INSIDER
Freeman Martin selected to lead the Texas Department of Public Safety
Read full article: Freeman Martin selected to lead the Texas Department of Public SafetyFreeman Martin, a senior official at the Texas Department of Public Safety, will serve as the agencyās new executive director beginning next month after the retirement of current DPS director Steve McCraw.
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as stateās top law enforcement officer
Read full article: Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as stateās top law enforcement officerThe longtime head of the Department of Public Safety will step down at the end of the year.
After Uvalde city officials end battle over shooting records, victimsā families say other agencies need to follow suit
Read full article: After Uvalde city officials end battle over shooting records, victimsā families say other agencies need to follow suitThe cityās release ends a legal battle with news outlets, but other government agencies are withholding materials.
Former Uvalde schools police chief says he's being 'scapegoated' over response to mass shooting
Read full article: Former Uvalde schools police chief says he's being 'scapegoated' over response to mass shootingThe former Uvalde schools police chief says he thinks he's been āscapegoatedā as the one to blame for the botched law enforcement response to the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School.
DPS reinstates Texas Ranger fired for Uvalde shooting response
Read full article: DPS reinstates Texas Ranger fired for Uvalde shooting responseDepartment of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said he made the decision after the Uvalde district attorney found no criminal wrongdoing and asked that Ranger Chris Kindell be allowed to return to his job.
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw testifies before grand jury investigating Uvalde school shooting
Read full article: Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw testifies before grand jury investigating Uvalde school shootingMcCraw, the state police chief, traveled to Uvalde to appear before a grand jury considering criminal charges against officers for their botched response to the 2022 school shooting.
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw testifies in front of grand jury in Uvalde in response to DOJ report
Read full article: Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw testifies in front of grand jury in Uvalde in response to DOJ reportTexas DPS Director Steve McCraw testified in front of a grand jury in Uvalde on Wednesday morning in response to the scathing Department of Justice report on the Robb Elementary shooting.
DPS appeals judgeās ruling to release videos, investigative material from Robb Elementary shooting
Read full article: DPS appeals judgeās ruling to release videos, investigative material from Robb Elementary shootingThe Texas Department of Public Safety has appealed a judgeās ruling to release records from the Uvalde school shooting.
Body found stuck in buoys Texas installed in the Rio Grande
Read full article: Body found stuck in buoys Texas installed in the Rio GrandeTexas authorities believe the person drowned upstream and floated into the buoys near Eagle Pass. Mexico criticized Texasā placement of the buoys along the river.
Once again, tension builds after state police are deployed to a major Texas city
Read full article: Once again, tension builds after state police are deployed to a major Texas cityA month after the Texas Department of Public Safety began patrolling Austin streets, city officials have both praised a drop in violent crime and condemned the operationās disparate impact on Latino and Black residents. In 2019, Dallas faced the same challenges.
Uvalde families ask to join suit pushing for DPS to release public records
Read full article: Uvalde families ask to join suit pushing for DPS to release public recordsThe lawyers for some of the Uvalde families say there is āa compelling needā for records into the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary to be publicly released.
Families of Uvalde victims confront Texasā police chief
Read full article: Families of Uvalde victims confront Texasā police chiefFamily members of victims killed in the Uvalde school shooting have confronted Texasā police chief in an emotional end to a day of protests at the state Capitol over gun laws.
DPS sent at least 3,000 driverās licenses to organized crime group targeting Asian Texans
Read full article: DPS sent at least 3,000 driverās licenses to organized crime group targeting Asian TexansA Chinese crime operation bypassed the password clues of Texas.gov by using stolen identity information to fraudulently obtain replacement driverās licenses.
Texas DPS scraps plan for $1.2 billion active-shooter training facility
Read full article: Texas DPS scraps plan for $1.2 billion active-shooter training facilityThe Texas Department of Public Safety is instead asking lawmakers for $381.5 million to upgrade its current facilities with better technology, dormitories and cafeteria for trainees from across the state.
Uvalde DA gets initial state police report on school shooting but doesnāt expect full investigation for months
Read full article: Uvalde DA gets initial state police report on school shooting but doesnāt expect full investigation for monthsThe preliminary report has not been made public by either the district attorneyās office or the state. The Texas Rangers are conducting a criminal investigation into the shooting at Robb Elementary.
State police terminate another officer for response to Uvalde mass shooting
Read full article: State police terminate another officer for response to Uvalde mass shootingTexas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw accused the suspended Texas Ranger of failing to perform his duty during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School.
Uvalde shooting victims seek $27B, class action in lawsuit
Read full article: Uvalde shooting victims seek $27B, class action in lawsuitVictims of a Texas elementary school shooting are seeking a $27 billion class action lawsuit against city and state police, the city of Uvalde and other school and law enforcement officials for failing to follow active shooter protocol, according to the lawsuit filed this week.
