Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia staying "home" with DPD
DALLAS — Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia says he's staying "home." He shared the news after the City of Dallas announced Thursday afternoon it reached an agreement to keep him at the Dallas Police Department through at least 2027.
CBS News Texas previously reported that Houston was courting Garcia to take over its police department, after the recent departure of its chief.
There was also speculation that Austin would be interested in pulling Garcia away; Former Dallas city manager TC Broadnax, who brought Garcia to DPD in 2020, was recently hired as Austin's city manager.
Amid the recent rumors, leaders across the city spoke out about wanting to keep Garcia in Dallas: Mayor Eric Johnson called him the best police chief in the country; The Dallas Police Association called on the city to do everything in its power to retain him; The former chair of the police oversight board in Dallas said Garcia is "probably the best we've had."
Terms of the agreement include retention bonuses of $10,000 every six months, on top of Garcia's $306,000 salary. Garcia also agreed to stay on through at least May of 2027, and to help the city choose its next chief when the time comes.
After the deal was announced Thursday, Garcia posted a simple message on X:
Home = @DallasPD.
— Eddie Garcia (@DPDChiefGarcia) May 16, 2024
Johnson released the following statement:
Dallas is fortunate to have such a capable and committed police chief at the helm of our police department. Chief Garcia's dedication to Dallas has been invaluable in driving significant improvement in our city's public safety. His leadership and data-driven strategies have led to record decreases in violent crime and have fostered trust throughout the Dallas community.
Chief Garcia's decision to continue serving Dallas speaks volumes about our city. I, personally, look forward to our continued partnership in serving the residents of Dallas, and I have full confidence that, together, we will continue to make significant strides as we work to make Dallas the safest big city in America.