Fort Worth Police Chief Ed Kraus is retiring, and six people are in the running to replace him. The city provided KERA with each candidate s cover letter and resume.
The public met those candidates on Thursday night, at a forum at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Residents submitted over 100 questions, which were boiled down into six topics.
One area of particular interest: How each candidate would hold officers accountable for being disrespectful, or for using excessive force.
Wendy Baimbridge an assistant chief in the Houston Police Department said departments can t let misbehaving officers off the hook. We unfortunately have had to let go of a lot of officers. I ve been under some chiefs that didn t. And unfortunately, that will fester and grow worse,” she said.
The city provided KERA with each candidate’s resume and cover letter, which they submitted as part of their job applications. Here’s more about their backgrounds, and what each one has to say about why they want to lead the city’s police department.
Julie A. Swearingin
Julie Swearingin
Swearingin is one of two internal candidates for the job. She’s worked in the Fort Worth Police Department since 1995 and is one of three assistant chiefs to Kraus.
She wrote in her cover letter that she would like to continue Kraus’ efforts to strengthen relationships with the community.
“I believe we can enhance public trust; I believe we can continue to be more transparent and accountable, she wrote, adding that she would also like to grow community policing efforts.
A Plan for Violent Crime
The very first question addressed during the forum asked candidates what their plan would be to reduce the increase in violent crime and homicides seen in the city of Fort Worth in the past year. Here s a portion of their responses: During a community forum Thursday night, final candidates for Fort Worth Police Chief – Houston Assistant Police Chief Wendy Baimbridge, Austin Assistant Police Chief Troy Gay and Las Vegas Municipal Police Assistant Sheriff Christopher Jones – were asked how they would tackle violent crime problems. If you re talking about crime, you have to work on that intelligence on what s going on within those gangs. Who are the shotcallers in the robbery groups? And that takes more than just looking at data. Get with the DA s office. Get with the feds, said Wendy Baimbridge, assistant chief of Houston Police.
Since March 2017, Baimbridge has been assistant chief of the Houston Police Department. Her tenure with HPD started in 1992. She has a master of arts degree in sociology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Houston.
Troy Gay
Gay has been with the Austin Police Department since 1991 and has served as assistant chief at the Austin Police Department since January 2013. Gay has a bachelor s degree from Texas State University, performed graduate work in criminal justice at the University of Virginia and graduated from the FBI National Academy.
Christopher C. Jones
Jones has a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and graduated from the FBI National Academy. Since February 2020, he has been assistant sheriff with the Las Vegas Municipal Police Department.
Neil Noakes, a deputy chief in the Fort Worth Police Department
Wendy Baimbridge, an assistant chief of the Houston Police Department
Troy Gay, an assistant chief in the Austin Police Department
Derick D. Miller, Carrollton’s chief of police
Christopher C. Jones, an assistant sheriff with the Las Vegas Municipal Police Department
Kraus announced his plans to retire back in July. He has been with the Fort Worth Police Department for almost 30 years, and he became interim chief in the spring of 2019.
Whoever gets hired will report to Fort Worth Deputy City Manager Jay Chapa, who said he’s looking for someone with experience making culture changes.