Steven Seagal Becomes Texas Border Sheriff

Steven Seagal is putting his gun-handling knowledge to good use.

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The action star, who made his name playing tough-guy characters in films like Under Siege, The Patriot and Above the Law, has officially joined up with the law...again. 

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Seagal, was sworn-in as the Hudspeth County Sheriff department's newest deputy sheriff, the Houston Chronicle reports. The West Texas town is only a two-and-a-half hour drive from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The law department is responsible for patrolling a 98-mile stretch of the Texas-Mexico border. 

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The sheriff's office said the actor, who called the department to inquire about the job two months ago, will be working full-time, using his martial arts skills (he's a 7th dan black belt in Aikido), to help them with securing the border. 

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"It became very clear to me that Mr. Seagal is not in this for the celebrity or the publicity," Sheriff Arvin West told the Chronicle. "He's like the rest of us that live down here, he has a sincere passion for his country and he wants to do more to help."

Seagal has been a trained peace officer for more than 20 years, and has experience working with other sheriff's departments on his A&E Network show Steven Seagal: Lawman. 

Though, the Hudspeth County department says a similar reality show is not currently in the works. 

"The television aspect of what we're doing here is the last priority," department spokesperson Gary Fleming said. "The man has a pure motive in doing this. He knows what we're up against here and he wants to help."