AUSTIN -- The face of Texas' border surge is undergoing a makeover, as the security push has helped the state Department of Public Safety hire more Hispanic officers recently.

Over the past 18 months, more than 40 percent of the 450 participants in DPS' grueling six-month trooper academies identified themselves as Hispanic. A Dallas Morning News analysis shows that it's the highest such percentage DPS has seen over the last decade -- and maybe ever.

Many police agencies are seeing a similar increase as they try to match the state's booming Hispanic population. But for DPS, the shift comes at a critical time.

The agency's border operations have been under scrutiny, particularly from Democrats critical of the $800 million that Republican leaders budgeted for the overall security boost. The department has also faced questions lately about racial profiling involving traffic stops.

DPS officials stressed that their top priority remains to recruit the best trooper candidates - regardless of race, gender or any other demographic characteristic.

But top DPS brass pointed to several ways - directly or indirectly - that the border surge might be shaping the recent spike in Hispanic troopers: Pay incentives that came as part of the border package. A bigger presence in heavily Hispanic South Texas. A larger recruiting budget.

Agency officials said the benefits of a more diverse force are obvious.

"It's Police 101," said Robert "Duke" Bodisch, DPS' deputy director of homeland security and services. "You want diversity within your force so you can go out into different communities and be able to relate and have people be able to relate back to you."