A Letter from Chief Kunkle to DPD

Today I am announcing my retirement as Chief of the Dallas Police Department effective

April 30, 2010. I have made the decision to leave this job I love because I believe it is
both the right time for me and, more importantly, the right time for the Department. This
Friday I turn 59 years old and in February I will have had 38 years in public service
which began when I first joined the Dallas Police Department in 1972.

When I considered applying for this position, I was aware that DPD faced significant
challenges. A high crime rate, poor morale, lagging public support, and a recent “fake
drug” scandal were some of the issues. I spoke to some of my DPD colleagues. They
believed that Dallas officers were the finest in the country and if given a chance to prove
it, they would shine through. I have found over the past five and a half years that this
advice was the truest I ever received.

As I look back over my tenure, it seems appropriate to note some of the changes and
successes that we have realized. While I am very proud of these accomplishments, it’s
important to point out that none of them could have been achieved without the hard work,
dedication, and commitment displayed by our officers and non sworn personnel. I
believe I’ve been more the beneficiary rather than the cause of much of this success.

- The end of 2009 will mark the 6th consecutive year of overall crime reduction.
Crimes per capita have been reduced from almost 90 per thousand in 2004 to
approximately 62 per thousand this year – a 30% decrease.

- Over 700 officers have been added during the last 5 years – a 24% increase in
departmental strength.

- Response times to emergency and prompt calls have decreased dramatically, from
approximately 18.4 minutes in 2004 to 11.7 minutes this year – a reduction of
over 36%.

- We established a renewed commitment to beat policing resulting in improvements

to response times as well as increases in citizen satisfaction.

- Several policy changes designed to increase officer safety and decrease their
exposure to high risk incidents were implemented. It would be disingenuous not
to acknowledge that some of these changes were unpopular. Increased
restrictions to the pursuit policy and the elimination of the neck restraint are two
prominent examples. I’m very aware that the unpopularity of such decisions
stems from the innate desire you each possess to apprehend offenders – to “put
the crooks in jail”. I would only ask that these changes be ultimately viewed from
the perspective with which they were decided – to minimize the risks to our
officers and citizens.
 - Various surveys and community interactions have provided evidence that public
relations and citizen satisfaction have been significantly improved.

- Substantial gains in pay and benefits were realized including additional steps,
compression of steps, and certification pay.

Other notable changes include;

- the creation of a Fusion Center,
- the opening of South Central Division,
- the establishment of the W.W. Caruth Jr. Police Institute at Dallas,
- the patrol rifle program,
- improved response efforts to the mentally ill,
- numerous city ordinance revisions designed to improve quality of life,
- the Patrol shift bid,
- Class B uniforms

No police department can succeed by itself. In addition to the hard work of our
personnel, the support I’ve received from local government, the business community, and
citizenry can not be overstated. The City Council, Mayor and City Manager’s Office
have been unwavering in their level of commitment to see the Department succeed, even
throughout extraordinarily difficult economic times. Unprecedented support from
volunteer groups such as Safer Dallas/Better Dallas, and philanthropic organizations such
as Communities Foundation of Texas and the Meadows Foundation has resulted in
millions of dollars donated for equipment and training. And the collective efforts of the
various police associations to represent the concerns of our line personnel to both the
Command Staff and City Hall, though occasionally contentious, were nonetheless
invaluable. Finally the faith and support of all Dallas citizens has been the foundation for
our success.

Hard work and long hours come with the job. Still the hardest responsibility of all is
dealing with the line of duty deaths and injuries of our colleagues. No one can prepare
for the emotional toll this takes on the families and fellow officers. I will carry this grief
forever, but the consolation is that the losses were not in vain and the sacrifices will never
be forgotten.

I mentioned earlier that this is the right time for the Department. As my career as your
Chief comes to an end, I leave with confidence that the Department will continue to be
led by dedicated and motivated leaders. I believe our organization can only benefit from
the fresh perspectives and new ideas these individuals will bring.

I am honored to have been your Chief and am humbled by your support. Your
enthusiasm and dedication to the safety of the citizens of Dallas fills me with pride. The
examples of bravery and sacrifice you’ve displayed will always be my inspiration. Never
forget you perform one of the noblest professions in the world and the people of Dallas
respect you for it.