To Pilkington, the promotion was a dream come true. It was the culmination of a career he had wanted since he saw a Highway Patrol trooper during a 4-H event when he was in middle school in Plano back in 1985.
“I saw a DPS trooper during a horse show in McKinney and I knew then I wanted to become a Texas Ranger.
Pilkington almost forgot that goal during the ensuing years. He graduated from Trumbell High School in Plano in 1992 and started classes at Texas A&M University at College Station right after that.
He earned a bachelor of science degree in construction science from TAMU in 1997 and went to work for Brown and Root in Houston. Later, he switched jobs and became a concrete estimator for Connex, also in Houston.
But Pilkington knew something was missing in his life.
“I’d been a volunteer fireman since I was 16,” he said, “and that really exposed me to public service and helping the community.”
He served on several volunteer fire departments until the DPS sent him to Eagle Pass as an investigator in 2005.
One of Pilkington’s friends from A&M had started the DPS Academy as soon as he graduated and he had been encouraging Drew to follow him there.
“He talked me into it,” Pilkington said. Drew started his DPS career in 1999 and spent almost six years as a Highway Patrol trooper in Franklin County.
Pilkington joined the DPS’ highly respected accident reconstruction team while he was there.
He left Franklin County to become a criminal investigator at Eagle Pass, specializing in gangs and terrorism.
It was then that Pilkington realized his dream of becoming a Texas Ranger was within his reach.
In February 2008, Pilkington reported to Bee County for the same duty.
Since then he has helped local law enforcement officers keep track of all known prison and street gang members and has assisted in drug and alien smuggling investigations.
“I hate to lose him in this area,” Police Chief Joe Treviño said. “He’s helped us out with narcotics and gang information.”
Detective Eddie Garcia agreed. “He always had information for us and when we couldn’t reach him he was always good about calling us back.”
Pilkington has tried out for the Rangers before but this year the timing was right.
Recently a large number of Rangers retired and the Texas Legislature created many new positions.
Still, a Ranger is a member of one of the most elite law enforcement organizations in the world. “There are only 144 Rangers in the state,” Pilkington said.
“You must have eight years as a police officer to qualify for the Rangers, the last four of which have to be with the DPS,” Pilkington said. “I fulfilled all eight years with the DPS.” Also, serving as a DPS investigator helped to qualify him for a position with one of the nation’s top investigative organizations.
Pilkington will be part of Ranger Company D, which has its headquarters in San Antonio. He will work in six counties, including Victoria, Goliad, DeWitt, Lavaca, Calhoun and Jackson.
The new Ranger will be moving his family, wife Virginia, 4-year-old daughter and year-old son, to Victoria.
“My experience in Beeville has been wonderful,” Pilkington said. In the almost two years he has been here, he has assisted the Bee County Sheriff’s Office, the Beeville Police Department and the office of District Attorney Martha Warner in obtaining information and evidence in high-profile cases.
Bee County Sheriff Carlos Carrizales Jr. speaks as highly of Pilkington as the new Ranger speaks of him.
Pilkington has long been a supporter of the job Carrizales has done in modernizing the sheriff’s department since he won election.
“We’re gonna miss him,” Carrizales said. “Drew’s got some real desire. He’s going to do well as a Ranger. I’m very proud of him.”
Pilkington said he will still be close to Beeville and will keep in touch with local police and deputies.
“I’d not going to forget where I came from,” he said.
Pilkington said he has started working on his Ranger outfit so he can look the part when he reports for duty. He was going to take advantage of some sales on boots and Stetson silver belly hats at some western wear stores.
He also put five pairs of jeans in the laundry here and asked for heavy starch. He had ordered his custom-made Ranger belts, holster and handcuff case at one of the local state prison units.
But it is that coveted “cinco peso,” silver Ranger badge that Pilkington is most excited about wearing.
“My dream,” he said with a wide grin, “has been to get that cinco peso.”
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