At a ceremony in Austin on Monday, Freeman F. Martin took the helm of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) with Texas Governor Greg Abbott overseeing the swearing-in. Stepping into a role previously held by Colonel Steven McCraw, who retired after 15 years of service, Martin now occupies the position of the department’s 14th director.
In a statement obtained by Fox7Austin, Martin voiced a staunch commitment to public safety, declaring, "Texas is a law and order state, and we will not give up one square inch of this state to cartels, to gangs, to violent offenders or to crime." In charge of a state facing myriad homeland security threats, Martin pledged, "Texas will be safer tomorrow than it is today," assuming the leadership with an underpinning belief in vigilance and resilience.
Tracing his career back to 1990 as a patrol trooper, Martin’s journey through Texas DPS has been a steady ascent. With more than three decades under his belt, Martin’s tenure includes time as a troop sergeant with the Narcotics Service in Houston and notable involvement with the Texas Rangers, according to KXAN's report. His leadership credentials are further bolstered by his front-line responses to significant crises like Hurricane Harvey and the state’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star.
Governor Abbott highlighted Martin's past performance while addressing the appointment by asserting, "Freeman Martin has demonstrated the flexibility and the agility to respond to the constantly changing public safety threats that we experience in the great state of Texas," according to Fox7Austin. Martin, having been the first Texas Ranger to do so, breaks new ground as he steps into the director role.
With the confidence of the Governor and the support of the department, Martin’s tenure as director begins amid expectations of steadfast law enforcement and the safeguarding of Texan public safety. Sworn in at the Fallen Officers’ Memorial Site, the new director’s initial day on the job marked a symbolic start to his leadership on December 1, seamlessly transitioning from the former director Colonel McCraw’s last day, Nov. 30, as reported by Fox7Austin.
