MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Department of Public Safety is to save lives and protect the public property by enforcing the laws of
the State of Oklahoma. The Department also provides information programs to schools and organizations concerning
drug abuse and traffic safety.
DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES
The Department of Public Safety is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the laws relating to the operation and
use of vehicles on the highways of the state, the examination of drivers applying for licenses, control of driver
licenses and regulations, telecommunications, OLETS, Financial Responsibility, regulation and control of motor boats
and vessels on lakes and waterways of Oklahoma, the responsibility for the personal security and protection of the
Governor and the Governor's immediate family, the security and protection of the Governor's Mansion and grounds,
and providing for accumulation and rapid retrieval of information on criminal and traffic laws offenders. The
Department is organized into sections and sub-divisions to carry out these responsibilities. The more important
functions of the various sections are as follows:
Highway Patrol Section
The State Highway Patrol enforces law relating to the registration, licensing,
operation, and use of vehicles on highways. The Patrol assist local police officers in the apprehension of law
violators. The Safety Education Division conducts safety courses in various locations and schools across the state;
while the DARE Division goes to elementary schools within the state stressing the hazards of drugs and encouraging
students to "Just Say No." The Size and Weights Division, Turnpike Division, Vehicle Inspection Division and Lake
Patrol Division are operated within the framework of the Highway Patrol Section. Statutory Reference: Title
47, Sections 2-104, 11-1401, 116.11, 116.12, 14-101, 851, 852, 2-105, Title 74, Section 1811.4E and Title 63, Section
825 and 825.1 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Driver Examiner's Bureau
The examiner's bureau is responsible for both written and skills examinations of
individuals applying for a new Oklahoma driver license or permit (or applying for renewals under special
circumstances) and for certifying those who make successful application for such license or permit. The examiner's
bureau is also responsible for re-examination of drivers who have been under revocation or suspension, when such
re-examination is statutorily required.
Driver's License Services Bureau
Driver's License Services Bureau (DLSB) is responsible for coordination of
driver's license activities involving both Oklahoma Tax Commission agents (tag agents) and driver license examiners.
DLSB is responsible for administration of Oklahoma data concerning driver records and for furnishing information
and certified transcripts concerning those records in accordance with applicable statutes. DLSB is responsible for
auditing and administering all driver license programs which involve Oklahoma tag agents, including issuance of
original licenses and permits, duplicate licenses and renewed licenses.
Size and Weights Section
This section enforces the laws of the State relating to the size and weight of motor
vehicles operating upon the highways. Special permits are issued by the section for oversize and overweight
vehicles to operate on highways under certain conditions set out by law.
Motor Vehicle Inspection Section
This section is responsible for the inspection of motor vehicles in the State.
This inspection is conducted through independent garages, service stations and new and used car dealers.
Lake Patrol Section
Duties are regulation and control of motorboats and vessels using the waterways of
Oklahoma, including safety inspection, water traffic control and promulgation of safety rules.
Executive and State Capitol Security Section
This division is responsible for the security and protection of the
Governor's mansion and grounds; the personal security of the Governor and the Governor's immediate family; and for
enforcing all parking, traffic and criminal laws within the State Capitol Park, the Cowboy Hall of Fame Park and the
State Capitol Complex in Tulsa.
