The Texas Department of Public Safety Wednesday released the 2013 Texas Public Safety Threat, a report identifying the biggest crime threats to the general public safety of Texans.

Topping the report is the threat of Mexican Drug Cartels operating within the state of Texas. Six of the eight cartels currently have command and control networks operating in the state, moving drugs and people into the United States, and transporting cash, weapons and stolen vehicles back to Mexico.

“The impact of cartel crime is painfully obvious when we look to our neighbors in Mexico, with some 60,000 deaths since 2006 and continued cases of brutal torture,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “It is a top DPS priority to severely obstruct the range and power of Mexican drug organizations to affect the public safety of Texas citizens.”

“DPS relies on an arsenal of tools to combat the myriad public safety and homeland security threats facing our state, ranging from natural disasters to organized crime and cyber attacks,” said DPS Director McCraw. “It is paramount that DPS and our law enforcement partners be prepared when the unthinkable happens, and this assessment specifically identifies the most significant threats that we must contend with.”

The report draws on the information and perspectives of multiple law enforcement and homeland security agencies, whose contributions were invaluable to developing this assessment.

The report also details the state’s systematic approach to detecting, assessing and prioritizing public safety threats within seven separate categories: crime, terrorism, motor vehicle crashes, natural disasters, public health threats, industrial accidents and cyber threats.

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