Dallas hires new police chief from Houston area
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DEA special agent in charge Daniel Comeaux was featured in a Washington Post story in 2020 about U.S. drug overdose deaths. Photo: Nick Otto for the Washington Post
A Drug Enforcement Agency veteran from the Houston area will be Dallas' next police chief, the city announced Friday.
Why it matters: Dallas' new fire and police chiefs will lead during a pivotal time for the city, which is competing with other cities to retain first responders and meet public safety needs.
Driving the news: Daniel Comeaux, who oversees the DEA's Houston field division, will begin his new role in Dallas later this month.
- On Thursday, city manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert announced that Justin Ball, who was serving as the interim fire chief, will stay in the role permanently. Ball has worked in Dallas Fire-Rescue for 28 years and has served in every rank within the department.
Zoom in: Comeaux, a New Orleans native, started his law enforcement career at the Houston Police Department in 1991. He joined the DEA in 1997, focusing on violent crime and drug trafficking in Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
- Most recently, he was the special agent in charge of the agency's 114-county Houston division, which includes Houston, San Antonio and Austin.
What they're saying: Comeaux said in a statement that he is known as a "local cop" at the federal level because he approaches crime collaboratively and tries to develop public safety leaders who can build bridges in their communities.
- "I am proud that my career in law enforcement has come full circle," Comeaux said.
Reality check: The Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue are the city's largest and most expensive agencies.
- Comeaux will have a tough charge, succeeding a popular police chief who had earned the trust of politicians, the public and his rank and file.
- Comeaux will also need to figure out how to comply with a voter-approved proposition requiring the city to hire 900 police officers during a time of high attrition and scrutiny from Texas' attorney general.
The big picture: Dallas' top leadership has changed significantly in the past year. City manager T.C. Broadnax left last summer to be Austin's city manager, taking Dallas police chief Eddie Garcia and several other Dallas employees with him.
- Tolbert, the new city manager, hired Dallas Fire-Rescue chief Dominique Artis in January to oversee the city's police and fire departments as the chief of public safety.
What's next: The Dallas City Council's public safety committee meets Monday. Comeaux and Ball start in their roles April 23.