HISD Chief of Police Jimmy Dotson, left, will retire in January, and will be succeeded by now-Assistant Chief of Police Robert Mock, right.
When HISD Police Chief Jimmy Dotson broke the news of his retirement to his department a month ago, he told the officers that after five years, the time had come for him to leave the district.
“We have worked very hard as a department to get to where we are today,” said Dotson, whose last day with the district will be Jan. 31. “But it is time for me to go. Everything is about timing, and the time is just right.”
On Tuesday, Dotson, 66, was excited about the announcement of his successor – HISD Assistant Chief of Police Robert Mock, who will be sworn in as the district’s new police chief on Jan. 6 at a 2 p.m. ceremony at the High School for Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice.
“I’ve been mentoring him for the past year and a half,” Dotson said. “I know he’s well-prepared.”
Mock, 52, has served as the HISD assistant chief of police since 2008 and has more than 27 years of experience in law enforcement in the Houston area, including 22 years at the Houston Police Department.
“I am very honored and humbled to be selected as the next police chief,” Mock said. “I will give my best service to the district. Being a police chief has been a long-term professional goal of mine. I couldn’t be happier that the district has chosen me because this opportunity is allowing me to fulfill that goal.”
Developing a strong team of police officers at HISD and leading them to the next level of their career is one of Dotson’s favorite accomplishments.
“Hiring good police officers who have come into our department to serve our students and staff ranks at the top of my career highlights,” Dotson said. “These men and women have worked very hard during my tenure. I tried to set a good example for them, but in the end, they motivated themselves.”
Dotson took the helm of the HISD Police Department in 2009 after a 24-year career with the Houston Police Department and a seven-year career as chief of police for the City of Chattanooga, Tenn. He also worked as a law enforcement consultant for the Community Association of The Woodlands. He came to HISD with the goal of reducing crime in and around the district’s 282 schools. Under his leadership, the department was able to reduce reported crime across the district by increasing the department’s visibility, putting officers where the district needed them the most, making more campus visits, and through the utilization of a crime analysis technology system.
“The most enjoyable part about working with HISD has been helping to prepare the future leaders of the world by providing a safe environment for our students to learn,” Dotson said.
HISD’s police department responds to more than 81,380 calls per year, and covers more than 300 square miles in the Houston area. HISD boasts the only accredited public school district police department in the nation.
“I would like to thank Chief Dotson for his service to the district and for maintaining the highest standards of safety and protection for our community,” said HISD Chief Operating Officer Leo Bobadilla. “I have the utmost confidence that those standards will be maintained as Chief Mock takes the reins.”
Mock holds a Master Peace Officer Certification through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE), a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, and a Master of Arts in Criminology. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. His two children attend HISD schools.