Gov. Greg Abbott said that a new memorial for fallen Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers to be built in Austin will remind Texans of the important role law enforcement plays in protecting the communities they serve, according to a press release issued by his office. Abbott, a Republican, on Thursday (April 14) delivered remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial, the release said.
"This new memorial will serve as an incredible reminder of the service, sacrifice and unmatched courage of our DPS troopers," the governor said, per his office. "To be a law enforcement officer is to answer a higher calling, which is why I am proud to recognize the dedication and bravery of our DPS troopers across the state and throughout history."
According to the release, the memorial also honors Texas Rangers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The monument will consist of a 77-foot circle of granite with an 11-foot-tall bronze statue of a DPS Trooper paying respects to a grave honoring the state's first peace officer killed in the line of duty, the release said.
The memorial will be accompanied by three separate granite and bronze panels that silently narrate the history of the state law enforcement agency and bear the words "integrity," "accountability," "excellence" and "teamwork," per the governor's office.
According to DPS, 223 of its officers have died on the job since 1823, when the department started as the Texas Rangers.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that the monument will be erected at the DPS Headquarters at 5805 North Lamar Blvd. in Austin.
According to the nonprofit organization Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc., the Texas Highway Patrol, a division within DPS, has lost 92 officers.
The most recent trooper to die was Sergeant Paul Keith Mooney on June 14, 2021.