Police News

7 candidates to interview for Dallas Police Chief including 3 on staff

A final decision will be made by the end of December.

Courtesy photo

The search for a new Chief of Police for the Dallas Police Department has been narrowed down to seven candidates, three of whom are already on staff.

They'll be interviewing to replace Chief U. Reneé Hall, who gave her notice in September that she'd be leaving at the end of 2020.

According to a release from the city of Dallas, the interview process is already underway.

"I'm pleased to report our progress in this process, and know the men and women of DPD look forward to new leadership continuing the work Chief Hall began towards R.E.A.L. change – responsibly, equitably, accountably and legitimately reimagining public safety," said city manager T.C. Broadnax in a statement.

The candidates include:

Albert Martinez – Director of Security for Dallas Catholic Dioceses/Former DPD Deputy Chief
Avery Moore – Assistant Police Chief, Dallas Police Department
Eddie Garcia – Chief of Police, San Jose, California
Jeff Spivey – Chief of Police, City of Irving, Texas
Malik Aziz – Major, Dallas Police Department
Reuben Ramirez – Deputy Chief, Dallas Police Department
RaShall Brackney – Chief of Police, Charlottesville, Virginia

The seven candidates were selected from a pool of 36 applicants from across the U.S. and were vetted by Public Sector Search and Consulting, an executive talent recruitment firm experienced in police chief searches for dozens of cities including San Francisco, Seattle, Nashville, and Sacramento.

Members of the Dallas City Council provides questions to Public Safety Committee Chair Jennifer Gates. Candidates' answers will be pre-recorded for viewing on cable TV and City of Dallas' social media channels next week.

In addition, 55 organizations from groups representing neighborhood, faith-based, nonprofit, police oversight and cultural diversity, police employee associations, and city executive staff have been invited to participate in panel interviews beginning December 15.

Broadnax will then select final candidates, and expects to select and appoint the next chief in December to start in early 2021.

Meanwhile, Assistant Chief Lonzo Anderson will serve as Interim Chief beginning December 15. Anderson is a 23-year-veteran of the department.

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Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

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This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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