‘Go home’: Dallas officials send message to stay away from their police chief

HOUSTON – Following the retirement of Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and the appointment of Larry Satterwhite as interim chief, police sources told KPRC 2 Investigates of a potential candidate being considered for the role of chief of HPD.

Multiple sources say the city is considering Dallas Police Chief Edgardo “Eddie” Garcia as a potential candidate to fill the position.

Garcia spent 32 years in law enforcement and in 2021 was named Dallas’ chief.

According to the Dallas Police Department’s website, Garcia is the first Latino to hold the position in the department’s 140-year history. Garcia is originally from Puerto Rico and worked for the San Jose Police Department for 29 years before coming to Dallas.

Interim Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert issued a statement acknowledging that other Texas cities had expressed interest in Garcia. Without saying that Houston is outright one of those cities, she delivered a message saying “turn around and go home.”

Garcia is not the only candidate whose name has been mentioned on KPRC 2 Investigates. Other officials, including some from the Austin and Waco areas, have also been floated as potential candidates.

Mayor John Whitmire told KPRC 2 Wednesday that he has not yet made a decision on whether he plans to hire a chief from within the department or from outside.

Read the full statement from Interim Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert below:

“It’s no surprise that other Texas cities are expressing interest in Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia. He was the key leader in reducing Dallas’ crime rate and helped raise police morale while building residents’ confidence in the department’s leadership.

Obviously, the City Council members and I want him to continue doing good work in Dallas. It will take flexibility, creativity and a strong dose of responsibility to achieve this, but we are working tirelessly to develop solutions. I think Chief Gracia wants to stay here.

To 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 population informed of the progress of these files.