GALVESTON, Texas – Kenith Adcox, who has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and is currently La Porte police chief, is the new the police chief of the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Adcox, who has led the La Porte Police Department since 2008, will begin Aug. 13.
“Chief Adcox will be a great leader for our already excellent police department,” said Dr. David L. Callender, UTMB president. “I know that he will work to provide a safe environment for our patients, students, visitors, faculty and staff. He brings outstanding credentials, law enforcement and people skills, and solid knowledge to keep the UTMB community safe.”
At UTMB, Adcox will supervise a department that provides law enforcement services and security to the Galveston, League City and Angleton Danbury campuses, as well as to other UTMB facilities in the region. Adcox will report to Callender.
“I’m honored to be the new chief at UTMB,” Adcox said. “I feel as if all my prior experience and training were in preparation for this job. I look forward to working with the professional men and women of the UTMB police department.”
Before becoming La Porte’s police chief, Adcox served 21 years with the El Paso Police Department, 10 of those as assistant police chief.
In El Paso, Adcox held numerous positions, including supervisory and management roles. He served with the city’s gang task force and units addressing crimes against children, narcotics, criminal investigations, special operations and others.
Adcox is an executive board member of the FBI’s Houston Area Joint Terrorism Task Force. He earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice administration from Park University in Missouri and has two master’s degrees, one in public administration from the University of Texas at El Paso and one in security studies from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.
In addition, he also is a graduate of the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Institute’s Command Leadership College at Sam Houston State University, the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Program and the Penn State Police Executive Development Program, among specialized training programs. He is a Certified Public Manager.
Callender also commended Ruben Puente, assistant director of the University of Texas System Police Department, who has been serving as UTMB’s interim police chief since January, after the death of Chief Thomas Engells. “Chief Puente has been a stabilizing figure in our department at a difficult time and I sincerely thank him for his service,” Callender said.
The UTMB police department is a part of the UT System Police Department.