Art Acevedo

As the Houston Chief of Police, Art 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. As 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 four years old when he migrated to the United States with his family in 1968. He grew up in California and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of La Verne in California. He began his career in 1986 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. He served nine years as Chief of the Austin Police Department and holds various positions with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

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