Plumbing 
EXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game warden assigned to Uvalde County Henry Lutz poses with his duty vehicle. Lutz retired at the end of August after a 30-year career, of which 12 years were spent in this area.
State game warden Henry Lutz, stationed in Uvalde County since 2008, has retired from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department after 30 years of service. His last day on the job was Aug. 31.
A D’Hanis native, Lutz started his 36-year law enforcement career in 1984 at the age of 20, as a deputy sheriff in Medina County.
“The county did not furnish weapons to the deputies at that time, so I had to have another deputy purchase my duty weapon for me since I was not 21,” Lutz said. “I was hired, given a badge and told to go to work.”
At that time, an officer had one year after being hired to successfully complete a basic law enforcement class; now it is required that an officer be 21 and have successfully completed the basic law enforcement training class before being hired.
After serving the citizens of Medina County for a little over six years, Lutz was hired by TPWD as a game warden. He completed the six-month training academy in Austin and was assigned to Port Isabel in Cameron County. There he worked on the bays, beach, Gulf of Mexico, Rio Grande River, and in Cameron and Hidalgo counties for about four years before transferring to Brackettville in Kinney County. Lutz was stationed in Kinney County for 14 years, then moved to Uvalde County in 2008 to be closer to his relatives in D’Hanis.
He involved himself in each of the communities he served, being at various times a school board member, 4-H leader, Boy Scout leader and county livestock show board member.
He is active in his church with youth groups, men’s and youth retreats, and in school parent organizations among other groups and committees.
He said he always tried to treat everyone fairly, honestly, and with respect regardless of the circumstances.
“I got into law enforcement to help people as much as I could, serving the communities and the people in those communities that I have had the privilege to be a part of. I believe that I have accomplished that goal,” Lutz said.
He said some of the highlights of his career include, while working as a deputy, having someone sit in the front seat of the patrol car and confess to a murder he had just committed that had not yet been reported; and as a game warden working with another warden to apprehend four individuals who had illegally killed over 50 white tail deer. The perpetrators had also killed exotics and other animals, either from the road, at night, or out of season over a month and a half time period.
Lutz said he has plenty to do after retirement, stating, “If it’s at all like I’ve been told, I will be busier after I retire than while I worked full time.”
He said he appreciates the support of the communities and the people he has had the opportunity to meet along the way.
“It was an honor to work with the many law enforcement agencies and their officers for the past 36 years,” he said.
He said he greatly appreciates the support of his family who have put up with the long hours, the middle of the night call outs, working nights, weekends and holidays.
“I could not have done this job without their constant support,” he said, noting they dealt with him being gone while working border security operations or natural disaster responses, and being on the phone answering questions, coordinating with other wardens or gathering information.
“I won’t miss the long hours, working nights and weekends, and being gone. I will miss the people, those that I worked with regularly and the friends I’ve made along the way,” Lutz said.
