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Texas School District Police Chiefs' Association
Texas School District Police Chiefs' Association

​​Chief Kirby Warnke
President
Corpus Christi ISD Police Department

Phone: (361) 878-2851              Email: President@texasisdchiefs.com                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                


Kirby is a graduate of A.C. Jones High School in Beeville, Texas. He holds the Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice as well as the Master of Science in Occupational Training and Development from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi. Chief Warnke began his career in law enforcement in 1991 with the Nueces County Sheriff's Department where he earned the rank of Sergeant before joining the CCISD Police Department during the 1997-98 school year. He served in every capacity with the CCISD Police Department before being named Chief of Police in July 2010. Warnke is a TCOLE Master Peace Officer as well as a certified instructor. He also holds the School Based Law Enforcement certification. The Chief serves in various capacities on several boards, both locally and statewide. He was appointed 2nd VP in 2022, 1st VP in 2023. and President in 2025. 


​​Chief Paul S. Cordova
1st Vice President
Aldine ISD Police Department

Phone: (281) 442-4923       Email:        pscordova@aldineisd.org                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Chief Paul Córdova began his law enforcement career in 1982 at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. While at the Sheriff’s Office, Córdova served in every civil service rank from Deputy to Senior Captain. Córdova fulfilled numerous assignments, including patrol, investigations, courtroom security, emergency management and homeland security. While in the Homeland Security Bureau, Córdova led the first Harris County SWAT Team, Hostage Negotiation Team, Marine Unit, Aviation Unit and Emergency Management. Córdova honorably retired from the HCSO in 2014 and accepted a position as a Police Captain with the Rice University Police Department. While at the RUPD, Córdova oversaw all areas of the department as second in command. In 2017, Córdova joined the Houston Independent School District as the Assistant Chief of Police, later becoming the Interim Chief of Police and Chief of Police within his first year. As the head of the largest public-school district police department in Texas, Córdova supervised 215 officers and was responsible for the safety and security of more than 209,000 students, 29,000 employees and 280 campuses. Córdova joined the Aldine ISD Police Department in May 2020 as Chief of Police. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. Córdova is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, LEMIT Leadership Command College, FBI LEEDA and FBI LEEDS. He was elected 4th VP in 2022, 3rd VP in 2023, 2nd VP in 2024, and 1st VP in 2025..


Chief Marlon Runnels
​2nd Vice President
Klein ISD Police Department


Phone: (832) 249-4275    Email: mrunnels1@kleinisd.net


                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Chief Runnels began his law enforcement career in 2001 as a detention officer with the Harris County Sheriffs Dept. Since that time he has worked for multiple police agencies throughout the greater Houston area. He first entered school based policing when he joined the Klein ISD Police Department in 2008. While in Klein, he worked on campus and patrol assignments as an officer as well as a Sergeant. In 2017 Chief Runnels was given the opportunity to lead the Montgomery ISD Police Department. During his time in MISD the police department underwent a cultural change where officers focused on efficient delivery of police services to the 9000 plus students via increased training and relational based practices. In 2020, Runnels returned to Klein ISD in the role of Assistant Chief and in 2022 he was promoted to Chief of Police of Klein ISD, the 16th largest district in the State of Texas. Chief Runnels currently holds a Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Administration of Justice were from Texas Southern University. He also holds numerous certification  such as Master Peace Officer, Police Instructor, ALERRT Instructor, SBLE Instructor, FBINAA Command College graduate, and a FBI-LEEDA Trilogy recipient. Chief Runnel's professional associations include Texas Municipal Police Association, Houston Area Chiefs Association, Leadership North Houston. He was elected 4th VP of the Texas School District Chiefs Association in 2023, 3rd VP in 2024 and 2nd VP in 2025.

