Hispanic Texas Lawman Broke Barriers & Made State Safer

Adan Munoz, Jr in Kleberg County Sheriff's UniformPhoto byFamily of Adan Munoz Junior

Adan Munoz, Junior was a friend who broke barriers and made the State of Texas a safer place along the way.

He was the son of a Kineño (I have written about the Kineños if you would like to learn more about them - they are the Hispanic cowboys who have kept the legendary King Ranch in operation since the 1800s) who grew up on the King Ranch in Kleberg County.

Adan Munoz, Jr wearing the "King Ranch Cowboys" baseball team uniform. The legendary "Running W" brand is on his cap.Photo byFamily of Adan Munoz, Jr.

After a stint in the Navy, Adan returned to his hometown of Kingsville to work as a law enforcement officer. He served as a city police officer, a Kleberg County Sheriff's Deputy, and a District Attorney's Investigator for more than fifteen years.

His next career move would make history.

Adan Munoz, Jr & family in front of his campaign headquarters in Kingsville, Texas (1988)Photo byFamily of Adan Munoz, Jr

In 1988, Munoz declared his candidacy for Kleberg County Sheriff.

No Hispanic had ever held that position - and to win he would have to run against another friend of mine- Sheriff Jim S. Scarborough, III.

J.S. Scarborough, III served as Sheriff of Kleberg County for 16 years. He was the Grandson of Kleberg County's first Sheriff.Photo byKleberg County Sheriffs Office

Sheriff Scarborough had not only held that position for 16 years, he took over that office from his father who served as Sheriff before him for 37 years- J.S. Scarborough, Jr.- (and was famous for refusing to carry a gun).

As if that wasn't enough, Sheriff Scarborough's Grandfather James Scarborough served as Kleberg County Sheriff from 1914-1922. Unlike his son, this Sheriff Scarborough was not only well-known for carrying a gun - but using it during a prior stint as Lee County Sheriff (with deadly results).

James Scarborough (the first) was Kleberg County Sheriff from 1914-1922. He was known for being a deadly shot with a pistol.Photo byLee County Sheriff's Office

To say the incumbent Sheriff Scarborough had the benefit of name recognition in his campaign for reelection was an understatement. But Munoz - with his King Ranch roots and by then a 17-year history in local law enforcement was also well-known and well-respected in the community.

Adan Munoz, Jr. is sworn in as the first Hispanic Sheriff of Kleberg County, Texas (January, 1989)Photo byFamily of Adan Munoz, Jr.

And so, Adan Munoz, Jr was sworn in as the first Hispanic Sheriff of Kleberg County in 1989. And not only did he break barriers - Sheriff Munoz left a legacy that would make a lasting impression despite serving in the position for less than six years.

Sheriff Munoz formed the County's first SWAT Team as well as a Task Force targeting drug smugglers and drug dealers in South Texas.Photo byFamily of Adan Munoz, Jr.

Sheriff Munoz targeted drug smugglers moving dope through his South Texas County as well as the dealers selling it there. He formed the County's first SWAT Team as well as a multi-county task force to take on the illicit drug trade. He also made frequent appearances at schools as part of a D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program he established in Kleberg County.

Under Sheriff Munoz, Kleberg County quickly developed a reputation for aggressive investigation and prosecution of drug smugglers & dealers.Photo byFamily of Adan Munoz, Jr.

Munoz will also forever be known in Kleberg County for campaigning for - and winning - passage of a $4.5 million bond that paid for a new law enforcement center to house the sheriff's department and a new county jail.

Munoz continued to break barriers after leaving the Sheriff's office as the first Hispanic Executive Director of Texas Governor Ann Richards' Criminal Justice Division, and the first Hispanic to serve as Executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

Munoz left Kleberg County for Austin to become the first Hispanic Director of the Criminal Justice Division & Jail Standards Commission.Photo byFamily of Adan Munoz, Jr.

While in charge of the Jail Standards Commission, his investigation of a suicide at the jail in Nueces County (a neighbor of Kleberg County) so enraged the Sheriff there that he engineered a felony indictment of Munoz - which was later dropped amidst the outrage it caused.

"(Munoz) is a public servant who takes his job seriously, even if that means taking on some powerful interests. In today’s Texas, that’s pretty unusual." -The Texas Observer, (Sept. 21, 2010)

Munoz also served in the Texas Attorney General's office for six years, and - in 1996 came close to breaking another barrier when President Clinton nominated him to the position of United States Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. Unfortunately, the Senate Judiciary Committee failed to act on the nomination and the President did not renominate Munoz when the next Congress convened.

Munoz retired after a 41-year career in law enforcement in 2012.

In 2018 Kleberg County named the Law Enforcement Center after Munoz - who campaigned for its construction while Sheriff.Photo byFamily of Adan Munoz, Jr.

In March of 2018, Kleberg County named its Law Enforcement Center for the sheriff who proposed its construction and successfully campaigned for voters to approve $4.5 million in bonds to finance its construction.

Kleberg County is so proud of Munoz's accomplishments that - as the Corpus Christi Caller-Times noted - on the building that now honors him his name is much larger than the name of the Law Enforcement Center itself.

Adan Munoz, Jr. died in January of 2020. I am proud to call him a friend.

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Other stories by Jack Beavers about Texas Hispanic Heritage include:

• Los Kineños: Hispanic heart of nation's largest ranch
• The Healer: Legacy of Don Pedro Jaramillo in South Texas
• First Mexican-American @ Arlington Nat'l Cemetery - The "Longoria Affair"
• The Last Full Measure of Devotion: Private Jesus R. Perez - A Hero's Story
• I knew Fort Cavazos' Namesake - I wish you could have met him
• Jovita Idár: Bravest Texas Woman You Never Knew
• Monsters, Medicine Men & Witches: Frightening Texas Folklore

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