Cops worry about future of Dallas police chief after Houston chief retires

DALLAS- Turn around and go home.

That’s the message Wednesday night from Dallas’ interim city manager to the city of Houston, who CBS News Texas has learned is courting Police Chief Eddie Garcia to potentially become its next top cop.

Just a week after taking on the role of Dallas city manager, Kim Tolbert issued a not-so-veiled warning to cities that might try to hijack Police Chief Eddie Garcia, asking them to back off.

Sources say Houston asked if Garcia was interested in the new opening there.

Garcia’s spokesperson had no comment for CBS News Texas.

On Wednesday evening, the Dallas Police Association, which represents about 2,500 of the department’s more than 3,000 officers, issued a statement urging the city to do everything it can to prevent Garcia from leaving:

“Every professional police officer in Dallas can attest that Eddie Garcia is the best police chief in the country because of his high level of competence and integrity and his commitment to protecting every family in every part of our community. With his brilliant track record of transforming a police department that desperately needed strong, forward-thinking leadership, Chief Garcia will most certainly be the target of countless Texas cities looking to improve public safety with a new leader, especially Houston, we expect every city council member who promised to protect his constituents from violent crime to take whatever action is necessary, without excuse for bureaucratic delays, to ensure that we retain Eddie Garcia as our leader. police and maintain the positive momentum we currently have in reducing crime in Dallas. The committed men and women of the Dallas Police Department. The association fully supports the continuation of Chief Eddie Garcia as head of the Dallas Police Department.

Sources within the department say Garcia could be asked to lead the Houston Police Department, which could offer him a contract with higher pay and better job security.

This is due to the recent departure of Dallas City Manager TC Broadnax, who hired him 3.5 years ago.

Garcia was credited with a 13 percent reduction in violent crime last year in Dallas, at a time when many other major cities are seeing increases.

That has raised the chief’s profile and made him in high demand among cities that can offer him a long-term contract, something the Dallas city charter currently prohibits for his position.

The speculation was enough that interim Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert released a statement this evening saying:

“I believe Chief Gracia wants to stay here. To the cities looking for a new leader in Dallas, I have a message for you: ‘Turn around and go home.’ In the meantime, I will keep the municipal council and the public informed of the progress of these files.”

Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua also believes a deal can be reached to keep Garcia in Dallas.

“I am confident in City Manager Tolbert’s leadership to resolve all personnel matters and I am equally confident that Chief Garcia is as committed to our city as he was on his first day of employment here,” said Bazaldua said.

Garcia has yet to publicly address his future and sources say Houston has yet to make a formal offer.

But he might be able to react faster than Dallas can react.

Sources said any deal to keep Garcia in Dallas could include a promise of advancement to deputy city manager at some point and that Garcia has had several meetings with city leaders in recent days who obviously don’t want not see him leave.