DPS looking to fill 600 positions, hosting career fair Dec. 1
Texas DPS to hold recruitment event
Texas DPS is holding a career fair on Friday, Dec. 1. Multiple agencies from the national to local levels will be there like the CIA and even some out of state agencies like Virginia State Police. The State is looking to hire hundreds of troopers in the next couple of years.
AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Department of Public Safety is looking to fill about 600 positions in the next two years.
DPS, Texas Veterans Commission, and Workforce Solutions are hosting a career fair on Friday, Dec. 1. Agencies from across the nation will be in attendance.
"We need those good, qualified individuals, not just for the agency and the betterment of the agency, but also to help the citizens of the state of Texas," Sgt. Terrion Rogers said.
They have about 5,000 troopers total and three recruit schools each year, each with about 120 trainees.
"The quicker we can get more individuals in as far as getting qualified people, more applicants and more trooper trainees, that's what we call them in the academy, and get them out there on the road, it would make troopers out there currently working life so much easier," Rogers said.
MORE TEXAS NEWS
- 2 children, 2 adults killed in three-vehicle crash in Blanco County
- Austin ISD Police Department mourns loss of dispatcher
- Car burglaries increase during holidays; Kyle police offer safety tips
DPS says retirements, promotions, the pandemic, and attitudes towards law enforcement all play a role in the shortage.
"If we don't have these individuals in place, then, how can we properly serve these individuals out of the state of Texas?" Rogers said.
The application process includes a polygraph test, a background check, a psychological test, a physical test, and more.
"You have to have a passion for people and serving people in this type of line of work," Rogers said.
Trainees stay at DPS headquarters for about six months. Training also happens at a facility in Florence.
"You go through all types of training, as far as firearms training and driving training, and you also get the opportunity to learn how to do crash investigations. You also learn about Texas law," Rogers said.
The career fair will be on Friday from 10-3 at the Holiday Inn on Middle Fiskville Road. You can apply for the class that starts in August 2024.
For more information about the career fair, click here. For more information about DPS recruitment, click here.