​Chief Anthony Smith

3rd Vice President
​Wichita Falls ISD Police Department

Phone: (832) 249-4275    Email: adsmith@wfisd.net



Chief Anthony Smith, a native of Buna, Texas, graduated from high school there before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. During his military service, he deployed to Afghanistan and earned a Combat Meritorious Promotion as well as two personal awards. After military service, Smith went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Liberty University and is currently pursuing a Master's in Business Administration. Upon graduation from the Angelina College Regional Police Academy in Lufkin, Texas, Smith ultimately joined the Jasper Police Department, serving in various roles over the years, including Patrolman, Patrol Supervisor, Field Training Officer, SWAT Operator, Narcotics Detective, Assistant SWAT Commander, and Detective Sergeant overseeing the department's Narcotics division. In late 2020, Smith returned to his hometown to serve as the Buna ISD Chief of Police, a position held until being selected as Chief of Police for the Wichita Falls ISD in 2022, where he continues to lead a department serving over 15,000 students and staff across 24 campuses. Throughout his career, Smith has earned numerous certifications, including TCOLE Master Peace Officer, School-Based Law Enforcement, SWAT, Field Training Officer, ALERRT, Active Shooter Incident Management Advanced, and is an FBI-LEEDA Trilogy recipient. Chief Smith is also a member of several professional associations to include the Texas Police Chiefs Association, Leadership Wichita Falls, and the Texas School District Police Chiefs’ Association where he began serving as the Region 9 Director in 2022. He was appointed 4th VP in 2024 and 3rd VP in 2025.


Chief Heath Wester
4th Vice President / Legislative Liaison
​Sherman ISD Police Department

Phone: (903) 718-8584    Email: hwester@shermanisd.net


Chief Wester currently serves as the Chief of Police for the Sherman ISD Police Department. He has extensive legislative experience both with TMPA and our Association.  His connections proved invaluable during the recently completed 89th session of the Texas Legislature.



Shane Sexton
​Director of School Safety Policy and Rulemaking, TEA
​Ex-Officio Member

Phone: (737) 900-7246    Email: shane.sexton@tea.texas.gov


Shane Sexton is currently the Director of School Safety Policy and Rulemaking at the Texas Education Agency. Prior to the agency, Shane served as a law enforcement professional for more than 20 years, the latter of which he was the Chief of Police at both a university and a school district. Shane is a Mental Health Officer, a De-escalation Instructor, a board-certified Workplace Violence and Threat Specialist, and he is a member of and holds a K-12 Behavioral Intervention Team Standards & Best Practices certification from the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment. Shane currently serves as the TEA representative on the Texas School Safety Center Board of Directors.


Chief Bill Avera, M.S.
​Executive Director/Immediate Past President 
​Jacksonville ISD Police Department

​Phone: (903) 284-5282     Email: treasurer@texasisdchiefs.com
​Chief Bill Avera was born in San Antonio but has called East Texas home for most of his life. He is a graduate of Jacksonville (TX) high school and holds degrees from Lon Morris College, Sam Houston State University, and East Texas A&M University in Commerce. His law enforcement career spans more than 4 decades including service to the citizens of Jacksonville, Brownfield and Cockrell Hill as Chief of Police.  Additionally, he served as an Assistant Chief of Police for Dallas ISD for 12 ½ years, helping to launch that Department. In August 2016, Avera was named Chief of Police and Emergency Manager for Jacksonville ISD,  his home school district. Chief Avera holds the TCOLE Master Peace Officer, Master Telecommunicator, School Based Law Enforcement, Crime Prevention Inspector, Mental Health Officer, and Instructor certificates. Avera has served on several committees charged with developing curriculum for Texas SBLE and creating standards for the creation and continuation of Law Enforcement Agencies in Texas. He regularly presents to groups on matters of school safety. On July 6, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Chief Avera to the Board of Directors of the Texas School Safety Center. He is a member of the St. Matthew United Methodist Church, the Jacksonville Rotary Club, and is the Chair of the Providence Place Board in San Antonio along with numerous professional organizations. In 2013,  he was presented a Law Enforcement Lifetime Achievement Award. by the TXSSC. He is married to Heather who teaches high school math. The couple have two adult children. Chief Avera served as President of the Association from 2023-2025. He recently was named the Executive Director/CFO for the Associaiton.


Deborah Bonola

​Secretary | Conference Coordinator

​Klein ISD Police Department

Phone:  (832) 249-4263       Email: dbonola1@kleinisd.net