The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is now taking applications for their next Citizens Academy, which will begin August 14, 2019. The 12-week academy, the ninth offered in the Houston area, will introduce students to the many programs and services provided by DPS, and will engage them through interactive education during weekly meetings every Wednesday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Students in the academy will learn about DPS' rich history as well as the origin and expertise of the Texas Rangers, the Texas Highway Patrol, the DPS Criminal Investigations Division and DPS' state-of-the-art crime lab. Students will interact in mock crime scene investigations with the crime lab personnel. Students will also participate in mock crash scene investigations with Highway Patrol troopers, who are vehicle crash reconstruction experts. The academy will also provide an opportunity to participate in the DPS Trooper Training Program, and students will become familiar with the different types of firearms in the DPS inventory. Students will put their driving skills to the test by navigating different types of trooper patrol cars through emergency maneuvers on a controlled-environment track at the DPS driving facility in Florence, Texas.

The DPS leadership believes the safe educational environment provided by this type of academy is one of the best ways for our citizens to understand the many safety challenges Texans face every day. At the end of the 12-week academy, students will have a better understanding of all the services within DPS and how the department functions in order to serve and protect Texans on a daily basis.

The academy will be held at the DPS Region II Headquarters located at 12230 West Road in northwest Houston. The public and the media are invited to submit an application to participate in the academy. The DPS Citizens Academy will accept no more than 30 students, and each student should commit to attend all 12 weeks.

Applications may be picked up in the lobby of the DPS Region II Headquarters at the location listed below or emailed upon request. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on July 1, 2019. Completed applications may be returned in person or mailed to:

Sergeant Richard Standifer
DPS Citizen Academy Coordinator
12230 West Rd
Houston, Texas 77065

If you are interested in becoming a student or have questions about the DPS Citizens Academy, contact Sergeant Richard Standifer, DPS Citizens Academy Coordinator (Houston), at (281)-517-1338 or [email protected].