DALLAS – Police Chief David Kunkle is preparing to resign, according to sources at Dallas City Hall.
The chief is expected to announce his resignation Thursday, but it will not be effective until April 30. Sources said he is planning to accept a job in the private sector.
Kunkle has been the Dallas police chief for five years.
During his tenure with the department he’s been praised for reducing overall violent crime, increasing the number of police officers on the streets and holding police officers accountable for their actions both on and off duty.
A notable example was the firing of officer Robert Powell. Kunkle said Powell failed to use common sense by holding Ryan Moats for a traffic ticket while his mother-in-law died in the hospital.
Powell’s dash camera captured the incident and the video sparked national attention.
Overall, Kunkle is credited with bringing stability to the department after the tumultious two-year tenure of Chief Terrell Bolton.
No interim chief has been named. However, a likely candidate is Assistant Chief David Brown, the highest ranking assistant chief in the force.