Daniel Comeaux named new chief of the Dallas Police Department
The Dallas Police Department has a new police chief. City Manager Kimberly Tolbert named Daniel C. Comeaux to the top job Friday.
According to a biography from the city, Comeaux has spent 33 years in law enforcement, and currently serves as the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Houston Field Division. He has been with the DEA since 1997, combating violent crime and drug trafficking. Comeaux started his career as a police officer in Houston.
"The City of Dallas continues to achieve crime reduction year after year. I am confident with SAC Comeaux at the helm, we will continue to be one of the safest large cities in the country, while building trust, and bolstering our recruitment and retention efforts," Tolbert said in a statement.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson also praised the selection of Comeaux.
"Chief Comeaux will bring unique experience to this especially challenging role. As a former Houston police officer and as a commander who has spent years fighting the scourge of illicit drugs such as fentanyl in urban neighborhoods and in border communities at the federal level, he understands that public safety is foundational to building stronger cities," Johnson said in a statement.
"I joined the police force because I witnessed what can happen to neighborhoods that aren't safe. At the federal level, I am known as the local cop because of my collaborative approach to tackling crime and my dedication to developing leaders in public safety who are bridge builders for the community. I am proud that my career in law enforcement has come full circle and look forward to serving alongside the men and women of the Dallas Police Department," Comeaux said in a statement.
Comeaux beat out four other finalists, which were announced last month from an initial pool of 25 candidates:
- Roberto Arredondo, Jr. – chief of police, Carrollton Police Department
- Brian Boetig – retired assistant director, Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Michael T. Igo – interim chief of police, Dallas Police Department
- Catrina M. Shead – assistant chief, Dallas Police Department
Comeaux takes over from former police chief Eddie Garcia, who retired from DPD in September. Garcia is now an assistant city manager in Austin, hired away by Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax.
Broadnax was formerly the Dallas city manager but resigned effective June 2024, citing his strained relationship with Johnson.
