DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) — The new Dallas City Manager says finding a new police chief is one of his top priorities.
T.C Broadnax says the city is about a month or so away from getting a new full-time chief, with the goal being mid-to-late July. Chief David Brown will have been out of the position for nine months by that point.
Broadnax said despite applicants raising concerns about some of the department’s problems, including the pension and low staffing numbers, he still believes it’s a great job to have.
“The history of our police department is, in my opinion, one of the best places I would argue a chief would want to come work,” Broadnax said.
Some of the qualities he said he’s looking for: leadership, understanding of a diverse community, inspirational, thick skin, and up for a challenge — something that could be necessary considering some of the challenges the Dallas Police Department faces.
“In the state of where the Dallas Police Department is, this is the perfect opportunity for somebody to come in and make a huge impact,” Broadnax said. “Not just on morale of the existing workforce, but really being able to lean into a city that’s very supportive of law enforcement.”
Interim Chief David Pughes said when he stepped in for Brown last October that he was not interested in the job full-time. Broadnax said, to his knowledge, that Pughes’ mind has not changed.
He added that adding officers to the force and then retaining them will be a high priority for the new chief, whenever he or she is hired.
“That obviously will continue to be something the new chief will have to focus on: the recruitment and retention of officers,” Broadnax said. “At the same time, they’re trying to provide service to the third largest city that operates in this form of government.”
