CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Jim Wells County Sheriff Daniel J. Bueno has a one-of-a-kind program designed for farmers and ranchers along with law enforcement. The program’s mission is to help rural property owners in the county.
Bueno spoke on the success of the Rural Property and Livestock Theft Prevention Program. As a rancher himself, Bueno began to brainstorm how he could help tackle issues ranchers and farmers face.
"It has been a very big success to farmers and ranchers in our area,” Bueno said.
He initiated the program in 2017. Since its inception, there have been over 350 farmers and ranchers have signed up.
The program is designed to reduce the chance of their livestock getting hit by cars, people getting hurt when crashing into the animals, preventing theft, and help law enforcement with undocumented migrants.
The sheriff and ranchers agreed that the program is playing an important part in their daily lives.
"When a tracker is assigned to this designated area – a ranch or a farm – that number's identified by our communication department specialist over here across the street. They can identify and get that number and call the owners and ranchers of those properties and let them know this is what has happened,” Bueno said.
Property owners will get a specific number for their land, along with several plaques to put around their property to help law enforcement identify the owner.
Bueno said many property owners aren't always around, and don't know what's happening on their land.
"Well, we had had several occurrences where the cattle had gotten out on the county road. Well, where are you? We have identification numbers makes it, it's just a good idea. It makes it quicker for the sheriff's department or whoever to find the cattle,” he said.
Bueno said this program is one way for property owners in rural parts of the county to have peace of mind.
Registration and introduction class is free. For application call 361-668-0341 and ask to speak with Sgt. Ramon De La Garza.
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