Governor Greg Abbott has named Andrew Friedrichs as the new director of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division, effective March 1, 2026. Friedrichs will serve in this role at the discretion of the governor.
Friedrichs, who resides in Austin, is currently serving as executive director for the Commission on State Emergency Communications. He previously held the position of deputy director at the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division, also known as the Governor’s Public Safety Office. His background includes military service; he received an honorable discharge from the United States Navy.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Arts in criminology from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, headquartered in Austin at the State Insurance Building, oversees statewide services and initiatives throughout Texas according to its official website. Since his election in 2014, Greg Abbott has led this office and has been recognized among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2024. The office focuses on job creation, economic opportunities, education enhancement, individual liberties protection, parental empowerment in schooling, and southern border security. It has contributed to Texas leading the nation in jobs growth and record employment levels.
