Senior Deputy Director Freeman F. Martin was officially sworn in on Monday as the new head of the Texas Department of Public Safety to replace former DPS Director Steven C. McCraw, who announced his retirement in August.
The Public Safety Commission announced on November 20 that Martin would be taking over the role, serving as the 14th Director of the Texas DPS since its formation in 1935, according to KTSM.
Martin received his Texas Peace Officer license 34 years ago in 1990 and began working as a trooper in the Texas Highway Patrol Division before moving up to become a sergeant in the Narcotics Service in Houston, per KTSM. He also served as the Senior Deputy Director over Homeland Security at DPS and held several positions within the Texas Rangers division, according to Fox San Antonio.
Martin is the first former Texas Ranger to take on the role of DPS Chief.
Gov. Greg Abbott swore in Martin at a ceremony outside the Texas DPS Headquarters in Austin. Abbott said Martin would “ensure that Texas will remain a law and order state.”
“I know that he brings to this task the qualities, the traits, and the experience needed to be able to fill the big shoes left behind by Steve McCraw, but more importantly than that, to be able to ensure to our fellow Texans that this premier agency will continue its legacy of working from all over corners of the entire state of Texas to ensure the safety of the people of Texas,” Abbott added, per NBC 5 DFW.
Martin stepped in to replace McCraw after he announced his retirement in August amid an investigation by the attorney general’s office into voter registration drives, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Despite the negative attention the Texas DPS has received, Martin said he was not deterred from accepting the role and plans to make meaningful changes to the department.
“I’ve heard it repeated over and over and over that you don’t want to be the person that follows Steve McCraw,” he said, as reported by Fox San Antonio. “And I disagree with that. I think the best way we can honor his legacy of good is to build on his success. At its core, leadership is about people. It’s about making positive changes. It’s about challenging the conventional thinking and improving the status quo.”
McCraw welcomed Martin to his new role during the ceremony and said it was “a very important day” because of the future impact it will have on the department.
“It’s a day that I cherish because the Department of Public Safety can never be too good and frankly, when I’m being followed by someone who I believe will do as good or better job than I am, it’s a great day. Great day for Texas. Great day for the Department of Public Safety. Congratulations Col. Martin,” McCraw said, per NBC 5.