An Inside Look at Starting Your
Own ISD Police Department Part 1 of 3

Video Length | 50:56

Recorded | May 2024

Podcast Description

In this three-part Learning Lab episode, host Brian Clason and co-host Joe Munoz, explore what it takes for a school district to start their own ISD police department. In part one, Brian and Joe sit down with Jarrell ISD Superintendent, Dr. Toni Hicks and Jarrell ISD Police Chief, Sharif Mezayek to discuss their journey from school board approval to a fully functional ISD police force.

Expert Guests

Dr. Toni Hicks

Dr. Toni Hicks, Superintendent, Jarrell ISD

Dr. Toni Hicks has over 30 years of experience in the field of education. Currently, she serves as the Superintendent of Jarrell ISD. Prior to that, she worked for Liberty Hill ISD, Round Rock ISD, and Leander ISD. Additionally, she ...is an Executive Team Member for Texas Association of Community Schools (TACS) that is an organization that promote the progress of public education in the State of Texas.
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Sharif Mezayek

Sharif Mezayek, ISD Police Chief, Jarrell ISD

Sharif Mezayek has 30 years of experience in law enforcement. Before coming to Jarrell ISD in July of 2023, to establish the Jarrell ISD Police Department, he established the Liberty Hill ISD Police Department in 2019. Prior ...to joining a school district police department, he worked at the Williamson County Sheriff's Office for 24 years; his law enforcement background includes Detective, Sergeant, Deputy Sheriff, and School Resource Officer. In 2024, the Jarrell Chamber of Commerce recognized him as the Civil Servant of the Year.
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Learning Lab Hosts

Brian Clason

Brian Clason, Learning Lab Host

Brian Clason is currently the Program Manager of Curriculum and Instruction at the Texas School Safety Center. He is a graduate of the Relay Graduate School of Education, University of Colorado-Denver, and Colorado State... University-Pueblo. He is a three-time published historian on the topic of Colorado history.

Since 2004, Brian has held the roles of principal, assistant principal, literacy coach, teacher, and community advocate. His experience serving diverse communities in both Texas and Colorado includes schools in turnaround status, design thinking model, early college model, alternative pathways model, and juvenile detention.
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Joe Munoz

Joe Munoz, Learning Lab Co-Host

Joe boasts over 45 years of experience in the field of law enforcement. He retired from the Austin Police Department, where his final role was serving as the supervisor of the public relations division. Since retiring ...from the Austin PD in 2013, Joe has been the program manager of School Based Law Enforcement of the Training & Education division at the Texas School Safety Center.
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Podcast Available On

Podcast Produced By: Brian Clason, Program Manager of Curriculum & Instruction