Texas Department of Public Safety:

An Inventory of Department of Public Safety Training Academy Recruit Training Records at the Texas State Archives, 1930-1931, 1935-1999, bulk 1980-1999

Agency History

The Training Academy within the Texas Department of Public Safety, Administrative Division, Staff Support Services Unit, Training Bureau provides basic, intermediate, and advanced training and education for the state's law enforcement officers according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) mandated curriculums, and also operates civilian training programs including administrative training for Department of Public Safety employees. Recruit trainees are prepared for service as troopers in the Highway Patrol and Driver License Divisions; experienced troopers may be promoted to the Criminal Law Enforcement Division, the Texas Ranger Division, and the Administrative Division.

In 1935, the 44th Texas Legislature (Senate Bill 146, Regular Session), responding to recommendations made in 1933 by the Joint Legislative Committee on Organization and Economy, created the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for the purpose of placing under a single jurisdiction the state's functions in crime prevention and traffic control programs. The original Department was composed of the Texas Rangers, removed from the Adjutant General's Department; the State Highway Patrol, taken from the State Highway Department; and the Headquarters Division, composed of the Bureau of Identification and Records, the Bureau of Intelligence, the Bureau of Communications, the Bureau of Education, and various administrative and service units.

DPS training operations were originally under the control of its Bureau of Education and led by the Assistant Director of DPS (though the 1937 Legislature mandated that the Chief be appointed by the Director (House Bill 774, 45th Legislature, Regular Session)). The Bureau was to organize training facilities and teach schools for the members of the Department and for other peace officers, and to instruct them in the duties and functions of the Department. The Bureau was also to teach selected county and municipal peace officers and to educate citizens in matters of public safety and crime prevention and detection. The Adjutant General was to provide the buildings, land, and equipment in Camp Mabry. The University of Texas was to assist in the organization and instruction of classes as needed. In spite of its nominal placement under the Headquarters Division, legislative appropriation bills listed the Bureau under the Highway Patrol for many years. By 1996 this bureau seems to have been incorporated into Staff Support Service under the Administrative Division.

Recruit training schools were held at Camp Mabry from 1930 through 1955, when recruit training operations were moved to the newly completed Law Enforcement Academy at the DPS Headquarters Complex in North Austin. The training course originally lasted seven weeks and was run as a semi-military organization, with drills and permits required for leave. The first class graduated 49 highway patrolmen. One of the students in the first recruit training school, and the commanding officer of the second through sixth recruit schools was Lieutenant Homer Garrison, Jr., who became the first Assistant Director of DPS when it was organized in 1935, and soon after served as its Director (and chief of the Texas Rangers) from 1938 to 1968, with the rank of Colonel. The Law Enforcement Academy was renamed as the Homer Garrison, Jr. Law Enforcement Academy in 1973. The Academy comprises classrooms, a library, auditorium, dormitory rooms, cafeteria, gymnasium, both an indoor and outdoor firing range, and staff and conference space.

When DPS was reorganized in 1957, the training program was revised to divide the recruit training school into two parts, the first part attended by all recruits, and the second part divided into four separate programs for entering the Highway Patrol, License and Weight, Motor Vehicle Inspection, or Driver License service. This system was consolidated in 1970 to a comprehensive training program that prepared recruits for all services. As of 2006 each training school lasts twenty-six weeks, and usually two schools are held each year. Each class graduates an average of 100 new troopers. Subjects taught are driver license laws, state traffic laws, use of force laws, firearms training, first responder, operational skills, physical and defense tactics, advanced communication skills, effective report writing, advanced first aid, and DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) detection. All recruits are required to pass a written licensing test administered by TCLEOSE. All personnel attend a one-week in-service refresher school every two years.

By 2006, the Academy had a training staff of 15 commissioned officers, nine sergeants, four lieutenants, and one captain led by the Commander of the Academy. Clerical support was provided by nine secretaries, two clerical supervisors, an assistant clerical supervisor, two receptionists, and a supply specialist.

(Sources include: DPS Staff Support Service web page, http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/#staffsupport; DPS Training Academy web page, http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/trainingacademy/Police_Training/overview.htm; DPS Trooper Training web page, http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/trainingacademy/Trooper_Trainee/traineelinks.htm, all accessed July 13, 2006; and the records themselves.)

