Max Geron has over 30 years of experience in Law Enforcement – more than 27 of those years with the Dallas Police Department where he served in a multitude of roles with increasing responsibility, retiring…
Laura Slocum has 19 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, with a focus on program development and administration at the intersection of behavioral health and justice systems for the last 11 years. Laura believes that…
Prior to joining the Meadows Institute, Tim served as the Associate Commissioner for State Hospitals at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The Texas State Hospital System consists of nine state-operated psychiatric hospitals and…
Dia’s role is part of the Center for Justice and Health, a new national center focusing on people-centered crisis response. Dia has led state and municipal initiatives on mental health policy and public behavioral health…
Yolanda was most recently Senior Director, Safety and Justice with The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she oversaw Pew’s work to improve justice-related efficiencies at the state and local levels of government, including oversight for public…
Jeff provides executive leadership and strategic management of the Caruth Police Institute and its growing portfolio of projects. He works closely with the Institute’s Health and Public Safety team to contribute across the Institute providing…
Sarah E. Baker, M.D., M.A., serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry atUT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Baker holds a B.A. in History from Rice University, as well as an M.A. in Medical…
Vrishali completed her PhD in Criminology at the University of Texas at Dallas, focusing her research on criminological theory, police, and the police organization. Previously, she worked as a Research Intern and then a Research…
Chief Frank Dixon, MS, was sworn in as the Chief of the Denton Police Department on October 15, 2018. Chief Dixon prioritizes transparent communication and community relationships to build upon and improve the existing collaboration…
Chief Frank Dixon, MS, was sworn in as the Chief of the Denton Police Department on October 15, 2018. Chief Dixon prioritizes transparent communication and community relationships to build upon and improve the existing collaboration between the Denton Police Department and the community it serves.
Frank has more than 25 years of law enforcement experience, 23 of which with the Austin Police Department, where he successfully worked his way up through the ranks to the position as Assistant Police Chief. During his career in Austin, Frank was a certified Mental Health Officer, and was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal very early in his career for successfully resolving a call that involved a suicidal woman who was armed with a knife.
Since coming to the City of Denton, Frank has begun transformational change in the culture of the police department. This includes the implementation of revised General Orders (policies), a full time Homeless Outreach Team, and a new model of crisis response in a collaborative Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) that pairs a civilian Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a plain clothed police officer. The unit is available 24/7 to respond to calls for service involving those in mental health crisis, as well as conduct limited follow-up with mental health consumers within the City of Denton.
Frank grew up the son of an Air Force father, living in Ft. Worth, Hawaii, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Austin. After graduating from high school, Frank honorably served in the United States Marine Corps (1989-1993). Frank attended Lamar University, where he received both a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice (2018), and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree (2020). He is a member of the Major Cities Chiefs Association and is a graduate of the Police Executive Leadership Institute, the Senior Management Institute for Police by the Police Executive Research Forum, APD’s Leadership Command College, and the West Point Leadership Course. Frank is also a recognized Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International.
Frank has always had a leadership philosophy of being present and engaged, mentoring and actively leading from the front.
