CURRENT BOARD OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
Officer Rebecca Colwell
Fort Worth Police Dept.
rcolwell@tleeaa.org
Office: 817-871-6512
BIOGRAPHY:
Rebecca Colwell has been a certified and licensed Texas Peace Officer with the Fort Worth Police Department for over seven years. She is currently assigned to the Police Training Academy. Her assignments include coordinating the explorer programs for this department and to liaison with the Boy Scouts of America and other explorer programs from other agencies. She also coordinates the FWPD Teen Police Academy. As a certified TCLEOSE instructor she provides training to the recruits and in-service classes in Problem Solving and Critical Thinking and other subjects as requested. She also provides the recruit class with low ropes course facilitation. Officer Colwell holds her Advanced Peace Officers Certificate. She has completed numerous youth protection courses as well as specialized training in the investigation of crimes committed through the use of the Internet, involving use of computers and child exploitation, including federal classes provided by ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) which has given her great insight and knowledge needed to work with the current youth programs for the City of Fort Worth.
She has been involved with the FWPD Exploring program for over seven years. She has worked as a lead advisor for one of the FWPD Exploring posts; that grew from zero to over twenty five active participating youth within two years. While working with the FWPD Exploring posts, they were awarded Agency of the year in 2006 and 2008 by TLEEAA. Under her leadership her was recognized as Post of the year in 2008 and also 5th Overall Team at the TLEEAA state competition in 2008. Officer Colwell has attended multiple National Law Enforcement Exploring Conferences with the FWPD Exploring program. She continues actively working on both the state and national levels training advisors with the TLEEAA Board as well as at the upcoming National Exploring Conferences. She previously served as Secretary of the Texas Law Enforcement Explorer Advisors Association.
1st VICE PRESIDENT
Lieutenant Matt Murrey
Ellis County Sheriff's Office
mmurrey@tleeaa.org
Office: 972-825-4946
BIOGRAPHY:
Lieutenant Matt Murrey became a certified peace officer in 1992. He is currently assigned to the Sheriff’s Office’s Administration. He also oversees the explorer program. He has served with the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office since January of 2009. Previously he served with DeSoto Police Department and Kaufman County. He has earned many academic distinctions and certifications throughout his career including police instructor, police canine, narcotic trafficking interdiction, and police motorcycle instructor. Lieutenant Murrey has earned degrees in business management and law enforcement administration. He is also a master peace officer. He was an explorer prior to becoming a peace officer and has been involved with youth programs throughout his law enforcement career.
2nd VICE PRESIDENT
Officer Curtis Kaloi
Irving Police Dept.
Serving since 2005
ckaloi@tleeaa.org
Office: 972-968-3727
BIOGRAPHY:
Officer Curtis Kaloi of the Irving Police Department attended Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Dallas majoring in Business and Interdisciplinary studies. He has worked for the Irving Police Department since 1989. He holds his Master Peace Officer Certificate and is a certified TCLEOSE Instructor. Officer Kaloi is currently assigned to Community Services Division as a School Resource Officer and Lead Explorer Advisor for Department. Officer Kaloi has attended multiple National Law Enforcement Exploring Conferences as well as several other national explorer competitions. He previously served on the TLEEAA Board of Officers holding the positions of Secretary and First Vice President before his current term.
TREASURER
Sgt. Jim Hermes
Murphy Police Dept.
jhermes@tleeaa.org
Office: 972-468-4208
BIOGRAPHY:
Sergeant Jim Hermes has been a Licensed Texas Peace Officer since February 2000. He earned the “Directors Choice Award” and graduated at the top of his class at the Collin County Law Enforcement Academy. He currently works for the Murphy Police Department as a Patrol Sergeant and Lead Advisor for the Murphy Police Explorers. Before getting promoted to Sergeant in 2009, he worked in Criminal Investigations, SWAT, and he served as a School Resource Officer. Sgt. Hermes earned his Advanced Peace Officer License in 2009. He is currently working on his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
SECRETARY
Officer Trevor Grisso
Coppell Police Dept.
