Police Chief Eddie Garcia's departure to Austin will leave pivotal leadership void in Dallas
DALLAS - Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia was on the job one day after the announcement that he is retiring to become assistant city manager in Austin with his old Dallas boss, T.C. Broadnax.
The hope is the chief will help usher transformation to the Austin Police Department and have the same type of impact as he has had on the Dallas community.
Garcia will leave a void at the Dallas Police Department, the city and especially the Hispanic community, as Garcia made history as the city's first Hispanic and Spanish-speaking police chief.
"We adored him. I had the privilege of having lunch with Eddie every month for three and a half years," said Dallas LULAC President Rene Martinez. "We would exchange ideas, talk, just enjoy ourselves. And everywhere we went, people would come up to him and say, ‘You're doing a great job!’ So he is a very unique person."
Austin City Councilwoman McKenzie Kelly was in a meeting with her city manager, former Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax, when she got a text from a reporter telling her about the appointment. She praised Broadnax for bringing Garcia with his Dallas track record to Austin.
"He has the knowledge, skills and ability to really bring the city of Austin forward when it comes to public safety and help us overcome some of the challenges that we currently are facing," she said.
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Garcia's going tasks Interim Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert with starting a national search for a new chief.
It could be challenging for the interim city manager to try to hire a new chief in a city where the chief doesn’t have a contract.
"It depends on the authority that the mayor and council has given this city manager in conducting this search," said Mike Alexander with the LION Institute.
Alexander trains law enforcement leadership across the country and has served in positions as interim police chief as well as interim and appointed city manager.
He thinks the relationship between Garcia and Broadnax was a factor in Garcia's decision to leave DPD, a department Alexander says needed transformational leadership three-and-a-half years ago.
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"The very same things, if not worse, is happening right there in Austin, Texas," Alexander said. "And so now he's coming to work as an assistant city manager for a city manager that he was extremely loyal to."
Alexander believes the relationship will be good for Austin and Garcia in his new role.
"Garcia is a transparent leader who is also considered by so many to be a revered role model," he said. "So the conditions for both places were absolutely perfect for him as a change agent."
Dallas City Hall has yet to announce any next steps to replace Garcia.