KLEBERG COUNTY, Texas — The Kleberg County Attorney's Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force is no more. This comes after accusations against a county attorney for misappropriating funds from the Kingsville Task Force.
Over the years, we have followed Drug Task Force agents out of Kleberg County as they work up and down Highway 77. They're always looking to take illegal drugs, weapons and cash from the Mexican cartels that run up and down that highway.
During that same time, the agency has undergone several names and leadership changes. County Attorney Kira Talip was the latest person to try and run the task force. But now, she, too, is giving up those duties.
"She let us know that there will be a transfer in leadership for the task force," Kleberg County Judge Rudy Madrid said.
This means that the task force will be off the highway for at least a week or more since it's been dissolved. A new task force will be created under Precinct 3 Constable Jesse Rivera.
"We thought in the best interest of liability to go ahead and cease and desist any law-enforcement duties for this one week," Rivera said.
So what happens with all of those officers who were working for the task force? Well, we are told that they will have to reapply for their jobs and that Constable Rivera will decide who is rehired.
Several years ago, Constable Rivera retired after 26 years with the Border Patrol. He left as a Special Operations supervisor. He feels that experience at the federal level will help him to run the latest edition of this task force that serves Kleberg County.
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