Long before the Texas Rangers became television icons, lawmen like Frank Hamer and Bill McDonald proved that there’s a reason these elite law officers have become synonymous with being tough.
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Longtime DPS Director Colonel Homer Garrison, Jr. once described Rangers as officers “who could not be stampeded.”
And as McDonald himself so famously said when he showed up to stop a prizefight alone, “One riot, one ranger.”
Indeed, the Rangers have never needed Hollywood to build their reputation. Their distinctive grit, investigative skill and long history of service have made them one of the most recognized law enforcement organizations in the world.
Perhaps understandably, becoming a member of this elite unit within the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is nearly as challenging as the job itself, though it is certainly not impossible for those willing to work hard and prove themselves.
Do you think you have what it takes to earn the Texas Rangers’ distinctive Cinco Peso badge? Keep reading to find out.
Who are the Texas Rangers?
While their role in Texas law enforcement has changed over the years, today’s Rangers serve as the Texas Department of Public Safety’s premier investigative unit. Rangers investigate major violent crimes, public corruption, officer-involved shootings, unresolved cold cases and other complex criminal matters that often require statewide coordination and specialized expertise.
In addition to conducting criminal investigations, Rangers provide investigative support to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, assist with major incident response and help coordinate specialized resources during high-profile cases and critical events.
Minimum requirements to be a Texas Ranger
To be commissioned as a Texas Ranger, an applicant must meet the requirements set by Texas law, including:
- Be a commissioned member of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
- Have at least eight years of experience as a full-time, paid peace officer.
- Have at least four years of experience with DPS.
- Be in excellent physical condition.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
These requirements are based on Texas law governing Ranger commissions. Applicants should review current Texas DPS job postings for any additional promotional requirements.
But what are the real requirements?
In reality, successful candidates must go above and beyond the minimum requirements if they hope to earn a place in the Texas Rangers. The division remains one of the most selective assignments in Texas law enforcement, with applicants competing for a limited number of openings throughout the state.
And if the right candidate doesn’t come along, says Byron Johnson of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, they don’t necessarily make a hire at all.
“The Rangers are very determined that only people that are deserving of being in the Rangers get into the Rangers in terms of qualifications and abilities,” he said.
There are, however, a few things aspiring troopers and criminal investigators can do to make themselves, in essence, stampede-proof:
1. Demonstrate your ability to work independently
As former Ranger Captain Bob Crowder once put it, “A Ranger is an officer who is able to handle any given situation without definite instructions from his commanding officer or higher authority. This ability must be proven before a man becomes a Ranger.”
This definition holds true today as much as it did 60 years ago. While today’s Rangers have access to modern communications systems, they’re still expected to work with limited supervision in the field, often while coordinating with other state and local agencies.
“Everybody’s so busy,” said Wende Wakeman, now a Texas Ranger major and the first woman to hold that rank, “that you can’t have somebody who’s not pulling their weight, so you’ve got to have guys just like the guys I supervise. If they need guidance and we’re veering off course a little bit, then we’ll correct it and get back, but that’s very rare.”
For retired Ranger Richard Sweaney, being able to pull this off is all about confidence learned through experience. “I think the mentality to become a Ranger is very important because the type of people that we hire and the most successful are people that have confidence in their abilities,” he said.
2. Be really good at your job
According to Wakeman, who made history back in 2014 when she became the first woman promoted to the rank of Ranger lieutenant, making the cut in the Ranger promotion process really comes down to the candidate’s track record within DPS, no matter their gender.
“If you’ve done a good job in whatever job or position you’ve held in this department, and you’re good at what you do, and you can talk to people and you can conduct thorough investigations and are successful, then you have as good of a shot as anyone,” she said.
3. Nail your written and oral board examinations
While the promotion process has changed since Wakeman first became a Ranger in 2008, it’s still incredibly competitive today, she said. At the time, all aspiring Rangers in the state would sit for the entrance exam once a year, each one vying for maybe a handful of positions scattered across the state.
“Now there’s a tad of an advantage,” she said, “because you actually know what you’re putting in for and where you’re going to go.” And though this may mean fewer candidates per open position, you shouldn’t count your lucky stars just yet.
“A lot of people will put in for one vacancy,” said Wakeman, “but they may only take the top 10 written scores to the board. So if 50 people put in, only the top 10 will go.”
Candidates must also complete an oral board examination, with that score added to the written score to determine their ranking for the position.
[Be prepared: The toughest oral board questions and how to answer them]
4. Have the heart for the job
“I can’t think of a single Ranger who does this job for any other reason than they want to help people, they want to do the right thing, they want to make the world a better place,” said Wakeman.
That’s the true heart, she says, of the select few who get to wear the badge.
But it’s also about having the motivation to persevere, no matter the personal cost.
“This group of people is the most dedicated group of people I’ve ever been fortunate enough to be part of in my life,” Wakeman said. “They’ll go hours and hours and hours and work non-stop with little to zero sleep … and they do it because they have the drive to do it.”
This article was originally published Nov. 30, 2021, and has been updated to reflect current Texas Ranger eligibility requirements and duties.
