After months of searching, Dallas has a list of 5 candidates – hoping to be the city’s next police chief. On Monday night was the first of several meet and greets. Candace Sweat has more from City Hall.
After months of searching, Dallas has a list of five candidates hoping to be the city’s next police chief. Monday night was the first of several scheduled meet-and-greets at City Hall.
The list includes finalists with experience in local and federal law enforcement, but who all started their careers with a police department at the city level.
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WATCH HEREThey are Interim DPD Chief Michael Igo, DPD Assistant Chief Catrina Shead, Carrollton Chief of Police Roberto Arredondo, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux of Houston, and former FBI Assistant Director Brian Boetig.
The process is expected to move quickly from this point on. The candidates will attend another meet and greet on Tuesday, April 1, which is open to the public. That will be followed by a meeting with City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, who will make a final decision in the coming days.
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SIGN UP On Monday, Councilman Chad West said former Chief Eddie Garcia's leadership was largely responsible for violent crime reduction in the city, but said there’s more to be done.
“My residents are asking, now that we’ve seen the violent crime go down, to start seeing these other crimes go down as well. So that’s going to be the next iteration that’s expected by this new police chief,” West said.
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Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins said community, people-centered policing must be a priority as well.
“When I grew up, you knew your police. He lived in the same neighborhood as y’all. He called you by your first name, you called him by the first name,” said Atkins. “That’s what you want in a police officer.”
NBC 5 also caught up with the director of the Office of Community Police Oversight, Michele Andre, who recently reached a milestone by completing her first 100 days on the job. She said she’d like to see a police chief who will collaborate with the board.
“We work so closely, and our mission is so aligned with improving the trust in community, so I think it’s really important to have someone who is coming from a background with understanding how to work with oversight,” said Andre.
The next chief will inherit a department that has seen the violent crime rate fall each year since 2021, but also will be tasked with adding officers after voters last November approved a measure requiring DPD to hire about 900 officers to reach 4,000 officers.
Tolbert said she plans to make a hiring decision for the city's next police chief by the second week of April. She released a statement in March about the meet and greets that reads in part:
“We will gain valuable insight into each candidate’s vision for continuing to make Dallas one of the safest large cities in the U.S., how they plan to attract and retain top talent, and innovate within the department.”
Schedule of meet and greets:
- Monday, March 31: 4:00-5:00 p.m., Meet & Greet with the City Council at City Hall.
- Monday, March 31: 5:30-6:30 p.m., Meet & Greet with members of the feedback panels at City Hall.
- Tuesday, April 1: 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., feedback panels, which include community representatives, law enforcement experts, and city officials.
- Tuesday, April 1: 6-7:30 p.m., Public Meet & Greet at City Hall in the lobby.
- Wednesday, April 2: Meetings with City Manager Tolbert and senior and executive leadership.
