Press Releases

WACO – Today, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) held a monument dedication ceremony at its Waco District Office to honor the life and service of retired Trooper Daniel Robert Shown. Shown, 66, died on Feb. 27, 2026, from complications directly resulting from a line-of-duty injury.

AUSTIN – Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive James Jackson Jr. is this month’s Featured Fugitive. The reward for information leading to his arrest is increased to $6,000 during November if the tip is received this month.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) statewide rollout of the new Texas Crime Lab Records (CLR) Connect Discovery Portal is complete. Texas CLR Connect – pronounced clear connect – is a new online platform that streamlines access to crime laboratory records for authorized attorneys in the criminal discovery process.

AUSTIN – Days after launching the second phase of the state’s Rapid DNA Testing Program, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Crime Laboratory Division announces a positive Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) “hit” in Montgomery Co. The second phase launched on Oct. 15, 2026, after more than a year of training and preparation. That’s the day participating agencies in both Williamson and Montgomery counties began entering arrestee samples into CODIS.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is proud to announce that its Aircraft Operations Division (AOD) has received the 2026 Leadership in Police Aviation Award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The award was presented during the IACP Annual Awards Banquet in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) urges Texans to take extra precautions this Halloween to help keep themselves and others safe. From choosing safe costumes and staying visible while trick-or-treating to staying alert behind the wheel and watching for pedestrians, a few simple steps can help prevent accidents and ensure Halloween remains a fun and safe tradition.

SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) rescued six victims following a human trafficking sting operation in Bexar Co. yesterday.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reminds drivers to slow down, stay alert and stop for school buses as communities across the nation recognize National School Bus Safety Week, October 19–23, 2026. Millions of children ride school buses every day, making school bus safety a shared responsibility for drivers, parents, school personnel and communities.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is seeking information about the 1995 murder of Celia Loya, 30, on El Paso’s east side. The reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for her death is now increased to $6,000 if the tip is received before the next featured Texas Rangers cold case is announced. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the case to come forward.

AUSTIN – Today, the members of the Public Safety Commission (PSC) honored two Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers for bringing home the top team trophy at this year’s National Top Trooper Competition. Trooper Melanie Moreno (Seguin) and Trooper Brody Telfer (Belton) were at the meeting to be recognized. The pair was named the top team overall at the second annual National Top Trooper Competition in Columbus, Ohio, last month.

AUSTIN – Today, members of the Public Safety Commission (PSC), along with DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin, honored courage, quick thinking and dedication to safety during the October PSC meeting held at DPS Headquarters in Austin.

AUSTIN – After more than 42 years, using modern forensic DNA technology and extensive police work, investigators have finally identified the victim of a brutal murder in Hamilton Co. as 44-year-old Betty Jo Norris.

AUSTIN – This October, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is increasing One Pill Kills public awareness efforts as part of Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month. Signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2024, House Bill 3144 established the month of October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month — a statewide effort to bring awareness and education to the public about the dangers of fentanyl and the life-saving power of opioid poisoning reversal medication.

LAREDO – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), as part of a joint operation with federal authorities during Operation Lone Star (OLS), seized over 153 pounds of narcotics– including more than 19,868,181 potentially lethal doses of fentanyl – during a commercial vehicle inspection in Webb Co. this week.

AUSTIN – During National Forensic Science Week, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is proud to recognize the hardworking men and women of the Crime Laboratory Division.