tgrisso@tleeaa.org
Office: 214-496-7194
BIOGRAPHY:
Trevor Grisso was first introduced to Law Enforcement Exploring as a young adult through the Grapevine Police Department Exploring Program in 1996. He was then hired by the Grapevine Police Department as a Police/Fire/EMS Dispatcher in 1997. In advancing his career he was hired by the Coppell Police Department and became a certified TCLEOSE Peace Officer in 2005. He is currently assigned as a School Resource Officer to liaison between the Coppell Independent School District and the Coppell Police Department. He has completed both the Basic and Advanced SRO schools and is a member of National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). He has instructed numerous youth in drug/alcohol and safety education programs. With the support of the Chief of Police and the City of Coppell, he started the Coppell Explorer Post and became the primary Post Advisor. Trevor also coordinates the yearly two-week long Coppell Explorer Academy in the summer months, involving intense hours of creating, planning, and organizing the academy events. He has received the police department's "Striving for Excellence" award and received the "Officer of the Year" award in 2009. He was able to take the Coppell Explorers to their first National Exploring Conference in 2010 to Atlanta, Georgia. He is a certified TCLEOSE Instructor and joined TLEEAA as the Board Secretary in 2010.
SERGEANT AT ARMS
Officer Brad Johnson-Retired
Fort Worth Police Dept.
bjohnson@tleeaa.org
817-614-5018
BIOGRAPHY:
I worked for the Fort Worth Police Department 1973 – 2008, started in patrol division working mostly on the eastside. In 1984 I helped get started the current department’s explorer program. We began with one post and went to five in 1987. In 1988 I was transferred to the youth division investigating juvenile crimes and given the assignment as youth coordinator responsibility for the operations of all departments’ posts. In 1991, I was again transferred, this time to the Police Academy where my responsibility was mainly the explorers program. My other responsibilities were assisting with the Code Blue and Citizens Police Academy programs. Managing the Teen Police Academy and received my Defensive Tactics Instructor and TASER Instructor certificate and was a Recruit Class Instructor. I have received from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education the Masters Certificate, Crime Prevention Inspector certificate and the Instructors License.
In 1985 we began meeting with the area advisors, the beginning of the Texas Law Enforcement Explorer Advisors Association. Since the Associations inception I have served in the positions of the President, 1st Vice President and the 2nd Vice President. This is my second year holding the Sergeant at Arms position. I am also one of the instructors for the TLEEAA’s Advisors Seminar.
I have attended National Competitions in Seattle and Boulder, and all of the TLEEAA’s state competitions. I have been awarded the Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver from BSA’s Longhorn Council. I have also received Longhorn Council the College of Commissioner Science Post Graduate of Commissioner Science degree.
In 2008 I retired from the department but have kept my peace officers commission. I remain active with law enforcement exploring by volunteering my time with the Fort Worth Police Departments Northside post.
I am a firm believer in the Law Enforcement Explorer program. I have seen many explorers come through the program and have become officers in many different agencies. I also truly believe that Law Enforcement Exploring is the greatest community program that any agency could offer.
19 DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES
(Please note some positions have not been filled, please contact us if you would like to help be a local contact for your LFL district.)
ALAMO AREA (San Antonio)
Unfilled/Open
BAY AREA (Galveston)
Unfilled/Open
BUFFALO TRAIL (Midland)
Unfilled/Open
CADDO AREA (Texarkana)
Unfilled/Open
CAPITAL AREA (Austin)
Dale Cooper
Austin Police Dept.-Ret.
Office:
CIRCLE TEN (Dallas)
Karen Thunart
Learning for Life
Office: 214-902-6746
COCNHO VALLEY (San Angelo)
Emmanuel Zamora
Uvalde Police Dept.
Office: 830-278-9147
EAST TEXAS (Nacogdoches)
James Jordan
Nacogdoches Police Dept.
Office: 936-559-2607
GOLDEN SPREAD (Amarillo)
Unfilled/Open
LONGHORN (Fort Worth)
Glinda Fortner
Learning for Life
Office: 817-231-8531
NETSEO TRAILS (Paris)
Unfilled/Open
NORTHWEST TEXAS (Wichita Falls)
Unfilled/Open
RIO GRANDE (Harlingen)
Jason Wells
USBP-Zapata
Office: 956-519-5600
SAM HOUSTON (Houston)
Christina Coronado
Harris County Constable, Precinct #4
Office: 281-376-3472
SOUTH PLAINS (Lubbock)
Unfilled/Open
SOUTH TEXAS (Corpus Christi)
Unfilled/Open
TEXAS TRAILS (Abilene)
Unfilled/Open
THREE RIVERS (Beaumont)
Danny Valdez
Beaumont Police Department
Office: 409-284-3595
YUCCA (El Paso)
Michael Paul
USBP- National Border Patrol Explorer Program Coordinator
Office: 202-480-4256
