McCraw has been in the spotlight recently over his agency’s role in the drawn-out law enforcement response to the Uvalde school shooting in 2022 and the ongoing immigration crackdown at the Texas-Mexico border.
McCraw announced his retirement during an Austin graduation ceremony for new DPS troopers. He will remain in his role until a successor is appointed.
“It’s rather an easy thing to do, because I know Gov. Greg Abbott will ensure that my replacement is as good and likely better than I am at this particular job,” McCraw said. “We’re in great hands, because the people we have, the leaders that we have in this department... [are] dedicated and selfless professionals that always get the job done.”
What you need to know
McCraw first joined the DPS in 1977 as a highway patrol trooper and later served as a narcotics agent. He moved to the FBI in 1983 and led national anti-terrorism efforts after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
McCraw, an El Paso native, returned to Texas in 2004 and served as then-Gov. Rick Perry’s homeland security director. Perry named him head of the DPS in 2009.
The DPS patrols Texas highways and the state Capitol; stations troops at the border; issues driver's licenses and other state identification; collaborates with local and federal law enforcement and more.
McCraw is often seen alongside Abbott as the state responds to natural disasters, violence, immigration and more. The governor praised McCraw at the Aug. 23 ceremony for his “encyclopedia knowledge of transnational gangs” and his agency’s response to recent pro-Palestinian protests at The University of Texas at Austin.
“You have been led by one of the most highly regarded law enforcement officers in the United States of America,” Abbott told DPS troopers. “[McCraw] is a leader, a visionary, and the quintessential lawman that Texas is so famous for—big white cowboy hat and all.”
Abbott noted that McCraw’s “leadership, his flexibility to meet the changing needs of law enforcement, has truly revolutionized the Texas Department of Public Safety.”
Stay tuned
McCraw will continue to lead the DPS until his replacement is selected by the Texas Public Safety Commission, according to a news release. The DPS said more details on the selection process would be released “in the coming days.”
