J. Thomas Manger – President
Chief of Police - Montgomery County Police Department

Chief J. Thomas Manger was sworn in as Montgomery County Police Chief on January 30, 2004. The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCP) is one of the largest police departments in the State of Maryland, with more than 1300 sworn and 550 civilian members serving 1 million residents in the greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area.

A Maryland native, he graduated from the University of Maryland in 1976 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Chief Manger began his law enforcement career in 1977 with the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department. He rose through the ranks to become Chief of Police in 1998. During his tenure in Fairfax County, Chief Manger received numerous awards including the Silver Medal of Valor. Chief Manger is credited with reorganizing and expanding the Fairfax County Police Department’s community policing efforts. His commitment to the highest ethical standards for policing and his enactment of new policies to increase departmental accountability earned significant recognition from the community, to include the Fairfax County Human Rights Commission Award for outstanding contributions, and the N.A.A.C.P.‘s Community Service Leadership award. In 2012, Chief Manger was inducted into the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame.

In addition to being the President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Chief Manger also serves as the Vice-President on the Board of Directors for the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). Chief Manger is a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy, the National Executive Institute, the Police Executive Leadership School at the University of Richmond, and the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia. In 2006, Chief Manger completed the John F. Kennedy School’s Program for State and Local government, at Harvard University.

Art Acevedo– 1st Vice President
Chief of Police - Houston Police Department

Art Acevedo was sworn-in as Chief of the Houston Police Department (HPD) on November 30, 2016.

Chief Acevedo leads a department of 5,200 sworn law enforcement officers and 1,200 civilian support personnel with an annual general fund budget of $825 million in the fourth largest city in the United States.

Chief Acevedo believes good communication is vital for a successful community and steadily works to strengthen the bond between the community and its police department. A proponent of community policing, Chief Acevedo refers to the proven practice as “Relational Policing,” an opportunity to forge a relationship with each citizen an officer comes in contact with.

The first Hispanic to lead the HPD, Acevedo brings a unique understanding to the concerns of the diverse communities in the City of Houston. Born in Cuba, he was 4 years old when he migrated to the United States with his family in 1968. Acevedo grew up in California and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of La Verne in California. Acevedo began his law enforcement career in 1986 as field patrol officer in East Los Angeles with the California Highway Patrol. He rose through the ranks and was named Chief of the California Highway Patrol in 2005. Acevedo most recently served nine years as Chief of the Austin Police Department.

Chief Acevedo holds various leadership positions with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is married to Tanya Born Acevedo and is the father of Melissa, Matthew and Jake.

Jerry Dyer - 2nd Vice President
Chief of Police – Fresno Police Department

Chief Jerry Dyer has served the Fresno Police Department for 35 years. As a sergeant, he supervised several high-profile units such as the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), the Patrol Tactical Team, the Major Narcotics Unit, and he also served as an Internal Affairs Investigator.

Chief Dyer rose through the ranks serving as a lieutenant, captain, deputy chief and as the department’s first assistant chief of police.
On August 1, 2001, Jerry was appointed to the position of Chief of Police. Since then, violent crime in the city of Fresno has fallen by 40% and traffic collisions resulting in injury have declined by 42%.
Chief Dyer has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from California State University Fresno, and a Master’s Degree in Management from California Polytechnic University at Pomona.

Chief Dyer is a graduate of the California Command College, where his peers recognized him as the Most Inspirational Student. He also attended the 33rd Session of the FBI National Executive Institute. In 2008, Chief Dyer served as the president of the California Police Chief’s Association, which is comprised of 338 police chiefs.

During the 2011 California Police Chief’s Conference, Chief Dyer was honored with the Joseph T. Malloy Award. The most prestigious award granted by the California Police Chief’s Association. This recognition is bestowed based upon the recipient's professionalism, leadership, energy, and commitment to the mission of the organization.