We’re down to the wire on deciding who the next Chief of Police here in Dallas will be. There are three external candidates and two internal candidates, including the interim chief, in the middle of the meet-and-greet part of the proceedings. It’s not clear which of the internal candidates has an advantage; Interim Chief Igo has his fans on City Council (and apparently a slogan: “I go with Igo”) but he’s also been under fire from Attorney General Ken Paxton for comments that suggested he wouldn’t slavishly follow the Trump administration’s lead in harassing (possibly) undocumented folks.
For all that the applicants seem enthused about the job, it comes with downsides. Prop U still requires the city to hire about an additional 1000 officers, where the current plan for the next year calls for hiring only 300 more. So there’s a lawsuit coming from the Dallas HERO folks, as mentioned in a KERA article below. At the same time, the city has been struggling with planning a new police academy and whether or not it should be tied to the University of North Texas Dallas campus. The city’s current facilities need replacement even without considering hiring and training an additional 1000 officers. And continuing arguments about the location have jeopardized state funding, though the city and the state now seem to be on the same page.
So wish whoever gets the job good luck, because they’re going to need it.
Sources:
- Dallas Observer: Meet the 5 Candidates Vying to be Dallas’ Top Cop.
- KERA: Dallas police chief candidates prioritize recruiting, community engagement.
- KERA: Dallas HERO to city officials: Comply with Prop U or risk litigation.
- NBC DFW: Texas AG Ken Paxton opens investigation into Dallas alleging ‘Sanctuary city policies’. (March 13, 2025)
- Dallas Morning News: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recommits $5M for Dallas police academy. Council still has concerns.