AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Abbott delivered remarks this morning at a memorial groundbreaking in Austin dedicated to law enforcement.
"To be a law enforcement officer is to answer a higher calling," Abbott said.
The new monument will feature a 77-foot granite base with an 11-foot-tall bronze Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper statue on top.
The trooper will be depicted paying respect to a tombstone honoring the first fallen peace officer in Texas.
Below, three separate granite and bronze panels will be added to the base to depict, "the history of DPS."
The panels will be engraved to represent its core values listed as, "integrity, accountability, excellence, and teamwork."
"I'm proud to recognize the bravery & dedication of our DPS troopers across the state & throughout history," Abbott said.
Today, we broke ground on a beautiful new memorial that will serve as a reminder of the service, sacrifice, & unmatched courage of our TX Dept. of Public Safety officers.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 14, 2022
I'm proud to recognize the bravery & dedication of our DPS troopers across the state & throughout history. pic.twitter.com/MruM0UeH92
The memorial is intended to recognize all DPS officers and Texas Rangers that have died in the line of duty.
Meanwhile, recent election polls reveal that Texans are almost split on their decision for Texas governor.
Beto O'Rourke is only two points behind the incumbent governor, with 40 percent for O'Rourke and 42 percent for Abbott.
Recent legislation involving trans rights, border security and public school libraries has also brought national attention to the November race.