STATUTORY REFERENCES
Title 47 and Sections 825 and 825.1 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA / SERVICES PROVIDED
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95 Criteria/Service: Actual Actual Budgeted HIGHWAY PATROL Warnings 384,597 402,769 422,907 Accident investigations 15,183 18,753 19,691 Arrests 169,306 187,260 196,623 Alcohol/Drug related arrests 12,160 17,929 18,825 DRIVER EXAMINERS Examinations given 488,371 286,805 300,000 Fraudulent license investigations 500 462 500 DRIVER IMPROVEMENT Susp,Rev,Canc, or Denial Cases 54,326 60,791 67,662 Medical cases reviewed 6,156 6,852 7,400 DRIVER LICENSE SERVICES Motor vehicle reports 1,419,268 1,041,484 1,050,000 Driver licenses issued 785,168 853,855 1,013,515 Disabled persons parking & insignia 25,135 32,430 34,052 FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Suspension notices mailed 41,079 40,616 41,000 MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION DIVISION Audit inspec. stations (No. contacts) 12,139 12,746 13,383 Issuing & account.-inspect. stickers 2,511,628 2,637,209 2,769,070 Wrecker permits Issued 4,500 4,725 4,961 Trooper stored vehicle reports 13,184 13,843 14,535 Number of stations receiving inspect 3,548 3,725 3,912 Wrecker licensing and renewals 750 788 827 Rebuilt vehicle examinations 6,036 6,338 6,655 No. of stolen vehicle checks 91,119 95,675 100,459 No. of letters written on stored vehicles 59,215 62,176 65,285
EXPENDITURES BY FUND
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95 Type of Fund: Actual Actual Budgeted State Appropriated Funds: 19X General Revenue $51,035,446 $48,730,129 $50,271,222 58X CLEET Fund 122,497 0 174,914 Total Appropriated Funds: 51,157,943 48,730,129 50,446,136 Revolving Funds: 200 DPS Revolving Fund 6,596,877 9,466,031 12,258,638 Federal Funds: 405 Federal Matching Fund 4,454,696 4,303,467 7,127,356 Total Expenditures by Fund $62,209,516 $62,499,627 $69,832,130 Capital Outlay Expenditures: 19X Appropriated Funds $150,000 $0 $0 200 DPS Revolving Fund $891,592 $1,593,927 $1,598,051 Total Capital Outlay Expenditures $1,041,592 $1,593,927 $1,598,051
EXPENDITURES BY OBJECT
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95 Object of Expenditure: Actual Actual Budgeted Salaries and Benefits $45,767,995 $47,488,164 $49,177,108 Professional Services 290,919 699,540 764,440 Travel 170,870 225,354 386,491 Lease-Purchase Expenditures 367,660 30,796 64,400 Equipment 5,909,252 4,500,412 4,926,856 Payment to Local Gov't Sub-Divisions 0 2,200 11,096 Other Operating Expenses 9,702,820 9,553,160 14,501,739 Total Expenditures by Object $62,209,516 $62,499,627 $69,832,130
EXPENDITURES BY BUDGET ACTIVITY / SUB-ACTIVITY
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95
Activity No. and Name Actual Actual Budgeted
11 Commissioner's Office $1,348,494 $354,721 1,036,730
12 Executive Security 668,247 670,261 783,060
13 Highway Safety Office 0 2,167,885 4,949,979
14 DARE 0 184,478 264,426
21 Highway Patrol 21,313,060 21,310,766 22,283,832
22 Turnpike Law Enforcement 5,241,265 6,346,021 6,803,223
23 Assest Forfeiture 308,552 1,174,835 526,913
25 Lake Patrol 2,212,110 2,222,934 2,374,731
26 Capitol Patrol 2,282,326 2,048,664 1,859,897
27 Training Center 1,114,403 894,778 1,358,200
28 Vehicle Inspection 2,186,428 2,065,255 2,081,615
TISRAD 0 58,971 0
31 Support Services 227,734 771,164 905,496
32 Property Management 1,106,299 954,103 1,143,980
33 Driver Licensing 7,912,024 7,432,152 8,088,203
34 Management Information Systems 6,298,781 5,700,374 6,583,084
35 Motor Vehicle Operations 4,022,667 3,979,822 4,281,652
36 Size & Weights Permits 687,863 702,907 777,932
37 OLETS 3,670,924 1,427,836 1,875,226
51 Administrative Service 1,608,339 1,929,039 1,708,951
53 Bd of Chemical Test 0 102,661 145,000
Total Expenditures by Activity $62,209,516 $62,499,627 $69,832,130
FULL-TIME-EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES (FTE) and VEHICLES
FY-93 FY-94 FY-95
Activity No. and Name Actual Actual Budgeted
11 Commissioner's Office 6.0 6.8 13.0
12 Executive Security 17.0 14.0 16.0
13 Highway Safety Office 12.0 10.2 11.0
14 DARE 0.0 0.0 2.0
21 Highway Patrol 625.1 538.7 519.0
22 Turnpike Law Enforce 100.0 110.6 102.0
23 Assest Forfeiture 3.0 3.0 3.0
25 Lake Patrol 48.0 47.0 47.0
26 Capitol Patrol 69.0 59.0 59.0
27 Training Center 18.0 16.9 27.0
28 Vehicle Inspection 44.0 41.7 43.0
31 Support Services 13.0 9.0 11.0
32 Property Management 14.0 14.9 15.0
33 Driver Licensing 216.9 207.4 222.0
34 MIS 55.6 133.6 132.0
35 Motor Vehicle Op 22.9 23.8 25.0
36 Size & Weights Permits 24.0 23.0 23.0
37 OLETS 13.0 13.0 13.0
51 Administrative Service 45.0 46.3 42.0
53 Bd of Chemical Test 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total FTE 1346.5 1318.9 1325.0
Number of Vehicle 850 981 981
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE / REVIEW
Governor E. W. Marland signed the enabling act of the Department of Public Safety in 1937. This act established the
Department's statewide jurisdiction, the first of its kind, enabling Patrolmen to pursue their law enforcement mandate
across county lines. In 1991, the Department deploys a force of 800 sworn officers, including the Capitol and Lake
Patrols.
