Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall has drafted a reorganization plan for the department that is intended to be more effective while cutting back on the number of chief positions.

The plan, announced after a thorough "top to bottom" assessment, includes the appointment of her command staff. Only the police chief can select officers to the highest ranks of assistant and deputy chief and major.

Chief Hall hopes to bolster crime-fighting resources citywide, increase command-level presence in the field, and improve the quality of police response to citizens.

As part of the overall restructuring of the department, Chief Hall reduced the number of assistant and deputy chief positions while establishing higher expectations and responsibilities for majors, lieutenants, and sergeants.

The Dallas Police Department currently has nine assistant chief positions and 13 deputy chief positions. Under the reorganization plan, there will be three assistant chief positions and seven deputy chiefs.

The number of officers with the rank of major will remain at 15.

In addition, the seven patrol divisions in the city will remain but be aligned into four geographic sectors: central, couth, east, and west patrol divisions.

"Criminals don’t conform to our geographical enforcement boundaries, and we need a flexible structure to put officers where and when they are needed," says Chief Hall in a release. "That includes supervisors and command staff officers. I want the citizens of Dallas to see a much more engaged police force."

Each of the four geographic patrol divisions will be headed by a deputy chief and will include two majors, one working during the day and the other in the evening. The majors will have a larger presence in the field with patrol officers along with the lieutenants and sergeants.

"This change will help leadership in the management of citizen calls, and it will focus resources where crimes are being committed," Hall says. "We want to improve efficiency and provide high quality service to every Dallas citizen."

Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax says that the new plan stands to improve the way things run.

"Chief Hall's plan puts 'Service First' at all levels in the organization," Broadnax says in a release. "The new structure will deploy and maximize resources to make our city safer and more responsive to the needs of the community. I appreciate Chief Hall's thoughtful and thorough process to move the department forward."

The reorganization plan is effective December 13.