The city of Austin has secured the services of Eddie Garcia, the current Dallas Police Department chief, as its new Assistant City Manager in charge of public safety, a move set to take effect from November 4. This announcement, according to a memo obtained by KXAN, outlines Garcia's future responsibilities for overseeing entities like the Austin Fire Department, Austin Police Department, and Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services.
Eddie Garcia's career move comes following a tentative agreement he reached earlier in the year which would have kept him at the helm of Dallas's police force until 2027. It was a deal including a retention bonus, and if he was terminated before the agreed period, he would receive a year's severance pay. However, these terms, as reported by FOX 7 Austin, hinged upon his tenure being involuntarily cut short and did not apply should he opt to resign voluntarily, which is the case with his impending position with the city of Austin.
During his time in the Dallas Police Department, Garcia was acknowledged for his role in lowering crime rates and enhancing police morale according to city leadership. He arrives in Austin with a reputation for pushing forward a Crime Plan and increasing transparency, largely through the implementation of a Use of Force Dashboard. Moreover, he has been recognized for his role in forming a Community Advisory Board, aimed at fostering sustained interaction between residents, city officials, and law enforcement.
Austin City Manager, T.C. Broadnax, himself a former Dallas city official lauded Garcia's efforts in Dallas, highlighting his commitment to transparency and accountability. "He most recently served as Police Chief of the Dallas Police Department, commanding the ninth largest police department in the country," Broadnax said in the memo. "In Dallas he introduced a comprehensive Use of Force Dashboard providing transparency and accountability, brought in experts to study use of force, worked with criminologists to develop a Crime Plan and supported the formation of a Community Advisory Board to ensure ongoing dialogue with residents, city leaders, and police associations," the memo detailed.
Garcia's departure from Dallas does not come without its share of sentiments. Dallas's Interim City Manager, Kimberly Bizor Tolbert had earlier expressed a desire to retain Garcia for the benefit of the city. "It's no surprise that other Texas cities are expressing interest in Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia. He has been the key leader who has delivered a lower crime rate to Dallas, and he has helped increase police morale while boosting residents' confidence in the direction of the department," Tolbert told KXAN. However, Austin's gain is indeed Dallas's loss as the city now shops for a new police chief, a process Garcia had agreed to assist with before his departure.
