Texas has a new top cop in Central Texas and a new financial chief at headquarters — and the state’s largest law enforcement agency didn’t waste any time making it official.
The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed two significant leadership appointments during the Public Safety Commission’s April 9, 2026 meeting at DPS Headquarters in Austin, slotting seasoned veterans into roles that carry considerable weight for an agency responsible for public safety across one of the nation’s most populous states.
A New Regional Chief for Central Texas
Billy Jack Mims was named Region Chief for the Central Texas Region, effective immediately, and will be based out of San Antonio. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Mims within the agency — he started his DPS career back in 2006 as a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper, working his way up through the ranks over two decades. Most recently, he served as Commander of the Texas Rangers Special Operations Group, a posting that demands both tactical precision and executive judgment.
Mims brings serious academic and professional credentials to the role. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Texas State University, completed the FBI-LEEDA leadership program, and is a certified TCOLE instructor — the state’s licensing body for peace officers. That’s a résumé built for exactly this kind of assignment.
Finance Gets a New Voice at HQ
On the administrative side, Conrad Swan steps in as Assistant Chief of the Finance Division, also effective immediately, stationed at the Austin headquarters. Swan isn’t new to the machinery of Texas government — he brings more than 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, and budget management across various state agencies. His most recent post was Deputy Budget Director for the Office of the Attorney General, where he oversaw the kind of complex fiscal operations that a sprawling agency like DPS demands.
Academically, Swan’s credentials are hard to argue with. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas State University and a master’s in business administration summa cum laude from St. Edward’s University. Summa cum laude. The man did not coast through grad school.
The Bigger Picture at DPS
So why does any of this matter beyond the usual reshuffling of bureaucratic chairs? Because DPS leadership transitions have been happening at a steady clip — and the agency’s direction tends to follow whoever’s sitting at the top of these divisions. The published April 9 commission agenda specifically included discussion on organizational structure modifications alongside these appointments — a signal that DPS isn’t just filling seats, it’s actively reshaping how it operates.
That context is worth keeping in mind. Earlier transitions included the retirement of James Lopez on January 31, 2026, and the promotion of Vanessa Mayo to Chief of Finance back in October 2025 — the very division Swan is now joining. Leadership churn at that pace, even when it’s orderly, can leave institutional gaps. Whether these two appointments help close them remains to be seen.
DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin framed the announcements in characteristically confident terms. “DPS prides itself in providing the highest standard of public safety and service to Texans, and the leaders being appointed today will ensure our agency continues to do that,” he said. It’s the kind of statement that sounds boilerplate until you remember that this agency oversees everything from highway troopers to the Texas Rangers to border security operations — at which point the stakes feel a little more real.
Still, Martin has been consistent in how he talks about his people. “Our people are what make the Texas Department of Public Safety so incredible,” he’s said of previous personnel moves — a line that, repeated often enough, starts to feel less like a talking point and more like a genuine institutional philosophy. Whether Mims and Swan live up to it, well, that part hasn’t been written yet.