Uvalde sues local prosecutor over school shooting records
Read full article: Uvalde sues local prosecutor over school shooting recordsThe city of Uvalde has sued the local prosecutorās office seeking access to records and other investigative materials on the May shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 children and two teachers dead.
Doctor to review if Uvalde victims had survivable injuries
Read full article: Doctor to review if Uvalde victims had survivable injuriesA Texas doctor said Thursday he has been tasked to review the medical information surrounding the 21 victims killed in the Uvalde elementary school shooting āto determine if there was potential to save more lives had medical care been provided sooner.ā.
Uvalde families make last push for shakeup on Election Day
Read full article: Uvalde families make last push for shakeup on Election DayThe Uvalde school massacre has cast a long shadow in the midterm elections in Texas, intensifying Republican Gov. Greg Abbottās campaign against Democrat Beto OāRourke and driving a blitz of television ads.
Uvalde families make last push for shakeup on Election Day
Read full article: Uvalde families make last push for shakeup on Election DayThe Uvalde school massacre has cast a long shadow in the midterm elections in Texas, intensifying Republican Gov. Greg Abbottās campaign against Democrat Beto OāRourke and driving a blitz of television ads.
āLives Robbedā group calls DPS hearing a ābait and switchā after no update to investigation
Read full article: āLives Robbedā group calls DPS hearing a ābait and switchā after no update to investigationA nonprofit group that formed in response to the Robb Elementary massacre in Uvalde has issued a response to Thursdayās Department of Public Safety hearing on the investigation, calling it a ābait and switchā and a āglorified press conference.ā
Tony Gonzales becomes first major Republican to call for DPS Director Steve McCraw to resign
Read full article: Tony Gonzales becomes first major Republican to call for DPS Director Steve McCraw to resignThe representative called for McCrawās resignation after the Department of Public Safety director said in a meeting that the agency had not failed the city of Uvalde.
Texas DPS chief Steve McCraw says his agency ādid not failā at Uvalde school shooting
Read full article: Texas DPS chief Steve McCraw says his agency ādid not failā at Uvalde school shootingAt a public meeting where families that lost children in the school shooting said he should resign, McCraw said members of the Department of Public Safety made mistakes. But he said heāll step down only āif DPS as an institution failed the families.ā
DPS director refuses Uvalde familiesā call for resignation but says shooting shouldāve been stopped within minutes
Read full article: DPS director refuses Uvalde familiesā call for resignation but says shooting shouldāve been stopped within minutesThe head of the Department of Public Safety told the families of the Uvalde shooting victims that first responders were āwrongā in their delay to breach the classroom where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers.
Texas state trooper who responded to Uvalde shooting fired amid investigations into police response
Read full article: Texas state trooper who responded to Uvalde shooting fired amid investigations into police responseDepartment of Public Safety Sgt. Juan Maldonado is the first state police officer fired in the aftermath of a botched police response to the shooting. He was the highest-ranking state trooper to initially respond to Robb Elementary School.
One of first DPS troopers to arrive at scene of Uvalde school shooting being fired, source tells ABC News
Read full article: One of first DPS troopers to arrive at scene of Uvalde school shooting being fired, source tells ABC NewsOne of the first Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to arrive at the scene of the Uvalde school mass shooting is being fired by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a law enforcement official briefed on the matter told ABC News.
Local policy maker reacts to New York Times Robb Elementary visual investigation, claims discrepancies in DPS investigation
Read full article: Local policy maker reacts to New York Times Robb Elementary visual investigation, claims discrepancies in DPS investigationState Senator Roland Gutierrez, is calling for resignation of Department of Public Safety Director
State Sen. Gutierrez, Uvalde parents call for DPS director to resign after ex-trooper hired by district
Read full article: State Sen. Gutierrez, Uvalde parents call for DPS director to resign after ex-trooper hired by districtThe head of the stateās top law enforcement agency is being asked to resign after one of his troopers under investigation for her response to the May 24 shooting was later hired by the Uvalde CISD.
DPS officers at Uvalde school shooting have been under investigation since July, records confirm
Read full article: DPS officers at Uvalde school shooting have been under investigation since July, records confirmThe confirmed July 25 referral of DPS officers to the Office of Inspector General for possible disciplinary action is much earlier than the early September date that has been widely reported.
DPS director apologizes for Robb Elementary shooting response, says Uvalde will soon be āsafest city in Texasā
Read full article: DPS director apologizes for Robb Elementary shooting response, says Uvalde will soon be āsafest city in TexasāThe director of the stateās top law enforcement agency is apologizing on behalf of law enforcement for the botched response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde that claimed 21 lives just over three months ago.
