While eating lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Kerrville in February, Lone Star Outdoor News Founder David J. Sams and Executive Editor Craig Nyhus noticed several of Kerrville’s finest seated at a table nearby.
In between bites of cheese enchiladas, the pair noticed something unique on the four police officers’ uniform patches — a white-tailed deer.
Sams approached and asked about the unique design.
According to Kerrville Police Department’s Public Information
Officer Paul Gonzales, KPD spokesman, said the patch is taken from the local high school and their mascot — the Tivy Antlers.
“The first patch proudly displayed on the uniform of a Kerrville Police Officer was adopted within the late 1960s and early 1970s,” Gonzales said. “This smaller yellow in color patch simply read ‘Kerrville Police’ with an image of a buck deer directly in the middle of the patch. The patch was displayed on a brown in color uniform.
“It was based on Tivy’s mascot.”
Situated in the Hill Country, Kerrville and Kerr County have long been a mecca for hunters, with many of the state’s exotic game ranches located near the town.
“The current patrol patch also represents the Guadalupe River (which flows through the center of town) and the hills of the Hill Country,” Gonzales said. “They are all depicted on the patch.”
The Port Aransas Police Department also has wildlife on its patch — a marlin leaping out of the water.
Port Aransas PD Lt. Darryl Johnson said he redesigned the patch about 15 years ago from an original design sketched by former chief Don Perkins in the 1970s.
“I think he picked the marlin because it is a good fighting fish and we are a fishing community,” Johnson said. “The high school basketball team is also the Marlins. About 15 years ago, I redesigned the patch to what it is today. I think most police departments use a regional theme.
“It was either a marlin or a beach shop with a hotel in the background.”
