Texas Tech University

Texas Tech Police

History of the Texas Tech Police

The Texas Tech Police Department was established circa 1959 to provide police services for what was then known as "Texas Technological College". B.G. "Bill" Daniels served as the department's first police chief, a position which he held for twenty-eight years. Chief Daniels was instrumental in bringing about the transition of the department from a small group of night watchmen to security guards and eventually to a department employing thirty-four police officers. During his tenure as Chief, Bill was very active in the creation of an association known as the Texas-New Mexico Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, a peer group whose primary goal was to professionalize campus police departments.

Chief Daniels was succeeded in 1987 by Rick Harris, a former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Chief Harris served as the chief administrator of the department until October 1991. Chief Harris left the department to go to work for the United States Attorney's Office in Lubbock.

Chief Harris was succeeded by Jay Parchman who served as the Director of Police Services and Chief of Police. Chief Parchman began his law enforcement career as a dispatcher in the Lamesa Police Department in 1973. He was commissioned as a peace officer and began his career with Texas Tech in October of 1980. While at Texas Tech he has served as a police officer, investigator, chief investigator, lieutenant, captain, chief and Executive Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management. Under the direction of Chief Parchman, a Bicycle Patrol Division was added to the department in the summer of 1993.  In late 1997, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Police Department was merged with the Texas Tech University Police Department forming the Texas Tech Police Department.

Jay Parchman handed the reins to Chief Ronald Seacrist in October 2004. Chief Seacrist came to the police department from the University of West Florida where he served as chief of police. He has also served on the campuses of California State University Northridge, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Valdosta State University, the University of Central Florida and Tulane University. Prior to that, he served as a police officer and police sergeant for the Tampa, Florida, Police Department.

In September of 2015, Kyle K. Bonath was selected to replace Chief Seacrist. Chief Bonath recently retired from the FBI after serving for twenty-five years in a wide range of operational and leadership positions.  After retiring from the FBI he took a job with CenturyLink, serving as the lead security professional for corporate security before taking the police chief position with Texas Tech.

The primary goal of the Texas Tech Police Department is to provide police and security services to the members of our community in such a way as to support the overall mission and vision of the Texas Tech University System. Our community currently consists of over 35,000 students, over 9,000 faculty and staff. The university is situated in the heart of Lubbock, Texas (population 243,839) and encompasses 1,839 acres making the campus one of the largest in the United States.

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Phone Numbers

  • Emergency: 911
  • Non-emergency: 806-742-3931

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