Abilene Police Chief Dudley resigns; on duty to the end of March
Marcus Dudley Jr., Abilene's chief of police for just over 14 months and the city's first Black chief, has resigned, effective March 31.
"There are other opportunities I would like to pursue," he said in a statement included in a city's announcement.
The news was posted on the city of Abilene website Friday afternoon.
City Manager Robert Hanna said he could not comment more than a statement he provided on the website:
“Chief Dudley has served this community well, and I wish him and his family the best in all things,” Hanna said.
The city manager said an interim chief would be named, but set no timetable. With Dudley in the job for the rest of the month, there is time to make that decision, he told the Reporter-News.
Dudley, from Aurora, Colo., succeeded Stan Standridge, who resigned his position under some duress and eventually became chief of the San Marcos department. He had been with the Abilene Police Department since 1995.
Dudley was one of three finalists to replace Standridge and chosen for the job.
He had to acquire his Texas peace officer qualification after beginning his duty here Jan. 1 2021.
Just last week, he presided over the ceremony that brought nine new officers to the department from Class 60 of the APD's academy.
Dudley has asked for a large number of sworn officers. Currently, that number is 216, though APD has been challenged to stay fully staffed.
Here is Dudley's statement regarding his resignation:
“I am blessed to have served the citizens of Abilene. My family and I love this community and have made it our home.
"I recognize that much has been accomplished at the police department these past two years. Through the creation of an Apparatus Fund, we established a funding mechanism for future critical high dollar equipment needs. We realigned departmental units to more adequately address the needs of our community. New training, equipment, and staffing were added to support crime suppression efforts, all while enhancing our police-community relations.
"There are other opportunities I would like to pursue, and while the decision to resign was not easy to make, my faith tells me it is the right decision. I am proud of the historic moment I was named chief of police and am appreciative for working alongside the outstanding women and men who serve at the Abilene Police Department. I am thankful for not only what they do, but also for how they do it.”
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Police Chief Dudley resigns; on duty to the end of March
