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[Press Conference]

[00:00:08]

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. I WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT COULD BE HERE TODAY. MAYOR WILLIAMS HAS A REAL JOB AND THAT HAS KEPT HIM AWAY THIS MORNING, BUT HE WANTED ME TO SAY HOW EXCITED HE WAS ABOUT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND HE LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CHIEF DUDLEY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION THE GRATITUDE WE OWE THE CHIEF. HE SERVED THE COMMUNITY WITH HONOR AND INTEGRITY AND I THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE. I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I SAY WE WISH HIM THE ABSOLUTE BEST IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS. IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE AND EXCITEMENT THAT I INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE ASKED MARCUS DUDLEY JUNIOR TO SERVE AS ABILENE'S NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE AND HE HAS ACCEPTED THE POSITION. THIS WAS NOT AN EASY SEARCH PROCESS. IT TOOK A TEAM OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO FIND THE BEST PERSON QUALIFIED TO CONTINUE THE EXCELLENT HISTORY OF LEADERSHIP AND POLICING THAT IS THE ABILENE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE COULD NOT HAVE ARRIVED AT THIS DECISION WITHOUT MELVIN'S LEADERSHIP. I KNOW MELVIN WILL CONTINUE TO BE A RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND CHIEF DUDLEY. I ALSO WISH TO THANK JOY ELLINGER FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO FIND A CANDIDATE TO MOVE APD FORWARD AND TAKE CARE OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE UP OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BOTH SWORN AND UNSWORN PERSONNEL.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MAKE CERTAIN OUR CLOSEST PARTNERS AND PEERS ALSO HAVE A SEAT AT THE SELECTION TABLE. I'M SO VERY APPRECIATIVE AND GRATEFUL FOR THE INPUT, SUPPORT, AND DISCERNMENT BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY HICKS AND BISHOP. I EXPECT THIS TRANSITION THROUGH RENEWED PARTNERSHIP OF COOPERATION AND SUPPORT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ABILENE AND TAYLOR COUNTY. FINALLY, I PROMISED THE POLICE OFFICERS THEY WOULD HAVE INPUT IN THE SELECTION PROCESS. AND I WANT TO THANK THE ABILENE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS TO HELP ENSURE WE CHOOSE THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE THE NEXT CHIEF.

THESE THREE OFFICES IN ADDITION TO OFFICER CHRIS ADAMS PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT INPUT AND HELPED TO SOLIDIFY THE CHOICE FOR THE NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE. I APPRECIATE THEIR INPUT AND PROFESSIONALISM THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN.

CHIEF DUDLEY WILL BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1ST. AT THIS TIME, I ASKED CHIEF DUDLEY TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT BACK BEFORE I PROVIDE CLOSING REMARKS. CHIEF DUDLEY. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE.

LET ME BEGIN BY THANKING MY LOVELY FAMILY, MY WIFE AMY, MY DAUGHTER AND MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER. I HAVE ONE OTHER SON. HE'S A 24-YEAR-OLD THAT GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO IN BOULDER. HE'S IN DENVER AND HIS NAME IS ANDREW. I WILL TELL YOU THAT HE WILL BE JOINING US AT SOME POINT TO GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY. I AM SO THANKFUL TO BE HERE. THIS IS EXCITING FOR US.

LET ME ALSO THANK MR. HANNAH AND OUR OTHER CITY MANAGERS WHO WERE PART OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

I WANT TO THANK THE POLICE CHIEF SELECTION COMMITTEE BECAUSE OF THEIR THOROUGH WORK WITH VETTING ALL OF US AS CANDIDATES. I CAN'T TELL YOU ENOUGH HOW IMPRESSED I AM WITH THE PROCESS THAT ABILENE HAS CONDUCTED. IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THEY WANT TO DO DUE DILIGENCE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS THRIVING, WONDERFUL FAMILY ATMOSPHERE THAT EXISTS HERE IN ABILENE CONTINUES AND THAT THAT'S NOT DISRUPTED IN ANY WAY. AND IF ANYTHING, THAT THEY SELECTED THE CANDIDATE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO GROW AND ENHANCE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS MOVING FORWARD. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY.

SO, WHAT MAKES ME EXCITED ABOUT DOING THIS, THIS PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH BEING A CHIEF, IT'S THE FACT THAT YOU NOT ONLY GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW WHO YOU

[00:05:05]

ARE AND YOU SEE THEM AS JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE WHEN YOU GO UP TO THE COUNTER IN A HOTEL OR YOU GO INTO A RESTAURANT AND YOU SIT DOWN TO EAT. AND THEY'RE WILLING TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT'S WHEN YOU GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOU TALK TO THE OFFICERS AND YOU DON'T HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT DOING THEIR JOB. WHAT YOU HEAR IS OFFICERS WHO SAY THAT WHAT WE WANT IS ACTIVE SUPER SUPERVISION, WHAT WE WANT IS SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO COME IN HERE AND SHOW US NEW INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND APPROACHES FOR HOW WE DO OUR JOB.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE ASKING FOR NOT ONLY HERE IN ABILENE BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THEY'RE ASKING FOR US TO RETHINK POLICING, TO BE INNOVATIVE IN OUR PROCESSES, TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY AND TO BE ABLE TO THRIVE AT CRIME FIGHTING IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS PEOPLE'S RIGHTS. AND I GOT THAT FEELING WHEN I CAME AND INTERVIEWED IN ABILENE. THIS IS MY THIRD TRIP HERE. NOW THAT I'VE BEEN SELECTED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT FINDING MY HOME TO CONTINUE TO GROW WITH MY FAMILY IN THIS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. GLAD TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE THIS MORNING.

