Law Enforcement Agencies in Texas — Complete Directory
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Texas Bar verified. Reggie London (Texas Bar No. 24043514) and Njeri London (Texas Bar No. 24043266) are the co-founding partners of L and L Law Group, PLLC — based at 5899 Preston Rd, Suite 101 in Frisco, Texas (Collin County), with many 5-star Google reviews, and available 24/7 for criminal defense consultations.
Table of Contents
Municipal police departments
Texas has approximately 1,200+ municipal police departments. Largest: Houston Police Department (5,300+ officers); Dallas Police Department (3,000+); San Antonio Police Department (2,400+); Austin Police Department (1,900+); Fort Worth Police Department (1,800+); El Paso Police Department (1,100+); Arlington Police Department (700+); Corpus Christi Police Department (450+). Mid-size: Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Lewisville, Garland, Mesquite, Irving (200-500 officers each). Small: hundreds of small-town departments with under 50 officers. Jurisdiction: within incorporated city limits.
County sheriffs' offices
Each of Texas's 254 counties has an elected sheriff. Largest: Harris County (4,500+ deputies + jailers); Dallas County (1,900+); Bexar County (1,600+); Tarrant County (1,500+); Collin County (700+); Travis County (1,200+); El Paso County (1,200+); Hidalgo County (800+); Cameron County (550+); Denton County (500+). Functions: patrol unincorporated areas; jail operations; court security; civil process service; warrant service; constable cooperation. Plus Constables: Texas has 800+ elected constables at the precinct level, primarily serving civil process but with full peace officer authority.
State agencies
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) — the primary state-level law enforcement agency. Approximately 4,200 commissioned officers + civilian staff. Components: Highway Patrol (uniformed traffic enforcement); Texas Rangers (elite criminal investigations); Criminal Investigations Division; Texas Crime Information Center; Driver License Division; Regulatory Services. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Wardens — approximately 550 game wardens with statewide jurisdiction; primary focus on wildlife enforcement and water safety. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission — agents enforce state alcoholic beverage laws. Texas Attorney General Office — law enforcement division handles Medicaid fraud, human trafficking, consumer protection investigations.
Specialized state and county agencies
Texas Department of Criminal Justice Office of Inspector General — investigates crimes within TDCJ facilities. Texas Lottery Commission Security — investigates lottery-related crimes. Texas Racing Commission Stewards — racing-industry enforcement. Texas State Auditor's Office — investigates state employee fraud. Constable's Offices — 254 counties with up to 8 constable precincts each; civil process and traffic enforcement. Hospital and University Police — most major Texas hospitals and universities have commissioned police (UT campuses, Texas A&M campuses, etc.). School District Police — many large Texas school districts have commissioned police departments.
Federal agencies operating in Texas
Texas houses substantial federal law enforcement presence due to four federal court districts, the U.S.-Mexico border, multiple military installations, and major federal facilities. FBI — Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, Corpus Christi field offices plus multiple resident agencies. DEA — Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso Division Offices. ATF — Houston, Dallas Field Divisions. HSI/ICE — Houston, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio offices. CBP — concentrated along Texas-Mexico border (Laredo, McAllen, El Paso, Brownsville). U.S. Marshals — Dallas (Northern District), Plano (Eastern), Houston (Southern), San Antonio (Western). Secret Service — Houston, Dallas, San Antonio offices. IRS-CI — Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso offices. Texas Military Bases — Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, Joint Base San Antonio, NAS Corpus Christi — each with military police and federal investigative agencies.
Texas Marijuana Charges by Weight
| Weight | Offense | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 oz | Class B misdemeanor | Up to 180 days + $2,000 |
| 2-4 oz | Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year + $4,000 |
| 4 oz - 5 lb | State jail felony | 180 days-2 years + $10K |
| 5-50 lb | 3rd degree felony | 2-10 years + $10K |
| 50-2,000 lb | 2nd degree felony | 2-20 years + $10K |
| 2,000+ lb | Enhanced 1st degree | 5-99 years/life + $50K |
| Hemp products with delta-9 THC ≤ 0.3% are legal under HB 1325 (2019) | ||
Have a Texas legal question?
Call L and L Law Group for a free, confidential consultation. We handle criminal defense across Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties.
Call (972) 370-5060In our practice defending Texas criminal cases, we have represented clients in Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant County criminal courts on the full Texas Penal Code and Health & Safety Code spectrum. Reggie's prosecutor background in Dallas County means we know the State's evidentiary playbook; Njeri's trial-trained motion practice anchors the suppression-driven defense work.
Key Legal Terms
- Penalty Group
- Texas Health & Safety Code § 481.102-481.105 classification of controlled substances by abuse potential and accepted medical use. Determines weight tiers and punishment ranges.
- Article 38.23
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure exclusionary rule. Evidence obtained in violation of any federal or Texas constitutional or statutory provision is inadmissible against the accused.
- Aggregation
- Texas H&S § 481.002(5) rule that the total weight of any controlled substance, including adulterants and dilutants, counts toward the offense weight tier.
- 3g Offense
- CCP Article 42A.054 list of offenses ineligible for judicial probation and requiring 50% sentence served before parole eligibility (formerly Article 42.12 § 3g).
- Pretrial Diversion
- Pre-charge alternative under CCP Article 32.02 in which the prosecution agrees to dismiss charges upon successful completion of conditions (counseling, community service, restitution).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many law enforcement agencies are in Texas?
Approximately 2,700+ — including 1,200+ municipal police departments, 254 county sheriffs' offices, 800+ constable precincts, multiple state agencies (DPS, Game Wardens, TABC, etc.), specialized agencies (university police, school district police, hospital police), and federal agency offices.
What's the largest police department in Texas?
Houston Police Department — approximately 5,300+ commissioned officers. Dallas Police Department (3,000+) and San Antonio Police Department (2,400+) are second and third. Austin Police Department (1,900+) and Fort Worth Police Department (1,800+) round out the top five.
What's the difference between Texas DPS and Texas Rangers?
Texas Rangers are a division within Texas DPS. DPS includes Highway Patrol (uniformed traffic enforcement), Texas Rangers (elite criminal investigations with statewide jurisdiction), Criminal Investigations Division, and various administrative components. Rangers handle complex investigations including cold cases, public corruption, and major crimes.
Do constables have full police authority in Texas?
Yes — constables and their deputies are licensed Texas peace officers under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 2.12. They have full peace officer authority including arrest power. Their primary statutory duties are civil process service, but they also patrol and respond to calls in many counties.
Why does Texas have so many federal law enforcement offices?
Four reasons: (1) four federal court districts requiring U.S. Marshals and prosecutorial support; (2) 1,254-mile U.S.-Mexico border requiring substantial CBP, HSI, DEA presence; (3) multiple major military installations requiring military police and federal investigative coordination; (4) major federal facilities (Johnson Space Center, federal courthouses, federal buildings) requiring protective services.
