KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
September 30, 2020
By Jennifer Miko
At Monday night’s Katy ISD Board of Trustees meeting, Henry Gaw was named the District’s new Chief of Police. He will replace the retiring Robert Jinks who held the position since 2015.
This October, Henry Gaw, a 26-year law enforcement professional, will take over as Chief of Police for the Katy ISD Police Department.
“I am looking forward to joining the Katy ISD team,” said Chief Henry Gaw. “Building relationships with officers, school staff and students is very important to me.”
Gaw trained and served in the Houston Police Department (HPD), the nation’s fifth-largest municipal police agency. Before he accepted the position with Katy ISD, Gaw was the Assistant Chief of Police for HPD’s Patrol Region 1.
During his career, Gaw held positions with HPD including Police Officer for Central Patrol and the Robbery Divisions; Sergeant with South Central Division and the Office of the Chief of Police; Lieutenant with the Recruiting and Internal Affairs Divisions; Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff; and Assistant Chief of Police for Patrol Support Command.
Gaw also worked to establish partnerships between the community, private sector businesses, and other law enforcement and governmental agencies.
“I plan on being very visible and accessible, as officers and I work together to ensure we are consistently delivering effective, efficient and compassionate services to the Katy ISD school community,” added Gaw.
Mission and Jurisdiction of Katy ISD
In December 1988, the Katy ISD Board of Trustees established the District's Police Department. Its jurisdiction includes all territory within the boundaries of the District (181 square miles) and all property, real and personal, outside the boundaries of the District that is owned, leased, or rented by the District or otherwise under the District's control.
The mission of the Katy ISD Police Department is to effectively and efficiently provide for the protection of lives and property, preserve the public peace, and with the highest level of professionalism and ethical standards, provide the central and campus administration specialized services, strengthening their ability to prepare students for the changes and challenges of the future.