Our Mission
To support, mentor, and develop female leaders in public safety across Texas, empowering them to excel as Chiefs of Police and executive leadership roles
Contact
Sheryl D. Victorian, Ph.D.
Chief of Police, Waco Police Department
(254) 750-7502
sherylv@wacotx.gov
OBJECTIVES
Supporting current female police chiefs through mentorship and collaboration.
Welcoming and supporting new female police chiefs as they transition into new chief roles.
Mentoring and developing commander and executive-level females aspiring to lead agencies.
OVERALL GOALS
The committee’s overall goals are to improve success outcomes for women in police chief roles in Texas, enhance female leadership pipelines, and empower and inspire the next generation of women leaders in the police profession.
2024 Barbara J. Childress Trailblazer Award
The TPCA is honored to award the Barbara Childress Trailblazer award annually. For those unfamiliar with Chief Childress, she is the first and, to date, only female to serve as President of the Texas Police Chiefs Association. She has served the law enforcement profession with honor for over fifty years. Because of her pioneering spirit, she has made the law enforcement profession better, especially for women. She is responsible for breaking the glass ceiling for those to follow in the trail she has blazed.
Chief Childress (Ret.) began her law enforcement career with the Richland Hills Police Department in 1970 as a dispatcher. In 1978, she moved into patrol and first line supervision. In 1983, she became Chief of Police, serving until 2018. During her tenure as Chief of Police, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of North Texas in 1995 and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice and Criminology from the university of Texas at Arlington UTA in 2016.
