Don't know the full story on these yet, but just received this email and all I can say is WOW

Looks like Texas has decided to bring it's own small arsenal to the party

Giant waste of money. Spend that on Texas education.

I always wondered where all my ticket money went....

Old news. $580,000 per copy. DPS has five more ordered. I agree, it is a terrible waste of money.

gonna be hard to launch that on the HIGHWAYS.

580k.... wow

Parked in a red zone, give them a ticket!!! LOL LOL <*)))>{

lmao I said the same thing!

Old news but a huge money waster. Does anyone really believe these boats are going to ever be involved in anything but public relations opportunity? $500K+++ is crazy. Kinda looks like the are compensating for something.

Waste of taxpayer money

After a little research they are actually a little over 600k a piece

........but mud grips on the trailer tires, and said on the news will run in 12 inches of water....... bawhahahaha

Everythings bigger in Texas.

HAHA

Ive said it once and will say it again. My twin brother just graduated from DPS ACADEMY last week and I'm all for them having boats like these down around the border. I Dont see any of yall putting yourself in harmes way. They never know what is going to happen and I'm glad they have them.

+1 I feel you brother! I do think they are a bit overpriced and maybe 6 is excessive but knowing that they are there sure does make me feel a lot safer.

I have spent numerous days on Falcon and have seen first hand the value of the US Border Patrol. I don't understand the purchase of these at all. In fact, I did not realize they had jurisdiction on the water.

My guess is drug money paid for these, not your tax dollars.

it seems that if it looks cool there is always a way the govt can justify it if they were bought with drug money it could have been put to a better use just sayin.

Looks like those props would tear the [censored] out of the highway to me. Why don't they just stay in cars where they belong? How many new cruisers could they buy with that money ?? Total waste of tax payers money, welcome to Texas !!!

Im all for having a few, I mean part of preventing something is knowing the other guy has bigger weapons you cant get away from. I know If I was hauling butt across a border line and seen one of those boats sitting nearby I would feel safer.

The reason i think its ok to buy these with drug money is thats where that money should go, use the cartels own money against them.

I have a lakehouse on Amistad and spend lots of time there.There are several U.S. Boarder Patrol boats doing a constant job patroling the lake.Also hilltops around the lake that are lookout points 24hrs a day.They observe a lot more than you can ever imagine.These guys are doing the job keeping Amistad safe for you. If the State doesnt plan on useing that contraption on the gulf coast then weve been had.

Those are some sweet looking yellow fins!

That is the base model price without the trolling motors, depth finders, and power poles.

I think it is a big waste of money. What does the Highway Patrol need with anything like that. Since when did they start patrolling the lakes? I was told yesterday while I was renewing my Drivers License that offices in some of the smaller areas are struggling to stay open because of lack of funding. Seems like some of this money would be a lot better spent on funding existing operations instead of looking for something new to play with.

We need all the LEO presence we can get, at Falcon, Amistad, the River, and the Coastal areas.
Living in the Valley, I appreciate it.

Almost every time I've been to Amistad at some point we were confronted on the water by Border Patrol. Real nice guys and you can constantly see them in their trucks and what not on the hills just watching. It seems pretty safe, but who knows. A bad experience only has to happen once.....

What's wrong with our Country? This is

Wasteful over spending. I don't care if the money did come from confiscated drugs. Why don't we put all that extra money from drugs into general funds and lower taxes our taxes? Tons of better uses for that money than a 'toy' speedboat for the DPS.

I mean seriously, how many times do they need a boat with 3 300 mercs with a frickin mountable machine gun on the front? How much gas does that thing waste?

Have any of you been on Amistad and Falcon in the last year or so? They have PLENTY of patrol out there already and don't need Miami Vice Speedboats out there.

More then likely, drug seizure money and donations paid for these rigs....

Huge waste of money.....game wardens, border patrol, and U.S. customs offer more than enough lake security for me.

