AUSTIN - A ceremony was held to swear in the new leader of the Texas Department of Public Safety on Monday. Freeman F. Martin was sworn in as the new director at DPS headquarters in Austin by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

Freeman Martin was sworn in by Gov. Greg Abbott as the agency’s 14th director. He worked his way up from Highway Patrol trooper in 1990.

Colonel Freeman Martin was sworn in Monday morning as the first Texas Ranger to lead the law enforcement agency.

Governor Greg Abbott administered the oath to ceremonially swear in Director Freeman F. Martin at the Fallen Officers’ Memorial Site at the DPS Headquarters in Austin Monday morning.

A swearing in ceremony was held Monday for the new director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Colonel Freeman Martin, a former Texas Ranger and deputy director of the DPS, was sworn in by Texas Gov.

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety has a new leader. Freeman Martin was sworn in Monday morning as the new DPS director, replacing Steven McCraw, who retired in November after 15 years as chief. In a news release, Gov. Greg Abbott said Martin “brings an extraordinary wealth of experience” to the position.

Martin is the first Texas Ranger to ascend to the director role. Family and friends are mourning Soren Dixon, Jack Nelson and Krysta Tsukahara, all college students who graduated from Piedmont High School in 2023.