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Other opponents who tried to derail Painter on alleged grounds of too much concentration on the war on drugs, ignoring the needs of Midland County, confiscation of drug money, and too many out-of-county arrest ventures were defeated time after time. Painter even managed to sink the re-nomination of a county judge and fellow Republican, Charles Wallis "Bro" Seltzer (born 1948), a Midland oil and [[natural gas]] attorney and reserve Air Force officer.<ref name=lawwestofpecos>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasobserver.org/185-the-law-west-of-the-pecos-for-sixteen-years-gary-painter-has-been-the-states-most-flamboyant-drug-warrior-is-his-star-beginning-to-dim/|title=The Law West of the Pecos|author=Nate Blakeslee|date=December 10, 1999|publisher=''The Texas Observer''|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>​

Other opponents who tried to derail Painter on alleged grounds of too much concentration on the war on drugs, ignoring the needs of Midland County, confiscation of drug money, and too many out-of-county arrest ventures were defeated time after time. Painter even managed to sink the re-nomination of a county judge and fellow Republican, Charles Wallis "Bro" Seltzer (born 1948), a Midland oil and [[natural gas]] attorney and reserve Air Force officer.<ref name=lawwestofpecos>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasobserver.org/185-the-law-west-of-the-pecos-for-sixteen-years-gary-painter-has-been-the-states-most-flamboyant-drug-warrior-is-his-star-beginning-to-dim/|title=The Law West of the Pecos|author=Nate Blakeslee|date=December 10, 1999|publisher=''The Texas Observer''|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>​

A sheriff in Texas is a peace officer who enforces state criminal laws and is responsible for the county jail, bail bonds, civil process, and court security. In some smaller counties, he is also the tax collector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.midland.tx.us/departments/so/admin/Pages/History-of-the-Sheriffs-Office.aspx|title=History of the Office of Sheriff|publisher=co.midland.tx.us|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref> Sheriff Painter started the first still-functioning multi-jurisdictional [[narcotics]] task force in West Texas. He organized the Midland County Sheriff's Office Crisis Intervention Unit and worked to establish the Permian Basin Peace Officers Association, and was one of the founders of the organization "STAR," or  Sheriffs of Texas Agreed Response,<ref name=painterbio/> a tactical unit of deputies from some sixty counties organized like a "national guard." STAR was born amid the April 1997 standoff in Fort Davis, Texas, vis]], where Richard Lance "Rick" McLaren (born c. 1953), a leader of the right-wing militia group called the "Republic of Texas," held two of his neighbors hostage for several days in a trailer park in the Davis Mountains before he agreed to surrender to state troopers.<ref name=lawwestofpecos/>

A sheriff in Texas is a peace officer who enforces state criminal laws and is responsible for the county jail, bail bonds, civil process, and court security. In some smaller counties, he is also the tax collector.<ref>"History of the Office of Sheriff," co.midland.tx.us, September 17, 2014; no longer accessible on-line.</ref> Sheriff Painter started the first still-functioning multi-jurisdictional [[narcotics]] task force in West Texas. He organized the Midland County Sheriff's Office Crisis Intervention Unit and worked to establish the Permian Basin Peace Officers Association, and was one of the founders of the organization "STAR," or  Sheriffs of Texas Agreed Response,<ref name=painterbio/> a tactical unit of deputies from some sixty counties organized like a "national guard." STAR was born amid the April 1997 standoff in Fort Davis, Texas, vis]], where Richard Lance "Rick" McLaren (born c. 1953), a leader of the right-wing militia group called the "Republic of Texas," held two of his neighbors hostage for several days in a trailer park in the Davis Mountains before he agreed to surrender to state troopers.<ref name=lawwestofpecos/>

Painter was honored by the 200 Club as  "Officer of the Year"  in 1988 and 1991. Recognized for his leadership abilities, He was a former president of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas, in which he held a lifetime membership. He also served on the Legislative and Technology committees of the Sheriff’s Association. He proposed legislation to strengthen law enforcement. He was also a former president of the regional Western States Sheriff’s Association. In 2016, Texas Governor [[Greg Abbott]] appointed Painter as a commissioner of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles after earlier serving for seven years on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards under appointment olf Abbott's predecessor, Governor [[Rick Perry]].<ref name=findagrave/>

Painter was honored by the 200 Club as  "Officer of the Year"  in 1988 and 1991. Recognized for his leadership abilities, He was a former president of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas, in which he held a lifetime membership. He also served on the Legislative and Technology committees of the Sheriff’s Association. He proposed legislation to strengthen law enforcement. He was also a former president of the regional Western States Sheriff’s Association. In 2016, Texas Governor [[Greg Abbott]] appointed Painter as a commissioner of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles after earlier serving for seven years on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards under appointment olf Abbott's predecessor, Governor [[Rick Perry]].<ref name=findagrave/>