CLEAT Names New Deputy Executive Director

For Immediate Release
August 16, 2024

AUSTIN — Jennifer Szimanski has been appointed to the position of Deputy Executive Director of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT). The announcement comes as the organization moves to expand membership recruitment in major population centers throughout Texas and gears up for a state legislative session where officer due process rights will again be front and center.

“We’re proud of the difference Jennifer is making in our organization, her record of proven leadership, and her deep commitment to bettering the lives and careers of our members. Our mission of growth, our history of standing up and fighting for justice in the Capitol, our reputation of heading up a real labor movement are protected by a true believer with a can-do attitude,” says Charley Wilkison, Chief Executive Officer. 

Szimanski will remain as division head of CLEAT Public Affairs while adding assignments in the Field Services and Membership divisions. 

“I’m honored to be a part of moving this organization forward and into the next chapter. As a 15-year member of law enforcement and an active peace officer, I have spent the last five years learning the organization, keeping up with rank-and-file issues, and trying to move the ball in a positive direction at the Capitol through relationships and critical policy conversations,” Szimanski says. “The attack on the law enforcement profession over the last five years is unprecedented and has been the cornerstone of my entrance into the fight for law enforcement on a larger scale. The rights and working conditions of officers, along with their safety, well-being, and access to legal representation, are top of mind each day. I look forward to this new opportunity and strive to honor the work of those who built this great organization. I would like to thank our current Executive Director, Charley Wilkison, for the selfless act of spending countless hours mentoring, training, and passing on invaluable skills and knowledge surrounding our labor organization.”

Jennifer Szimanski has been with the organization since 2019. She began her career in 2005 with the Texas Attorney General’s Office where she was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. In 2011, Jennifer joined the Austin Police Department, working patrol until transferring to the Austin Regional Intelligence Center as an intel officer. In 2019, she promoted to the rank of corporal/detective and was assigned as a patrol supervisor Corporal in Central East Austin before joining CLEAT. Jennifer is currently a Reserve Deputy at the Travis County Sheriff’s Office and has a life-long passion for law enforcement’s political environment, with a long history of connection and involvement in State politics.

Media Contacts:
CLEAT Public Affairs
news@cleat.org

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