Chief of Police Vera Bumpers leads the Houston Metro Transit Authority Police Department, the largest and oldest transit law enforcement agency in Texas. In this role, Bumpers is responsible for leading approximately 200 special-purpose peace officers and nearly 100 civilian employees. Their purpose is to safeguard METRO, its customers and employees by providing police services throughout METRO’s transportation system, as well as work collaboratively with law enforcement agencies in METRO service area to protect the citizenry of Houston. In November 2014, Bumpers was appointed as the first woman Chief of Police at METRO, as novelty in law enforcement.
Bumpers is a nationally recognized thought leader and sought-out speaker on topics about women and minorities in law enforcement, as well as a concept she created called cooperative urban policing which includes strategies on addressing innate bias, peer accountability and law enforcement responsibility. In July 2018, Bumpers will be sworn in as the president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, a 42-year-old organization that was conceived to provide policy and perspective to crime in urban low-income communities.
During her tenure at METRO, Bumpers garnered many firsts, such as first woman in the METRO Police Department, as well as an first African American sergeant, lieutenant, captain and assistant chief in the department. Within 2 short weeks of becoming METRO’s first woman assistant chief, Bumpers broke the brass ceiling being named chief of police for METRO. On her rise to the top, Bumpers was also instrumental in the promotions of others, advocating for other women and minorities in the department, ensuring that the barriers she broke in being promoted to higher ranking positions did not stop with her.
Bumpers was appointed at a time when Black Lives Matter concerns beset communities and law enforcement agencies across the country. Under Bumper’s leadership, METRO Police has transformed into a community and customer facing agency that has demonstrated its commitment to working collaboratively and communicating with transparency to METRO’s stakeholders. Bumpers has implemented various initiatives that engages METRO’s passengers and Houston residents, including an annual Back to School backpack drive to support students that reside in Salvation Army.
Bumpers has received several recognitions for her achievements, including being named one of Houston’s 2016 Top Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs. Additionally, the Houston Chapter of Women in Transportation Seminar gave her the 2015 Trailblazer Award. Bumpers has been fully engaged both civically and in the community. She was recently appointed to serve as a commissioner on Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Commission Against Gun Violence and AXON’s Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board. Additionally, she serves as the Chair of the Houston Community College Police Academy Advisory Board and on the Board of the Houston Recovery Center Technical Advisory Group. In addition to her bachelors degree from Texas State University in criminal justice, she holds a Master’s of Science in education from Prairie View A&M, and she is a graduate of the 230th Session of the FBI Academy. Bumpers is also active in the International Police Chiefs Association, Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, Women in Transportation Seminar and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Links, Inc.
In her personal life, Bumpers is the wife of Fort Bend Precinct 2 Deputy Chief Rodney Pentecost, mother of two adult children and grandmother of one granddaughter. She is also a member of the New Light Christian Center Church.
Chief of Police
METRO Police Department
1900 Main Houston, TX 77002
(713)615-6456
