Galveston College promotes instructor Barton Stephenson to Director of the Galveston College Law Enforcement Academy.
After graduation from the University of Houston Police Academy in 1989, Director Stephenson began his law enforcement career as a Harris County Deputy Constable.
He served Harris County in a diverse capacity, including Field Training Officer, patrol, Crime Scene Photographer/Videographer, full-time instructor in the Harris County Training Division, investigator for the Internal Affairs Officer-Involved Shooting Team, investigator for the Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force, and supervisor of the Harris County Training Division.
He was promoted to the rank of Corporal in 2008, and again to Sergeant in 2012.
In 2015, he retired from the Harris County Constables Precinct 4 after 25 years under honorable conditions.
He holds a Master Peace Officer Certification with the State of Texas, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) certifications in Basic Instructor, Firearms, Specialty Impact Munitions, Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) for women, Resisting Aggression Defensively (RAD) for kids, OC Aerosol and Projectors, ASP Expandable Baton, ASP Handcuffing, and Mental Health Officer.
Director Stephenson has been employed as an instructor in the Galveston College Law Enforcement Academy since 2017, and has been instrumental in preparing law enforcement cadets for the TCOLE licensing exam and future careers in law enforcement.