Texas Border Business
EDINBURG – An agent of the Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney’s Office – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force has been awarded top honor by the Texas Narcotic Officers Association (TNOA) and will be recognized at the organization’s annual conference in August.
HIDTA Assistant Commander Jorge Alvarez has been named the 2021 TNOA Supervisor of the Year. Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez Jr., who supported the nomination of the agent, called the recognition well-earned.
“During the past five years, Assistant Commander Alvarez has taken an active role in overseeing all enforcement operations of the HIDTA Task Force and all that it encompasses,” said Rodriguez. “Through his guidance and leadership, operational plans are logically designed to obtain the maximum amounts of arrests, prosecutions, and seizures, while maintaining everyone’s safety and ensuring all Hidalgo County HIDTA Task Force Policies are being adhered to, with the mindful consideration of the integrity of the investigation.”
The HIDTA Task Force is funded by federal grants administered by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The Hidalgo County Criminal District Attorney’s HIDTA Task Force provides leadership and interagency collaboration, promotes the sharing of intelligence and information, and provides specialized training to participating law enforcement and treatment agencies.
According to Rodriguez, in 2020, the Hidalgo County HIDTA Task Force made a total of 33 Felony arrests, 2 misdemeanor arrests, and 18 additional arrests in which HIDTA Agents assisted the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant Commander Alvarez has distinguished himself in the field of drug law enforcement during his overall 28 years of combined law enforcement experience. He began his career in 1993 at the US Drug Enforcement Administration McAllen District Office where he was assigned to the Asset Forfeiture Group. In 2005, he joined the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy and quickly worked his way up the ranks from investigator for the Public Integrity Unit to officer in the DEA Task Force, where he was named the 2014 DEA Task Force Officer of the Year for the Houston Field Division. In 2016,Alvarez was appointed to the position of Assistant Commander for the Hidalgo County DA HIDTA Task Force. During his tenure with the county’s HIDTA Task Force he has earned the respect of his peers, supervisors, the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Attorney’s Office-Southern District, and numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
“Assistant Commander Alvarez also actively participates with the Prevention Awareness Team of Hidalgo County (PATH), which involves a committee of area law enforcement, education, non-profit drug-free coalitions, and support service agencies,” said Rodriguez. “He assists in increasing community awareness through outreach and training and to educate the public as to a growing epidemic of opioids, prescription drug, and substance abuse.”
Along with Alvarez, several other employees in the District Attorney’s office were also recognized for their hard-work and commitment. The following individuals and departments were nominated in their respective categories: HIDTA Agent Joel Quintanilla, Narcotic Officer of the Year; HIDTA Criminal Research Specialist Clariza Rivera, Analyst of the Year; Hidalgo County ADA Patrick Kelley McCormick, Prosecutor of the Year; and the Hidalgo County HIDTA Task Force, Narcotic Unit of the Year.
The TNOA’s 51st Annual state training conference will be held in Galveston August 23-26, 2021. The awards banquet will be held on August 25, 2021.
