Page 40: of Marine News Magazine (February 2014)

BORDER SECURITYing at least three of the smugglers. The cartel members then ß ed into Mexico. That was just one of a string of daily threats, DPS Director Steve McCraw told Texas Public Safety Commission- ers in their June 2011 monthly meet- ing. ÒOur ofÞ cers already are seeing incidents where the cartels are using blocking and chase vehicles, throwing caltrops to puncture law enforcement tires, using organized boat recovery operations and conducting surveillance on law enforcement,Ó McCraw said. ÒWeÕre concerned about the escalation of violence against our ofÞ cers.Ó A cal- trop is several twisted nails or spikes, with one end sticking straight up. It can puncture the tire of a moving vehicle. McCraw spoke about MexicoÕs car- tels in testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security on May 1, 2012. ÒThe Mexi- can cartels will continue to undermine the domestic security of Mexico and the safety and security of Texas and the na- tion until the U.S. border with Mexico is secured at the International Ports of Entry or POEs, between the POEs and along our coast,Ó he said. As security is stepped up in one area, cartels quickly exploit vulnerabilities elsewhere. A comprehensive and fully integrated ap- proach to cartels is essential, he said. TMU Vessels Named After Fallen State Troopers The Þ rst of the six TMU patrol boats built by YellowÞ n was commis- sioned by DPS in December 2011, and the Þ nal boat went into service in November 2012, Vinger said. Each vessel was named after a DPS highway trooper killed in the line of duty in the stateÕs six regions. At a Nov. 28, 2012 ceremony in Austin, DPS commis- sioned the TMUÕs sixth vessel, named after Trooper Scott Burns, who was shot and killed pursuing a suspect in Marion County in April 2008. The Scott Burns joined Þ ve shal- low-water interceptors patrolling the Rio Grande and Intracoastal Water- way. The other TMU boats are the Bill Davidson, the J.D. Davis, the David Rucker, the Troy Hogue and the Rus- sell Boyd. Trooper Davidson was shot and killed in Jackson County in 1992; Trooper Davis was shot in Lubbock County in 1980; Trooper Rucker was shot in Cameron County in 1981; Trooper Hogue was shot in Howard County in 1994; and Trooper Boyd was shot in Waller County in 1983. In addition to its six-boat marine unit, the Texas DPS maintains a ß eet of planes and helicopters to augment their marine presence. YellowÞ n 34s: FulÞ lling Its Mission In the Texass Before Nagler founded YellowÞ n 15 years ago, he owned Back Country Powerboats, which built inshore ves- sels. Eventually, he sold Back Coun- try to Champion Boats. YellowÞ n, a manufacturer of inshore and offshore Þ shing boats, has made a name for itself in the large-center-console mar-ket. As for his client Texas DPS, Òwe have a good relationship with them,Ó Nagler said. ÒThe patrol boats are doing what they were intended to, and everyone is pretty happy.Ó Nagler also has a Cen- tral American client for his militarized YellowÞ n 34s, and, like many other niche builders in this market, sells his boats internationally. Homeland Security can take on many faces, especially along the Tex- as-Mexico marine borders, where increasingly, marine-based assets are necessary to address a border security threat better known for its land-based battles. The YellowÞ n 34Õs are quickly demonstrating that they are a neces- sary and important part of this mis- sion. On the water, itÕs just not a good idea anymore to mess with Texas. February 2014 40 MNMN FEB14 Layout 32-49.indd 40MN FEB14 Layout 32-49.indd 401/20/2014 10:20:22 AM1/20/2014 10:20:22 AM