Texas Highway Patrol trooper Melanie Moreno, who survived human trafficking before joining the Texas Department of Public Safety, will share her story in Episode 9 of the agency's video series, scheduled to premiere Friday at 6 a.m. The episode also features Moreno's participation in the department's Top Trooper competition.
The episode was announced by TxDPS - South Texas Region, according to Texas Department of Public Safety
DPS background materials say Moreno began her career with the department as a non-commissioned Records Clerk for the Texas Highway Patrol
Texas Department of Public Safety
before later becoming a Texas Highway Patrol trooper.
DPS has highlighted Moreno's competition win. Moreno won the Top Female Competitor title at the department's annual Javier Arana Jr. Top Trooper Competition in 2026. That 2026 competition, held in Florence, Texas, drew 140 state troopers, including a record 28 female competitors, who faced off across nine events testing physical conditioning, driving, firearms proficiency and job knowledge, as noted by Texas Department of Public Safety.
The episode's focus
The agency's presentation centers on Moreno's account of surviving trafficking and building a career in law enforcement.
What the public data show
According to the Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force's fiscal 2017 report, Texas children's advocacy centers served nearly 48,000 children statewide and identified 237 as victims of child sex trafficking. That figure reflects cases identified through that program and during that year, not the full prevalence of trafficking.
In Bexar County, the District Attorney's Office says its Victim Assistance Division provides referrals and other support to crime victims. The office lists 210-335-2105 for assistance, including Spanish-language help, according to the Bexar County District Attorney's Office Victim Assistance Division.
Moreno's story arrives as DPS highlights her path from surviving trafficking to becoming a Texas Highway Patrol trooper. The episode centers on that account.
Moreno's Path to the Highway Patrol
The episode follows Moreno's path from surviving trafficking to becoming a Texas Highway Patrol trooper.
Moreno's story is presented as part of the episode's focus on her background and career.
Moreno's Story at the Center
The episode presents a personal account of Moreno's path from surviving trafficking to becoming a Texas Highway Patrol trooper.
That account places Moreno's experience at the center of the episode.
For Moreno, the upcoming episode presents a path that began not with a badge but with survival. Her story is set to premiere as part of the department's presentation of her difficult background and path to the uniform, with her experience as both survivor and trooper placed squarely at the center.
