Ron DeLord was elected in 1977 to the first of ten three-year terms as president of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT), representing 18,000 members. He later served as executive director and is currently serving as the special counsel to the executive director at CLEAT. Prior to joining CLEAT, DeLord served as a police officer for the Beaumont (Texas) Police Department from 1969 to 1971 and the Mesquite (Texas) Police Department from 1971 to 1978.

DeLord attended the ten-week Harvard University Trade Union Program, in Boston in 1992. He received a B.S. degree in Government from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas in 1971; an M.A. degree in Police Science and Administration from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas in 1982; and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston in 1986. He has been a licensed Texas attorney since 1987.

DeLord is a guest faculty member at the Harvard Trade Union Program and the Police Union Leadership Seminar sponsored by the Labor and Worklife Program at the Harvard Law School. He has also served as a lecturer for the Police Labor-Management Executive Leadership Programs sponsored by the School of Labor and Industrial Relations and School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. He has conducted seminars and lectures throughout United States, Canada and Australia."

Ron DeLord is the co-author of Texas Lawmen, 1835-1899: The Good and the Bad; Police Association Power, Politics, and Confrontation: A Guide for the Successful Police Labor Leader; and, Police Union Power, Politics, and Confrontation in the 21st Century: New Challenges, New Issues.

According to the book description of Texas Lawmen, 1835-1899: The Good and the Bad, “The tally of Texas lawmen killed in the line of duty during the state's first sixty-five years of organized law enforcement is truly staggering. From Texas Rangers the likes of Silas Mercer Parker Jr., gunned down at Parker's Fort in 1836, to Denton County sheriff's deputy Floyd Coberly, murdered by an inmate in 1897 after ten days on the job, this collection accounts for all of those unsung heroes. Not merely an attempt to retell a dozen popular peace officer legends, Texas Lawmen, 1835-1899 represents thousands of hours of research conducted over more than a decade. Ronald DeLord and Cliff Caldwell have carefully assembled a unique and engaging chronicle of Texas history.”

Texas Lawmen, 1835-1899: The Good and the Bad Cliff Caldwell  More Info Police Association Power, Politics, and Confrontation: A Guide for the Successful Police Labor Leader John H. Burpo  More Info Police Union Power, Politics, and Confrontation in the 21st Century: New Challenges, New Issues Ron Delord  More Info

One reader of Police Union Power, Politics, and Confrontation in the 21st Century: New Challenges, New Issues said, “I have met and listened to Ron DeLord many times. Despite being on opposite sides of the Globe the philosophies remain the same when dealing with the politics of achieving entitlements for Law Enforcement officers. Ron's latest book makes compelling reading and explains the practicalities on how to achieve positive outcomes. Despite reading his latest edition I won’t be passing it on for anyone else. It remains in my office's bookcase for future reference..”