Martin, sworn in by Gov. Greg Abbott, became the agency’s 14th director, working his way up from Highway Patrol trooper in 1990. Martin also held several positions with the Texas Rangers, the elite investigative division of DPS, and in 2018 was appointed ...

Colonel Freeman Martin was sworn in on Monday by Governor Greg Abbott as the new chief of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Governor Greg Abbott administered the oath to ceremonially swear-in the 14th Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Freeman F. Martin in Austin. Martin is the first Texas Ranger to ascend to the position.

An executive order issued by Abbott earlier this year directed Texas hospitals to ask patients if they are U.S. citizens, and begin collecting information about those who are not. The order, however does not specifically mandate patients to answer the question.