Records show it was not the first time he raised concerns about apps, like Signal \u2013 that is known for allowing users to automatically delete messages, and issues properly preserving evidence, like conversations between law enforcement officials.<\/p>\n
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Body camera still from May 1 traffic stop in Austin, TX (Texas Department of Public Safety via Public Information Request) (None)<\/p>\n
In an email to the DPS chiefs, Lt. Col. Jason Taylor<\/a> explained body camera video showing a DPS commissioned officer using a third-party app, on his personal phone, to communicate with a federal agent opened the employee\u2019s personal device to public information requests. <\/p>\n Taylor said officers should only utilize approved applications, and specifically, Bridge4PS<\/a> as the primary messaging application. Taylor said the Bridge4PS platform was interoperable across multiple government agencies and \u201cmakes cutting and pasting discoverable (and open records) material easy from the app to a PDF.\u201d<\/p>\n The Texas Department of Information Resources said it has a zero-dollar contract<\/a> with the Houston-based company NP Strategies, LLC allowing multiple state agencies to use the Bridge4PS platform at a pre-negotiated price. DPS has not yet responded with how much it pays to use the technology under the state\u2019s contract.<\/p>\n Lt. Col. Taylor also forwarded a 2024 email where he raised similar concerns with officers using third-party messaging apps, like WhatsApp and Signal, to group chat with other agencies during criminal investigations. The official warned that those messages must be submitted with the case file to prosecutors to comply with state law.<\/a> <\/p>\n He wrote that many of the message threads involve multi-agency task forces or multi-agency operations \u2013 and that the agency was bound to submit the messages as evidence when applicable, even when others do not.<\/p>\n \u201cIf another agency submits these items as a part of their case packet and we fail to do so then it is pretty obvious we are not in compliance with statutory requirements,\u201d Taylor said in the March 2024 email.<\/p>\n Texas DPS officials have not responded to emails and calls from KPRC 2\u2019s ENOUGH team about the body camera video or the emails requesting officers stop using the messaging applications. <\/p>\n In September, the agency released to our team a redacted screenshot of the messages sent between the trooper, who was granted limited immigration authority as a 287(g) trained officer, and ICE agents on the night of the traffic stop. <\/p>\n The screenshot shows the conversation already able to be seen partially on body camera: the trooper sending a picture of what appears to be his Houston Independent School District student identification card, and a text saying, \u201c18. Says he\u2019s from Mexico,\u201d Then the ICE agent responding with a picture of the teen\u2019s information, including the unique federal identification number for immigrants, and the word \u201cDetain.\u201d<\/p>\n The screenshots also show part of another conversation where people whose names are redacted but identified with \u201cICE\u201d next to message in the chat, texting \u201cstand-by,\u201d \u201crelease,\u201d and \u201cstatus check.\u201d One of the photos that appears to come from the DPS trooper at 10:39 p.m. is also redacted.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/TWI45UWXDNBLHKNVDORJTLX2OU.png\"\/)
Email obtained by KRPC’s ENOUGH team from June 2026 about Signal use (Texas Department of Public Safety) (KPRC 2026)<\/p>\n