Art Acevedo – President
Chief of Police - Houston Police Department

Art Acevedo is currently the Chief of Police for the Houston Police Department (HPD) in Texas and was appointed by Mayor Sylvester Turner. He was sworn into office on November 30, 2016, and leads a department of 5,200 sworn law enforcement officers and 1,000 civilian support personnel in the fourth largest city in the United States that has 640 square miles and an annual general fund budget of $873 million.

Chief Acevedo firmly believes that good, two-way communication is vital for a successful community and steadily works to strengthen the bond between the community and its police department. As a proponent of community policing, Chief Acevedo refers to the proven practice as “Relational Policing,” which is an opportunity to forge a relationship with each and every person a department member comes in contact with. He also subscribes to law enforcement being a data driven, intelligence led process that is well-suited to the policing profession in the 21st Century.

As the first Hispanic to lead HPD, Chief Acevedo brings a unique understanding to the concerns of the diverse communities in Houston. Born in Cuba, he was four years old when he immigrated to the United States with his family in 1968. Acevedo subsequently 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 with the California Highway Patrol in 1986 as a field patrol officer in East Los Angeles. Ultimately, he rose through the ranks and was named Chief of the California Highway Patrol in 2005. Prior to his nomination and appointment to lead the Houston Police Department, Chief Acevedo served nine years as the Chief of Police for the Austin, Texas Police Department from 2007 – 2016.

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

Jeri L. Williams - First Vice President
Chief of Police – Phoenix Police Department

Jeri L. Williams was appointed Police Chief of the Phoenix Police Department in October 2016. She oversees the largest police department in the State of Arizona, which provides law enforcement services to the fifth largest city in the United States. Chief Williams manages 2,900 sworn officers and more than 900 civilian employees along with an annual budget that exceeds $600 million.

Chief Williams is a 30-year law enforcement veteran and an accomplished police executive. Under her leadership, the Phoenix Police Department is advancing progressive strategies essential in contemporary law enforcement. Core components of these efforts are centered on the suppression and prevention of crime, the continuation of community engagement and outreach, the promotion of transparency and accountability to increase legitimacy and the commitment to employees and their well-being.

Previously, Chief Williams served nearly six years as Police Chief in the City of Oxnard, California where she strengthened police-community relationships and oversaw the implementation of police body-worn cameras.

Chief Williams is a native Phoenician. She began her law enforcement career with the Phoenix Police Department and retired as an Assistant Chief after 22 years of service following her selection as Oxnard Police Chief.

Chief Williams is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) and the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP).

During Arizona’s Centennial year, Chief Williams was honored as one of Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing Women by the Arizona Centennial Legacy Project, in partnership with the Arizona Historical Society and the Arizona Community Foundation for her leadership in the law enforcement profession. In 2016, Chief Williams was recognized as California Assembly District 44 Woman of the Year for her leadership and outstanding accomplishments as Chief of the Oxnard Police Department and in late 2016, President Obama appointed Chief Williams to a membership position on the Medal of Valor Review Board.

Chief Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts from Arizona State University and a Master’s degree in Education from Northern Arizona University.

Mike Brown – Second Vice President
Chief of Police – Salt Lake City Police Department

Chief Mike Brown has served in the Salt Lake City Police Department since 1991.  He was appointed Chief of Police on May 3, 2016, and prior to that was the Interim Police Chief from June 11, 2015. He has held many positions throughout the department during his 28-year career, and most recently was the Commander for the Special Operations Bureau.  As the Interim Police Chief, he implemented a Civilian Advisory Board (CAB) in 2015.

Chief Brown completed the FBI’s National Executives Institute and the Major Cities Chiefs Association’s Police Executive Leadership Institute. Chief Brown has been an active member of the MCCA Intelligence Commanders Group and Drug Commanders Group and currently serves on the MCCA Forensic Science Committee. He was recently selected to serve on the National Law Enforcement Exploring Committee. Chief Brown holds a B.S. in General Studies from Columbia College.

Chief Brown’s experience has been focused on a number of specialty functions to address community needs, participation and management of special events and demonstrations, serious collision investigations, and coordination with federal and municipal agencies. As the Special Operations Bureau commander, he oversaw SWAT, Safe Streets Gang FBI Task Force, DEA Metropolitan Narcotic Task Force, Organized Crime Unit, Hazardous Device Unit, Motorcycle Squad, Public Order Unit and Accident Investigation.