Scope and Contents of the Records

The Training Academy within the Texas Department of Public Safety, Administrative Division, Staff Support Services Unit, Training Bureau provides basic, intermediate, and advanced training and education for the state's law enforcement officers according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) mandated curriculums, and also operates civilian training programs including administrative training for Department of Public Safety employees. Recruit training records include instructional manuals, rosters, grades, evaluations, medical records, counseling records, field assignments, reports, statistics, logs, correspondence, memoranda, telegrams, press releases, news clippings, publications, photographs, audiocassettes, a videotape, yearbooks, graduation materials and other class records dating 1930-1931, 1935-1999, bulk 1980-1999. Records from 1930-1931 are Texas Highway Department training records for the Texas Highway Patrol, which was transferred to the authority of the newly created Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) in 1935.

The majority of the records are from the Training Academy's All Field Service Recruit Training Schools, which prepare recruits to serve in the Highway Patrol Division (includes the Highway Patrol, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (formerly License and Weight), and Vehicle Inspection services), and the Driver License Division. As of 2006 each training school lasts twenty-six weeks, and usually two schools are held each year. Subjects taught are driver license laws, state traffic laws, use of force laws, firearms training, first responder, operational skills, physical and defense tactics, advanced communication skills, effective report writing, advanced first aid, and DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) detection. Records of four Capitol Police Recruit Training Schools, 1993-1998, each lasting between eight and a half weeks to 16 weeks, are also included.

Through 1957, DPS training schools prepared only highway patrolmen; driver license examiners attended a separate training program, held from 1942 to 1957 (see the separate finding aid, Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy in-service and recertification training records, 1942-1950, 1957-1970, 1994-1998, bulk 1994-1998, for records of the last driver license examiner school.) Beginning with the reorganization of DPS in 1957 through 1970, training schools consisted of two parts: Part I attended by all recruits, and Part II divided into separate schools for service in the Highway Patrol, Motor Vehicle Inspection, License and Weight, and Driver License divisions (although schools for the last three divisions were not held in every instance). A single educational program graduating recruits for all branches of service was implemented in 1970. Training schools were halted in mid-1990, likely for budget reasons, and did not resume until late 1993.

Additional photographs of class participants may be found in the separate finding aid, Texas Department of Public Safety, Photographs, 1937-1959, undated, 16 cubic ft.

This series was removed from the overall DPS finding aid due to the electronic file size limitations imposed by the online finding aid web site (TARO). If you are reading this electronically, click on the following link to access the overall finding aid, Texas Department of Public Safety records. If you are reading this in paper in the Archives search room, the finding aid, Texas Department of Public Safety records, is found in the first divider within the same binder.

An additional series of DPS Training Academy records is described by the finding aids Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy in-service and recertification training records, 1942-1950, 1957-1970, 1994-1998, bulk 1994-1998 and Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy in-service and recertification training records, 1999.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under the Public Information Act exceptions including, but not limited to, certain addresses, telephone numbers, and personal family information (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117 or Section 552.1175); medical records (V.T.C.A., Occupations Code, Section 159.002(d)); social security numbers of living persons (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.147); and violations of the privacy of individuals, these records must be reviewed by an archivist before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail (Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P. O. Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711), fax (512-463-5436), email (Dir_Lib@tsl.state.tx.us), or see our web page ( http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/agency/customer/pia.html). Include enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information. If our review reveals information that may be excepted by the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open records decision from the Attorney General on whether the records can be released. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten working days after receiving a request to make this determination. The Attorney General has 45 working days to render a decision. Alternately, the Archives can inform you of the nature of the potentially excepted information and if you agree, that information can be redacted or removed and you can access the remainder of the records.

Restrictions on Use

Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).

Technical Requirements

Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.

Audio cassettes and videotape require playback equipment provided by the Archives' Preservation Officer.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy recruit training records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession number: 2005/128

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Department of Public Safety on February 25, 2005.

Processing Information

Rebecca Romanchuk, July 2006

Detailed Description of the Records