Through FY-87, the Department was dependent on the fees and traffic related penalties that flowed into its revolving fund for fully one-third of the Department's operating budget. During FY-87, revolving fund income was much less than predicted and this forced the Legislature to appropriate $6.9 million to cash flow the Department's operations during the FY-87 budget reconciliation. This supplemental appropriation was even more notable in light of the fact that most agencies were suffering reductions in appropriations at this time in order to meet the state's overall revenue shortfall. The fee and penalty revenue that was once apportioned to the DPS Revolving Fund has from that time been deposited into the General Revenue Fund, and revolving fund expenditures now account for only 10% of the Department's budget.
The 1991 Legislature appropriated funds for the Department to hire an Account Clerk III for restructuring of the agency's Finance Section. The department's FTE limit was increased from 1,363 to 1,375 to accommodate the hiring of the Account Clerk, eight troopers and three secretaries. The additional troopers and secretaries were needed as the new turnpikes were being brought on-line in FY-92. Salaries and benefits are reimbursed by the Turnpike Authority and placed in the DPS Revolving Fund. A $4.00 fee was imposed upon those who failed driving tests. Previously, no charge was assessed for an unsuccessful test. This measure is estimated to generate an additional $180,000 into the General Revenue Fund. HB 1271 also appropriated $150,000 to DPS to match a FEMA grant for construction of a new trooper headquarters at Guymon Oklahoma. The basement will contain a suite of equipment for the Civil Emergency Management Communications Center serving the NE quadrant of Oklahoma. Additionally, the Department was authorized to lease-purchase phase 3A of the 800 MHz radio system that will put Tulsa and the surrounding counties on the network. This single action is a significant step towards unification of the State Law Enforcement agencies.
The 1992 Legislature passed HB 2058 that increased the uniform allowance for 78 Capitol Patrol troopers from $100 to $150 per month, the same as state highway patrol troopers.
With less than projected FY-93 revenue available for appropriation by the legislature for FY-94, the lawmakers were forced to cut budgets and reprioritize state needs. One method used by the lawmakers to close the budget gap, was the implementation of budget cuts averaging 10% of the base for most appropriated agencies. The agency was appropriated $48,801,530, a reduction of $2,568,502 or (5%) from FY-93.
The 1993 enacted HB 1725 which transferred the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office from the Oklahoma Department Transportation to the Department of Public of Safety.
The 1994 legislature funded an $800 annual state employee pay increase effective October 1, 1994 (prorated for 9 months). SB 870, a salary adjustment bill created a new 13 step annual salary schedule all Highway Patrolmen based on the number of completed years of service. Commissioned officers of the Highway Patrol, including the Commissioner of Public Safety received a substantial salary adjustment too. Enforcement officers of the Lake Patrol and Capitol Patrol received a 6% salary increase along with those of the ABLE Commission, OSBI, OBN and DOC. The funding mechanism for the Law Enforcement Pay Adjustments (HB 2339) is derived from raising an existing Oklahoma Vehicle License Registration Fee $1 to $3.
Due to the failure of SB 1053, (mandatory Motorcycle Helmet Law), the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office expects to receive $2.1million redirected from Oklahoma Department Of Transportation for use of safety programs beginning October 1, 1994.