In the United States, a department of public safety is a state or local government agency which often has a broad portfolio of responsibilities, which may include some or all of the following: Fire services: provides fire prevention and suppression. Rescue services: provides rescue services. Haz-mat services: provides hazardous materials response. Ambulance Policing services: provides law enforcement, community policing and outreach. Emergency communications: operates the public interface emergency communications telephone system by providing the 9-1-1 and Enhanced 911 emergency telephone numbers. Office of emergency management (OEM): plans for and operates the emergency operations center during calamities, disasters, special events and emergencies. Inspections and code enforcement: usually building safety, which includes construction, electrical et al. and vehicle inspections. Animal control: this category could also include wildlife officers, game wardens, and dog catchers. Department of motor vehicles (DMV): includes administration of driver's licenses, license plates and identification cards. Department of transportation (DOT): includes vehicle registration, tags and license plates. These responsibilities are usually organized into separate agencies under a DPS due to their diversity, though there is a critical exception in certain local jurisdictions (as further explained below). In other countries, equivalent agencies may be known as the ministry of the interior. In U.S. state or local governments that do not have a DPS, equivalent agencies may be known as the department of emergency services. United States Federal level The United States Department of Homeland Security is the federal-level department of public safety of the United States, which is responsible for federal supervision of emergency services for major disasters through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). State and territorial level In state governments in the United States, the DPS is often a law enforcement agency synonymous with the state police. At local and special district levels, they may be all-encompassing. Examples of states having these include Texas, Minnesota, Tennessee, Arizona, Alabama, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. In many states the state police may be a subdivision of the DPS and not its own independent department. List of state and territorial departments of public safety Alabama Department of Public Safety Alaska Department of Public Safety American Samoa Department of Public Safety Arkansas Department of Public Safety Arizona Department of Public Safety Colorado Department of Public Safety Connecticut Department of Public Safety Delaware State Police Florida Department of Law Enforcement Georgia Department of Public Safety Hawaii Department of Public Safety Iowa Department of Public Safety