Chief Gizette Disher took the helm of the Austin Community College District Police Department (ACCDPD) this semester. In that short time, she has set a distinct tone for the department—one that prioritizes education and community care over enforcement and traditional policing, respectively.

We sat down with Chief Disher to discuss her observations, the department’s recruitment successes, and her vision for a fully staffed, service-oriented future.

A Different Kind of Policing

Coming from a background in municipal policing, Chief Disher noted that the biggest surprise—and delight—of her first 100 days has been the unique atmosphere of the College environment, which is more about community engagement.

“We’re dedicated to community-oriented policing, which is about education and learning the college atmosphere. For example, we aren’t writing tickets on the first day of school—students can’t afford it,” says Chief Disher. “We want students to know we can be trusted; that we are here to help them succeed.”

Humanizing the Badge

Chief Disher’s philosophy focuses on humanizing the badge by having officers walking around campus being visible, listening to, and helping students.

“We’re also being intentional about participating in events and showing that we are part of the College, too,” says Chief Disher. 

The police department took part in National Night Out, an annual community-building event aimed at building stronger police-community ties, held on October 7 at the Riverside Campus. 

ACCDPD also collected nearly 100 gifts for the ACC Military Families Center’s Holidays Around the World event on December 12.

The department is also active on social media channels Instagram and Facebook, and is considering hosting a quarterly open house.

Service Beyond the Badge

While safety remains the top priority, Chief Disher wants the ACC community to know that ACCDPD wears many hats—often acting as social workers, counselors, and helpers.

In addition to policing services, the police department provides vehicle jump starts, vehicle door unlocks, and assists with tire changes. They are also there to assist students and visitors in locating classrooms, student services, learning labs, and other locations on each campus.

ACCDPD also provides safety escorts to anyone who does not feel comfortable walking to their vehicle or another location on campus, especially when the days are shorter. They can call dispatch at any time to have an officer walk them to their vehicle or between buildings.

There is also a push toward mental health support, with plans currently in motion to hire a dedicated Victim Services Manager to provide trauma-informed care.

Recruitment Success: Bats to Badges

Like many agencies nationwide, ACCDPD faces recruitment challenges. However, the Bats to Badges campaign, once open to applicants outside the College, resulted in a surge of interest. 

The department received 50 applications and, following interviews and state-mandated vetting, currently has 12 cadets in CAPCOG’s (Capital Area of Council of Governments) peace officer training course. These cadets are already excelling, with several ranked in the top 5 academically among a class of 46, and one was elected Class President.

“We have a mentorship program where current officers check in on them,” Chief Disher explains. “We predict that all 12 of our cadets will complete the program in March 2026.”

The creation of cadet positions has increased traffic on ACCDPD social media and recruiting platforms, resulting in the hiring of five certified peace officers in the past three months. 

“The success of the Bats to Badges program and the return of five certified peace officers will reduce our vacancy rate compared to last year. By early spring 2026, ACCDPD should be down to about seven vacancies,” says Chief Disher. 

The aim is to have a fully staffed department of 93 officers.

In addition to being community engagement officers, three officers are working on our recruitment efforts. The department is currently hiring for the next CAPCOG class.

“My vision as the Chief is to have our ACC recruiting officers attend as many recruiting events when possible and also host a recruitment seminar here at HLC in the spring to be fully staffed by next summer.”

Looking Ahead

As the department moves into the next year, Chief Disher is focused on an organizational assessment to optimize structure—including a move for dispatch from the Service Center to Highland Campus and a transition away from overnight shifts to better utilize resources during peak times.

Community engagement remains the department’s North Star. The goal is simple: “I want students and staff to feel at ease, not nervous, when they see us,” Chief Disher says. “Come visit. We are here to help.”

Learn more about the ACCDPD at austincc.edu/police.