SAN MARCOS, Texas — In a conference room at the San Marcos Embassy Suites, there are girls only – no boys allowed.
That’s because in honor of Women's History Month, the 2024 Women in Criminal Justice conference highlighted three women leading law enforcement agencies in Austin and Travis County for the first time: Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez, University of Texas Police Chief Eve Stephens and interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson.
They said this is a historic era for Travis County, but they've faced challenges along the way.
“We're working in a male-dominated field, so we [have to] have a lot of grit while also looking like ladies,” Maria Velasquez, Travis County's Captain of Central Booking and the panel's host, said.
The women said the journey to women being accepted in law enforcement has been hard. Like for Henderson, who said she started her career 27 years ago as a single mom.
“It was difficult when I was starting in my time. Finding somebody to be welcoming, or open to helping mentor or guide,” Henderson said.
Sometimes, it's even isolating. Velasquez said she can relate to Henderson. She started her career 24 years ago in Bexar County.
“It did have that boys' club mentality,” Velasquez said. “Then you're not really focused on the things that you need to be focused on because you're trying to fit into the club."
They said stereotyping also happens when women take leadership roles.
“We're viewed as bossy while others are just in control and assertive,” Hernandez said.
However, after 40 years on the job, Hernandez said women have earned their place. She said out of 250 counties, she's one of eight female sheriffs in Texas.
“There has been a lot of grit for women to get to where they're at now and be in positions of leadership,” Hernandez said.
Stephens said even if they’re in the minority, making up only 13% of the law enforcement workforce, women should be confident in taking up space. She is the first woman and minority to be police chief at UT.
“We're going to reframe what ‘bossy’ means, what ‘too much’ means, what ‘complicated’ means," Stephens said. "We'll reframe what all of that means because we're taking our power back."
Travis County Sheriff Corrections Office Captain Edwardo Jackson said that’s the direction law enforcement should go. He said law enforcement has to evolve.
“Those are our future leaders,” Jackson said. “We have a new generation of workforce that’s come in. I think it’s important for us, in the current stage that we’re in – we struggle with getting staff. I think we need to recruit women and a new generation.”
Jackson said of the people he’s looked up to, most have been women.
"We need them to be a part of the group. We need to all be one, and I think that’s very important that we get to that level. Not just in law enforcement, but across the board,” Jackson said.
Velasquez said women’s conferences like this mean a lot to her and other women in law enforcement.
“It helps people like my daughter know that she can be anything she wants to be,” Velasquez said. “I think having those role models and mentors out there really make a big difference for women."