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New Director, Assistant Directors named by Public Safety Commission

Thomas A. Davis	David McEathron	Frankie Waller

Thomas A. Davis Jr. was selected as the next Director of the Department of Public Safety Wednesday by a unanimous vote of the three-member Public Safety Commission.

Davis, 58, will become the tenth director of the state law enforcement agency since its creation in August 1935. He will replace Dudley M. Thomas, 61, who retires Feb. 29, 2000, after more than 39 years service to DPS. Thomas served as director of the agency for three years.

"The Public Safety Commission has great confidence in Col. Davis," said Commission Chairman James B. Francis, Jr. of Dallas. "Col. Thomas has been a great director, and we will miss him."

For the first time in the department’s history, two assistant directors will help guide the agency. DPS Sunset legislation this year provided the Public Safety Commission authority to create a second assistant director position. Named assistant directors were Frankie Waller and David McEathron.

"Appointing a second assistant director is one of the biggest changes for the agency in its history. This is an exciting time for us here at DPS," said Commissioner Robert B. Holt of Midland.

Davis had been Assistant Director of the agency for three years before his appointment on Wednesday. He will take over as director on March 1, 2000.

"The citizens of Texas are in good hands with this leadership," said Commissioner Colleen McHugh of Corpus Christi. "We had the best talent we could find anywhere in the country right here at DPS."

Before serving as Assistant Director, Davis had been Chief of the DPS Criminal Law Enforcement Division. Davis joined the DPS on Nov. 18, 1964 and graduated from the DPS Academy on March 5, 1965. He attended high school in Houston and took college courses at the University of Houston.

From 1965 to 1967, Davis was a Driver License Trooper stationed in Houston. In 1967, he transferred to the Highway Patrol and remained in Houston until 1971, when he was promoted to the Criminal Intelligence Service. He continued to be stationed in Houston until 1983, when he was promoted to lieutenant and transferred to Austin.

In 1986, he was promoted to Assistant Commander of Criminal Intelligence, which was later renamed the Special Crimes Service. In 1988, he was named Assistant Chief of Criminal Law Enforcement. He served in that capacity until Oct. 1, 1993, when he was promoted to Chief of that division.

David McEathron, 47, has been Chief of the DPS Traffic Law Enforcement Division since August 1996. He had served as Assistant Chief of TLE from 1995 until his appointment as Chief.

Joining the DPS as a recruit in June 1977, McEathron graduated from the DPS Training Academy in October 1977. He served as a Highway Patrol Trooper in Rio Grande City, Corpus Christi and Cuero before promotion to Sergeant in 1983. He was a Highway Patrol Sergeant in Galveston and Victoria before making Lieutenant in 1986 and transferring to McAllen. He was stationed there until 1989, when he was named Captain and transferred to DPS Headquarters in Austin. On Sept. 1, 1993 he was promoted to Major and on Sept. 1, 1995, became Assistant Chief of Traffic Law Enforcement.

McEathron was raised in San Antonio, where he graduated from John Jay High School in 1970. He served two years in the U.S. Coast Guard and then attended Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, receiving a bachelor’s degree in 1976.

Frankie Waller, 49, has served as Chief of Administration for DPS since February 8, 1993.

Hired as a Highway Patrol recruit in 1970, Waller was a Highway Patrol Trooper from June 1970 to April 1976 in San Antonio. After making Sergeant in May 1976, he was stationed in Houston through April 1977.

In May 1977 he transferred to Marshall, where he remained until August 1981. The following month he was promoted to Lieutenant and relocated to DPS Headquarters. In January 1985, he was promoted to Captain.

Waller served as a Captain until April 1987, when he was named Chief of Staff Services. On Feb. 8, 1993 he was appointed Chief of Administration, a division which includes the DPS Training Academy, Human Resources Bureau, Crime Records Bureau and Emergency Management Service.

Born in the East Texas community of Overton on Jan. 12, 1950, he graduated from West Rusk High School in 1968. He attended Kilgore Junior College and graduated from St. Edward’s University in Austin in 1988. In 1992, he received a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos.