Department of Public Safety (DPS) (TX)

Texas DPS Database Page

Texas Department of Public Safety

The Texas Department of Public Safety (otherwise known as DPS), is a state law enforcement agency responsible for "enforcing laws, administering regulatory programs, managing records, educating the public, and managing emergencies, both directly and through interaction with other agencies."

Texas DPS is divided into 6 Regions, with multiple Communications Centers for each region. The regional headquarters are in:

• Dallas (Reg. 1)
• Houston (Reg. 2)
• McAllen (Reg. 3)
• El Paso (Reg. 4)
• Lubbock (Reg. 5)
• San Antonio (Reg. 6)
• Austin (State Headquarters)

According to a press release dated 10/21/2010, the DPS will close communications centers in Sherman, Texas City, Beaumont, Ozona, San Angelo, Childress and Harlingen.

As of 1 December 2009, DPS has reorganized their radio unit numbers. See the Region Map below to see if your closest Communication Centers might be handling different Regions. Expect a description of the reorganization soon. For a discussion of this unit re-numbering see here.

Within the past few years DPS has migrated all of its radio systems to a conventional P25 digital protocol, which is capable of linking any Comm Center in the state to any other by VoIP, essentially giving any trooper the ability to talk to any other, statewide. DPS also has networked 5 facilities into the Harris County Regional Radio System (Texas SCIP p. 28) and two facilities into the City of Austin/Travis County Regional Radio System (Texas SCIP p. 28).

The Texas SCIP has stated, on page 28, that DPS "will migrate toward a statewide hybrid trunked radio system utilizing 700MHz where feasible," accessible by all state agencies. The THP Strategic Outlook from the DPS website, also shows that this is the current plan, on page 44.

 DPS uses linked repeaters and base stations at many Comm Centers. When dispatchers 
 transmit, they may be broadcasting over many linked sites at once, while the 
 trooper is only being broadcasted on their local site. This limits a receiver to hear 
 only the dispatch side of conversations at times. DPS also uses half-duplex on their 
 base stations at times. In this case, the trooper will broadcast on a "Mobile to 
 Base" frequency, while dispatch listens on this frequency. To respond dispatch 
 transmits on a "Base to Mobile" frequency, while the trooper listens on that same 
 frequency. This may also cause a receiver to only hear the dispatch side, since 
 usually the dispatcher is broadcasting from a tall tower, relative to the trooper 
 broadcasting from ground level. Reports have indicated that in the future more
 Base outputs will be rebroadcasting the "Mobile to Base" side of the conversation 
 which has been noted on San Antonio's Base B1 recently. See below for a "working" 
 list of linked sites.

Divisions

The Department of Public Safety is comprised of 8 Divisions:

• Administration
• Criminal Law Enforcement
• Director's Staff
• Texas Division of Emergency Management
• Driver License
• Public Safety Commission
• Texas Highway Patrol
  • Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
  • Communications
• Texas Rangers

Criminal Law Enforcement

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Texas DPS Criminal Law Enforcement Seal

The CLE division consists of 1,239 personnel, including 625 commissioned officers and 614 support personnel.CLE is split into 5 units:

• Criminal Intelligence Service
• Motor Vehicle Theft Service
• Narcotics Service
• Bureau of Information Analysis
• Crime Laboratory Service

The CLE Chief also oversees the DPS SWAT team which is comprised of 20 commissioned officers from all DPS services.

Texas Division of Emergency Management

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Texas Division of Emergency Management Homepage

Texas Division of Emergency Management

The Division of Emergency Management is the statewide commssion responsible for disaster preparedness. They report directly to the Governor of the State of Texas. They are the state agency responsible for coordinating the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and homeland security preparedness drills.

The DEM has split the state into disaster districts and sub-districts. That map is available here.

Texas Highway Patrol

Otherwise known as "troopers" or "THP," the Highway Patrol is the most visible division of DPS, tasked with enforcing traffic laws on Texas highways.

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• 

  Texas Highway Patrol Patch

• 

  DPS Communications Seal

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (CVE)

The CVE Unit of THP is the enforcement unit of commercial vehicle traffic, ensuring all weight/size regulations are followed, ensuring compliance with the Motor Carrier Safety Act. They also ensure hazardous material placarding regulations are followed, as well as commercial vehicle registration enforcement. There are 41 CVE Offices throughout the state, including 2 at El Paso's Bridge of the America's POE and the Ysleta POE.

Communications

There are 32 Communications facilities throughout the state as well as one mobile unit, the Communications Emergency Operations Team, which is supported by Command One, a 30 ft. mobile communications trailer. See the linked press release above, for a list of Comm Centers that will be closing, reducing the number down to 22.

Texas Rangers

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Texas Ranger Crest

The Rangers are famed as the oldest law enforcement agency in the country with statewide jurisdiction. Currently, there are 144 commissioned officers, by state congressional act, and they are split into 7 troops "A-G."

Recently there have been signs that the Rangers are reorganizing and downsizing to 6 troops.

