Rockport police chief announced as new TCOLE executive director

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Thursday, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) announced Chief Gregory Stevens as the agency's executive director, which is effective Jan. 8, 2024, according to a news release from TCOLE.

Stevens served most recently as the Chief of Police of the Rockport Police Department, according to TCOLE. Prior to working in Rockport, Stevens retired from the Lubbock Police Department after more than 26 years with the department, where he the Chief of Police there for nearly four years, the release said.

“I am excited for the opportunity to lead an agency with a critically important mission at a time of growth and potential,” Stevens said in the release. “The staff and I will continue to build on the partnerships with the law enforcement community, state leadership, and the public that we recognize as vital to successfully carrying out our responsibilities.”

Stevens graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy, as well as the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT) Leaderships Command College. Additionally, he has a bachelor of science in criminal justice degree from Wayland Baptist University, as well as a master's of business administration from Texas Tech University, according to TCOLE.

Furthermore, Stevens also served as a military police officer and a Naval Intelligence Officer, the release said.

“We are thrilled to announce Chief Gregory Stevens as the next TCOLE Executive Director. His extensive law enforcement background, combined with his military and educational experience, made him an ideal candidate," Presiding Officer Kim Lemaux said in the release. "The commissioners and I look forward to working with him in this role, and we thank General Counsel John Beauchamp for his service as Interim Executive Director during this period of transition.”

TCOLE ensures "that Texans are served by highly trained and ethical law enforcement, corrections, and telecommunications personnel, overseeing approximately 115,000 licensed individuals and more than 2,700 law enforcement agencies." It is governed by a board of commissioners, which are appointed by the governor.

In the search to find a candidate, commissioners selected Stevens as their top choice, according to TCOLE.