Dallas Police Chief David Brown will retire from force in October. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)

Dallas Police Chief David Brown will retire from force in October. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)

Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown today announced that, following 33 years of service and after much prayer and consideration, he will retire Oct. 22.

He started his career in 1983, Brown says, “because of the crack cocaine epidemic’s impact on my neighborhood in Oak Cliff.  I wanted to be part of the solution,” he notes.

Brown earned his stripes as the commander of the northeast division, which covers neighborhoods including Lake Highlands, East Dallas, Vickery Meadow, Upper Greenville and Preston Hollow back when things were arguably worse than they are now in some of those neighborhoods. Many oldtimers credit Brown and his Operation Kitchen Sink with helping to clean up problem areas back in the early 2000s.

Brown found himself in the national spotlight after an attack following a Black Lives Matter rally last July 7 killed five police officers.

“Their memory will remain with all of us forever,” Brown says of the dead. “I know the people of Dallas will never forget the ultimate sacrifice they made on the streets of our city that awful night.”

Brown’s handling of the events and his oversight of the DPD gained him positive attention from the New York Times to People and just about every news outlet in between. Many even called on Brown to run for president.

Brown’s personal losses during his time as Dallas’ chief (Police shot and killed Brown’s PCP-crazed son after he murdered two people, including one officer) made him an especially sympathetic public figure.

Just before the summer tragedy, Brown had outlined big department changes made in an effort to curb increased crime citywide.

Whether he has future aspirations, like running for office or a higher pay scale police force, remains to be seen.

He does say the officers he led here, and their “extraordinary service, will forever be etched in my heart and will serve as a guidepost for me in the next phase of my life.”

Brown says he will hold another press conference Sept. 8.