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 inaugural Eradicate Hate Summit was a truly impressive gathering of leaders dedicated to finding lasting and effective solutions to violent extremism. I was particularly moved by the prominence given to survivors and family members of victims of hate and violence throughout the event. Their stories and those of so many others must be at the center of what we do and why we do it.
