Is It True The Texas Rangers Have More Power Than The FBI In Texas?

You may have heard that the Texas Rangers have more power than other law enforcement agencies, even the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a.k.a. the FBI.

But is it even possible that a state agency could supersede a national one?

The Texas Rangers have a long and fascinating history here in Texas and have been the subject of countless movies, TV shows, books, and more.

Texas Rangers vs. the FBI- Who Rules In Texas?

The answer is actually a little murky, but ultimately (and perhaps disappointingly), the F.B.I. technically holds more power.

The reason the FBI "wins" is that it holds a larger jurisdiction. However, insofar as "rank" goes, you can probably consider the two agencies as equals or parallel to each other.

Why Are The Texas Rangers So Powerful In Texas?

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Texas Rangers have the following duties in Texas:

The Texas Rangers conduct major violent crime, public corruption, cold case and officer-involved shooting investigations and oversee the department’s border security and tactical and crisis negotiation programs.

In other words, they police the police and politicians, in addition to being the ultimate authority inside Texas (besides the FBI) on border security and serious crimes. It is also their mission to bring families long-sought-after peace and justice in cold cases.

What Is The Uniform For A Texas Ranger?

Interestingly, there is no official uniform for Texas Rangers, except that they must wear their badge. That's why you frequently see them portrayed as cowboy-esque in TV shows and movies.

Texas Rangers Lead The Way In DNA

The Texas Rangers also lead the way in Texas for the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative- a program that funds testing to find culprits of these types of heinous crimes through DNA testing results.