Texas DPS Corpus Christi District Opens Citizens’ Academy; 20 Spots Available

The Texas Department of Public Safety Corpus Christi District is opening its first-ever Citizens’ Academy and limiting the June session to 20 participants; completed applications are listed as due by 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2025 and may be returned in person to Staff Sergeant Rob Mallory at the district office, 1922 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78416, or emailed to harold.mallory@dps.texas.gov. The published notice states late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

The academy is scheduled as a four-week program running Tuesday, June 2 through Thursday, June 25, 2026, with evening sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Participants must commit to attending all eight sessions. A district ride-along is slated for the week of June 22, and a graduation ceremony is scheduled for June 25.

Curriculum items listed for the Corpus Christi Citizens’ Academy include an overview of DPS history and operations, presentations on the legacy and expertise of the Texas Rangers, instruction from the Texas Highway Patrol, briefings by the DPS Criminal Investigations Division, and exposure to the agency’s crime lab. Training modules noted in the program materials include trooper traffic enforcement procedures, arrest and control tactics, DWI investigations, the application of Use of Force principles, and crash investigation techniques.

Eligibility and seat rules are explicit: applicants must be at least 18 years old and able to attend every session; capacity is limited to 20 applicants. The published application instructions name Staff Sergeant Rob Mallory as the DPS Citizen Academy Coordinator for in-person drop-off at 1922 South Padre Island Drive. The document also provides an email address for submission, harold.mallory@dps.texas.gov, and reiterates that late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The notice contains two items that require confirmation before relying on the schedule and contact information. The application deadline is listed as March 31, 2025 while the course is scheduled for June 2026, a gap that is unusual for a single-session enrollment window. The in-person contact is named as Rob Mallory while the email lists a different first name, Harold Mallory. Both the deadline year and the name/email discrepancy should be verified with DPS Corpus Christi District to confirm the correct submission address and final cutoff time.

Regional public-safety infrastructure activity cited alongside the academy includes a reported $11 million, 30,000-square-foot hangar at South Texas International Airport in Edinburg, described as a staging site for military operations and support for law enforcement and first responders; materials also reference $30 million in state funds earmarked for airport improvements over a 10-year period.

DPS leadership characterizes the academy as an educational environment designed to give participants a clearer picture of how DPS functions and the services it provides statewide. If the published schedule holds, the Corpus Christi District’s first Citizens’ Academy will begin June 2 with final exercises and graduation on June 25.