The city of Fort Worth has named the top four finalists for the city’s top job at its police department — including one familiar face to North Texans.
City officials announced Tuesday former Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia, now serving as assistant city manager in Austin, is among the finalists for Fort Worth police chief.
“I’m very pleased with the diversity, depth, and caliber of candidates who expressed interest in this important role,” Fort Worth City Manager Jay Chapa said in a press release. “The strength of the finalist pool reflects the high regard for the Fort Worth Police Department, and our next chief must uphold—and build upon—that standard of excellence as we move forward.”
Garcia led the Dallas Police Department for nearly four years, serving from 2021 until his departure in October. He took on his position in Austin in November 2024 overseeing public safety, following former Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax.
The police chief position in Fort Worth was left vacant at the end of May when former chief Neil Noakes retired after leading the department since 2021. The Fort Worth Police Department’s executive assistant chief Robert Alldredge has been filling the role as interim police chief ever since.
The city’s hunt for a new police chief started in early May and closed one month later. The city said it received 51 applicants, of which 92% were male and 8% were female. Of the 51 applicants, nine were interviewed in the semi-finalist round with four selected to move forward as finalists.
Other finalists announced Tuesday include:
- Robert A. Alldredge, Jr., Fort Worth interim police chief
- Vernon Hale, former assistant chief of police for the Prince George’s County Police Department, and former Dallas deputy police chief
- Emada Tingirides, commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations Central Bureau
The city will host a community forum Aug. 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Fort Worth City Hall to give community members the chance to meet the candidates and ask questions.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's Breaking News Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope at privera@kera.org.
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