Faces of Law Enforcement

WORKING HARD IN THE FAR WEST

Law enforcement veteran, TSCRA special ranger looks out for cattle raisers.

By Jena McRell

For Clay McKinney, retirement was short lived. Two days, to be exact.

A police chief for 20 years, he retired from the Pecos Police Department on a Friday.

The following Monday, he reported for duty as a Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association special ranger. That was four years ago, and McKinney says he has greatly enjoyed working on behalf of the ranching community in Trans-Pecos region.

It’s a territory he knows well. Born in Alpine, McKinney grew up traveling the countryside with his dad, who was a Texas Ranger. He also worked on several area ranches during his formative years, and admits he always wanted to be a cowboy.

“The people in the livestock industry are some of the most honest, hardworking and resilient you’re going to find,” McKinney says. “They are such a pleasure to work with.”

Following his dad’s example, he got his start in law enforcement in 1985. He was hired on with the Pecos Police Department, then worked as an investigator in the 143rd District Attorney’s Office. From there, he served as a narcotics investigator for the Reeves County Sheriff’s Office until he was appointed chief of police in Pecos.

“I could see how my dad, through his position, was able to help people, and that was a big draw to me,” McKinney says. “That’s what sparked my interest in law enforcement.”

Today, helping people remains his top priority.

Whether it is a question over the legality of livestock or searching for missing property, McKinney says he does not take the job lightly. He understands how important one animal or piece of equipment can be to a rancher, especially during the current environment. “The ranching business has become difficult these days with sky-rocketing prices and the drought,” he says. “People work hard for their property and animals, so if they are stolen and we are able to recover them, that is the best feeling.” McKinney says the network of Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association special rangers across the state and Oklahoma is an incredible resource when investigating cases. When needed, he can rely on his counterparts to step in and locate a suspect, defendant or witness in a matter of hours and days.

Clay McKinney joined the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association special rangers in July 2018.

“That’s been extremely impressive to me and so beneficial,” he says. “I’ve never called a special ranger who did not offer assistance immediately when I needed it.”

McKinney co-owns and operates Three Bar Farm and Ranch in Pecos, where he resides. When he gets the chance, he enjoys pitching in with branding or working cattle for area ranchers. That’s when you really get to know someone, he says.

Spending time with family and team roping are also among his passions. He and his wife, Brenda, have three grown children and seven grandchildren, aged 2 to 12.

“As a special ranger, no two days are alike,” McKinney says. “That’s the reason I like the job. My area goes from Pecos to El Paso, and from the New Mexico state line to the U.S.-Mexico border. So it’s like working on the ranch. There is always something to do.” T C

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1Reinhardt CD, et al. A fenbendazole oral drench in addition to an ivermectin pour-on reduces parasite burden and improves feedlot and carcass performance of finishing heifers compared with endectocides alone. J Anim Sci. 2006;84(8):2243-50. MAHCattle.com • 800-521-5767 © 2022 Intervet Inc., doing business as Merck Animal Health, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. US-SFG-200400001