Elizabeth Watson

Elizabeth "Betsy" Watson was Houston's first female police chief. She served for two years before becoming the police chief in Austin, Texas, and then becoming a law enforcement consultant.

Early life

Watson grew up in Philadelphia but attended high school in Houston, after graduating from college and joining HPD, she met Chase in late 1973 when they were both assigned to the Houston jail, and they began dating the following spring. Since such fraternization was frowned upon, they used a police scuba-diving club as a cover. They married in 1976, the same day she was promoted to Detective.

Education

She received a degree in psychology from Texas Tech University in 1971.

Career

Immediately after graduating, she applied for the Houston Police Department, graduating at the top of her class.

As deputy chief, she commanded the West Side Command Station, the first of five planned stations that are the cornerstone of Chief Brown's program to decentralize police work and make it more responsive to the community.

A few weeks later, Watson announced that she would be taking the police chief's position at the Austin Police Department, However, she said that she would be unable to take the position until December 5, which is the date that she would complete her 20-year status, and therefore is eligible for retirement pay.

On December 5, 1992, Watson was sworn in as chief of police at Austin, Texas. She would resign in 1997 after a tenure racked with turmoil, police shortages, and other controversies.