The Fort Worth Police Department has been seeking a new chief since December 2024, when then-Chief Neil Noakes announced he would step down in May of that year. Now, the city is nearing its decision on his permanent replacement.
On Monday, the City Council was notified via email by the search firm conducting the nationwide search that four finalists have been selected.
These candidates include both internal and external applicants with strong ties to North Texas, as well as individuals recognized nationwide for leadership and reform in law enforcement. The finalists are:
1. **Fort Worth Interim Police Chief Robert Alldredge** – Serving as interim chief since May following Neil Noakes’ retirement, Alldredge has been with the department since 1999 and is known as a dedicated leader. He currently oversees the Finance/Personnel Bureau and has previously led divisions such as Tactical Operations, Professional Standards, and Central Patrol.
2. **Former Dallas Deputy Chief Vernon Hale III** – Raised in Oak Cliff and a Kimball High School graduate, Hale has over 20 years of experience with Dallas Police, with leadership roles in narcotics, special operations, training, and media relations. He served as police chief in Galveston for three years and received the NAACP’s 2019 Community Champion Award. Most recently, he was an assistant chief in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
3. **Emada Tingirides** – A notable reform advocate, Tingirides is a deputy chief with the Los Angeles Police Department. She is well known for co-creating the Community Safety Partnership (CSP), a nationally acclaimed community policing model targeting underserved neighborhoods. She launched the CSP Bureau in 2020 and has earned multiple honors, including White House Public Official of the Year in 2015 and recognition as one of LA’s most influential leaders.
4. **Eddie Garcia** – The former Dallas Police Chief, Garcia was the city’s first Latino chief, appointed in February 2021. Before Dallas, he spent nearly 30 years with the San Jose Police Department and also served as its police chief. Garcia announced his retirement from law enforcement in 2022 to become assistant city manager in Austin, though his departure from Dallas was officially described as a retirement. He was chosen over six other finalists, including four internal candidates, through a competitive process.
The finalists have not yet commented publicly. A final decision is expected soon.
