About the Texas Department of Public Safety

The Texas Department of Public Safety has eight major divisions: Administration; Criminal Law Enforcement; Director's Staff; Division of Emergency Management; Driver License; Public Safety Commission; Texas Highway Patrol; and, Texas Rangers

The Criminal Law Enforcement Division consists of 1,239 members, including 625 commissioned officers and 614 support personnel. The CLE Division chief’s office consists of two commissioned officers and seven support personnel, including two program specialists, a project manager, and an attorney who works directly with the chief and assistant chief.

With the increase in vehicular traffic in Texas, the Texas Highway Motor Patrol was transferred to the Department of Public Safety and called the Texas Highway Patrol. The Texas Highway Patrol Service is responsible for police traffic supervision, general police work on highways, public safety education and police and security functions for the State Capitol building and Capitol complex. The Highway Patrol Service consists of 2,174 commissioned officers.

According to the official history of the Texas Rangers, “The Texas Rangers are the oldest law enforcement organization on the North American continent with statewide jurisdiction.  On August 10, 1935, when the Texas Legislature created the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers and the Texas Highway Patrol became members of this agency, with statewide law enforcement jurisdiction. The true modern-day Ranger came into being on September 1, 1935.”

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