Southlake swears in police chief

A new police chief has been sworn in in Southlake.

James Brandon, who has served as interim police chief since March, was confirmed as permanent chief on June 2 by Southlake City Council. He was sworn in two days later.

Brandon was assistant police chief before Chief Steve Mylett left the Southlake Police Department for a similar position in Washington. Brandon has nearly 20 years of police experience, much of it in Corpus Christi, according to a city of Southlake news release.

“The police profession is facing challenges like we haven’t seen in many years,” Brandon said in a prepared statement. “Those challenges can only be overcome with a day-in day-out commitment to the people we serve. I am honored to be working with a group of employees and for a city whose residents appreciate open and honest conversation.”

Since coming to Southlake, Brandon has worked with other police officers and personnel to help reduce vehicle burglaries by 33 percent, residential burglaries by almost 40 percent, and car wrecks by 13 percent, says the news release.

He was also instrumental in working with federal law enforcement agencies after the 2013 Town Square shooting and Carroll Independent School District regarding the Southlake’s School Resource Officer program.

“Southlake’s School Resource Officer program is a terrific example of what can happen when community ideas and police know-how come together,” Brandon said.

Filling the empty position of assistant police chief is Lt. Ashleigh Douglas.

This story was originally published June 9, 2015 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Southlake swears in police chief."