Texas DPS Graduates 122 New State Troopers

The 180th graduating class includes veterans, multilingual recruits from 4 states

Mar. 22, 2026 at 6:15pm

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The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) welcomed 122 new Texas Highway Patrol Troopers from Recruit Class C-2025 during a graduation ceremony in Austin. The class includes 99 men, 23 women, 33 military veterans, and 68 who speak more than one language. The new troopers will report to duty stations across Texas on April 12.

Why it matters

The graduation of this new class of state troopers is an important milestone for public safety in Texas, as the DPS works to maintain a robust force of law enforcement officers to serve communities across the state. The diversity and experience of this class reflects the department's efforts to recruit a talented and representative group of individuals to the Texas Highway Patrol.

The details

The 30-week DPS Training Academy provided the 122 graduates with over 1,204 hours of instruction on topics like criminal and traffic law enforcement, crash investigation, crisis intervention, use of force, criminal investigations, communications, cultural diversity, fitness and wellness, and emergency medical assistance. The recruits concluded their training with a Field Training Exercise simulating a day in the life of a Highway Patrol Trooper.

  • The 180th graduating class ceremony took place this week in Austin.
  • The 122 new troopers will report to duty stations across Texas on April 12.

The players

J. Noe Diaz

Houston Police Chief and proud member of DPS Recruit Class A-1996, who served in the Texas Highway Patrol, Narcotics Division, and as a Texas Ranger.

Freeman F. Martin

DPS Colonel, who stated this class of recruits is "the most skilled, best prepared class" the department has ever produced.

Public Safety Commission

The commission, including Chairman Steven P. Mach and Commissioners Nelda Luce Blair, Dan Hord, III, Larry B. Long and Steven H. Stodghill, were in attendance at the graduation ceremony.

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What they’re saying

“I've walked the road you're about to take. The miles will be long, but the honor of serving Texas will make every one of them worth it.”

— J. Noe Diaz, Houston Police Chief

“Class C-2025 is the most skilled, best prepared class of recruits the Texas Department of Public Safety has ever turned out. We are incredibly proud to have each of these 122 men and women sitting here today, ready to head out to duty stations across the state of Texas and get to work protecting the communities and people that need them most.”

— Freeman F. Martin, DPS Colonel

What’s next

The newly commissioned Troopers will report to their duty stations across Texas on April 12.

The takeaway

This graduating class of 122 new Texas state troopers represents the DPS's commitment to recruiting and training a diverse, experienced, and highly capable force of law enforcement officers to serve communities across the state.