AUSTIN, Texas (KAUZ) – The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has awarded the Texas DPS’s Aircraft Operations Division (AOD) the 2025 Leadership in Police Aviation Award.
The award was presented to the AOD at the beginning of this week as part of the 2025 IACP Annual Conference taking place at the Denver Convention Center.
“This award is a tremendous honor and reflection of the incredible work, professionalism and dedication of our AOD personnel,” said DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin. “The men and women of AOD play an essential role in protecting Texans every single day—from the border to our highways and communities. Their leadership in aviation continues to set the standard across the country and the globe.”
This year, the Texas DPS received this award for the fourth time after being selected from among more than 35,000 agencies in over 170 countries
As one of the largest airborne law enforcement units in the country, the Texas DPS’s AOD has some remarkable achievements under its belt, including:
14,240 flight hours across 6,725 flights10,071 agency assists9,600 suspects located and 96 victims located241 stolen vehicles recovered
According to the Texas DPS, the AOD division “exemplifies the department’s core values of integrity, excellence, accountability and teamwork, maintaining a long-standing tradition of innovation and operational excellence.”
“This honor is a reflection of that shared dedication across our entire division,” said Chief Pilot Stacy Holland. “We are so proud to protect and serve, so every mission we fly is driven by our commitment to this state and to the communities we love.”
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