Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw recently announced his retirement after a 15-year tenure, marking the end of an era for one of the most prominent law enforcement leaders in the state. McCraw’s legacy is a mix of accomplishments and controversies, with his agency’s response to the Uvalde school shooting and the implementation of Operation Lone Star being key points of discussion.
McCraw’s Career and Leadership
Steve McCraw began his career as a DPS trooper in 1977 and later served as a narcotics agent before joining the FBI in 1983. He rose through the ranks in Washington, leading anti-terrorism efforts, including the Office of Intelligence after the 9/11 attacks. In 2004, McCraw returned to Texas to serve as Governor Rick Perry’s homeland security director as the state ramped up its focus on border security.
In 2009, Governor Perry appointed McCraw as the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, a position he held through changes in government and increased scrutiny of the agency’s actions. McCraw’s leadership style was characterized by a no-nonsense approach and political savvy, allowing him to navigate periods of tumult and political turnover within the agency.
Operation Lone Star and Border Security
One of the most significant initiatives under McCraw’s leadership was Operation Lone Star, a state-led effort to secure the border by deploying troopers and border technology to intercept individuals attempting to enter the country illegally or seek asylum. Republicans generally supported this approach, praising McCraw for his efforts to enhance border security.
However, Democrats criticized Operation Lone Star for what they viewed as a militarization of border areas that could lead to racial profiling of the region’s predominantly Latino population. They also raised concerns about the agency’s presentation of data on border arrests, questioning the justification for the billions of dollars spent on border security.
While McCraw’s tenure was marked by an increase in border enforcement activities, his agency faced criticism for its flawed response to the Uvalde school shooting, where troopers waited outside the classroom where the shooter was located for over an hour. This delay in engaging the shooter contradicted active shooter training and resulted in the loss of innocent lives.
Controversies and Criticisms
The Uvalde school shooting highlighted shortcomings in the DPS’s response protocols and raised questions about the agency’s preparedness for such incidents. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland criticized the troopers’ inaction, stating that immediate engagement could have saved lives. State Senator Roland Gutierrez accused McCraw of orchestrating a cover-up of the agency’s failures during the shooting, preventing victims and their families from receiving the transparency they deserved.
Another incident that drew scrutiny during McCraw’s tenure was the death of Sandra Bland, a Black woman who died by suicide in a Waller County jail after a violent encounter with a DPS trooper. Bland’s death exposed systemic racism within the force and led to legislative changes aimed at improving recordkeeping of use-of-force instances and their outcomes.
Additionally, the agency faced challenges in meeting the demand for new driver’s licenses as Texas’ population boomed, resulting in long wait times at state offices. In 2019, the DPS came under fire for its role in a botched attempt by the Secretary of State’s office to remove 100,000 individuals from voter rolls based on allegations of non-citizenship.
Legacy and Impact
Despite the controversies and criticisms that marked his tenure, Steve McCraw’s legacy as the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety will be remembered for his efforts to enhance border security, implement new technologies, and navigate the agency through challenging times. His leadership style, characterized by a commitment to transparency and accountability, left a lasting impact on the organization he led for 15 years.
As McCraw prepares to step down and pass the torch to his successor, the DPS faces ongoing challenges and opportunities in maintaining public safety and security in the state of Texas. The legacy of Steve McCraw will continue to shape the future of law enforcement in Texas, as his tenure leaves a lasting imprint on the agency he led for over a decade.
