Texas DPS Names Top Troopers at 2025 Statewide Competition

12The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has named the winners of the 13th annual Javier Arana, Jr. Top Trooper Competition. After several days of intense challenges, two outstanding officers rose to the top:

Top Male Trooper: Corporal Kip Staton of Tyler

Top Female Trooper: Trooper Dani Basye of Amarillo

Trooper Basye is no stranger to the winner’s circle, this marks her third time as top female, having won in 2019 and 2022.

The event was held last week at the DPS Tactical Training Facility in Florence, and tested 138 troopers on a variety of skills including driving, firearms, physical fitness, and job knowledge. This year’s competition featured the highest number of female participants in its history, 25 women competed, alongside 113 men, ranging in age from 22 to 55.

“These Troopers represent the best of Texas,” said DPS Director Colonel Freeman F. Martin. “They are highly skilled, deeply committed and driven by a sense of duty.”

The competition is named in honor of fallen Trooper Javier Arana, Jr., who took part in the first Top Trooper event in 2012.

What’s next for the winners:

• Compete at the National Top Trooper Competition in May (hosted in Florence, TX)
• Participate in the National LawFit Challenge
• Attend the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference
• Be honored at the June Public Safety Commission Meeting in Austin