I'll take as many folks as we can get on the border. Whether that is state or local officers. I think folks are forgetting that these guys are state law enforcement and can enforce any law that a game warden, policeman, or deputy sheriff can. I'm all for the state stepping in on the border the Feds are not real serious about it.

I talked to a couple of DPS guys and talked to the contingent at the Houston Boat Show a couple of weeks ago where they had one of these boats on display (minus the full auto accessories). There are now 3 of these boats and scheduled to be 6. Cost is supposedly a cool half million $ per craft.

does anyone really think we need to waste several million dollars on these things. We already have BP, Game Wardens local police and local sheriff people at the lakes (Falcon and Amistad). Just what do we need with another department being involved? How many of the teachers that got laid off could be put back to work with the money being spent on toys?

I dont think school districts being fiscally responsible has anything to do with border security...

so dumb. unless i was the guy getting paid to drive it

+1

what does 900H.P. have to do with border security?

Complete Waste. Give 'em an Allison with one 300 motor and a BMG .50 Cal. on the bow. Float like a butterfly;Sting like a Bee.

Have any idea what that boat weighs?

Saw one of the boats in person at the Houston Boat Show. Impressive.

Wish they would have left the belt feds on...

I don't really feel it is a waste of money, Mexican Marine was killed in that clash on Falcon. I bet his family wish they would have had this type of equipment.

It weighs no more than the big Border Patrol on Amistad with two 250s an nobodys got away from them yet.Look up you might see the aircraft they also use.

Thats just in case they run out of bullets!

REALLY.....

^^^
this

If I thought this would help secure the border I would be all for it but believe this is a waste of resources that law enforcement could be useing in more effective ways.Why show this thing at a boat show unless your trying to impress the voters,(See Look How Tough I Am Border Security)pure politics.

Have weights on each? It's not the same boat.

I definitely have a clue what all is down there...

I'm all for border security and being safe, but how is this the job of the highway patrol? Shouldn't they be on the HIGHWAY doing the job we pay them to do? That's why we have border patrol !!

Would not want to be the guy running the trolling motor.

Tell that to congress and our president.

I tend to agree. I was in upstate NY some years back fishing a tournament on the St Lawrence which forms the border between the US and Canada. The Coast Guard was patrolling those waters in something like a 70 foot boat (I'd call it a ship) with a frickin canon on the bow. So why doesn't the Coast Guard deploy something like that on the border lakes? Is there more of a threat from Canada than from Mexico?

I would buy big Border Patrol boats and cut welfare. Two birds with one stone. Illegal Imigration / Border Security and sitting on your azz doing nothing but getting a check.

This Government is out of control, wasteful spending all over the world, the wars in the middle east! Our heroes getting killed over there in a country that "hates" the United States!
And now we are going to help fund and rebuild their country!

WTF!!!

How about we have couple dozen gun ships on our border lakes. We can cut spending on all the 40+ million dollor football stadiums built. Billions wasted on fancy finishes that have nothing to do with education.

If the state was not wasting so much money on these toys for someone to play with, the school districts may have enough money to work with. The folks at the state level control the purse strings for the school districts.

I do not see any way these boats can be considered as justifiable for use by the Highway Patrol. If you want to increase the security at the border, provide more funding to the departments/agencies that are already in place. Establishing a new group down there that has to have all new equipment, personnel, training etc etc is sure not showing an fiscal responsibility.

Ok, lets cut out the gun ships and the football stadiums. That way there would be even more for education.

School districs are doing just fine right now they needed some cuts. Spending never has improved education.

I'm with the waste of money crowd. Too big and bulky to be used effectively and we all know those machine guns will never be fired. I'd rather see the money put to better use.

There sure are a lot of people in the school districts that wuld disagree with you. Laying off or not hiring needed teachers has never improved education.

Spending all that money to fund yet another agency on the border is not going to effectively improve border security either. I am not saying more money is not needed for border security but it would be a lot better spent by increased funding for the agencies that are already in place. Why add another group to the mix? What is the benefit of that?

