Texas Ranger chief announces retirement

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The first Hispanic person to hold the role of Chief of the Texas Rangers , Antonio "Tony" Leal, 47, announced his retirement Monday. He will leave the postion March 31.

Assistant Ranger Chief Hank Whitman was appointed as interim chief of the organization.

Leal was the youngest person to hold the job at the time he was promoted to chief. He retires after serving 27 years to take a job in the private sector in Houston.

During his watch, he oversaw the state's most complex and major investigations, border security operations, public corruption cases and special tactical resources, creating the department’s first full-time Special Weapons and Tactics team.

“Chief Leal was instrumental in bringing the highest degree of professionalism and leadership to the Ranger Division and he will be sorely missed by all members of the Department," said Steven C. McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

• In 2000, Leal was named one of the members of the new Unsolved Crimes Investigation Unit and successfully solved the unit’s first murder, involving a teenage girl whose case had gone cold after 11 years.
• In 2002, Leal promoted to lieutenant and then commander of the Ranger's Cold Case Squad. In 2005, Leal promoted to Company Commander in Houston.
• In 2008, he was promoted to the rank of chief

Leal serves as a director of the prestigious Texas Lyceum, Board Member of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Board Member of the Texas Ranger Foundation and is a member of many professional associations.