Texas Police Records

What are Texas Police Records?

In 1935, the Texas Department of Public Safety was created and given the power to prevent crime and protect the public throughout the state. At that point in time, the department included the Texas Highway Patrol, Texas Rangers, Bureau of Communications, Bureau of Intelligence, Bureau of Education and Bureau of Identification and Records. It later handled licensing for the state's drivers. The Texas Rangers are the oldest statewide enforcement agency in the state, and began in 1823.

Divisions of Texas Police

The Texas Ranger division of the Department of Public Safety leads major crime investigations and those regarding public corruption, border security and shootings involving officers. Within the Texas Rangers, there are several special units, including: The Special Weapons and Tactics Team, Bomb Squad, Ranger Reconnaissance Team, Special Response Teams, Border Security Operations, Crisis Negotiation Team, Unsolved Crimes Investigation, Public Integrity Unit and the Public Corruption Unit.

The Public Integrity Unit investigates alleged crimes committed by state officers and employees. Similarly, the Public Corruption Unit investigates claims of corruption within any public office in the state.

Texas's Border Security Operations Center focuses on border control at the Texas/Mexico line, and collects and analyzes intelligence regarding possible crimes taking place across the state border. The Crisis Negotiation Team is called in for hostage situations and cases involving an offender who is mentally ill or emotionally disturbed.

Special Response Teams are comprised of officers from the Texas Rangers, Texas Highway Patrol and Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Public Safety. These officers are called in on an as-needed basis for active shooter incidents, hostage situations and barricaded subjects.

The Ranger Reconnaissance Team is highly trained in special operations and addresses situations typically not covered by other law enforcement agencies, including cases regarding drug cartels.

Requesting Texas Police Records

The State of Texas allows the public to request criminal history and police records on any member of the public. Results will include arrests and case dispositions for any charge of a class B misdemeanor or greater. Some parole and probation information may also be available, though personal identifying information is redacted from public record searches.

Texas Arrest Records by Type of Crime

The popular arrests for 2017 in Texas was for All Other Offenses (except traffic) - 229,635, the same popularity of the arrest type was seen in Alabama, Alaska, and Arizona. The least popularity had Gambling arrests - with only 372 crimes a year.

TX Police Departments by Cities