“I have the best job in the world—even though it’s as challenging as it is—because I legitimately get to work with heroes every single day.”
Chief Robin Henderson, who served as the interim Chief of Police for the Austin Police Department, has worn many titles: daughter of a veteran, single mother, field training officer, undercover operative, and now, the leader of one of Texas’s largest law enforcement agencies. But through it all, one thing has remained constant: her steadfast devotion to service.
Robin’s journey began not with a badge but with a dream of dentistry. A bright young student on an academic scholarship at Tarleton State, her life shifted dramatically when she became a single mother.
Forced to leave school and return home to El Paso, she juggled parenting, classes, and bartending late into the night. It was a demanding schedule built on determination and love.
Her father, a retired Army sergeant major and veteran’s liaison, recognized her need for stability. When the Austin Police Department and Fire Department visited his office, he told her, “You’re now responsible for another human. You need something more stable.” That push led to a life-defining decision.
Robin applied. Within two weeks, APD called. The rest is history.
Starting in Northeast Austin patrol, Robin faced the unique pressures of rotating shifts and raising a child alone. From patrol to undercover stings with the Street Response Unit, from training cadets to running operations as assistant chief, each step required grit, wisdom, and grace. And she gave it all.
She found one of her most extraordinary callings in training others.
“You are constantly in a state of improving yourself,” she said. “It’s difficult to teach if you don’t know what you’re teaching. You’re always being challenged with the ‘why.’”
That hunger for growth eventually led her through the ranks. From sergeant to lieutenant, assistant chief, and interim chief, Robin rose through the system, not just because of ambition but because of conviction. She understood the weight of leadership, especially as a woman of color in a challenging profession.
“There’s this high level of expectation, but not necessarily the high level of support,” she shared. Yet, she continues to support her fellow officers. “They are excellent officers, and I love them. They are phenomenal.”
Chief Robin Henderson’s story isn’t just about rising through the ranks. It’s about sacrifice, purpose, and proving to her son and the world that faithfulness, strength, and compassion define a true warrior. A great American warrior.
To learn more about Trudy Jacobson and her support of female first responders, veterans, and entrepreneurs, go to www.TrudyJacobson.com
Subscribe to Trudy Jacobson’s YouTube channel to watch the other Great American Warrior interviews at https://www.youtube.com/@trudyjacobsonta
Other Great American Warrior interview articles:
- Dr. Pam Arnell committed her life to helping LEOs, first responders, and veterans with 22Zero.org after observing her late war hero husband recover from post-traumatic stress. Read her story HERE.
- Jessica Owen, who was a recent guest on the Shawn Ryan Show, went from homeless to hero with the nonprofit organization We Fight Monsters. But her story goes far deeper than just homelessness.
