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About the Texas
Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers
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.”
Sources:
txdps.state.tx.us
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Paul Creech
began his 40 year law enforcement career with the Texas Highway Patrol which became part of the Texas Department of Public
Safety. After ten years as a Highway Patrol Officer, Paul Creech began to fly
aircraft for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Paul Creech is the author
of Eagle with a Badge.
According
to the book description of Eagle with a Badge,
it “is the true story of pilot Paul Creech, who flew state police helicopters and other aircraft for thirty years, preceded
by ten years as a highway patrolman. It was a life of extreme danger, with times of stark terror, interspersed with the routine
that all police officers know. By day, by night, in weather ranging from floods and tornadoes to snowstorms, Paul rescued
people, and helped ground officers apprehend bank robbers, murderers, and escaping convicts. He provided dangerous, low-level
air support in siege situations and drug raids, often acting as the “eyes” of officers on the ground. He was shot
at often. His precision flying—in fact, his very survival—was calculated in seconds, inches, visibility, timing,
and depended upon calm nerves and a steady hand on the controls.”
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