DPS’ Fallen Honored During Annual Memorial Service
Families Lay Wreaths for Fallen Troopers Adamick, Shown
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) today honored the legacy of DPS officers and non-commissioned employees who lost their lives in the line of duty at this year’s annual Peace Officers Memorial Service in Austin.
Members of the Public Safety Commission (PSC) and DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin were joined at the service held at DPS’ Fallen Officers Memorial by special guest Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, DPS leadership and family and friends of fallen officers.
“Today, the State of Texas honors the memory of these brave peace officers who gave their lives serving and protecting their fellow Texans,” said Speaker Burrows. “Their courage and devotion to duty will never be forgotten. We also express our deep gratitude to the men and women of law enforcement across Texas – and to the families who stand beside them – for their continued service and commitment to keeping our communities safe. Texas will remain forever grateful for the sacrifice and devotion of our brave peace officers.”
“Over the last year, two more names have been etched onto the DPS Wall of Honor, and we are grateful for the sacrifices each of those men made and for the families who stood alongside them,” said PSC Chairman Steven P. Mach. “We are so blessed to know that a DPS Trooper, Special Agent, Pilot or Texas Ranger is always out in our communities keeping us safe. Texans are truly fortunate to have courageous men and women who wake up every day to put on the uniform.”
“Today, we remember our DPS personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice, and we renew a promise to their families that their loved ones will not be forgotten,” said Colonel Martin. “To the Adamick and Shown families, and all families who have lost a loved one, this is the renewed promise of our commitment to always be with you. You are not alone and your loved ones’ sacrifice was not in vain. They will never be forgotten.”
One of the main features of DPS’ Fallen Officers Memorial is a large panel showcasing DPS’ Wall of Honor. The panel highlights all 245 names of DPS personnel – commissioned and non-commissioned – who have died while serving their fellow Texans since the early 19th Century.
In the last year, the names of Trooper Jerry Wayne Adamick Jr. and Trooper Daniel Robert Shown were added to the Wall of Honor. Surviving members of their families honored their lives and legacies of service during a special wreath-laying ceremony today.
On Sept. 15, 2025, Trooper Adamick, 44, died in the line of duty while responding to assist fellow law enforcement officers with an emergency call when his vehicle left the roadway on FM 945 South, struck a tree and caught fire.
On Feb. 27, 2026, Trooper Shown, 66, passed away from complications resulting directly from a line-of-duty injury he sustained on Dec. 16, 1988. Trooper Shown, along with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a report of an armed suspect who had threatened his family with a shotgun. Shortly after their arrival, the suspect opened fire on responding officers, striking Trooper Shown in the forehead. The injury resulted in the loss of his right eye and permanent paralysis on the left of his body.
You can find a list of fallen DPS personnel since 1823, when the agency first began as the Texas Rangers, here.
Photos from the event are available here.
