Major Sharon Jones
Major, Criminal Investigations Division, Texas Department of Public Safety
2023, 2025
Sharon Jones is a Major in the Criminal Investigations Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety (Texas DPS), where she has served since 1997. With decades of dedication to public safety, while managing other statewide programs, Sharon initiated and is the program manager for the Texas Behavioral Threat Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention Program (BETA). The BETA Program fosters a proactive approach to the intervention and prevention of targeted violence, mass attacks and acts of terrorism, with the collaboration of state, federal and local agencies; mental health professionals; private industry and community organizations.
Sharon played a pivotal role in the development of the statewide Texas Behavioral Threat Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention Program Strategy. With the support of the Texas DPS leadership, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, directed the Texas DPS to implement a statewide Program Strategy for Texas communities.
In addition, Sharon composed the Implementation Plan for the Program Strategy and the How to Create and Sustain a Behavioral Threat Assessment Threat Management Team.” These documents serve as key resources for BTAM teams, providing guidance on maintaining effectiveness in preventing targeted violence, mass attacks, and acts of terrorism.
Sharon’s educational achievements include a bachelor’s degree in business management (1990) and a master’s degree in public administration (1992). A graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command; she is also master certified by the Department of Homeland Security as a behavioral threat assessment instructor. Also, Sharon is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Crime Prevention Committee.
Sharon has instructed and trained numerous multi-disciplinary BTAM audiences and is the founder of the Central Texas BTAM team, where multi-discipline stakeholders from across multiple cities, counties, and districts, convene regularly with common efforts to assess and manage individuals on the pathway to targeted violence.
Her efforts are reflected in her appointment to the Texas State Crisis Intervention Program committee and her “Do Something” approach moves beyond “See Something, Say Something,” emphasizing actionable intervention and prevention for individuals exhibiting the ideation of targeted violent, mass attacks and acts of terrorism. Her innovative leadership style and dedication to public safety continue to make a profound impact throughout Texas and beyond.
At the Summit
The effort to eradicate hate requires the active participation of every component of our society, to include governments, the private sector, communities of faith and indeed every aspect of civil society. There is no more urgent task in front of us. The organizers of the Eradicate Hate Global Summit are doing the United States and the world an enormous service by tackling hatred and extremism with a focus on honest dialogue and conversation, genuine learning and practical solutions. This will not happen overnight, but the Pittsburgh community’s leadership in this effort is genuinely inspiring and motivating.
