Meet Greg

Sheriff Greg Hamilton’s Biography

Sheriff Greg Hamilton was sworn in on January 1, 2005, and is serving his second term as the Travis County Sheriff, which includes several neighboring communities to the City of Austin.

Greg Hamilton, was born and raised in Central Texas and received a degree in Criminal Justice from Southwest Texas State University (SWTSU). After working as a Corrections Officer II from 1983 to 1984 with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice he relocated to Austin, Texas to begin a career as a Senior Corrections Officer and Deputy Sheriff for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) from 1985 to 1994. In 1994, Greg Hamilton was appointed Chief of Enforcement at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). He made his first run for public office in 2004 and was elected as the Sheriff of Travis County. Greg Hamilton took office in January of 2005 and has recently been re-elected as Sheriff.

On a daily basis, through Greg Hamilton’s leadership and guidance TCSO reaches out to the entire community to become a part of preventing crime and keeping the community safe. TCSO continues to expand its standards for community policing and to maintain a professional corrections team which insures an efficient and secure jail. One focus of Greg Hamilton’s is promoting programs to inmates that can help them move toward success in the world of work and personal stability, which can be a challenge from the moment an individual is incarcerated in jail. Moreover, by joining with the National Crime Prevention Council in a one of a kind effort called “Building Bridges Brick By Brick,” he has connected community, business, media, government and faith-based leaders together to work on issues important to the community, thus bringing positive change to Travis County.

Greg Hamilton is married to Maize, whom he met when both were students at SWTSU. The family includes three adult children and two grandchildren. He is a member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Austin, Texas.

Sheriff Greg Hamilton’s Resumé

Education

  • Attended public schools in Central Texas
  • B.S. in Criminal Justice, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, 1982
  • Certified Peace Officer, 1987
  • Dale Carnegie Management Course, 1995
  • Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, 1994
  • The State of Texas – The Governor’s Center for Management Development, Senior
  • Management Development Program, 1995
  • State of Texas – Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs Governor’s Executive Development Program, 2004
  • National Sheriff’s Institute, 2007
  • Texas FBI NAA Command College, 2008

Professional Service

  • The Salvation Army Advisory Board, 2009
  • Montopolis Recreation Center Advisory Board, 2006
  • Austin Community College Criminal Justice Advisory Board, July 2006
  • Council on At Risk Youth (CARY) Advisory Board, 2005
  • Outside Reviewer for the California Highway Patrol Captain’s Testing Process, 2005
  • Founded the DARE Program for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, 1989

State and Local Committees/Task Force Service

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Walks, Honorary Chair, NAMI Austin, 2011
  • Memory Walk Austin 5K, Honorary Chair, Alzheimer’s Association, 2005-2006
  • Governor’s Task Force Against DWI, 1996-2000.
  • Pflugerville Youth Basketball League, Board Member, 1994-1996
  • Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) College Commission Texans Standing Tall “Underage Drinking Coalition
  • Capital Area Drug Resistance Education, Board Member, 1990-1993
  • Region XIII Education Advisory, Committee Member
  • Texas Coalition on the Illegal Use of Alcohol, Committee Member, 1989-1994
  • Texas Drug Demand Reduction, Advisory Committee Member
  • Pflugerville Boys and Girls Club of America, Board Member
  • Charter Review for the City of Pflugerville, Committee Member
  • Austin Children’s Shelter
  • Handbags for Hope, Texas Advocacy Project

Professional Memberships

  • FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA) – Executive Board, 2nd Vice President, member since 2008
  • National Sheriff’s Association (NSA) – member since 2005
  • Capital Area Law Enforcement Executives Association (CALEEA) – member since 2005
  • National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) – member since 2005
  • Sheriff’s Association of Texas (SAT) – member since 2004
  • National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (NLLEA), President, 2000 – member since 1995

Civic Memberships

  • Boys & Girls Today, Men & Women of Tomorrow, President 1996
  • Omega Psi Phi, Inc. – member since 1978
  • Masonic Lodge Prince Hall #18

Volunteer Experience

  • Habitat for Humanity
  • March of Dimes
  • Coats for Kids, Junior League of Austin
  • Operation Brown Santa
  • Capital Area Food Drive
  • Christmas Cheer Adopt-a-Family Program
  • Meals on Wheels

Awards and Recognition

2011

  • Public Community Service Award – awarded by Omega Psi Phi, Inc.
  • Visionary Award - awarded by National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (NLLEA)

2010

  • Vision Award – awarded by Texas Advocacy Project

2009

  • Dewitty/Overton Award - awarded by National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) , Austin Branch

2008

  • Bert Ford commendation – TABC
  • Best Practices for Sheriff’s Inmate Population Search (SIPS) and Warrants on the Web (WOW) – Texas Association of Counties
  • TCSO Most Law Abiding Agency – Austin Chronicle

2007

  • Richard Hopkin Torch Award – awarded by Central Texas African American Family Support Conference
  • Community Service Award – awarded by National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
  • Community Service Award – awarded by the Institute of Interfaith Dialogue

2006

  • Pursuit of Excellence in Politics/Government Award – awarded by National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Inc.
  • Outstanding Service Award – awarded by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. South Texas Region

2003

  • TABC Law Enforcement Agency of the Year – awarded by the NLLEA

2000

  • Difference Maker – awarded by MADD
  • Mentor of the Year – awarded by the Boys and Girls Club of El Paso, Texas

1998

  • Outstanding Public Service – awarded by the National Federation Black Public Administrators

1997

  • “Project S.A.V.E.” Most Innovative Program – awarded by NLLEA

1996

  • TABC Law Enforcement Agency of the Year – awarded by the NLLEA

Note In February, 2012, Sheriff Hamilton completed training at the FBI-LEEDA Law-Enforcement Executive Development Academy in Quantico, Virginia. This prestigious program selects a class of 32 twice each year from applicants leading law-enforcement agencies from all over the world.

Sheriff Hamilton’s Accomplishments:

  • Traffic unit addressing aggressive driving and DWI
  • Child Predator Unit targeting pedophiles
  • Teen Dating Violence program featured on “America’s Most Wanted”
  • “Building Bridges Brick by Brick” with Nat’l Crime Prevention Council —outreach involving law enforcement, faith & business communities
  • Implemented “direct-supervision” model in new jail facility providing positive reinforcement for inmates, greater security and cost savings
  • Expanded Marketable Skills Program in the jail to reduce recidivism—
    includes inmate-tended organic garden supplying jail with healthful produce while saving money for Travis County
  • Sheriff’s Weekend Alternative Program, a community-service and work alternative to weekend lockdown that reduces jail costs