Dallas Police Department Chief Eddie Garcia plans to retire from law enforcement and move to Austin to assume a new administrative position overseeing the capital city’s public safety.
A memorandum obtained by WFAA revealed that Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax confirmed Garcia has been appointed to one of four assistant city manager positions.
“I am excited to welcome Mr. Garcia as our new Assistant City Manager over public safety. His extensive experience and deep commitment to the communities he serves makes him the ideal leader to join my executive team,” Broadnax said per the memorandum. “I am confident that under his leadership, our public safety efforts will continue to thrive and evolve to meet the needs of our growing city.”
Garcia’s move means he will rejoin Broadnax, who previously worked as the Dallas city manager. Broadnax resigned in February after seven controversial years in the role.
Although it’s unclear when Garcia will make the move, Broadnax stated that Garcia’s role will be effective November 4.
In another memo obtained by WFAA, Garcia confirmed to Dallas PD employees that he will be leaving the department.
“This is not the manner I wanted you to find out. But unfortunately, you cannot keep secrets,” the memo read. “After much reflection and consideration, I have made the difficult decision to retire from my career in law enforcement. This has not been an easy choice, as my time in service has been deeply meaningful and fulfilling. For many years, I have been honored to protect and serve the community.”
Garcia’s reported departure comes after he and the city reached an agreement for him to remain the city’s police chief until mid-2027. The agreement would pay Garcia a salary of $306,440.40 and he would receive a retention bonus of $10,000 every six months.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Interim City Manager Kimberly Tolbert released a joint statement to WFAA that expressed their gratitude for Garcia’s time working for the city.
“Chief Garcia was the right leader at the right time for the Dallas Police Department,” the two said. “The results of this partnership have been remarkable. Our city has achieved three consecutive years of violent crime reduction that bucked national trends. We have built greater trust between our communities and our police department. We have improved morale among our hardworking men and women in blue, and we acknowledge that the strength of the Dallas Police Department lies not in one individual, but in the collective efforts of the many courageous men and women who serve our city every day.”
“While we are sorry to see him go, we also know that big city police chiefs never stick around forever. We are fortunate to have had a capable, committed, experienced, and innovative police chief these last three and a half years. We wish him the best of luck on his next journey,” the statement continued.
Johnson and Tolbert are now searching for a new chief who will achieve their goal of “making Dallas the safest major city in America.”
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