Texas DPS director says he wishes his agency had taken control over the police response to the Uvalde shooting
Read full article: Texas DPS director says he wishes his agency had taken control over the police response to the Uvalde shootingThe stateās top law enforcement agency also told USA Today that seven officers have now been referred to its internal affairs division, including two who are command staff.
KSAT, other media organizations sue Texas DPS for Uvalde school massacre records
Read full article: KSAT, other media organizations sue Texas DPS for Uvalde school massacre recordsKSAT 12 and more than a dozen media organizations on Monday filed a lawsuit in state district court in Austin asking a judge to order the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to release records regarding the law enforcement response to the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
Coalition of news organizations sues Texas Department of Public Safety over withheld records on Uvalde shooting
Read full article: Coalition of news organizations sues Texas Department of Public Safety over withheld records on Uvalde shootingThe lawsuit alleges that the state police have unlawfully withheld records, including body camera footage and emergency communications, during the Robb Elementary shooting.
Texas Department of Public Safety investigating how 91 of its troopers and Rangers responded to Uvalde school shooting
Read full article: Texas Department of Public Safety investigating how 91 of its troopers and Rangers responded to Uvalde school shootingThe departmentās officers made up nearly one-fourth of the 376 law enforcement members who responded to Texasā deadliest school shooting. Announcement of the inquiry came one day after a report criticized police response to the massacre.
Uvalde residents frustrated with officials over finger pointing, conflicting accounts and leaked video
Read full article: Uvalde residents frustrated with officials over finger pointing, conflicting accounts and leaked videoResidents and victimsā families say the way local and state leaders are handling details about the stateās deadliest shooting is compounding their trauma and grief.
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez calls Uvalde CISD police chief a āscapegoat;ā blasts Gov. Abbott, DPS for systemic failures
Read full article: State Sen. Roland Gutierrez calls Uvalde CISD police chief a āscapegoat;ā blasts Gov. Abbott, DPS for systemic failuresGutierrez said there needs to be transparency in the investigation because he doesnāt believe fault for the botched response to the May 24 shooting lies solely with Pete Arredondo.
A āclonedā 18-wheeler made it easy for smugglers to pass through the border, say state officials vowing to crack down
Read full article: A āclonedā 18-wheeler made it easy for smugglers to pass through the border, say state officials vowing to crack downA federal agency estimates that about 75 trucks are reported nationally each year with copied or stolen state and federal ID numbers, which industry experts say is likely a significant undercount.
Texas will increase checkpoints for trucks crossing from Mexico after migrant smuggling deaths
Read full article: Texas will increase checkpoints for trucks crossing from Mexico after migrant smuggling deathsDPS said the checkpoints wonāt occur at the ports of entry, which is different than in April when Abbott mandated all commercial vehicles entering from Mexico be checked by state police. The order snarled trade with Mexico at the time.
Gov. Abbott orders new checkpoints for trucks coming in from Mexico in wake of migrant smuggling deaths
Read full article: Gov. Abbott orders new checkpoints for trucks coming in from Mexico in wake of migrant smuggling deathsThe Texas Department of Public Safety will create and monitor new checkpoints for trucks entering from Mexico after dozens of migrants died in an abandoned trailer in San Antonio, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday.
Watch live: Sister of a Uvalde shooting victim and others testify before Texas legislative committee
Read full article: Watch live: Sister of a Uvalde shooting victim and others testify before Texas legislative committeeA joint committee of the Texas legislature is meeting to examine strategies to prevent acts of violence after the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde.
Unlocked doors were 'first line of defense' at Uvalde school
Read full article: Unlocked doors were 'first line of defense' at Uvalde schoolThe Uvalde massacre began after the 18-year-old gunman entered the school through a door that could only be locked from the outside and then got inside a classroom that had a busted lock.
Hereās how Pete Arredondo and other law enforcement differ on what happened during the Uvalde shooting
Read full article: Hereās how Pete Arredondo and other law enforcement differ on what happened during the Uvalde shootingNew information released by law enforcement sources and the director of the Department of Public Safety tells a different story about police response to the shooting than Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo.
Officer husband of slain Uvalde teacher was detained, had gun taken away after trying to save wife
Read full article: Officer husband of slain Uvalde teacher was detained, had gun taken away after trying to save wifeShocking testimony from the Texas DPS director on Tuesday has revealed even more insight into the āabject failureā of response to the Uvalde shooting that occurred on May 24.
Takeaways from Texas DPS directorās testimony about the Uvalde shooting, gunman and police response
Read full article: Takeaways from Texas DPS directorās testimony about the Uvalde shooting, gunman and police responseMcCraw on Tuesday gave much-asked-for revelations about the timeline, mistakes and missed opportunities. Specifically, he said Pete Arredondo, the Uvalde school district police chief and on-site commander, made āterrible decisions.ā
Uvalde school police chief ādecided to place the lives of officers before the lives of children,ā Texas DPS director says
Read full article: Uvalde school police chief ādecided to place the lives of officers before the lives of children,ā Texas DPS director saysSteve McCraw testified before a Texas Senate committee, laying blame on local police officers in Uvalde for not acting faster to save children during the school shooting.
