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After 28 years of law enforcement service, Montgomery ISD Police Chief Stephen Phillips will retire this August. Chief Phillips has served as MISD’s Police Chief for the last three years, demonstrating incredible leadership of the district police department.
“Serving as Chief of Montgomery ISD’s Police Department has been the highlight of my career in law enforcement. I am grateful to the MISD Board of Trustees and Dr. Morrison for allowing me to serve in this important role. The dedicated men and women of the MISD Police Department demonstrate every day how school district police officers can build lasting relationships and help students thrive in a safe learning environment. It has been an honor to serve alongside them, and I know they will continue to serve our schools and community well. “
Chief Phillips began his law enforcement career in 1995 with the Port Authority Police Department where he served for five years. He then moved to Spring ISD to serve as a campus officer. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2003. He received the Spring ISD Bravo Award for recovering over $60,000 in stolen vehicles and a received a Letter of Commendation for his service to the district during Hurricane Ike.
In 2009 he was named Captain of Lone Star College Police Department. During his 11-year tenure at Lone Star College, he served as the Commanding Officer over Dispatch, Investigations, Honor Guard and Training. He also served as the Commanding Officer over three Lone Star College campuses.
Serving Montgomery ISD, Phillips has worked to expand the police department to keep pace with the growing student population. Two additional officers were added to the department last summer, providing at least one dedicated officer for every campus. Since Phillips’ arrival in 2020, seven full-time positions have been added to the force.
Phillips was instrumental in the district’s Stop the Prop initiative, ensuring that every exterior point of entry remains closed and locked at all times. Phillips also worked on the districtwide rollout of the RAVE panic alert system that provides instant communication for campuses, employees, 911 and first responders in the event of an emergency. The RAVE app has been endorsed by the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and each school district in the county has implemented this panic alert tool. Under his command, the MISD Police Department has increased collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and focused on improving communication and formalizing district protocols and procedures for a well-coordinated response in the event of an emergency.
School quality survey results for the 2022-23 school year reflect this outstanding leadership of Chief Phillips over the MISD Police Department, with 92% of parents/guardians responding their student’s school is safe, an increase from 90% last school year; and 95% of campus-based staff responding their school is safe, an increase from 94%.
“We are grateful for the dedication and service of Chief Phillips, who has been a tremendous leader for Montgomery ISD,” MISD Superintendent Dr. Heath Morrison said. “Chief has worked diligently to elevate our MISD police department while prioritizing the safety of our students and staff. He also understands the importance of building meaningful relationships on our campuses and in the broader community and has set a standard of excellence for our police department in that regard. I am so thankful for his leadership and service to our district and congratulate him on his retirement.”
Montgomery ISD officials plan to announce the new leader of the MISD Police Department this summer.