PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Tracy Murphy graduated from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) academy as part of Class 39, becoming a state trooper months after burying her husband of 19 years.
Tracy’s husband, Justin, was killed in March 2024 by a drunk driver while riding his motorcycle. She said his death is her reason for joining DPS.
Justin was a Marine who had just signed his retirement paperwork two days before he was killed. Tracy and Justin were high school sweethearts and were together for 21 years.
She described the night she learned of his death.
“I got a phone call just after midnight; it was a friend of my husband’s,” she said. “He was 10 houses from our driveway. So they told me, like, you need to get ready. Justin was just in an accident.”
Trooper reflects on husband’s pride
Tracy completed 255 days of training and graduated as part of DPS Class 39.
“So when those difficult days come, remember your why. Remember why you raised your hand. Remember why you put on that uniform,” Tracy said in address to her graduating class.
Tracy said she believes her husband would be proud of her decision.
“Oh, he’d be super proud of me,” she said. “I mean, I’m sure he’s shaking his fist up there a few times at me, but I’m sure he’d be super proud.”
Tracy will patrol overnight in Tucson, one of the areas affected by DPS staffing shortages. DPS is short hundreds of troopers, and some highways are not covered by patrols overnight.
“I’m here because if I can get one drunk off the road, then I’m saving one family, if not multiple from what my family is going through. And to me, if I can save one family, then I know that my entire career was successful,” Tracy said.
She said she carries her husband’s memory into her new role.
Arizona’s new state budget includes more money for DPS. The funding does not fully account for the department’s needs, but expanding coverage remains one of DPS’s top priorities. DPS officials say they hope to recruit more people like Murphy.
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