DALLAS — More details about Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia's contract have been revealed with the publication of an offer letter amendment written which ensures Garcia will stay the highest paid chief in Texas for several years.
The amendment, written to Garcia by Interim Dallas City Manager Kimberly Tolbert, states that if the chief of any Texas city with a population of more than 1 million receives a higher salary than Garcia's base salary of $306,440.40, Garcia will receive a raise to exceed that salary.
Garcia's salary runs through May 8, 2027. It also includes a $20,000 annual retention incentive, to be paid out $10,000 every six months. If Garcia's contract is terminated earlier "for convenience" – as in, no fault of his own – he would be paid a lump sum of one year of his salary at the rate in effect at that time. But if he were to voluntarily resign or be fired for poor performance or a felony conviction, he would not receive any payment.
Tolbert also wrote in the letter that, were Garcia to voluntarily resign, he acknowledges that he would continue to be available to the city to help with the transition to a new police chief.
Garcia, in a statement released last month, said Dallas is the "right place to complete my service."
“To live and work in Dallas is to love Dallas,” Garcia said at the time. “This is the right place to complete my service, and I know your police officers are honored to serve Dallas residents. We will keep doing our jobs with excellence and results.”
Garcia's new contract came quickly after both Houston and Austin showed interest in hiring Garcia to be their new police chief. The city of Austin had recently hired former Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax for the same position with their city, and Broadnax was the man who hired Garcia as Dallas Police Chief in 2021.