Become a Texas Ranger

Joining the Texas Rangers can be a challenging and rewarding career choice for those interested in pursuing a position in law enforcement. The Texas Rangers were officially formed in the 1800's and continue to serve and protect the people of Texas to this day.[1] To become a ranger you will have to currently work as a Texas State Trooper, have already met the training and education requirements, and make it through the selection process. Before you further consider becoming a Texas Ranger, it can be helpful to understand the duties, requirements, and qualifications that you will need in order to be successful.

Steps

Meeting the Requirements

  1. Be part of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Only those applicants who are currently employed by the Texas Department of Public Safety will be considered for the position of Texas Ranger. If you are not already in such a position, you will need to obtain one before applying.[2]
  2. Have the appropriate experience. Becoming a Texas Ranger will require you to have already obtained professional experience and skills. Before your apply, make sure you have had at least eight years of previous professional experience working with a law enforcement agency. Having a level of high achievement and excellent performance ratings will increase your chances of becoming a Texas Ranger.[2]
    • A rank of at least Trooper II is required.
    • Having experience in military police positions will not count towards this requirement.
    • Ideally, your previous experience will have involved work with major crimes.
    • Backgrounds with cases involving murder, theft, robbery, burglary, sexual assault and fraud will give you an edge when applying.
  3. Work as a Texas State Trooper. If you hope to one day become a Texas Ranger, you must already be a Texas State Trooper. Becoming a Texas State Trooper will come with it's own requirements. Take a look at the following basic requirements for a Texas State Trooper to see if you might meet them:
    • Be at least 21 years old.
    • Be a U.S. citizen.
    • Must have earned 60 college credit hours.
    • Must currently hold a valid Texas Peace Officer license.
    • Must pass the physical and mental examinations required by the position.
  4. Have your documentation ready. Before you can apply to become a Texas Ranger you will need to make sure you meet the basic personal requirements. These requirements will demonstrate your identity, allow for background investigations, and make sure you are legally permitted to function as a Texas Ranger. Make sure you have some of the following meet the following requirements:[2]
    • Must be a U.S. citizen.
    • Must have a valid Texas driver's license.
    • Have a clean personal background free of any legal restrictions that could prevent you from performing the duties of a Texas Ranger.
  5. Be in good physical and mental condition. Texas Rangers are required to be both physically and mentally fit and must be able to perform the duties demanded by the position. Any applicant will need to meet the standard performance requirements that are deemed necessary for a Texas Ranger or Texas State Trooper. Make sure you are in good shape and have studied before you attempt the physical and written tests.[2]
    • Certain injuries or disabilities may prevent you from becoming a Texas Ranger.
  6. Apply for the position. If you think you meet the requirements of a Texas Ranger you can apply for the position. Since you will already be required to be employed with the Texas Department of Public Safety, applications will be handled internally.[2]
    • If you have further questions you can contact the Texas Rangers at rangers@dps.texas.gov
    • You will receive your testing dates when you apply for the position.

Becoming a Texas Ranger

  1. Pass the physical examination. Once your application is accepted you will undergo a physical examination which aims to determine your level of physical fitness and ability. This test will allow you to demonstrate that you are physical healthy and capable of meeting the requirements of a Texas State Trooper. Once you have become a Trooper, you can eventually be up for selection by the Texas Rangers. Review some of the following examples of what you can expect from the test:
    • New recruits must past the Concept 2 Rower examination and be at the 50 percentile of their age and weight ranking.
    • For example, a male between 20 and 29 years of age, weighing 200 lbs will need to row 2,000 meters in less than 9 minutes.
    • Other applicants can choose between the Concept 2 Rower exam and the three event exam of push-ups, sit-ups, and running.
    • For example, a male between 25 and 29 years of age will need to do 54 crunches in two minutes, complete 49 push-ups and run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes.
  2. Pass the written test. On the road to becoming a Texas Ranger you will need to take and pass a written examination. Passing this test will qualify you to become a State Trooper, which in turn will qualify you to become a Texas Ranger. This written test will gauge your competency in a few key areas and will determine if you are ready to eventually become a Texas Ranger. Keep some of the following information in mind when preparing for your written test:
    • You will be tested on reading comprehension.
    • Your grammatical skills and knowledge will be tested.
    • The test has a section on basic mathematics.
  3. Undergo your interview. Once you have met all requirements, have worked as a Texas State Trooper and have been selected to become a Texas Ranger, you will attend your interview. This interview will take place before a board of interviewers who will have the final say when regarding your acceptance into the Texas Rangers. Keep some of the following interview tips in mind before your scheduled appointment:[3]
    • You may be asked hypothetical questions about situations a Texas Ranger might encounter. For example, you might be asked how you would handle a certain criminal investigation or certain aspects of one.
    • You will likely be asked about how you handled difficult situations in your past professional experiences.
    • You might also be asked if you are able to speak Spanish.[4]

