News

Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as state’s top law enforcement officer

The longtime head of the Department of Public Safety will step down at the end of the year.

by James Barragán and Jasper Scherer, The Texas Tribune August 25, 2024February 10, 2025

The longtime head of the Department of Public Safety will step down at the end of the year.

News

Texas DPS dodges transparency in Uvalde — again

Director Steve McCraw reinstated a Texas ranger he’d fired over the response to the Robb Elementary shooting. The ranger’s appeal could have brought scrutiny on his agency.

by Jason Buch, The Texas Observer August 15, 2024April 28, 2025

News

Families of Uvalde shooting victims sue Texas DPS officers for waiting to confront gunman

In a separate settlement, the city of Uvalde will pay $2 million to the families, create a permanent memorial to the victims and provide enhanced training for police officers.

by Berenice Garza, The Texas Tribune May 22, 2024November 19, 2024

News

Assclown Alert: Refusing to make good on a pledge to resign with Texas DPS Chief Steve McCraw

McCraw said he would resign if his agency failed Uvalde. Mounting evidence suggests DPS did just that.

by Sanford Nowlin January 24, 2024May 23, 2025

News

Greg Abbott reelected Texas governor, defeating Beto O’Rourke

The governor prevailed after a tumultuous period that included the pandemic, a statewide blackout, restrictions on voting and abortion and the Uvalde school shooting.

by Patrick Svitek and Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune November 8, 2022August 17, 2023

News

Texas doctors to review whether Uvalde victims could have survived if law enforcement acted sooner

The review is part of the Texas Rangers’ criminal investigation into law enforcement’s slow response at Robb Elementary School.

by Michael Karlis November 4, 2022August 17, 2023

News

Texas state trooper who responded to Uvalde shooting fired amid investigations into police response

Department of Public Safety Sgt. Juan Maldonado is the first state police officer fired in the aftermath of a botched police response to the shooting. He was the highest-ranking state trooper to initially respond to Robb Elementary School.

by Zach Despart and William Melhado, The Texas Tribune, and Lomi Kriel, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica October 22, 2022July 16, 2024

News

Document shows Uvalde officials tried to put spin on shooting response, New York Times reports

The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety refused to endorse the document during a ‘heated’ meeting days after the shooting.

by Sanford Nowlin July 19, 2022March 30, 2025

News

Police chief who led the response to the school shooting in Uvalde had no radio at the scene, reports say

The revelation is the latest to point to deficiencies and missteps in authorities’ response to the shooting at Robb Elementary School.

by Joshua Fechter and Reese Oxner, The Texas Tribune June 3, 2022January 23, 2025

News

San Antonio Rep. Joaquin Castro says Abbott lied about what he knew about Uvalde police response

Castro said at least 2 of the 19 officers that waited in a hallway and failed to engage the gunman were from DPS.

by Michael Karlis June 2, 2022February 26, 2024

News

What did Greg Abbott’s border inspections turn up? Oil leaks, flat tires and zero drugs

The governor ordered troopers to thoroughly inspect every commercial truck coming from Mexico in what he described as an effort to stop illegal drugs and migrants from being smuggled into Texas.

by Uriel J. García, The Texas Tribune April 21, 2022August 17, 2023

News

Texas continues imprisoning migrants without filing charges or appointing lawyers, court filings claim

Months after the problems became apparent, migrants are still being kept in prison in violation of state laws under Gov. Greg Abbott’s border crackdown.