Brad Irvin : Chief of Police for Texarkana ISD Police Department

Since he was young, Brad Irvin, the Director of Safety and Chief of Police for the Texarkana ISD Police Department,  has always had a heart to serve others. “Law enforcement has always been an interest of mine, and many of my relatives worked in the law enforcement field,” Brad says. “I saw them impacting the Texarkana community and making a difference in the lives of others.”

Brad started his law enforcement career as a Probation Officer at the Bowie County Juvenile Probation Department.  However, he has also had the opportunity to work as the Director of Safety at Texarkana Arkansas School District for two years and at Texarkana Independent School District for 19 years. “All students and staff deserve a safe school. If a student feels safe at school, they will have a better learning environment, and if an educator feels safe, they will have a better working environment,” Brad says. “The best part of this job is when you see a student reach their full potential, whether in academics or extracurricular activities, and you know that you had a part in that success.  Also, that smile when they cross that graduation stage says it all!  If you can make a difference in a child’s life, that is the ultimate reward.”

Currently, Brad oversees 33 employees, including Police Officers, Security Officers, School Marshals, Coordinator of Risk Management, and Administrative Assistant/Dispatcher. “The safety and security of the entire Texarkana ISD School District is my main responsibility and something that I do not take lightly,” Brad says. “I feel that being visible on campuses, interacting with students, and having consistent conversations with school staff help to see where safety changes are needed.”

Brad has many duties as Director of Safety, including planning and directing work methods and safety procedures; managing the development of departmental goals and objectives; supervising daily operations; overseeing investigations for TISD; working cooperatively with other Police Agencies (TTPD, BCSO, WVPD, and Nash PD); and overseeing school zones to ensure traffic runs smoothly in the district. “It can be a challenge ensuring the safety of the students and staff of the entire school district. However, I always say that safety is not just a police department’s issue,” Brad says. “All staff members must be safety conscious and aware at all times, and a school is only as secure as its ‘weakest link.’”

One of Brad’s biggest directives to all safety personnel is to be visible and approachable. “Texarkana citizens, students, staff, and parents will know that you care and are here to protect all people by positive actions and words,” Brad says. “Most issues can be solved by communication and forming relationships.  Law enforcement officers must have frequent, personal, and positive interactions with the community.”

Twenty-plus years in law enforcement have also taught Brad that some things are not always what they seem, so he takes investigations very seriously. He wants to get all the information and lead by trying to get the full story. “Once you investigate a situation, there is always an underlying factor that you did not anticipate initially,” Brad says.

Brad is not alone in his pursuit to keep schools safe. He says that Texarkana ISD has always had the vision and awareness needed to provide all the tools and safety measures the police department needs. “TISD has always done an excellent job in partnering to ensure all schools remain safe,” Brad says. “This would not be possible without the taxpayers passing the last bond, Superintendent Dr. Brubaker, the TISD Board of Trustees, and hard-working police department staff.”

Though he has had a noteworthy career, Brad says getting his Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice is his proudest accomplishment.  “It was a sentimental moment for me,” Brad says. “My mother passed away from cancer 11 years ago, and getting my Master’s Degree in 2015 was something that she always encouraged and pushed me to achieve. She was always my biggest cheerleader!”

The other encouragers in Brad’s life are both his family and law enforcement mentors. “I have been married for 22 years to my beautiful and talented wife, Christiane Irvin, and we have two children: Carly (17) and Collin (10),” Brad says. “The family members that guided and supported me through the toughest law enforcement days have been my wife; my mother, Donna Irvin (deceased); my father, James Irvin;  my mother-in-law Carmen Tye; my twin brother Brian Irvin, who is a fireman with Texarkana, Arkansas; and my uncle, Randy Haltom, who is a retired TX DPS Agent.”

Though any law enforcement job will have its trials and tribulations, Brad’s specific ability to impact thousands of students daily makes his sacrifices worth it. “What gets me through the hardest days is that I am serving and impacting TISD students. All I have to do is go to one of our great campuses and talk to a student about their school day, extracurricular activities, or family,” Brad says. “It will instantly put a smile on my face!”

Fun Facts:

1. My favorite place to eat in Texarkana is Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant, and I always order the beef fajitas.

2. The best advice I’ve ever received as a law enforcement officer is,  “You won’t know anything about being a police officer until about your fifth year of experience.” Also, “Do what you can, when you can, and don’t worry about the rest.” 

3. My hobbies include hunting, fishing, and enjoying my kids’ activities when not working.

4.  My dream vacation would be staying in a cabin in the Montana wilderness and hunting/fishing. 

5. If I could give all Texarkana citizens one piece of safety advice, it would be to always be alert and aware of your surroundings! Our world is a different place than it was years ago.