After three weeks on the job, Dallas Police Chief Eddie García made his first major personnel decisions on Friday, awarding promotions to at least two people who were in the running for his job.
García promoted Assistant Chief Lonzo Anderson, who was serving as interim chief during the search, and hired back Albert Martinez — who used to be a deputy chief and mostly recently was with the Catholic Diocese of Dallas — as three-star executive assistant chiefs. Martinez also was in the running for the chief job.
Anderson will be the executive assistant chief over patrol and administration, which includes the 911 call center and the police academy. Martinez will serve as the executive assistant chief over investigations and tactical operations, which includes SWAT and units such as homicide.
Deputy Chief Jesse Reyes was promoted to assistant patrol bureau chief, making him responsible for commanders over various patrol divisions. García promoted Major Malik Aziz, who also was in the running for police chief, to deputy chief of the South Patrol Bureau, which will oversee commanders in South Central and Southwest Patrol Divisions in areas of Oak Cliff and West Dallas, respectively.
García said his first restructuring changes were key to “making Dallas one of the safest large cities in the country.” No women were part of the initial promotions. Assistant Chief Angela Shaw and Acting Assistant Chief Teena Schultz are currently among the highest ranked women in the department following former Police Chief U. Reneé Hall’s departure.
“There will be more command staff augmentations and a new organization structure in the near future to ensure that the Dallas Police Department is successful in its mission,” García said in a statement.
