Harris County Deputy Daniel McCool formed the Caucasian Law Enforcement Association about two months ago. He says it's not about race, but about fair and equal opportunity.

HOUSTON -- A deputy, who says Caucasians are now the minority, has formed a new Anglo organization affiliated with the Harris County Sheriff s Department.

Deputy Daniel McCool says he s not a racist and he s not a bigot, but he is the president of the Caucasian Law Enforcement Association.

I realize I ve struck a nerve with some, said McCool outside his home in Pasadena Tuesday night.

The 20-year veteran deputy started the association about two months ago. He said it s not about race, but about fair and equal opportunity.

There are 30 members right now, and anyone is welcome to join, he said.

McCool said he believes since Sheriff Adrian Garcia took office, it s Caucasians who are sometimes discriminated against.

The chief of staff type folks, or the directors, different leaders. It s all pretty much filled up with some type of what we used to call minorities, he said. Well, now in our own department, as far as the command structure, the Caucasians are actually the minority and it trickles all the way down.

In the past, three unions have been affiliated with the Sheriff s Office. One known as the Harris County Deputies Organization, another called the Mexican American Sheriff s Association and a third called the Afro-American Sheriff s Deputy League.

I don t where they are going with this, said Afro-American Sheriff s Deputy League President James Smokie Phillips. We are beginning to heal in this department.

Phillips said he doesn t believe there is a need forMcCool's new group.

The Caucasians, the white deputies in the department, were never faced with issues we faced. They weren t locked up in cell blocks and taken pictures of, they weren t called names, Phillips said.

Francisco Garcia, the vice president of the Mexican-American Sheriff s Association, says he was surprised by the formation of the group, but doesn t have a problem with the new association.

When asked if racism is still a part of HCSO hiring, he said it used to be, but not anymore.

Now I think it s fair, he said.

A spokesperson for HCSO says the office hires and promotes in accordance with civil service rules.