Ministerio del Interior

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The DPS is responsible for statewide law enforcement and vehicle regulation. The House Committee of Public Safety oversees the DPS. Its five members are appointed by the House of Representatives, to serve for staggered, six-year terms. The committee formulates plans and policies for enforcing criminal, traffic and safety laws, for preventing and detecting crime, for apprehending law violators and for educating citizens about laws and public safety.

The agency is headquartered in San Fernando.

Divisions
DPS is divided into twelve Divisions:


 * Administration
 * Criminal Investigations
 * Driver License
 * Emergency Management
 * Finance
 * General Counsel
 * Texas Highway Patrol
 * Information Technology
 * Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division
 * Law Enforcement Support
 * Regulatory Licensing
 * Texas Rangers Division

Administrative Services Division
The Administrative Services Division serves as the indirect staff to the Secretary of the Department and provides Information Technology, Law Enforcement Support, Finance, Administration, and Regulatory Licensing for the entire Department.

The Administration section maintains DPS property, provides training to other divisions, and operates the Crime Records Service. The Crime Records Service maintains criminal justice information and issues concealed handgun licenses.

Criminal Investigations Division
In 2009, the Department of Public Safety created the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) as part of a major restructuring of the Department. The CID Assistant Secretary's Office consists of the assistant secretary, deputy assistant secretary, an administrative major, and four civilian support personnel.

The CID is divided into four different sections, which are specialized by function:


 * Gang Section
 * Drug Section
 * Special Investigative Section
 * Investigative Support Section

The CID sections work together to prevent, suppress, and solve crime in cooperation with city, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Multi-jurisdictional violations typically investigated by CID include terrorism, gang-related organized crime, illegal drug trafficking, motor vehicle theft, gambling, public corruption, fraud, theft, and counterfeit documents."

Driver License Division
The Driver License Division is responsible for the issuing and revocation of Bexaran driver's licenses.

Emergency Management Division
The Emergency Management Division is responsible for coordinating statewide emergency planning and response. Typical emergencies are weather-related (hurricanes, floods, tornadoes), but the DEM also has responsibility for containing outbreaks of infectious disease and containment of hazardous materials. The DEM is also responsible for administering Bexar's AMBER Alert network.

Bexar Constabulary
The Bexar Constabulary Division is the unit of the Department most frequently seen by citizens. Uniformed Troopers of the Constabulary are responsible for enforcing traffic and criminal law, usually in unincorporated areas, and serve as the Bexar national police.

Secret Service Bureau
The Secret Service Bureau (SSB) is the intelligence and counter-intelligence service of Bexar.

SSB provides the following services for the government.


 * provides analysis in areas relevant to national security;
 * gives early warning of impending crises;
 * serves national and international crisis management by helping to discern the intentions of current or potential opponents;
 * informs national defence planning and military operations;
 * protects secrets, both of their own sources and activities, and those of other state agencies; and
 * acts covertly to influence the outcome of events in favour of national interests, or influence international security.

The SSB frequently makes use of the Bexar Militay Forces Special Operations Branch to carry out paramilitary operations in support of intelligence and security operations, especially in wartime.

SSB also oversees security at DPS headquarters and the Bexar Capitol Complex, a 46 square block area in downtown San Fernando. The Capitol Complex includes the Executive Mansion, the Capitol Building, state office buildings, parking lots and garages, and private office buildings. Security at the Capitol Complex is the responsibility of SSB's Capitol District, which is charged with protecting State property and buildings, and providing a safe environment for State officials, employees, and the general public. The Capitol District provides total police service within the Capitol Complex, including traffic enforcement, parking enforcement, and criminal investigations.

Links

 * Bexar
 * Cabinet of the Republic of Bexar