Dallas Has a New Top Cop

David Brown sworn in at 3 p.m. Tuesday

One time Dallas police officer David Brown is now Dallas Police Chief David Brown.

After 26 years with the force, and a myriad of duties, Brown, 49, was sworn in as the top cop Tuesday afternoon by retired Judge Larry Baraka.  Following the ceremony, Brown expressed his gratitude and laid out his intention for his tenure as chief.

"I continue to be humbled by this appointment and by this selection by Mrs. Suhm, city manager, as police chief," said Brown. "I'm very proud. I can't say enough how much I love this city, having been born and raised. I've been committed to insuring that all areas of Dallas are the safest areas ... [so that] Dallas can be the safest city in America."

Brown follows David Kunkle, who, as chief from 2004-2010, increased the number of officers by 700 and brought the city's crime rate down to a level not seen in decades.

"We won't be able to take no for an answer. This will be the safest city in America," Brown said.

“I think this is one of the tougher cities in America to be the police chief in,” Kunkle said after announcing his retirement. “It’s a big city, and it's a city with a historically high crime rate and, like a lot of southern cities, it’s a city that has a tough time dealing with the issue of race.”

Brown may be the perfect person to continue the positive work began by Kunkle. In the three decades with the DPD, Brown worked in patrol divisions, SWAT, internal affairs and other units.  Brown knows the city and he knows the officers.  The lack of the latter Kunkle listed as his only regret during his time as chief.

Brown is a graduate of South Oak Cliff High School and the University of Texas at Austin. He has repeatedly stated that his inspiration for joining the Dallas Police Department was the downward spiral into crime and deterioration that took place in his childhood neighborhood.

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