Maps

• 

  DPS Region Map

• 

  Ranger Region Map

• 

  Current Repeater Layout

Click on the desired image to enlarge

Ten Codes

DPS Ten Codes

Code	Description	Code	Description
10-1	Signal Weak	10-42	Ending Tour Of Duty
10-2	Signal Good	10-43	Request Criminal History
10-3	Stop Transmitting	10-44	Permitted to Carry a Handgun
10-4	Affirmative (OK)	10-45	Operating Authority
10-5	Relay To _____	10-46	Motorist Assist
10-6	Busy	10-47	Abandoned Vehicle
10-7	Out Of Service	10-48	Road Hazard
10-8	In Service	10-49	Impoundment List
10-9	Say Again (Repeat)	10-50	Traffic Accident (Specify Type)
10-10	Negative	10-51	Wrecker
10-11	_____ On Duty	10-52	Ambulance
10-12	Stand By (Stop)	10-54	Livestock in roadway
10-13	Existing Conditions-Road/Weather	10-55	Intoxicated Motorist
10-14	Message / Information	10-56	Intoxicated Pedestrian
10-15	Message Delivered	10-59	Escort
10-16	Reply To Message	10-60	Unit in Vicinity
10-17	En Route (To)	10-66	Reserved
10-18	Urgent	10-70	Assisting Unit
10-19	(In) Contact	10-71	Officer Needs Assistance
10-20	Location	10-72	Check Welfare/Safety Of Officer (Unit) _____ At ______ Location
10-21	Call _____ By Phone	10-73	Advise Status / OK?
10-22	Disregard	10-74	Road Block
10-23	Arrived At Scene	10-75	Deployment of Stinger Spikes
10-24	Assignment Completed	10-77	Registered Sex Offender
10-25	Report To (Meet)	10-79	Request Justice of Peace/Coroner
10-26	Estimated Time Of Arrival	10-80	In Pursuit
10-27	License / Permit Information	10-81	Breathalyzer Assistance Needed
10-28	Ownership Information	10-85	Building/Office Access Requested
10-29	Records Check (Wanted)	10-86	Officer/Operator On Duty
10-30	Danger / Caution	10-89	Bomb Threat
10-31	Pick Up	10-90	Alarm-Fire/Security (Specify)
10-32	____ Units Needed	10-91	Prisoner Transfer
10-33	Help (Emergency)	10-92	Suspicious Activity
10-34	Correct Time	10-93	Disturbance
10-35	Crime in Progress	10-94	Secure Radio for Confidential Traffic
10-36	Reserved	10-95	Prisoner/Subject In Custody
10-37	Reserved	10-96	Mental Subject
10-38	Vehicle (Traffic) Stop	10-97	Known Offender
10-39	Permit/Oversize/Overwidth Check	10-98	Criminal History Indicated
10-40	Subject Detained, Expedite	10-99	Wanted/Stolen Indicated
10-41	Beginning Tour Of Duty

Statewide Licenses

HF Temporary Base, Mobile

• KNGR769
• KB39419

VHF Temporary Base, Temporary Repeater, Mobile

• KKM304
• KA2686
• KD52628

UHF Mobile Itinerant (Crime Lab)

• WQAB677

700 MHz State License

• WPTZ776

4.9 GHz Temporary Fixed, Mobile

• WQDV949

Interoperability

See Common/Shared

• WPGV572
• WPYI930
• WQBC290
• WQDW771

Old Channel Plans

Low Band

• The VHF low band system was used from 1950 to the late 1970s.
• It is not known if all radios had channel C or what it was used for. Please correct this if you know.

Frequency	Input	Type	Tone	Channel	Description	Mode
42.900	42.740	BM	CSQ	CH A	Dispatch	FM
42.900		M	CSQ	CH B	Talkaround	FM
42.840		BM	CSQ	CH C	Unknown use	FM

High Band

• Around 1975 to 1978 the DPS switched to VHF high band. This is the original channel plan.

Frequency	Input	Type	Tone	Channel	Description	Mode
155.460	154.680	BM	162.2 PL	CH 1	"Primary A" dispatch	FM
155.460		M	162.2 PL	CH 2	Talkaround	FM
154.950		M	CSQ	CH 3	Intercity mobile	FM
155.370	154.950	BM	CSQ	CH 4	Intercity base	FM
155.505		M	162.2 PL	CH 5	CLE talkaround	FM
155.505	154.920	RM	162.2 PL	CH 6	CLE repeater	FM
155.445		M	162.2 PL	CH 7	Talkaround	FM
155.445	154.695	BM	162.2 PL	CH 8	"Primary B" dispatch	FM

• 154.665 and 159.210 were often used for point-to-point links to 155.460/154.680 remote sites.

Linked Sites

• Notice that these links are subject to change (reducing or expanding the number) at any time, and is handled at the Communication Center.

Region 1

Communications Center	Site	Location
Sulphur Springs	Base A2	Sulphur Springs
	Rptr 15B	Greenville
	Rptr 20	Paris
Texarkana	Base B1	Texarkana
	Rptr 17B	Marshall
Tyler	Base A1	Tyler
	Rptr 11A	Canton
Mineral Wells	Base A1	Whitt (main)
	Base A1	Mineral Wells (backup - seldom used)
	Rptr 17A	Aledo

Region 2

Communications Center	Site	Location
Conroe	Base B1	Conroe
	Rptr 19B	Huntsville
Houston	Base A2	Houston
	Rptr 11A	Huffman
Texas City	Rptr 21	Texas City
	Rptr 20	Santa Fe

Region 5

Communications Center	Site	Location
Wichita Falls	Base B	Wichita Falls
	Rptr 09	Throckmorton
	Rptr 20	Decatur

Region 6

Communications Center	Site	Location
San Antonio	Base C	San Antonio
	Rptr 13	D'Hanis
	Base A	Kerrville
	Rptr 20	New Braunfels

Related Links

• Texas Common/Shared database page
• Texas State Communication Interoperability Plan (SCIP) PDF
• THP Strategic Outlook PDF