David M.

Kunkle

PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE

2004-present Police Chief, Dallas, Texas

 Manage an annual budget of over $450 million
 4,500 personnel, serving a population of 1.3 million
 Ninth-largest city and fourth largest metropolitan area in the nation
 Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area has a population of 6.3 million
 Major accomplishments include:
o Reduction in both violent crime and total crime for the past six
consecutive years
o 32% decrease in violent crime
o Increase in sworn strength of more than 700 officers
o Dramatic reductions in police response times
o Revision of a pursuit policy resulting in significant decreases in
pursuit related deaths and injuries
o Created a “Fusion Center” – a state of the art information center
responsible for gathering and analyzing criminal intelligence
throughout the North Texas region and beyond, then disseminating
information to field and investigative units immediately
o Established the W.W. Caruth Jr. Police Institute at Dallas – a
leadership and research institute conceived as part of a $15 million
grant by the Communities Foundation of Texas.

1999- 2004 Deputy City Manager, Arlington, Texas

 Managed $31 million budget
 1,500 personnel, serving a population of 400,000
 Responsible for various departments of the City including the Finance
Department, Human Resources Department, Management Services
Department, Support Services Department, Parks Department, Libraries
and the Public Information Office

1985-1999 Police Chief, Arlington, Texas

 Manage a $40 million budget
 630 personnel serving a population of 400,000
 Department reorganization
 Achievement of national law enforcement agency accreditation
 Successful implementation of management audit recommendations
 Implementation of state of the art communications system including
computer assisted dispatch, E-911, and 800 mhz trunked radio system
 Design and construction of $12 million police facility
 Revision of department policies and procedures
 Orientation of department to a service-oriented community-based policing
model
 Establishment of college degree hiring requirement for police officers
 Established aggressive recruitment program for protected class candidates
that has resulted in a higher percentage of minority police officers than is
represented in the community
 Arlington Police Department has an excellent national reputation.
 1982-1985 Police Chief, Grand Prairie, Texas
Responsibilities included managing a $5.5 million budget, 200 personnel, and
serving a population of 100,000 people. Major accomplishments included
department reorganization, establishment of policies on use of force, including
deadly force, Code of Conduct and Discipline; a quantitative redesign of police
districts; complete automation of the department; architectural design completed
to remodel and expand police building; and changing the image and direction of
the Grand Prairie Police Department.

1980-1982 Captain, Dallas Police Department

Served as commander of Planning and Research Division. Responsibilities
included writing and reviewing department policies, obtaining external funding,
upgrading computer systems, beat realignments and personnel allocations,
operational analysis, facility planning, varied management services for the Police
Chief, and the crime analysis function.

1979-1980 Captain, Dallas Police Department

Finished first on Captain's examination. Youngest Captain in the history of the
Dallas Police Department.

1978-1979 Lieutenant, Dallas Police Department

1976-1978 Sergeant, Dallas Police Department

1972-1976 Police Officer, Dallas Police Department

Was first in Police Academy Recruit Class.

EDUCATION

1994 Masters of Public Administration, University of Texas at Arlington

1976 Bachelor of Science, University of Texas at Arlington

TRAINING

2007 National Executive Institute, FBI

1992 Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, Federal Bureau of
Investigation Academy

1988 Program for State and Local Government Officials, Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University

1985 Menninger Institute (Topeka, Kansas)

1983 Senior Management Institute for Police, Boston, Massachusetts, sponsored by the
Police Executive Research Forum

1979 Southwestern Law Enforcement Institute, Command and Management School

1976 Southwestern Law Enforcement Institute, Supervisor's School

OTHER

 Top Secret FBI Clearance

 While Kunkle was Chief in Arlington, the department was named one of
the eight best Police Departments in the United States (out of 17,000
departments)

 In 2007 Jim Collins, author of the best selling leadership book Good to
Great, created a PBS documentary highlighting Level 5 leaders across the
country. Kunkle was singled out as the only example of a public sector
Level 5 leader, and a large portion of the documentary focused on
Kunkle’s leadership and the Dallas Police Department

 Over 30 officers who worked under Kunkle went on to become Police

Chiefs in various cities across the country

 Thirty-one years perfect attendance (no sick time)

 Adjunct professor at University of Texas- Arlington

 International Policing experience in Israel, Northern Ireland and Great

Britain

 Police Consulting Projects

 Inducted into the L.D. Bell High School Sports Hall of Fame

 Outstanding Alumni Award, UTA

 Recipient of Prism Award from Dallas Mental Health Association

PERSONAL

 Married to Sarah Dodd, an award winning former journalist

 Marathon Runner