Texas School Police Force: A Deep Dive into Use-of-Force Incidents

In the wake of the 2022 Uvalde massacre that killed 19 students and two teachers, Texas lawmakers enacted a 2023 statute mandating at least one licensed police officer on every public campus. The measure followed a 2019 law that discouraged routine disciplinary duties for officers but lacked clear definitions. State spending on school security rose from roughly $900 million to more than $1.3 billion within two years, creating a network of nearly 400 district police departments—more than any other state—and training about 11 000 officers for school duty.

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Between January 2022 and December 2025, reporters obtained records for over 2 600 use-of-force incidents across Texas schools; 450 of those were detailed enough for review. Physical takedowns occurred in about 60 cases, pepper spray was deployed dozens of times, and Tasers were used in at least nine incidents, with four instances of officers holding teenagers at gunpoint. Injuries were documented in roughly one-quarter of the 450 reviewed cases, including two concussions and numerous bruises and scrapes. Notably, a 6-year-old was handcuffed, and a 10-year-old with a behavioral disorder was hogtied with a cord.

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Districts defended the actions as “necessary force to gain control of the situation.” The Judson district, after a 15-year-old was slammed onto a table for throwing a cheese stick, said the officer acted to restore order. Cypress-Fairbanks district banned the hogtie technique after an internal probe found it had been used twice on a 10-year-old. Police chiefs, including Kirby Warnke of Corpus Christi, argued that physical force is essential for school safety, noting officers “get physical … almost every day.” Several departments disciplined officers in isolated cases, but no statewide agency has authority to routinely review such actions.

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Critics contend that the rapid expansion of school policing lacks accountability. Alycia Castillo of the Texas Civil Rights Project warned that lawmakers had “eyes wide open” to the risks of heavy-handed tactics. Retired Northside district chief Charles Carnes cautioned against “being lackadaisical” in discipline, fearing escalation to violence. Board members such as Michael Valdez admitted they “just approve what they need to buy” and often remain unaware of force incidents. A 2019 law intended to limit routine disciplinary use of officers remains vague, and Texas law requires reporting only when an officer fires a weapon, leaving most force incidents undocumented.

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The prevalence of arrests, handcuffing, and tasering has blurred the line between discipline and criminalization. Teenagers like Tayshawn Chadwick faced jail time for a dispute over house keys, while a 6-year-old in the Northside district cried, “The police wants me to die!” after being restrained in cuffs. Parents and teachers remain divided: many cite the deterrent value against shootings, yet the physical and psychological toll on students raises concerns about long-term educational outcomes and trust in school authorities.

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• “It felt like a lightning bolt,” — Tayshawn Chadwick, 17, student

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• “There’s no school in America that should not have some kind of officer.” — LaTres Essien, third-grade math teacher, Dallas

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• “We can’t be lackadaisical and say, ‘Well, we’re in a school, and maybe we shouldn’t go hands on with this student,’ and then it rises to a level that he or she does hurt someone,” — Charles Carnes, retired chief, Northside school district

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• “We just approve what they need to buy,” — Michael Valdez, board member, Edgewood school district

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• “The police wants me to die!” — child, age 6, Northside school district

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Legislators and advocacy groups are urging the creation of a state-level oversight body with authority to audit school-police use-of-force data. Several districts have begun revising policies, and the Texas School District Police Chiefs’ Association faces pressure to adopt clearer guidelines. Ongoing investigations into high-profile incidents may shape future reforms, but comprehensive reporting mechanisms remain absent, leaving the extent of force in Texas schools largely unquantified.

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