Dallas Police Chief David Brown, who led his police force through a nationally covered mass shooting in June, announced Thursday plans to retire in October after a 33-year career with the department.
“After much prayer, I am announcing my retirement from the Dallas Police Department after 33 years as a Dallas police officer. My retirement will be effective Oct. 22, 2016,” Brown wrote on DPDBeat.com. He called his time as Dallas’ top cop both “a true honor and a humbling experience.”
Brown was widely praised for his handling of the June 7 ambush shooting in Dallas during a downtown protest that left five officers dead and several others injured.
“I know the people of Dallas will never forget the ultimate sacrifice they made on the streets of our city that awful night,” Brown said.
After the shooting, President Obama praised the Dallas Police Department for being a “great example of a department that has taken the issue of police shootings serious.” He also lauded the department for its success at lowering murder rates and “drastically reduced complaints around police misconduct.”
Brown also saw success in his response to Black Lives Matter protesters, whom he encouraged to join the police force.
“We’re hiring. Get out that protest line and put in an application. We’ll put you in your neighborhood and help you resolve some of those problem,” Brown said days after the mass shooting.
Applications to the police force tripled within a couple weeks.
Brown became police chief in 2010, after serving as a top deputy.
Brown said he will be unavailable until Sept. 8, at which time he will hold a press conference.
