Dallas (WBAP/KLIF News) – Dallas Police Chief David Brown says he had started planning for retirement before July’s shooting that killed five officers. He described the national attention he received after the shooting as “distasteful.”
“I started hearing whispers after July 7 of me being untouchable, of me being powerful now that I had national notoriety,” Brown says. “It felt self-serving.”
Brown plans to retire October 22. He says plans after his retirement will be private, but he hopes a spike in applications after the shooting will continue. Brown says he hopes his own story, starting as a patrol officer and moving through the ranks to become chief during a 33 year career will motivate kids who are interested.
“These Dallas police officers are noble,” he says. “At every point where we needed cops to do their job, they’ve done an outstanding job.”
Brown says pay still lags behind other departments, and he describes negotiations for an increase from the city as “tough.”
“It’s not a knock on the council or the mayor or the city manager,” he says. “This is what the public values. These are only our representatives. You pay for what you value.”
Brown says professional athletes can make millions of dollars, but an officer who may die in the line of duty starts at $44,000.
Brown says he feels like he’s accomplished his goal of serving.
“Legacies are to be written by legacy writers,” Brown says. “I won’t try to write my own legacy.”
Assistant Police Chief David Pughes will serve as interim chief. A permanent replacement will be chosen next year.
(Copyright 2016 WBAP/KLIF News. All rights reserved)
