Brackettville Native & Texas Game Warden Arnold Pinales Promoted To Captain

Kinney County’s own, Arnold Pinales, to lead Zapata District

The Texas Game Wardens have announced the promotion of Arnold Pinales, a Brackettville native, to the position of Captain for the Zapata District.

A graduate of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Pinales began his career with the Texas Game Wardens as an intern in 2008 and joined the 57th Cadet Class in 2012. He was first stationed in Terrell County, later transferring to Hidalgo County in 2016.

In 2021, Pinales was promoted to Border Sergeant in Laredo, where he expanded the agency’s port of entry enforcement operations and worked closely with federal partners, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement. His leadership helped combat the illegal importation of aquatic and wildlife resources along the Texas-Mexico border.

Pinales has also served in supervisory and administrative roles during Operation Lone Star and has been deployed to several major events, including the Hill Country flooding (2025), Hurricane Harvey (2017), and the Dallas police ambush (2016).

He is a member of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Executive Protection Team and holds numerous advanced certifications, including Master Peace Officer, Field Training Officer, TCOLE Instructor, firearms and simunitions instructor, intoxilyzer operator, and Spanish public information officer.

“I’m honored to serve Texas Game Wardens and the citizens of Texas at a higher level,” said Pinales. “Texas Game Wardens have a long history of professional and selfless service. My team and I intend on continuing that tradition for years to come.”

Please join us in congratulating Captain Arnold Pinales on his promotion and wishing him continued success in his new role.


Story tip and information submitted by Arnold’s brother, Adan Pinales. Source: Official Texas Game Wardens Facebook page