By CATHERINE DONNELLY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
In April of 1984, Port Isabel Police Chief Robert Lopez began his career in the La Feria police department as a patrolman. Ronald Reagan was President of the United States, and it was the year that Culture Club’s Karma Chameleon shot its way up to number 1 on U.S. Billboard Chart. The first six months of his two-year stint were grueling as Lopez worked the graveyard shift, but it’s something that he now fondly looks back on 40 years later.
Prior to entering law enforcement, Lopez attended the Rio Hondo Independent School District (ISD). He then graduated from the Texas Southmost College Police Academy looking forward to a career serving his community.
While working the graveyard shift, Lopez yearned to move to the day shift. Lopez remembers being a little upset at the time when his partner switched to days before him. His attitude changed when on his partner’s first day on the new shift he was asked by Judge Brian Powers to escort a woman to retrieve her clothes from her home after her husband had kicked her out.
His partner was blindsided by an unexpected horrific event as he was shot by the husband as he was approaching the house, which ruined his career. The husband also wound up burning the house down and perishing. After that, Lopez was thankful that things worked out the way they did, and he switched to days only a month later.
Many people are unaware that Lopez uses a foot prosthetic due to a car accident he had when he was 16 years old when he lost half of his foot. He was told that he could never have a career in law enforcement because of it, but he never let it stop him or slow him down.
One day, his prosthetic broke in the middle of a call. He couldn’t stand and had to hop to the police car. There were no cell phones back then, so he returned to the police station to call his brother to fetch his older prosthetic from the closet and bring it to him. He strapped it on and finished his day.
Overall, his career in La Feria was a nice stomping ground and a good place to learn the ropes. It was a lot like the City of Port Isabel with low crime and a slower pace. They had a little bit of everything to learn from.
Most of the time in La Feria was slower paced than the surrounding communities, but there was one time when Lopez got a little roughed up. In the late 80’s, he was called to a disturbance at the Scorpion Bay Bar in Harlingen to remove an unruly patron. He grabbed the man’s arm but was ignored until the perp swung around and gave Lopez a black eye. They both fell to the floor in the struggle, and it took 5 officers to subdue and arrest the man who was wired on cocaine.
He was there for two years before he was hired by the Cameron County Sheriff’s office as a Sheriff’s Deputy where he served for seven years until 1992. It was a little more prestigious of a position in that he was able to take a police car home with him and it garnered him better pay. He was the youngest of 120 officers.
Lopez then ran for Cameron County Constable for Precinct 4 in 1992 and won. He served from 1993-1999. At the age of 28, he was the youngest constable to ever serve in that position.
From 2013-2016, Lopez was the Chief Deputy for Cameron County Courthouse Security. He also was on the Board of Education for his alma mater, the Rio Hondo ISD, for a three-year term. Lopez has been the band booster president and a Press Box high school sports announcer for 12 years.
Lopez was then hired as Chief of Police of Port Isabel’s Police Department by the Mayor at that time and the City Commissioners, and he has served in that capacity from 2016 to the present.
“I came with a lot of administrative experience and a lot of public service. I try to lead by example,” said Lopez. “Port Isabel is a great community and I like to take care of its people. The community knows that I like to help them whenever I can.”
As the PRESS reported during the holidays, Lopez is instrumental in getting warm weather gear like coats, hats, socks and mittens to those in need when the cold weather hits.
“I’d like to thank Alex Perez, former Sheriff, who hired me in the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department,” added Lopez. “And many thanks to S.R. Garcia who was my law enforcement mentor and showed me how to survive law enforcement and politics. He tragically died of COVID and his death was a huge loss to the community.”
Lopez described working with the Gen Z crowd who respond better to encouragement than absolute fealty and strictness. He has learned to treat problems as teaching moments instead of immediately jumping into reprimands.
“You have to treat the people under you differently these days and try your best to retain them,” said Lopez. “We don’t have a long list of applicants to pull from.”
Lopez has enjoyed a very supportive relationship with his department, the City Administration, and the community. While there has been some talk of impending retirement, Lopez is taking one day at a time until it feels right. It will be hard to walk away from his 40-year legacy and the department that he nurtured these past eight years.
“Chief Lopez is very knowledgeable because of his many years of service in law enforcement. In the seven years that I have been with the Port Isabel Police Department, he has been a great influence on me. Chief Lopez has always encouraged us officers to continue striving for excellence and has always given us opportunities to show our potential within the department and divisions. His leadership of the department and officers has showed me initiative, accountability, and resilience,” said Sgt Laura Martinez.
“I’ve known Chief Lopez for a little over 12 years now. When I first met Chief Lopez, he was the Cameron County Constable for Precinct 4 in Rio Hondo, Texas, and he gave me a job as a Deputy Constable back in 2009. Since then, I have learned many things throughout the years under his command, including how to cherish time with family especially in this line of work. As Chief Lopez says all the time “family comes first no matter what.” Chief Lopez has honorably devoted 40 years of his life to serving citizens of this city and this county in a way that some people can’t ever imagine, but he has done it.
Learning from this man has been both educational and tough all at the same time, but at the end of the day, I have become a great leader under his watch. Some of us in police work dream of retirement one day, but when you have served nearly two retirements as Chief Lopez has, and shows no signs of slowing down, it says a lot about his character, loyalty, and his commitment to this profession and the citizens,” said Officer Rene Camacho.
“I would like to congratulate Chief Lopez on his 40 years of service. What an amazing accomplishment. I have worked under the Chief going on nine years. He has been a tremendous asset to the Port Isabel Police Department—his knowledge and experience is unmeasurable. Chief Lopez is a kind soul, his love for his faith and his family pours over to us all here at the police department. I could not ask for a better Police Chief to take this journey with. Congratulations once again Chief, your commitment, loyalty, and dedication are not going unnoticed. Thank you for your many years of service and being a great boss but more so a great person. Here’s to many more,” said Monica Garza, Administrative Assistant, Port Isabel Police Department.
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