FORT WORTH — A longtime lawman with ties to Texas will be Fort Worth's next police chief.
Joel Fitzgerald, who holds degrees from Harvard and Northwestern universities, will also become the city's first African-American chief when he arrives next month after spending the past few years in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he led a department of 200 officers.
He will have far more manpower to manage in Fort Worth, where there are roughly 1,500 officers.
"All indications are, he is a great choice," said community activist Kyev Tatum. "You need someone with incredible management and business skills to get in there, assess the situation, offer solutions and then produce."
Tatum has long been critical of the department's relationship with the black community, especially in areas like Stop Six.
He said he hopes the new chief works to cut down on officer-involved incidents, and also works to improve relationships with black officers within the department.
"That has been a problem," Tatum said.
Former Fort Worth Chief Jeff Halstead faced backlash — and eventually a lawsuit — from a number of black officers over allegations of discrimination during his tenure.
But Halstead was instrumental in bringing body camera technology to the force, something that Fitzgerald will be able to continue using.
The new chief told WFAA media partner the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he is "...sensitive to all parties involved in interactions with police."
Earlier in his career, Fitzgerald held jobs in Philadelphia and also served as chief in the Houston suburb of Missouri City.
"I think he was definitely at the top of the list," said Rick VanHouten, president of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association. "Obviously, his experience is elsewhere, so there is going to be a learning curve with local issues."
In Allentown, local media reports suggest Fitzgerald has been popular, bringing back programs like a department ride-along.
But the department also faced a slew of lawsuits for officer misconduct during the past year, according to the town's Morning Call.
Fort Worth says it is 100 percent behind the man who beat out five other finalists for the job.
"Chief Fitzgerald will be a dynamic asset to Fort Worth," said city manager David Cooke.