Texas DPS leader says Uvalde police response an āabject failureā
Read full article: Texas DPS leader says Uvalde police response an āabject failureāThe head of the Texas Department of Public Safety says three minutes after a gunman entered a school where he slaughtered 19 elementary students and two teachers there was sufficient armed law enforcement on scene to stop the gunman.
WATCH LIVE: DPS director testifies about Uvalde shooting before Texas Senate committee
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: DPS director testifies about Uvalde shooting before Texas Senate committeeUPDATE: Law enforcement authorities had enough officers on the scene of the Uvalde school massacre to stop the gunman three minutes after he entered the building, the Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw testified on Tuesday.
āIf thereās kids in there, we need to go inā: Officers in Uvalde were ready with guns, shields and tools ā but not clear orders
Read full article: āIf thereās kids in there, we need to go inā: Officers in Uvalde were ready with guns, shields and tools ā but not clear ordersThe Texas Tribune has reviewed law enforcement transcripts and footage that federal and state investigators are examining after the May 24 tragedy.
āActive shooterā message sent to parents further muddles law enforcement timeline of Uvalde school massacre
Read full article: āActive shooterā message sent to parents further muddles law enforcement timeline of Uvalde school massacreMessage sent during law enforcement response called situation an āactive shooterā incident, even though chief had labeled it a barricaded subject
Judge loses trust in Texasā child abuse investigation of foster care facility and calls for federal inquiry
Read full article: Judge loses trust in Texasā child abuse investigation of foster care facility and calls for federal inquiryU.S. District Judge Janis Jack said she is seeking a federal criminal investigation into allegations that children were sexually abused and trafficked at The Refuge, a state-licensed foster care shelter for victims of sex trafficking.
Texas Rangers confirm investigation into nude photos of children at Bastrop shelter but find āno evidenceā of sex abuse
Read full article: Texas Rangers confirm investigation into nude photos of children at Bastrop shelter but find āno evidenceā of sex abuseAn attorney representing foster care children in a suit against Texas said Department of Public Safety director Steve McCrawās conclusion that there was no evidence of sexual abuse despite the investigation into the photos was āboth surprising and extremely troubling.ā
Construction begins on Texas-Mexico border wall in Rio Grande City
Read full article: Construction begins on Texas-Mexico border wall in Rio Grande CityOn June 16, Abbott announced the State of Texasā plan for the border wall and authorized the transfer for $250 million as a down payment to launch construction.
WATCH LIVE: Gov. Abbott to debut Texas border wall construction in Rio Grande City
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: Gov. Abbott to debut Texas border wall construction in Rio Grande CityGov. Greg Abbott is holding a press briefing to debut the Texas border wall construction in Rio Grande City, along the Texas-Mexico border.
Gov. Abbott, Florida Gov. DeSantis address border security concerns in Del Rio
Read full article: Gov. Abbott, Florida Gov. DeSantis address border security concerns in Del RioGov. Greg Abbott met with Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, law enforcement, state and local officials to discuss border security Saturday afternoon in Del Rio.
Gov. Greg Abbott addresses border security in news conference
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott addresses border security in news conferenceGov. Greg Abbott will hold a press conference on Thursday in Fort Worth to provide an update on the state's efforts to secure the border and prevent the smuggling of drugs into Texas.
Gov. Greg Abbott gives update on āOperation Lone Starā at Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott gives update on āOperation Lone Starā at Texas-Mexico borderGov. Greg Abbott on Thursday held a press conference in the Rio Grande Valley where he provided an update on Texasā response to the surge of migrants at the southern border through Operation Lone Star.
Gov. Greg Abbott announces expansion of Operation Lone Star to include anti-human trafficking efforts
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott announces expansion of Operation Lone Star to include anti-human trafficking effortsGreg Abbott announced Wednesday the expansion of Operation Lone Star to include efforts to crack down on human trafficking related to illegal border crossings. āAmericans deserve to know what the Biden Administration is doing to investigate the surge of unaccompanied minors crossing the border and to protect those who are victims of human trafficking. That is why we are expanding Operation Lone Star to include anti-human trafficking efforts, such as interviewing unaccompanied minors to learn if they are victims of human trafficking. This will help us gain information to keep these children safe, root out human trafficking or other criminal activity, and prevent more children from being trafficked and abused. The new anti-human trafficking efforts will be supported by the Governorās Child Sex Trafficking Team and other organizations and agencies that work to combat human trafficking in Texas.