The Dallas Police Department has had 31 chiefs of police since it was founded in 1881. The current chief, Daniel C. Comeaux, was sworn in on April 23, 2025, after an interim period that followed Eddie Garcia’s departure in late 2024.1Dallas Police Department. Chief of Police A full list of Dallas police chiefs, grouped by era, follows below.
Early Chiefs, 1881 Through the Mid-1900s
The city established its police department in 1881, and the city secretary’s office keeps the historical archive of every chief who has led the force.2Dallas Police Department. History Leadership turned over frequently in the department’s first decades, and record-keeping from that era is uneven across sources.
Early chiefs in the late 1800s and early 1900s included J.C. Arnold, J.M. Morgan, B.F. Brandenberg, W.M. Rea, and J.W. Ryan, among others. Mid-century leaders included Claude Trammell, J.M. Welch, and R.A. “Dick” Lunday, who oversaw the department during a period of rapid urban growth. The city secretary’s archives hold the most complete record of exact service dates for these earlier tenures.
Chiefs From the 1960s Through the 1990s
The record is better documented from the 1960s onward. Jesse Curry led the department during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. Charles Batchelor succeeded Curry, followed by Frank Dyson in the early 1970s. Donald Byrd, Glen King, and Billy Prince guided the department through the late 1970s and 1980s. Mack Vines, William Rathburn, and Bennie Click carried it through the 1990s.
Modern Chiefs, 1999 to Present
The most recent chiefs, whose tenures are well-documented, are:
- Terrell Bolton (1999–2003), the first Black chief in the department’s history. Promoted from within, he served about four years before the city manager removed him in August 2003.
- David Kunkle (2004–2010), who led the department for six years before retiring.
- David Brown (2010–2016), the 28th chief, sworn in May 2010. He served through the July 2016 ambush attack that killed five Dallas officers and retired in October 2016.
- U. Renée Hall (2017–2020), the first woman to lead the department. She began on September 5, 2017, and resigned in 2020.3Dallas City News Hub. Dallas Chief Renee Hall Resigns Citing Undisclosed Opportunity
- Eddie Garcia (2021–2024), the first Latino chief. He was sworn in on February 3, 2021, after leading the San Jose, California police department. He left Dallas in late 2024 and later became chief of police in Fort Worth.
- Michael T. Igo (2024–2025), who served as interim chief during the search for Garcia’s replacement.4Dallas City News Hub. Five Finalists Named for New Dallas Police Department Chief of Police
- Daniel C. Comeaux (2025–present), named the 31st chief on April 23, 2025, after a nationwide search.1Dallas Police Department. Chief of Police
Firsts and Short Tenures
A handful of appointments on this list broke new ground. Bolton’s 1999 selection made him not only the first Black chief but also the first promoted from within the department’s own ranks since 1982. Hall became the first woman to lead the department in 2017. Garcia became the first Latino chief in 2021.
The list also tells a story the names alone don’t. Bolton was fired by the city manager. Hall resigned mid-tenure. Garcia left just months after signing a retention agreement meant to keep him in Dallas through at least mid-2027. Most recent chiefs have served four years or fewer, and that pattern is a consistent feature of the modern era, not a run of coincidences.
Who Is the Current Dallas Police Chief?
Daniel C. Comeaux took office as the 31st Dallas Police Chief on April 23, 2025.1Dallas Police Department. Chief of Police City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert selected him from a field of five finalists after a nationwide search that included public input forums.5Dallas City News Hub. Dallas City Manager Names Daniel Comeaux as New Dallas Police Department Chief of Police
Before coming to Dallas, Comeaux was Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Houston Field Division, a federal background that sets him apart from a line of chiefs drawn mostly from municipal policing. He inherited a department with roughly 3,215 sworn officers as of mid-2025, with authorized strength running well above that actual headcount.6City of Dallas. Clarification on Dallas Police Department Hiring Goals His starting base salary is approximately $310,000 a year, in line with what Dallas paid Garcia.
How Dallas Picks Its Chief
Dallas uses a council-manager form of government, so the city manager hires and fires the police chief directly. The Dallas City Charter, Chapter XII, establishes the department and places it under a chief of police.7Dallas Police Department. General Orders – Section: 100.01 Authority, Organizational Structure, Chain of Command When a vacancy opens, the city manager’s office runs a nationwide search, usually with an executive recruitment firm. The city council is consulted and gives input on the qualities it wants, but the final hiring decision belongs to the city manager alone. Removal works the same way, which is why chief tenures in Dallas can end suddenly.
Texas law shapes the baseline qualifications. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement requires anyone serving as a chief administrator of a police agency to complete specific mandatory training.8Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Training Requirements Beyond that floor, Dallas typically looks for candidates with decades of senior command experience. Garcia arrived with nearly 30 years in law enforcement; Comeaux came from a senior federal role. Texas Local Government Code Chapter 143 governs civil service rules for the rank structure beneath the chief.