Downtown operations came to a halt so that DPS troopers could reflect on the past 75 years. It's a bittersweet celebration as about 20 motorcyclists will ride through the Hub City as part of two-week tour paying tribute to the lives that have been lost in the agency's history."It's 75 years of courtesy, service and protection that we have provided for the state that we will continue to provide for the state with troopers here in the Lubbock area and throughout the state," says Cpl. John Gonzalez. "So it means a lot as well as those to the fallen, killed in the line of duty, doing this job and sacrificing so much."More than a dozen motorcycle riders made their way through Lubbock to take part in the festivities. “We are conducting an around the state tour motorcycle ride to honor the legacy of the officers who gave their lives in service to the citizens of this great state,” says Major Jude Schexnyder. The group of riders represent many decades of current and former D-P-S troopers. “The agency was formed in 1935 by combining the State Hwy Patrol with the Texas Rangers service and those early days the State Hwy Patrol conducted all their operations on motorcycles,” says Schexnyder.
The bikers hit the road last Sunday and it will take 13 days to make an appearance at each anniversary celebration. “We are carrying along with us two items that are specially important I think to the department. It's two badges, two former highway patrol men in the state of Texas. One patrolman, Hardy Matthews, who graduated from the very first patrol school in February of 1930 and the uniform Captain Badge of patrolman Arthur Fisher whose the first patrolman killed in the line of duty on his 26th birthday in 1932, says Schexnyder. The trip across the state will be a total of 2400 miles. Their next stop will be Midland.
