DALLAS — Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia Thursday announced his intent to retire from law enforcement to take a job with the City of Austin.
A memo obtained by WFAA from Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax confirmed Garcia was appointed assistant city manager in Austin effective Nov. 4. Broadnax took over as Austin’s city manager earlier this year after a stint as Dallas’ city manager.
"I am excited to welcome Mr. Garcia as our new Assistant City Manager over public safety," Broadnax said in a statement. "His extensive experience and deep commitment to the communities he serves makes him the ideal leader to join my executive team. 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."
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Dallas Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert called Garcia the "right leader at the right time for the Dallas Police Department" in a joint statement.
"We are immensely grateful to Chief Garcia for his dedicated service and unwavering commitment to the safety of our residents. 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," Johnson and Tolbert's statement said. "We shared a vision for a safer Dallas that relied on proven strategies and a relentless approach to fighting crime, and we worked together to prioritize public safety at City Hall and turn the tide against violence in Dallas neighborhoods."
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised the hire in a social media post.
"I’m very pleased with City Manager Broadnax’s appointment of Chief Eddie Garcia as the new Assistant City Manager over Public Safety," Mayor Watson's post reads. "Chief Garcia is a seasoned, successful leader, who will bring more than 30 years of experience in public safety to Austin."
Dallas Police Sgt. Sheldon Smith, the National Black Police Association for Dallas chapter president, said he knew Garcia's move was coming.
“I knew it was coming, but I just didn’t think it would be this soon,” said Smith. “He’s had a favorable time as chief while he’s been here in Dallas…He’s done a good job. He’s going to do well in Austin,” Smith said. “We wish him the best of luck, but chiefs don’t last that long. Generally, about five years.”
As for what he hopes for in the next Dallas police chief, Smith said he’s hoping for openness.
“Some of the traits actually that Chief Garcia had,” Smith said. “He was very open to speaking with the associations, had an open door policy with him – we could give him the stories from the boots on the ground…most of the things we asked for he did it. He listened.”
Watch our full interview with Smith here:
He said the next chief will also have to be ready to address a changing world.
Interim City Manager Kim Tolbert previously said in May that Garcia had agreed to a plan that would keep him in Dallas through at least mid-2027. Under the agreement, Garcia's salary would remain $306,440.40 but starting this November he would receive a retention bonus of $10,000 every six months.
Dallas City Council member Paula Blackmon called Garcia "an incredible changemaker for the City of Dallas."
"Known on the national stage for his innovative and data driven approach to public safety and is respected by his rank and file as well as all of our communities throughout Dallas," Blackmon said. "We have been making incredible progress in Dallas reducing violent crime, shoring up the pension fund and being a more responsive department. His departure is a huge loss for the City, but I am thankful for his service to Dallas and more importantly his friendship. I wish him well on his next journey."
She also said Garcia's departure comes at a critical time, citing the upcoming election in November when voters will consider "three dangerous charter amendments brought forth by Dallas HERO."
The Dallas HERO organization successfully gathered enough signatures to put three city charter amendments before Dallas voters on Nov. 5. If passed, the proposals would separately require the city to increase police pay and hire more officers, put the city manager on performance-based pay and allow citizens to sue city officials if they don’t follow the law.
The city has estimated that, in order to hire the 900 additional police officers over the course of a year that would be required of the Dallas Police Department should voters approve Dallas HERO's amendment, a roughly $175 million infusion would have to be put into the DPD's annual budget.
" One will hamstring our Police Chief with hiring 900 officers in the next year-an unrealistic and arbitrary number and will put the city in financial chaos," Blackmon said.
Dallas City Council member Jaynie Schultz in a statement wished Garcia luck in his new role.
“I’m very sorry he is leaving Dallas and wish him luck in his future endeavors,” said Schultz. “Dallas is a resilient city and our City Manager will recruit someone who is the leader we need. I have full faith in her abilities to find the right person for our next chief.”
Tarrant County Commissioner Manny Ramirez, who’s also a 15-year veteran with the Fort Worth Police Department, called Garcia leaving “a tremendous loss” for the Dallas Police Department and the city in a social media post.
“Tremendous loss for @DallasPD, @CityofDallas, and all of North Texas,” Ramirez wrote. “Congratulations, Chief Garcia on a job well done.”
Meanwhile, Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock said he’s hopeful Garcia will be able to support their new chief in addressing staffing and public safety issues.
“To have someone like Chief Garcia coming down in order to support our new chief, I think, is going to hopefully lead to some good results in us being able to get out of the crisis that we’re currently in so we’re looking forward to seeing what he’s able to do, working with him,” Bullock said.
Watch our full interview with Bullock here: