Operation Lone Star: Paws and hooves integral to border security

(The Center Square) – Texas law enforcement officers working through Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star, continue to apprehend illegal border crossers, tracking them through brush, rugged terrain and on barren ranchland.

Integral to their efforts are four-legged team members with paws and hooves who graduated from new classes or celebrated a new year of service this November.

Texas Department of Public Safety has long used K9 teams, considered essential for narcotics and explosive detection and tracking fugitives. But they’ve also been integral to border security operations working with DPS brush teams and federal and local law enforcement, DPS says.

In November, DPS graduated nine new K-9 teams and four certified K9 Tech Trainers who deployed across Texas.

DPS’ K-9 program includes 100 personnel, including 85 handlers working with German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, La...