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.”
Sources:
txdps.state.tx.us
