Two New Chiefs Named for TPWD Law Enforcement

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AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement division has two new chiefs who started as of May 1.

Mark Simmons has been named Chief of Special Operations. He will oversee all the agency’s special units within the law enforcement division which are: marine theft unit, environmental crimes unit, covert unit, and wildlife investigators and will also oversee the forensics laboratory in San Marcos. All the investigators in these units are game wardens who have been assigned to these special tasks.

"All the investigative units in the past have been thought of as individual units. I plan to cross train all of these investigators away from individualized disciplines for a more cohesive investigative team focusing their talents on high-priority investigations regardless of specialization for the overall benefit of the agency," Simmons said.

Simmons has been a captain in the covert division, an investigator in environmental crimes, and an internal affairs captain and has been a warden for 20 years.

Bill Robinson has taken over the position of Chief of Fisheries Enforcement. He has been in charge of aquatics enforcement, district supervisor in Kerrville, and an instructor in the game warden academy. He has been a warden for 32 years.

"I am going to strive for consistent and effective law enforcement in this position and promote compliance of the law in fisheries statewide," Robinson said.

Col. James Stinebaugh said he is looking forward to working closely with the two new chiefs.

"Both of these wardens bring much experience from the field about the areas they will be overseeing. I am looking forward to the work they will do as chiefs," Stinebaugh said.