Art. 2A.054 REFUSAL TO ASSIST PEACE OFFICER

If a police officer asks you for help while they're doing their job, and you say no, the officer can report you to the local district or county attorney. That attorney can then decide whether to file charges against you for refusing to help.

This rule gives police the power to call on regular citizens for assistance when needed. If someone refuses that request, there can be legal consequences. The officer doesn't handle the punishment themselves. Instead, they pass the matter along to a prosecutor, who then decides whether to move forward with a case.

This means that in certain situations, refusing a lawful request for help from an officer isn't just impolite. It could lead to an actual criminal charge, depending on how the local prosecutor chooses to handle it.