Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is marking a major milestone in 2025 — 90 years of protecting Texans through evolving challenges and growing responsibilities across the Lone Star State.
From its humble beginnings in 1935 to becoming one of the nation’s most comprehensive public safety agencies, DPS has expanded its footprint to include everything from border security to cybercrime, forensics to driver licensing, all while maintaining what leadership describes as its core values of “integrity, excellence, accountability and teamwork.”
Nine Decades of Growth and Evolution
DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin emphasized the agency’s ongoing evolution in a statement released by the department: “Since 1935, DPS has grown with Texas — evolving to meet new challenges while never forgetting our core values of integrity, excellence, accountability and teamwork. From our earliest days to today’s modern, multi-mission agency, DPS remains focused on one overarching goal: protecting and serving Texas, while remembering courtesy has a place in all that we do.”
The agency was established when Governor James V. Allred signed legislation passed by the 44th Texas Legislature, creating what would become a unified approach to statewide law enforcement. That legislation consolidated two existing entities: the Texas Highway Patrol (established in 1929) and the Texas Rangers (established in 1823) — the latter being the oldest law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in the United States, a fact the department notes with pride.
What does today’s DPS look like compared to its 1935 predecessor? The numbers tell a compelling story of growth. The department now employs 4,782 commissioned officers and 6,985 non-commissioned staff, with an additional 1,317 positions recently approved in the last legislative session. These personnel are responsible for protecting more than 1,200 miles of international border and safeguarding over 31 million Texans across the state, according to information provided by the agency.
Expanding Mission, Growing Footprint
The department’s physical presence has grown substantially as well. DPS now maintains 384 buildings across Texas, encompassing more than 3.3 million square feet, and operates a fleet of nearly 6,000 vehicles. In total, the department oversees approximately $1.9 billion in assets, reflecting what officials describe as “the scale and complexity of its commitment to protecting and serving the Lone Star State.”
Operationally, the agency has expanded to encompass 20 divisions, including Aircraft Operations, Crime Laboratory, Criminal Investigations, Cyber Security, Driver License, Highway Patrol, and the Texas Rangers. The department’s most recent addition? A new Homeland Security Division established during the most recent legislative session to enhance the state’s ability to prevent and respond to threats against Texans and critical infrastructure, the agency announced.
How is DPS marking this milestone anniversary? Among other celebrations, the department recently hosted what it calls the largest Legacy Run in DPS history. Nearly 200 department personnel participated in the event, which celebrated both the anniversary and the newest class of recruits — Class A-2025 — as shown in social media posts from the department.
New Generation of Officers
Those new recruits are set to continue the department’s legacy beginning September 1, 2025, when they report to duty stations across Texas following their graduation ceremony on August 29, local media reported.
“This anniversary is more than a celebration of our history; it is a moment to honor the past and reaffirm our commitment to the future,” Colonel Martin said in his statement. “None of this would be possible without the people we serve — thank you, Texas, for 90 years of partnership and support.”
As DPS enters its tenth decade of service, the department appears focused not just on its storied past but on adapting to increasingly complex challenges — from border security to cybercrime — that would have been unimaginable to those who established the agency back in 1935.
