Clay McKinney

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) announced a change for the association’s law enforcement presence in the Trans-Pecos region.

Earlier this year, Special Ranger David Duncan announced his retirement, prompting a search for his replacement. The search culminated with the hiring of Clay McKinney.

McKinney brings 33 years of law enforcement experience to TSCRA. He has worked as an investigator for the 143rd District Attorney’s Office, a narcotics investigator for the Reeves County Sheriff’s Office and served for over 20 years as the chief of police for the Pecos Police Department. Not only does he contribute extensive experience in criminal investigation, but also a long family history in agriculture, making him an ideal fit for the position. McKinney worked on several ranches in the region before his law enforcement career and now co-owns and operates Three Bar Farm and Ranch in Pecos, where he resides.

McKinney will be based in Reeves County. His district will cover eight counties: Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio and Reeves.

TSCRA’s Special Rangers are an elite group of law enforcement officers who have extensive knowledge of the cattle industry and primarily investigate cattle theft and other agricultural crimes, though they are well-trained in all facets of law enforcement. In all, TSCRA has 30 Special Rangers stationed throughout Texas and Oklahoma who are commissioned through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) or Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI).

The Special Rangers also oversee more than 80 TSCRA market inspectors who collect data, such as brands and other identifying marks on 4 to 5 million cattle sold at 100 Texas livestock markets each year. Market inspectors report their findings to TSCRA’s Fort Worth headquarters, where the information is entered into the nation’s largest brand recording and retrieval system. The database is a vital tool for law enforcement when investigating theft cases.

For contact information or to find Special Rangers in other counties, please visit tscra.org and click “Find Your Special Ranger.”

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