page_title: Texas Highway Patrol
section_title: Vehicles
hierarchical_section_title: Texas Highway Patrol / Vehicles
caption_attribution_description: English: Texas Highway Patrol Car - Vega, Texas
context_page_description: The Texas Highway Patrol is a division of the Texas Department of Public Safety and is the largest state-level law enforcement agency in the U.S. state of Texas. The patrol's primary duties are enforcement of state traffic laws and commercial vehicle regulation, but it is a fully empowered police agency with authority to enforce criminal law anywhere in the state. Highway patrol troopers are also responsible for patrolling the state Capitol Complex in Austin and providing security to the governor. The current Chief is Lieutenant Colonel Dwight Mathis.
  The highway patrol was founded in 1929 as the Highway Motor Patrol, the first statewide law enforcement agency in Texas since the establishment of the Texas Rangers in 1823, and the first such force to be uniformed and regularly trained. Since 1935, the agency has operated under its current name. Since its inception with just 60 officers, then known as "inspectors", the Texas Highway Patrol has grown to meet the increasing volume of vehicular traffic on Texas roads, modern security threats, and the requirements of twenty-first century policing, currently employing over 2,800 sworn troopers.
context_section_description: The Texas Highway Patrol uses a variety of vehicles for patrol and specialized services. Early patrol units were motorcycles, but these were phased out in the 1950s. Since then, four-wheeled vehicles have been used for all patrol purposes; one trooper is assigned to each unit.
  Current patrol vehicles are painted black with a white hood. Traditionally, the roof pillars, roof and trunk were white, but this practice was stopped with newer vehicles. "Texas Department Public Safety" is printed on the front door over a brown silhouette of the state of Texas. Underneath, "Texas Highway Patrol" is written in white; "State Trooper" is written on the front quarter panel and on the trunk.
  The Texas Highway Patrol also utilizes helicopters, armored personnel carriers, and marine craft for specialized functions, such as search and rescue, reconnaissance/intelligence, and border patrol. The Tactical Marine Division is the newest addition to the Highway Patrol, with the acquisition of six patrol vessels intended to police the Rio Grande and international lakes between the U.S. and Mexico. Several more boats are on order.
  In 2012, the Texas DPS decided to begin replacing its aging fleet of Ford Crown Victorias with Dodge Chargers. A small number of Ford's Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility vehicles were purchased for use mainly in the Texas Panhandle. As of 2019, the Highway Patrol fleet consists primarily of Chevrolet Tahoes and Ford Police Interceptor Utilities. Several Dodge Chargers and a few Ford Crown Victorias are still in use, though these units are being gradually retired.
  Patrol Vehicles
  Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
  Dodge Charger
  Chevrolet Tahoe
  Ford Police Interceptor Utility
  Motorcycles
  BMW R1200RT-P (Austin only)
  Helicopters
  14 Eurocopter AS350 (3 Hoist Equipped)
  1 Eurocopter EC-145 (Hoist Equipped)
  Fixed-Wing Aircraft 
  2 Cessna 208 Caravan
  4 Cessna 206
  2 Pilatus PC-12
  1 King Air 350
  Marine Craft
  Yellowfin Shallow Water Interceptor
  S.R.T.
  LENCO BearCat
  Humvee
  Recruiting
  Hummer
  Dodge Challenger
   Other Transportation
  Bicycles (Austin only)
  Horses (Austin only)
caption: Texas Highway Patrol Ford Crown Victoria in Vega
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