rounded traffic enforcement and crash investigation program.
Prerequisites: None
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Transportation Code Train-the-Trainer
Duration: 72 Hours (2-weeks)
Cost: Free
TCOLE Credit: Yes
Target Audience: Commissioned law enforcement officers or instructors seeking to instruct a TCOLE compliant BPOC Transportation Code Course
Prerequisites: Students must complete the 40-hour Advanced TRC course prior to enrollment in Train-the-Trainer.
This course prepares students to instruct a Transportation Code course as part of a police training academy to comply with TCOLE’s Basic Peace Officer Course (BPOC) curriculum.
Students will learn the TCOLE requirements for a BPOC Traffic Law course and will spend time discussing complex sections of the law to aid in comprehension and delivery while instructing. Students will learn to utilize specific training aids and handouts to enhance the courses they teach, including use of a comprehensive student manual, instructor manual, and over 1,400 PowerPoint slides. Students will receive these resources to take and use in the training classes they instruct.
Students will gain instructing experience through a practical student-teaching presentation.
In addition to receiving training and resources, students who successfully complete the train-the-trainer course will become part of a TRC instructor network. This communication network will be utilized to perpetually update trainers on legislative changes, important case law outcomes, and new resources as they are developed. After each legislative session, past graduates will receive completely updated training materials with new legislation incorporated.
The completion of this Train-the-Trainer course will help to create uniformity in course information provided across the State and will be a foundational step in ensuring personnel have the necessary understanding and expertise to prepare future generations of police officers.
Note: Completion of the TRC Train-the-Trainer course is mandatory for DPS personnel who wish to instruct TRC courses within or outside the department (DPS Policy).
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Contributing Factors in Crash Investigation
Duration: 8 hours (1-day)
Cost: Free
TCOLE Credit: Yes
Target Audience: Commissioned law enforcement officers engaged in the investigation traffic crashes or Prosecutors who prosecute TRC violations following a crash investigation.
The contributing factors assigned on a crash report are one of the most critical elements of an accurate and thorough crash investigation. They establish liability or a lack of liability for causing a crash and they carry heavy legal and fiscal implications for the parties involved.
Contributing factors must be examined and understood according to guidance in the CR-100 and requirements in the Texas Transportation Code. Many crashes require a combination of contributing factors to properly describe the circumstances of the crash. Students will examine and discuss approximately 300 crash diagrams and videos to develop a deeper understanding of how and when to use each of the 79 available contributing factors. Common misconceptions and misapplications will be identified and clarified. Transportation Code and Penal Code offenses will be discussed in conjunction with associated contributing factors to ensure students are taking appropriate enforcement action in their crash investigations.
In addition to in-class instruction, students will receive a comprehensive PDF document containing guidance, examples, and legal references regarding each contributing factor.
NOTE FOR DPS PERSONNEL: This Contributing Factors class is also instructed as part of the Special Topics in Crash Investigation Course. DPS personnel who have recently attended Special Topics or will be attending in the near future may not want to attend this standalone class, as it will be repetitive information. Special Topics in Crash Investigation is now mandatory training for DPS personnel before obtaining the rank of Trooper II.
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