Advocate photo, taken during the mayoral debates.
Former Dallas chief of police and mayoral candidate David Kunkle died Friday, four years after announcing his Lewy body dementia diagnosis, according to his obituary. He was 72 years old. His funeral will be Wednesday at Sparkman/Hillcrest at 10 a.m.
The ex-top-cop, who long lived in the Greenland Hills neighborhood of East Dallas with his wife, a former broadcaster Sarah Dodd, is credited with improving morale and promoting neighborhood policing during his 2004-2010 stint as chief.
He began his career as a beat cop in the Northwest Patrol Division, which covers much of Preston Hollow, in 1972.
“The department’s reputation grew nationally and [among] the city’s residents,” during his time, according to the Dallas Morning News obituary.
When he ran for mayor in 2011, Kunkle spent several hours over a couple of months in the Advocate offices, as he and Mike Rawlings, who would win the mayoral race after raising far more campaign funds, participated in our pre-election video series. Kunkle was shy, yet willing to openly discuss his social awkwardness.
Kunkle was known not only for his “impeccable judgement,” “ability to manage dozens of crises a day” and “turning around organizations in turmoil” — as his wife said in a 2021 interview — but he also was friendly with the media and had a great sense of humor. (Fans of the Ticket Radio in the 00s won’t forget his “do you like your gig” interaction with host Greggo). Ticket founder and longtime host Mike Rhyner commented on Kunkle’s obituary: “the only thing I’ve enjoyed more than thinking of his appearances on the Ticket — which were nothing but amazing insight into police work — has been reading and hearing what those who actually knew the man have had to say about him.”
Oak Cliff council member Chad West, who is friends with the Kunkle-Dodd family said in a statement, “I’d describe David Kunkle as selfless, driven, humble and kind. But that barely touches the surface of who he was as a man. … In life, there are people who occasionally cross our paths who… inspire us to be the very BEST versions of ourselves. David Kunkle was one of those individuals. He always inspired me to be kinder, more thoughtful, and to never waiver in my duty to family, friends, and to our City.”
Kunkle was also a hell of a runner, competing in marathons when I was doing the same, so my fellow running-club members and I often saw him and chatted him up at races. His personal best in the full marathon distance (26.2 miles) is an impressive 2 hours 40 minutes at White Rock Marathon. That was in the 80s, but his wife in 2011 told us he still can run a Boston-qualifying marathon time. Even more impressive, in 2011 he qualified for the New York City marathon, whose requirements are even stricter than those for Boston.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said on Twitter that Kunkle’s “service saved lives and set a new standard for police leadership across the nation.” He implemented a number of changes such as outlawing dangerous neck holds and reforming vehicle pursuit policies — when previous practices had proved injurious and fatal.
Police Chief Eddie Garcia said in a statement Friday that Kunkle was a progressive chief who was “willing to make tough decisions” that affected how “we police our city and … our current policies and procedures.”
After losing his bid for Dallas mayor, Kunkle served the Arlington Police Department, which acknowledged his “sharp wit and his keen ability to remember his employees’ names and assignments — which makes how he was taken from us even more heartbreaking.”
Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Terminal and cruel, Lewy body dementia causes a decline in mental abilities that gradually gets worse over time and rains hell upon the sufferer’s loved ones. Sarah, Kunkle’s wife of 17 years, was by his side through it all, which made his illness and death as peaceful, for him, as possible.
The former chief is also survived by his son, Michael Kunkle, brother Steve Kunkle, sister Kay Myers and mother-in-law Vicki Dodd. He has three grandchildren — Sarah Belmares, Abbigail Kunkle, Jeremy Kunkle — and several nieces and nephews. And many, many whose lives he touched and who call him friend.
The July 19 funeral services will also be streamed online. A link can be found on his Dignity Memorial page.