Exactly where are these things supposed to 'patrol'? 'investment' is always code for taking more of my money!

My mom was a teacher for nearly 30 years she has the same thoughts I do. School districts could use some cuts like everyone else when revenues are down. Big spending doesnt equal a better education for anyone.

Would be good to put the troops that just came back from Iraq along the border and lets get serious about border security.

I'll agree with that. The only way they will secure the border is with the military. The government is great at wasting money and these boats prove it even more.

Bottom line is it really does not matter who you put on the border for security purposes, it will only be minimally effective until you get some politicians and judges with some intestinal fortitude about enforcing the immigration laws currently on the books.

You can catch them all you want but they just get turned loose again. Same thing with the drugs. Catch the little guy and give them probation or a couple of years in most cases. There are dozens waiting to take their place as runners.

lol

If you want secure borders put a few Navy Seal teams down there, no more border worries !!! Tell them you don't want to hear about drug cartels anymore and they wil go bye bye !!! And they don't need a boat that costs a half a million bucks either !!!!

Total and unmitigated waste of our money, and I don't care how they came by it. There has to be a better way.

I ain't nobody. But I think its awesome. I would never question any branch of law enforcements decision on what they think they need to keep my waters or neighborhoods or whatever safe. Those guys are the professionals when it comes to enforcement. If they think they need a freaking tank at the ramp then I'm all for it. Questioning their choice of weaponry is like them getting on this forum and telling a guide what kind of line he needs to use. Their the pros. Think I'll let them decide how they need to protect me.

department of public safety(DPS). DPS has had a narcotics division now for several years. yes i think they spent a little to much money on these boats and could of put several new LEO's out on the street down there.

sure it's a complete waste of our tax dollars. why a would the DOT even have boats. this is insane. they need to stick to whatb they do the worst and keep harrasing the trucking industry that pays for the salaries and pays for the hiways and at least leave the water to to 4 agenceys that screw it up too.

so many cops , so few tax payers

soo many cops??? DPS is short 400 LEO's right now and local police has 1 LEO for every 500-1000 residents if the department has a little money which is sadly not true most of the time.

Watched a show on TV about these boats they're going to the border to help put end to whats going on. All I can say lock and load. The drug dealers have them so should are guys, the drug dealers will not want to run into one of these. You put six of these on Falcon you won't hear much anymore how bad it's getting down there.

You are wrong. How bad its getting down there? I dont even know where to start with how ridiculous your post is. I'll take it you dont fish down there.

The guys who are adamantly opposed to DPS marine enforcement don't really know what's going on. I spent 30 years in intel and drug enforcement, and I live near the border. Every night there is a TV report about smuggling across the river or a chase along the highway 83, and these drugs come across the Rio Grande. It also happens regularly across Falcon lake, mostly at night or just before daybreak. It is a lot more efficient to patrol the water than try and cover all the thick brush between the river and the highway. One of DPS' missions is drug enforcement, and most of the drugs in Texas come across the river, or international reservoirs. We used to fish on the Rio Grande, but we have not in several years because of the danger. In the past, if you saw a smuggle going on you would just go around the bend and call BP. Today, you would be worried about getting shot with assault rifles.

Now I can see if border patrol got these....... But the HIGHWAY patrol??? I think they painted the wrong branch of law enforcement on the side. Lol

Big Government=Big Waste.

If they can save one guys life down on Falcon or Amistad then its worth it.

It is not that the border needs more enforcement, the question as I see it is why not do it with much less expensive equipment. Unless the cartels have some sort of navy there is no need for a battleship like that. And as far as money for education goes, you can bet that increasing class sizes dramatically will have a negative affect on education. Classroom management alone will be much more difficult not to mention all the extra time it takes to grade papers and to prepare individual lesson plans for many of the students.
Plus college tuition costs are going out of site. The college and universities sure do not need any reductions.

The Texas Dept.of Public Safety consists of several Divisions and components. The HP is just one. DPS is the State Police, and they have a Narcotics Division.
It would be nice if the Border Patrol got these boats, but the federal government has not provided them!

