The family of Sandra Bland — who died in a Waller County jail cell — is calling for a reopening of the criminal investigation into Bland’s arrest and death after seeing footage for the first time.
Department of Public Safety
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas lawmakers want to fix wait times at driver’s license offices. Will they agree on a solution?
The Texas House wants to pump $200 million into the state’s driver’s license program — and possibly move it to a new agency — to alleviate what have become all-day waits for some Texans at Department of Public Safety offices.
Posted in
State Government
Audit questions how DPS verifies eligibility when issuing Texas driver’s licenses
The audit says the Texas Department of Public Safety lacks the controls to ensure necessary documents are collected and retained.
Posted in
Politics
Texas panel rejects proposal to close 87 driver’s license offices. For now.
The Sunset Advisory Commission voted not to adopt the Department of Public Safety’s recommendations to close dozens of offices across the state, but recommended a third-party study to determine which agency should issue licenses.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
After Harvey, questions remain about whether registry helped people with disabilities
Texas has a system in place to identify people with disabilities who will need extra help during a natural disaster. But it’s unclear how many people actually received help through the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, or STEAR, during Hurricane Harvey.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
DPS reverses decision to lay off more than 100 older officers
The Texas Department of Public Safety has reversed a controversial decision to lay off more than 100 older troopers employed under an agency program that allowed them to retire and then be rehired in order to collect retirement benefits and a salary.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Rangers arrest four amid investigation of abuse at state-run juvenile lockups
Four former and current Texas Juvenile Justice Department employees were arrested Thursday as part of a Texas Rangers investigation into alleged misconduct at state-run youth lockups. Another suspect remains at large.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Criticism builds for Texas DPS decision to lay off 117 older officers
The Texas Department of Public Safety is feeling the heat over a budget-related decision to lay off 117 officers serving in a retire/rehire program.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
DPS agrees to reverse new policy of charging for crime lab testing
Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas Department of Public Safety Friday to retract its plans to begin charging local agencies for forensic testing.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Lawmakers failed to end troubled Driver Responsibility Program
Mandy Mann thought she had paid her dues for a 2009 traffic stop. But six years later, the Waco mom was stopped and arrested — for failing to comply with the state’s troubled Driver Responsibility Program.
