Dallas has named an interim police chief to lead the department until a permanent replacement is found for outgoing Chief Eddie Garcia.
Dallas Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert announced Friday that Dallas Police Executive Assistant Chief Michael Igo will serve as interim chief effective the end of the day on Friday, Oct. 18.
“It is an honor to be named as Interim Dallas Police Chief. I want to thank Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert for this assignment and her confidence in me,” said Igo. “For the last three decades, I have remained committed to the safety of this great City and its residents. I look forward to serving in this new capacity and will continue prioritizing crime reduction and recruiting the best and brightest that this country has to offer.”
That's when current Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia will leave his position and begin his move to Austin, where he'll be the assistant city manager overseeing public safety.
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Igo has been with the Dallas Police Department for more than three decades. According to the city, he was first promoted to senior corporal in 1997 and went on to become a sergeant, lieutenant, major, deputy chief, and assistant chief before his appointment to executive assistant chief in January 2024.
“I am confident that Chief Igo will provide the Dallas Police Department with the continuity we need during this transition. His experience, trust within the community, and knowledge of the Department gives me the confidence that he is the right person at the right time for this assignment,” said Tolbert. “Chief Igo has been unwavering in his commitment to his service in uniform. He will continue the Dallas Police Department’s focus on safety, our number one priority."
On Friday, the president of the Dallas Police Association told NBC 5, Igo understands the challenges and needs facing the department.
"We find ourselves in a unique situation," Jaime Castro with DPA said. "Chief Igo is ready. He's been ready. And it's someone who can most definitely fill the interim position for the time being."
Sheldon Smith, president of the Dallas chapter of National Black Police Association says it's a positive to have an interim who is familiar with all levels of the Dallas Police Department.
"In due time, we'll find out if that's something that he can do full time," Smith said Friday.
The city said that in his various roles with the department, Igo "provided leadership and supervision to field supervisors, sergeants, police officers, specialized units, and patrol divisions. He has collaborated with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, served as a departmental liaison to City Hall, analyzed crime trends and conducted weekly violent crime analysis to improve residential safety, and conducted internal and external investigations."
Igo has a bachelor of science degree in commercial economics from South Dakota University. He completed the inaugural Sergeant Series Leadership School and Lieutenant Series Leadership School from the Caruth Police Institute, as well as the FBI Command College at the University of Texas, the Law Enforcement Management Institute of North Texas at Texas A&M University, and the Senior Management Institute for Police.
