Current Assistant Chief Tony Salas has been named Denton’s acting chief of police, effective Jan. 10. Salas will assume the role following Police Chief Jessica Robledo’s retirement, which was announced last week.
The Denton City Council approved the resolution to confirm Salas’ appointment on Tuesday evening. In January, he will remain acting police chief until a permanent chief is appointed by the interim city manager or their successor and confirmed by the City Council.
“We are fortunate for Assistant Chief Salas’ willingness to serve in an acting capacity to ensure a seamless transition and continuity of operations within the department,” City Manager Sara Hensley said in a news release.
Salas has served various roles within the Denton Police Department since joining in 2005, starting as a patrol officer, then serving as a narcotics and major crimes detective. In 2015, Salas was promoted to the rank of sergeant and supervised specialized units in the operations and the criminal investigations bureaus. Salas was named deputy chief over the north operations bureau in 2023, and he has served as assistant chief since 2024.
Throughout his career, Salas has received commendations for his performance as a patrol officer, detective and supervisor, including the Police Department’s supervisor of the year award in 2023.
