On Tuesday, UncoverDC reported on the Saturday #WalkAway Rescue America rally in Dallas, Texas that was disrupted by a group called Next Generation Action Network (NGAN) and lead by Dominique Alexander, a local activist that has an affiliation with Black Lives Matter. Alexander was arrested for 10 outstanding warrants and given a misdemeanor citation because of the incident. At the time of his arrest, Alexander was heard repeatedly yelling "Call Chief Hall" referring to Police Chief U. Renee Hall.
Chief Hall, who was the first African American and the first woman to serve as police chief of the Dallas Police Department tendered her resignation yesterday in a letter to T.C. Broadnax, the Dallas City Manager, Hall stated, "I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve the residents of Dallas. We have accomplished so much by standing together in support of community policing and changes in the way our officers perform their duties in 2020. it has not been easy. these past three years have been saturated with a series of unimaginable events that individually and collectively have never happened in the City of Dallas. I am proud that this department has not only coped with an unthinkable series of events, but we have also managed to implement critical reforms that were clearly needed for the Dallas Police Department to meet our 21st Century Policing goals.
Over the last few months, I have received a number of inquiries about future career opportunities. As you can imagine, for many reasons, I must keep my next career step confidential. Let me assure you that I will remain committed to my true calling which is law enforcement. I will continue my dedication to service, champion responsible police leadership, and promote effective, community-based partnerships."
According to the accomplishments cited on the DPDBeat website, Chief Hall created Community Advisory Boards with residents serving for six months reviewing Department operations and General Orders. Members assist the chief in crafting new Orders and making modifications to existing Orders and operations. Alexander claimed that he was on the Board on several occasions when either being detained or through a press conference.
Chief Hall came under scrutiny recently after inconsistencies were found in the department's after-action report detailing the first few nights of protests after the death of George Floyd. Hall disagreed with city leaders over how police responded to the demonstrations. Hundreds were arrested, including those who marched on a city bridge, only to see the charges against them dropped.
Photo by: Fox4News website
According to the Dallas Observer, "It includes descriptions of looting and rioting, clouds of tear gas and people wounded by “less-lethal" projectiles. While the report finds errors in communication, planning, and management hindered the police response to the protests, it largely lays the blame for violence at the feet of protesters who attacked officers."
The City of Dallas announced Tuesday that Broadnax accepted Hall's resignation letter, which initially stated she would resign effective Nov. 10. However, Broadnax said he asked Hall to stay on until the end of 2020.
Broadnax gave a statement regarding Hall's resignation which said in part, "Tuesday, Chief Reneé Hall informed me she will resign her position as Dallas Police Chief on November 10, 2020. I spoke to Chief Hall this afternoon and asked her to remain in this key position until the end of 2020. She has agreed to do so. That will enable us to complete the short-term goals of the R.E.A.L. Change initiative. I am extremely grateful to Chief Hall for extending her time in Dallas. This year has been tumultuous and uncertain. A few more months of her leadership are key for several projects and for a seamless transition within the police department." Broadnax added, "Since the Chief has agreed to stay through the fourth quarter, we have time to develop the search criteria for a new chief. I will be announcing that process when it is finalized."
Over the past 3 months, several Police chiefs have resigned from their posts. The most notable of these are Chief Carmen Best of Seattle, the first Black woman to lead the Seattle Police Department, announced her retirement Aug. 11, Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary, 40, announced his retirement from the police department on Sept. 8, Steve Anderson, the chief of the Metro Nashville Police Department, had planned to retire this fall but the mayor's office suddenly announced that Aug. 6 would be his last day on the job, and Jami Resch announced on June 8 she was stepping down as chief of the Police Bureau in Portland, Oregon, amid protests against police brutality, ending her tenure after less than six months. Since June, 14 Police chiefs from around the country have either retired or resigned since the protests and riots began in May.
