By Ramon Bracamontes
El Paso Times
EL PASO — President Barack Obama wants El Pasoan Robert R. Almonte to be the new U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas.
Obama nominated Almonte on Thursday. The U.S. Senate still has to confirm Almonte, 53, who is executive director of the Texas Narcotics Officers Association and a former deputy chief of the El Paso Police Department.
“That’s fantastic,” Almonte said of his nomination. “I’m excited about having the opportunity to serve the pre sident and my community.”
The previous U.S. marshal for the Western District was La Fayette Collins, who was appointed by President George W. Bush.
Collins resigned after Obama was elected, so the department is being run by Fernando Karl, chief deputy U.S. marshal of the Western District of Texas. It stretches from San Antonio to El Paso.
U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said Almonte would be a good fit for the job.
“Chief Almonte brings nearly three decades of distinguished service in law enforcement to this critical post, and I am proud to have recommended him to the president,” Reyes said in a statement.
The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for the protection of federal judges, their staffs and everybody who enters a federal courthouse. Marshals also oversee the managing and selling of seized assets, transporting federal prisoners, protecting witnesses and serving court documents.
During his 25 years with the El Paso Police Department, Almonte was in charge of the major crimes bureau and the narcotics unit. He started the stash house task force and received the Officer of the Year award in 1984.
In 1990, Almonte shot a passer-by during an arrest of an armed robbery suspect. Almonte said that he fired at the suspect’s vehicle as it drove toward him, but that the bullet ricocheted off the windshield and hit a woman in a different car.
Then-police Chief John Scagno said Almonte followed proper procedures. No disciplinary action was taken against Almonte by the department.
Almonte ran for El Paso County sheriff in 2008 and received 3 percent of the vote.
He has a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice administration from Park University. He graduated from Jefferson High School.
Copyright 2010 El Paso Times, a MediaNews Group Newspaper