Dallas Names New Police Chief, First Woman to Serve

Dallas Police - File Photo - AFP
File Photo: AFP
Merrill Hope
Dallas, TX

Dallas finally named its new police chief on Wednesday. City Manager T.C. Broadnax announced he hired Detroit Deputy Police Chief Ulysha Renee Hall and, in doing so, she becomes the first woman to serve as the department’s top cop.

“I am honored to be chosen to lead the Dallas Police Department at this critical time in its history,” said Hall. “I look forward to building on the successes of the past, preserving community trust, and ensuring the safety of our officers and the entire Dallas community.”

Serving on the Detroit Police Department for nearly two decades, Hall implemented the Neighborhood Policing Bureau, a program where she forged partnerships and created stronger relationships between minority communities and officers.

“Chief Hall is a proven leader with a stellar background and a passion for public service,” stated Broadnax. “These are qualities I believe are critical as we tackle crime to make our city safer while addressing organizational and policy issues within the department.”

Under her leadership, the City of Detroit experienced a 40-year low in homicides and double-digit reductions in violent crime for three consecutive years, according to Broadnax.

He told NBC DFW he believes Hall will be a “dynamic chief”  who will “have a great impact” on the police department and the entire city. The Dallas Police Department (DPD) has struggled  with morale, recruitment, pension, and attrition issues, losing more than 300 cops since last October.

Dallas Police Association President Sgt. Mike Mata told CBS DFW Hall is highly regarded by Detroit police officers. “She still goes out and answers calls,” he noted, calling that “huge” and believes her approach to law enforcement is one that Dallas Police Department (DPD) officers will respect.

Broadnax chose Hall over six other finalists, which included another female candidate, contenders from out-of-state police departments, and three internal DPD frontrunners. Among them was Dallas Deputy Chief Malik Aziz, the former president of the Black Police Association of Greater Dallas.

Hall replaces interim Dallas Police Chief David Pughes who agreed to take the position temporarily last year when former Chief David Brown retired after 33 years of service and six years helming the city’s men and women in blue.

Brown left the force only months after a lone gunman killed five Dallas officers in an ambush towards the end of an otherwise peaceful Black Lives Matter protest. The chief received much praise for his unprecedented decision to neutralize the uncooperative assailant with a bomb robot amid the tragic July 7, 2016, attack.

In a tweet, Brown sent his congratulations to the city’s new police chief.

So did Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.

The Dallas Police Association applauded her outstanding performance during the interview process.

According to Detroit’s WXYZ, Hall’s father, Officer Ulysses Brown, was killed in the line of duty on August 20, 1971, when she was only six months old. Hall graduated from the FBI National Academy, completed the Police Executive Leadership Institute, belongs to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, plus holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Grambling State University and Master’s degrees in Security Administration and Intelligence Analysis from the University of Detroit Mercy.

She takes the reins as Dallas police chief on September 5.

Follow Merrill Hope, a member of the original Breitbart Texas team, on Twitter.

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