Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen has made a groundbreaking appointment, naming Erica Davis as the first African American woman to serve as a civilian Chief of Staff for a law enforcement agency in Harris County—potentially marking a first nationwide. Davis, elected in 2020, serves as a Trustee and Second Vice President on the Harris County Department of Education Board and is the Chairwoman of Governmental Affairs.
“The community I know in this day and time wants to see change and not just hear about change,” stated Constable Rosen. While former Sheriff Adrian Garcia, now Commissioner, pioneered the role by appointing the first Chief of Staff in local law enforcement, Constable Alan Rosen took the historic step further by emphasizing the importance of diversity at the leadership level. The appointment reflects his commitment to ensuring leadership positions reflect the community they serve.
“This decision was not hard,” Rosen explained. “Erica Davis has been with our agency since I was elected.” Davis was promoted through different positions and brings years of public service experience to the role and has transformed community engagement through her innovative initiatives, including launching comprehensive educational safety programs that have reached thousands of residents, organizing large-scale resource fairs that have provided essential services to underserved communities, and establishing groundbreaking youth dialogue platforms that tackle critical social issues. Before joining the Constable’s office, Davis worked as a High School Spanish Teacher at Mt. Carmel High School and served as interim director for the Acres Homes Chamber for Business & Economic Development.
Her academic credentials are equally impressive, holding a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston and master’s degrees from both the University of Texas and Columbia University. She is currently pursuing a doctor- ate at the University of Pennsylvania, researching “Learning in the Political Ecosystem: A Case Study Approach to Self-Directed Learning of Language Among Local Elected Officials.”
In her role as Chief of Staff, Davis provides executive support for depart- mental policies, goals, and procedures. She works closely with leadership to develop comprehensive long-term strategies and various functions of the agency. Davis also serves as a liaison with elected officials, external stake- holders, and the public. Her commitment to public service extends beyond her role at the Con- stable’s office. Her election as Trustee on the Harris County Department of Education Board in 2020 further dem- onstrates her dedication to community service and institutional improvement.
Most exciting is Davis’s Houston roots, spanning from Sunnyside to Acres Homes, Fifth Ward, and Third Ward. Her father also made history as the first Black chaplain of the Houston Police Department and served with distinction as Major and Captain of the Sheriff’s Office, and now serving as Captain at Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, also appointed by Constable Alan Rosen. Erica Davis is married to David who serves in the United States Airforce and she is the proud bonus mom to Elijah also known as Pooh. She continues to focus on building bridges between law enforcement and the community, believing in collab- orative approaches to achieve best practice policies.
