White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook is retiring after about four years as the city’s top cop.
Cook, who grew up in White Settlement, took the post as the department’s leader after serving as deputy police chief in Arlington.
Cook announced in a news release Friday that he will officially retire Aug. 31.
“I am immensely grateful for the opportunity of a lifetime to have served as the Chief of Police for White Settlement and most proud of the significant accomplishments that we collectively made together as a public safety team and community during my tenure,” Cook said in the news release. "Even though I am transitioning to a new role, my family and I plan to remain residents of White Settlement, stay active throughout the community, and continue seeking opportunities to serve this great town where I was born and raised."
While he’s leaving his hometown police department, Cook is not leaving law enforcement. According to the release, he will be joining the BNSF Railway Police Department as special agent in charge/director of special investigations and training.
BNSF, a Canadian railway company, has authorization from US state governments to maintain a police department, according to the release. Its jurisdiction also extends across state lines with permission from the federal government.
According to the release, the department is charged with duties including protecting company property and employees, preventing theft and investigating crimes committed on the company’s property.
City Manager Jeffrey J. James said in the release announcing Cook’s retirement that he has made a positive impact in the city and police department over the last four years.
“His impact and legacy have made an indelible positive mark across our town, and we are grateful for his leadership that has elevated our city and public safety teams across North Texas,” the city manager said. “He was hired to put our department on the map, increase community engagement, and bring stability to our workforce. Chief Cook has delivered above and beyond across those three mandates.”
Cook began his law enforcement career in the Tarrant County Jail after serving in the Air Force.
His post as chief of White Settlement police wasn't Cook’s first time with the department. After leaving the sheriff’s office in 2001, Cook became a patrol officer in White Settlement, where he worked until transitioning to Arlington in 2005.
There, his jobs included patrol, fatality crash investigations and drug interdiction. Notably, Cook led the department’s public information office for years, during which time he took steps to increase transparency with the public and reporters.
That job led Cook to write multiple published books on how police departments should share information with the public and news publications. The Art of Strategic Communication was published in 2024.
James Hartley is the Fort Worth breaking news reporter and producer for KERA News. Got a tip? Email James Hartley at jhartley@kera.org.
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