Tarrant Regional Water District’s Law Enforcement Division Chief David Geary called 2025 a “new era of leadership and responsibilities.” Among the new leaders of the agency’s growing departments is Emergency Management and Security Operations Coordinator Lt.
Victoria Bailey.
Formerly an Azle Police Department dispatcher and patrol officer, in June 2015 she was approached about working for TRWD as a patrol officer. Today she oversees her own team of dispatchers.
For most of her life, law enforcement has been close to Bailey’s heart. Growing up, she was often near her father, who was a police officer in a small Nevada town, while he was writing reports or training. She eagerly joined her high school’s police work study program where she got a glimpse into the day-to-day duties of an officer.
After high school, she joined the United States Marines and then went to college to pursue criminal justice. When Bailey moved to Texas in 2006, she secured a job at Azle’s 911 dispatch center for police, fire and EMS. The APD sent her to the police academy where she graduated in 2009. She then moved to the criminal investigation division and managed APD’s community outreach program. At the time, Azle managed the dispatch services for TRWD, so Bailey came to know the organization and its employees.
Under the leadership of Geary and Lt. Randall Cocke, TRWD began its own dispatch center in 2019. By that time, Bailey had risen through the ranks and was working on a master’s degree in disaster management. She quickly became the most qualified and capable candidate to head up the new department as coordinator. On top of her responsibilities as a lieutenant, Bailey now heads a six-person dispatch team answering calls around the clock, serves on the security planning team and safety steering team.
“My career path is neat to reflect back on; day to day I don’t recall any catalyst career moments, but I was clearly blessed with directional opportunities—I’m appreciative for sure! Of course I can’t take credit for the TRWD Communications Center, inception was prior to my involvement—Lt Cocke, who your article is featuring, gets the accolades,” Bailey said.
Bailey and her team serve as the bridge between TRWD other agencies, first responders and contractors. As part of her job duties, she’s established the necessary relationships and planning to ensure that all parties can more quickly react and recover in the event of a major emergency. The department operates much like a 911 dispatch office, while also receiving and disseminating water districtrelated community concerns.
During the city of Fort Worth’s Fourth of July celebration, Bailey coordinates and trains local agencies in emergency response and how to handle the event’s nearly 100,000 annual attendees.
Bailey said her role requires constant flexibility with no two situations ever being exactly the same.
“Motivating others through mitigation efforts and training in scenario-based conversation can be a bit cumbersome,” Bailey said. “So, I get the most geeked-out when what would otherwise be a disastrous event ends up as merely unscheduled tasks for all involved... Because everyone did their preparedness part prior.”
Outside of work, Bailey and her family enjoy the outdoors, beekeeping and traveling.
Tarrant Regional Water District Lt. Victoria Bailey PHOTO COURTESY TRWD
