Robert J. Bodisch, Sr.

Senior Fellow

In August 2009, Robert Bodisch was appointed Department of Public Safety Chief of Staff and Assistant Director of Texas Homeland Security, which included among a number of responsibilities the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Division.

In 2014, he was promoted to Deputy Director and maintained his Homeland Security and Chief of Staff responsibilities and assumed additional responsibility for the Service Divisions, including Regulatory Services Division, Driver License Division, Administration Division, Education, Training and Research Division, Finance Division, Information Technology Division, Cyber Security, Law Enforcement Support Division, Media and Communications, Government Relations, Equal Employment Office, Dispute Resolution Office, and the Executive Protection Bureau.

In 2018, Deputy Director Bodisch assumed the additional responsibility for the department’s Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Division.

Before coming to DPS, Bodisch was Deputy Director, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security from November 2007 to August 2009.

Bodisch started his law enforcement and criminal justice career in 1973. He served as a deputy sheriff with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department (1973 – 1975), lieutenant investigator with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office from 1975 to 1984 and was chief investigator with the Texas Prosecutor Council in 1985 and senior criminal investigator with the Texas Attorney General’s Office from 1985 to 1989. He served as the Director, Governor’s Texas Narcotics Control Program from 1996 to 2001. Bodisch served as the Director of Education and Training for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education from 2002 to 2005 and assistant director of the Office of Special Investigations for the Texas Attorney General’s Office in 2006.

In 2006, Director Bodisch developed a Model Policy and Procedure for the Response to a Suicide/Homicide Bomber which was adopted by a number of law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and listed on the Dept. of Justice-Bureau of Justice Assistance law enforcement assistance web site.

He served two tours of duty in Iraq (2005 & 2007) working for the Department of Justice, International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP).

Director Bodisch’s first tour of duty in Iraq started on 21 January 2005 and he was assigned as the manager of the Iraqi Police Executive Leadership Development Team from January to April. From April to June he served as the Plans and Projects Officer at the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT) Headquarters. During this period (January – June) Director Bodisch also applied his skills and talents instructing and supporting Coalition and Iraqi working groups to detect, deter and defeat improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the preferred method of insurgent attacks in Iraq. In June Director Bodisch was assigned as the Senior Law Enforcement Advisor to the then Ministry of Interior Police Partnership Program (MOI P3) which evolved into the Ministry of Interior Transition Team (MOI-TT). As the Senior International Law Enforcement Advisor, Director Bodisch directly advised Iraqi Ministry of Interior senior officials responsible for national level police programs, capabilities and sustainment. From July to December, Director Bodisch developed and spearheaded an initiative to assess the ability of the Ministry of Interior’s ability to develop and sustain police, facility protection forces, criminal investigators and intelligence agents, and border forces. The assessment team consisted of more than 25 coalition personnel working in 12 functional areas across the Ministry, with an investment of approximately 8,000 man-hours. The results of this comprehensive assessment were essential to determining the next focus areas in the Coalition’s mission to develop the Iraq security ministries. Director Bodisch also instructed Coalition team members in tactical convoy operations and conducted at least 40 tactical convoys between the International Zone and the Ministry of Interior/Forward Operating Base Shield and other locations within the “red zone” without incident.

For his service during 2005, Director Bodisch received the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Civilian Service Commendation Medal awarded by Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey, Commanding General for MNSTCI.

Director Bodisch’s second tour in Iraq began on 24 January 2007 as the Assistant Program Manager for the Department of Justice’s ICITAP-Iraq, Police Program. Upon his arrival in Iraq he assumed the position of Acting Program Manager and held that position until 24 April. Director Bodisch was responsible for 191 DOJ/ ICITAP international police trainers assigned to the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT), deployed throughout Iraq at 15 Iraqi police training centers and colleges. Director Bodisch also held the position of Director of Training for CPATT and was responsible for all international law enforcement instructors, and law enforcement education and training for the Ministry of Interior police forces, including the Iraqi Police Service, Border Forces, Facilities Protection Service, Investigative and Intelligence forces and the Iraqi National Police. CPATT was a subordinate command under the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq (MNSTCI) and was commanded by Lt. General James Dubik.

During 2007, over 15,000 Iraqi Police Service Basic Recruits were trained at training centers throughout Iraq. In addition, over 18,000 Iraqi National Police received Transition and Basic Recruit training and 6,400 police personnel received specialized, advanced and leadership training. During this period of time Director Bodisch was responsible for moving all law enforcement instruction from lecture-based to performance-based training and instituted an Iraq-wide training inspections program and Inspector General Program.

For his service in 2007, Director Bodisch received the U. S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal awarded by Lieutenant General James M. Dubik. In addition, the Dean of the Baghdad Police College, Iraqi Major General Jassim Taher Chilab, awarded Director Bodisch an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in International Police Studies degree for his efforts and support in re-establishing the Baghdad Police College as a center of excellence for Iraqi law enforcement education and training.

Bodisch has undertaken an extensive study of Islam, the Middle East and the Arab culture for the past 25+ years and maintains an extensive library and research material with respect to these areas of study. Pertinent areas of study include, but not limited to, the Quran, Sira, Hadith and Sharia Law.

Bodisch has an associate and Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of Houston, and a Master of Science degree in Quality Systems Management, a graduate of the Governor’s Executive Development Program, Class XXXIV, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs Law Enforcement Exchange Program (2008) and the United States Air Force National Security Forum (2017).

Bodisch was first commissioned as a Texas Peace Officer on 7 July 1973 and currently holds a Master Peace Officer license and has over 6800 hours of law enforcement education and training. Upon retirement on 31 August 2018, after a 45-year law enforcement career, Bodisch was commissioned a Special Texas Ranger by the Director of the Department of Public Safety.