Selecting a Focus

  1. Discover the main duties of a Texas Ranger. No matter which specific duties you may be assigned as a Texas Ranger there will be some that are common to any Ranger. Understanding the main function and duties of the position can help you get a better view of what is required of a Texas Ranger. As a Ranger, you will:[5]
    • Work with other departments and organizations.
    • Look into missing persons, abductions, suspicious deaths and unidentified bodies.
    • Work on cases involving corruption or misconduct of public officials.
    • Protect the governor and other state officials.
    • Investigate major crimes such as murder, robbery, sexual assault, burglary, theft and fraud.
  2. Find out which programs you will work with. The Texas Rangers are a specialized group of law enforcement personnel. However, they tackle a wide range of serious criminal and security issues. Knowing more about the programs that the Texas Rangers are involved in can help you better judge if the position is right for you. Expect to function in some of the following programs as a Texas Ranger:[5]
    • Unsolved crimes.
    • Public Corruption.
    • Major cases.
    • Border Security
    • Special Operations Group.
  3. Consider the Specialized Operations Group programs. The Specialized Operations Group (SOG) deals with very specific threats posed to the safety and security of citizens. These threats are generally presented by organized crime, terrorists, or drug trafficking groups. Being a part of the Texas Rangers, the SOG is tasked with preventing and dealing with any immediate and critical issues presented by these dangerous groups. Take a moment to learn more about the following sub-groups that make up the SOG:[6]
    • Special weapons and tactics (SWAT) takes on issues such as hostage situations or barricaded suspects.
    • The crisis negotiation team will work to resolve conflicts with potentially dangerous individuals or groups.
    • Joint Operations and Intelligence Centers will work to inform the Border Security Operations Center of any intelligence that can be used to stop illegal arms, cash, or drugs from crossing the border.
    • The bomb squad is highly trained to assess, disarm, and investigate any explosive device threats.
    • The Texas Ranger Reconnaissance Team operates covertly to investigate and disrupt drug cartel activities.
    • The Special Response Team serves high risk warrants and deals with both hostage situations and barricaded suspects.
  4. Be ready for training. Exactly what training you will be required to undergo will vary depending on your exact role in the Texas Rangers. However, you will be required to have certain amounts of training based on a yearly basis. Many positions will have very specific training programs that you will need to attend. These training courses will keep your skills fresh and allow you to do your best as a Texas Ranger.[2]
    • Every two years you will be required to attend at least 40 hours of training.
    • Depending on your function you may learn specialized skills such as investigative hypnosis.

Tips

  • Make sure you are legally qualified to work as a Texas Ranger before applying.
  • You will need at least eight years of experience in law enforcement.
  • Only members of the Texas Department of Public Safety can apply.
  • You will need to pass both a written and physical examination.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.texasranger.org/history/BriefHistory1.htm
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/TexasRangers/specialreq.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.texasranger.org/E-Books/Oral%20History%20-%20Peters,%20Jim.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www.texasranger.org/E-Books/Oral%20History%20-%20Jackson,%20Joaquin.pdf
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/TexasRangers/rangerresponsibilities.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.texasranger.org/today/Ranger_Duties.htm
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