Greg Hamilton is the law enforcement and customer relations expert on the CIVICTEC executive team. He serves
as a customer advocate, partnering with business leaders across a variety of sectors to transform the customer
experience and ensure that customers are at the center of every business decision. With over 30 years of
leadership in law enforcement, Hamilton has successfully elevated government agencies to the next level through
his diplomacy, innovative spirit, and commitment to serve. In 2018, Hamilton was appointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Council which assists the DFPS Commissioner in developing rules and policies for the department.
Greg Hamilton was born and raised in Central Texas and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Southwest Texas State University. After working as a Corrections Officer II with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, he relocated to Austin, TX to begin a career as a Senior Corrections Officer and Deputy Sheriff for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
In 1994 Hamilton was appointed Chief of Enforcement at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). While serving at TABC he was elected to serve as President of the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (NLLEA). Under his leadership, TABC received the coveted NLLEA’s “Agency of the Year” two years in a row, and several of his initiatives were selected as the “Most Innovative Programs.” During his tenure at TABC, he received the following awards: Outstanding Public Service Award, Mothers Against Drunk Driving “Difference Maker Award” and the El Paso Boys and Girls Mentor of the Year Award. Hamilton made his first run for public office in 2004 and was elected as the Sheriff of Travis County.
Hamilton took office in January of 2005 and was re-elected for two consecutive terms. He retired on December 31, 2016, after serving for 12 years as Sheriff. Through his leadership and guidance, TCSO built strong partnerships with the community to prevent crime and to ensure the community’s safety. TCSO expanded its standards for community policing and maintained a professional corrections team that managed an efficient and secure jail. One of Hamilton’s areas of focus was addressing recidivism by promoting jail programs for inmates which enabled them to move toward success in the world of work and personal stability. As Travis County Sheriff he held the first re-entry conference in Texas; providing stakeholders with innovative ideas and resources to assist formerly incarcerated individuals to assimilate back into the community successfully. Moreover, by joining with the National Crime Prevention Council in a one-of-a-kind effort called “Building Bridges Brick By Brick,” Hamilton 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. Former Sheriff Hamilton received many awards that include, but not limited to, being named a 2015 African American Portraits Project Honoree which recognizes civic leaders who have made a lasting impact in Austin, the Outstanding Service Award, The Pursuit of Excellence in Politics/Government Award, Community Service Award, Richard Hopkins Torch Award, FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA) Trilogy Award and the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas Bert Ford Award, The National Liquor Law Enforcement Vision Award, William H. Spurgeon Award, The Killeen Independent School District Distinguished Alumni Award, and Texas State University Criminal Justice Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the Past President of Capital Area Law Enforcement Executive Association, the Past President of FBI-LEEDA, and the Past President of Central Texas Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement.
Hamilton is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Management Course, the Governor’s Center for Management Development, Senior Management Development Program, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs Governor’s Executive Development Program, the National Sheriff’s Institute, Texas FBI NAA Command College, FBI-National Executive Institute and the Law Enforcement Executive Seminar.
NATIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). FLETC Representative at the International Law Enforcement Center in Gaborone, Botswana as a speaker to law
enforcement officials from Sub-Saharan Africa. - Commissioner for the Criminal Justice Commission for Credible Leadership Development (CJC-CLD). CJC-CLD seeks to enhance the quality and competency of ethical leadership and organizational purpose which embrace and affect justice, equity, service, and peace to all constituencies; objectives are accomplished through education, certification, recognition, and continued development of ethical leaders.
- Selected to serve on the Advisory Board of Impact Justice, a national innovation and research center that focuses on reducing the number of people involved in our juvenile and adult criminal justice system, improving conditions for those who remain incarcerated, and providing meaningful opportunities for success for those rejoining our communities.
- Selected as an ambassador to represent Sam Houston State University Correctional Management Institute of Texas on a 13-day prison tour throughout Poland.
- Selected by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America for the Law Enforcement Exchange Program in the Middle East (specifically Israel and Jordan). This program was created in cooperation with the Israel National Police, the Israel Ministry of Internal Security, and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) to support and strengthen American law enforcement counter-terrorism practices.
- One of the founding members of Law Enforcement Leaders To Reduce Crime & Incarceration, which consists of current and former leaders in the law enforcement community – police chiefs, sheriffs, district and state’s attorneys, and U.S. Attorneys. The founding members’ goal is to create a smarter, stronger, and fairer criminal justice system by joining together to urge a change in laws and practices to reduce incarceration while continuing to keep our communities safe.
- Selected as one of the 50 law enforcement leaders from around the world to participate in The 2015 and 2016 Public Safety Summit: Growing Capacity and Legitimacy hosted by Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. This summit brought senior law enforcement leaders together to explore the immediate challenges in public safety and define transformational strategies to deliver better-policing outcomes and strengthen legitimacy over the long term.
LOCAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Currently serves on the following Boards:
Rodeo Austin, Partnership for Children, Operation
Turkey, Department of Family Protective Services,
Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and
Incarceration, KAZI-FM Radio,
- Proud member of Operation Turkey, a non-profit organization that feeds the homeless population in the Austin area.
- Founding member of the Sheriff’s Posse Barbeque Cook Team, now called The Outsiders, which provides scholarships for Texas youth.