DPS was founded in 1969, but it has a history that goes back to 1905 when the state fire marshal position was created.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was established in 1927 and the Minnesota Highway Patrol, now known as the Minnesota State Patrol, started with just nine troopers.

During the Cold War, a Department of Civil Defense was set up, which later became part of the Homeland Security Emergency Management division within DPS. Today, DPS is a large and varied department with more than 2,200 employees dedicated to making Minnesota safer.

Public safety commissioners from present to past

• Bob Jacobson, January 2023 to Present
• John Harrington, January 2019 to January 2023
• Mona Dohman, March 2011 to January 2019
• Michael Campion, April 2004 to February 2011
• Rich Stanek, January 2003 to April 2004
• Charlie Weaver, January 1999 to November 2002
• Don Davis, April 1996 to December 1998
• Michael Jordan, December 1992 to April 1996
• Thomas Frost, October 1991 to December 1992
• Ralph Church, January 1991 to October 1991
• Paul Tschida, January 1983 to January 1991
• Kenneth Dirkzwager, September 1982 to December 1982
• John Sopsic, May 1979 to September 1982
• Edward Novak, June 1974 to May 1979
• Wallace Hoaglund, January 1970 to December 1973

Historical timeline

Year Event 1905​ ​​The position of State Fire Marshal is created 1913 ​Fire Marshal Department is created 1927 ​The BCA is created 1929 ​Minnesota Highway Patrol is created. The first force consists of nine men 1934 ​Patrol is authorized to enforce speed limits on trunk highways 1947​ ​BCA lab becomes operational 1951 ​Minnesota creates its Department of Civil Defense 1957 ​Highway Patrol purchases two fixed-wing aircraft 1966 ​The Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is created under the Federal Highway Act 1969​ ​The Department of Public Safety is created 1972 ​The Driver’s License Division of the Highway Department  joins DPS 1974 ​Highway Patrol is reorganized; official name changed to “Minnesota State Patrol.” 1987​ ​The Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety (MNOPS) is created 1990 ​BCA establishes one of the first DNA laboratories in the nation 1994​ ​First drug detection dog begins work for the State Patrol 1996 ​The Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) is created 2003 ​The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is created 2004 ​Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) is created 2004 ​OTS and the Minnesota Departments of Transportation and Health establish the Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) Program