IT WAS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE ASKED TO CO-CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE BY MR. HANNAH.

WE HAD A VERY TOUGH CHOICES TO MAKE, BUT WE HAD AN AWESOME COMMITTEE.

LET ME INTRODUCE, POINT THEM OUT TO YOU. MR. HANNAH HAS STATED I THINK MOST EVERYBODY. JIM HICKS IS RIGHT HERE, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

THANK YOU, JIM. RICKY BISHOP IS TRYING TO HIDE BACK THERE IN THE BACK.

SHERIFF RICKY BISHOP. THANK YOU, RICK, FOR YOUR SERVICE, MY MAN.

ADAM BECKER IS NEXT TO HIM. ADAM AN APOA PRESIDENT, DOES A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU. WITH YOU IS AGENT ALFRED DIXON, NARCOTICS OFFICER.

LET ME SAY, THESE OFFICERS PUT THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO THIS PROCESS, DID US A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU. AND ALSO LET ME MENTION JOY ELLINGER.

YOU'LL HEAR FROM JOY IN A MINUTE.PJOY DID US AN OUTSTANDI. PART OF THE PROCESS WAS A MEET AND GREET WHERE WE WENT TO THE COUNTRY CLUB AND CAN INVITED MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME.

JOY PROVIDED POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FLAGS AND UNITED STATES FLAGS.

IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE. WE HAD THREE FINALISTS. EACH ONE OF THOSE THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN WE DID THE FINAL INTERVIEWS COMMENT ABOUT HOW ABILENE HAS CHANGED THE NARRATIVE AS FAR AS LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO THEY WERE VERY IMPRESSED NOT ONLY WITH THE ENTRYWAY OF THE FLAGS BUT WITH THE TURNOUT OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT. WE DID NOT EXPECT NEARLY THAT MANY PEOPLE.

AND MOST EVERYONE RESPONDED BY SAYING, "I LIKE ALL THREE OF THEM." WE DID TOO. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THREE AWESOME CANDIDATES FOR OUR CHIEFS JOB. AND WE ALSO WANT TO THANK CURT HODGEN WITH SGR WHO HELPED PROVIDER THESE GREAT APPLICANTS. THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE HAD THE FINAL INTERVIEWS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND TWO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS AND MYSELF WITH THE FINALISTS.

WE THEN HAD LUNCH. AND OVER LUNCH WE HAD DISCUSSION AND WE WENT BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE OF THE -- HOW AWESOME EACH ONE OF THESE CANDIDATES WERE.

BUT IT KEPT COMING BACK. IT KEPT COMING BACK. AND MARCOS WAS A CANDIDATE THAT WE KEPT COMING BACK TO AND EVENTUALLY MARCOS GOT IT. HE IS GOING TO BE AN AWESOME POLICE CHIEF FOR THIS CITY. AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE CHOSEN TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY AND BE OUR CHIEF OF POLICE. LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO JOY ELLENGER, PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE FOUNDATION. SHE'LL HAVE COMMENTS TO WRAP IT

UP. >> THANK YOU, CHIEF. IT WAS AN HONOR TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND AS PRESIDENT OF ABILENE POLICE FOUNDATION WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CHIEF DUDLEY AND HIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. STEVE AND I, MY HUSBAND, HAVE

[00:10:05]

HAD A CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW MARCUS AND HIS FAMILY AND I THINK THEY'LL MAKE GREAT ABILENENS. I'M TRYING TO TALK THEM INTO BEING MY NEIGHBOR, TO LOOK FOR A HOUSE. WE PUT ON A GREAT MEET AND GREET.

THE PEOPLE THAT MADE IT SUCCESSFUL ARE SHEA HALL AND MARION MARTIN.

IT MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO WE'RE GLAD THAT Y'ALL ARE HERE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY, MANY YEARS AHEAD OF YOU. I'M GOING TO TRY TO TALK THE GIRLS INTO BEING ACU WILDCATS, WE'LL SEE IF THAT WORKS, OR TEXAS TECH AT THE SCIENCE CENTER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY YEARS OF WORKING HERE AT THE POLICE STATION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> WANT TO MAKE SURE THE MEDIA HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO INCOMING CHIEF DUDLEY AND ASK WHATEVER QUESTIONS THEY HAVE. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TODAY AND JOINING US IN THIS IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW CHAPTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ABILENE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE'VE GOT GREAT MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY ACROSS THE CITY BUT ESPECIALLY IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. THESE PEOPLE GET UP EVERY DAY, THEY PUT THEIR UNIFORM ON, THEY COME TO SERVE, THEY PUT THEMSELVES BEFORE THEIR FAMILY FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND I JUST AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR WORK AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SACRIFICE AND DEDICATION AND I THINK WE HAVE A LEADER WHO WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THEM IN A GREAT DIRECTION.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. [APPLAUSE]

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.