I think the money was well spent if they use them to keep everyone else out of the Pro Staffers fishing holes.

At first this made me sick and I thought about the $4.6 million budget gap in the Texas Parks & Wildlife budget and asking citizens for donations. Since the Federal Governament is FLAT BROKE asking them for help is out of the question. After I thought about it the drug cartels don't have a budget. The drug cartels have more than enough cash to stay one step ahead of law enforcement. It will be difficult for smugglers to out run our law enforcement now. If these boats will help stop the flow of drugs, guns, & money in and out of Mexico I say it's well worth it.

The boat is not a Texas Parks and Wildlife boat. It belongs to DPS and will have State Troopers running it. They are wanting to get into water enforcement.
Texas Parks and Wildlife has different boats called Safe Boats that have been patrolling border waters for the last few years. They aren't as big and elaborate as this boat but they are twin engine boats mounted with a machine gun. None of the money for these boats comes out of the normal budget in Parks and Wildlife's case. The money is from Federal grant money. I would imagine the DPS got the money the same way but not sure.

Great photo op. What a waste of our money!!!

Gees Stevie Wonder can see it's not a TP&W Boat! Funding came from Texas Legislature and federal grants.

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/texas/new-dps-boats-tools-in-drug-smuggling

TY

Note to self: Do not post any pictures that have a chance to spark a government debate. lol

I just thought the boats were cool looking. They are going to spend it one way or another and I really don't have any control over that.

If I'm a state trooper on the river trying to recover people and drugs that have just made a run for it and drove into the river to esacpe(which they do regularly), I wouldnt want anything less than that boat and firepower. The cartel guys alot of times are sitting on the south bank in full view and are heavily armed.

The only problem I see is they should've been runnin Yammies on the back.......

Thanks for the clarification James!
"The newly formed Highway Patrol Tactical Marine Unit will eventually number 40 DPS officers."

Exactly what I was thinking.....this is a drop in the bucket to an aircraft carrier or any other ships we have. For what these boats are costing, I don't even think you can buy a helicopter. The cost of Freedom is not cheap and securing our borders is a big part of that. If you want to be the dominate force in the world you have to be bigger and badder than the force you are trying to put down.

Well I'll put in my

I do believe that we need as much LEO on the border as possible. With the way things are and where they are headed, no amount is too much. As for the money spent on these boats, well, I don't believe that it is necessary.That money would pay several salaries for more people to be on patrol.

As far as the school funding, my wife is a teacher. I know that every school district is different. Some have a lot more money than others. She has been teaching now for 7 years and since 2008, we have had to come up with a lot more money out of pocket for teaching supplies each year that the school does not pay for. She has more students, less aids, and more considerably more duties now then when she started, for very minimal amount of raises to compensate.

I am not saying that public schools don't need to trim some edges to make ends meet in the tough times, but I do think that that are PLENTY other edges that can be cut before public education gets cut. My wife loves the kids, teaching, and the fulfillment of making an impact on he kids lives. Now, she is thinking of finding another job because of the stress of all the added stuff for very little pay. Not to mention the discipline, or should I say the lack of, in today's youth.

Why don't they take about half of the people at the inland inspection stations and put them to patrolling the border. Lot more going on at the border than at the inspection stations. There must have been 25 to 30 agents milling around the inspection on I35 last week when I came through. Looked like each one had driven their own Border patrol car/truck there also.

I promise you that every time I make the trip to Falcon I see a minimum of 15 to 20 Border Patrol vehicles sitting beside the road. I am sure they have a lot of people coming up to them and asking to be taken back across the border. Lot of idle time spent just sitting beside the road.

Its not necessarily that we need a lot more people or equipment, they just need to use the personnel and equipment more efficiently.

just another waste of taxpayer money what wre they thinking with a checkpoint 25 miles from the border with many other ways to get around them the illegals would come to the checkpoint an turn themselves in this kind of thinking has got us to where we are now.