Dallas chief who oversaw response to sniper attack to retire

Brown, who is black, drew broad praise from President Barack Obama and others for his leadership in the days after the shootings by a black Army veteran who said he was motivated by revenge in the wake of police shootings elsewhere that killed or injured black men. The gunman was killed when police deployed a bomb-carrying robot.

At a memorial service for the slain Dallas officers, Brown spent part of his time reciting Stevie Wonder’s “I’ll Be Loving You Always” to express his affection for his officers. His call for those who were protesting mistreatment of black people to join the police ranks prompted a surge in applications, although information about who those applicants are has not been released.

Yet Brown also experienced friction with rank-and-file officers during his time as police chief. Earlier this year, he sought to reassign hundreds of officers to target high-crime neighbourhoods and bulk up staffing on the 4 p.m. to midnight shift, but the plan provoked intense backlash and he backed away from implementing it. At least one police union called for his resignation amid the turmoil.

Brown also had drawn criticism from unions for not doing enough to retain many officers who have left for better pay elsewhere.

Protesters who organized the July demonstration also clashed with Brown after he demanded they stop holding marches downtown.

Mayor Mike Rawlings said during a news conference Thursday that Brown was “leaving on his own terms.” Rawlings said the announcement didn’t come as a surprise because Brown had told him and other leaders several months ago that he had begun thinking about his retirement and because six years as the chief of a metropolitan police force is an “eternity.”

But less than two months ago, as Brown addressed the media hours after four of his officers were killed and four others were wounded by the sniper, he hardly sounded like a man ready to leave his job. Brown talked about his love for his city and the support he felt from its leaders.

Brown was not available for comment Thursday. Rawlings said he was in Austin with family, playing golf. Brown’s statement announcing his retirement said he would hold a media availability when he returned on Sept. 8.

Asked whether they could confirm Brown was not being forced to leave, both Rawlings and City Manager A.C. Gonzalez said, “I can.” Rawlings also credited Brown with transforming the department by reducing the number of officer-involved shootings and implementing other measures.

“David Brown is a straight-forward man; he’s a man of integrity and courage,” Rawlings said.

Brown was the longest-serving police chief in Dallas in recent decades, Rawlings said. He noted the job is challenging because of the pressure that comes with it and its “highly political” demands.

Executive Assistant Chief David Pughes will serve as interim chief upon Brown’s departure. Gonzalez, who plans to retire in January, has said the new city manager will find a replacement for Brown.

Rawlings praised the chief for pushing for greater transparency, but authorities since the sniper attack have refused public records requests for police reports, 911 calls, audio and video recordings, autopsy documents, crime scene photos and other materials.

Brown told the City Council last month that much of the information about the attack could be withheld for an indefinite period during an investigation into whether the use of force was justified.

Claudia Lauer And David Warren, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Dallas chief who oversaw response to sniper attack to retire

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