Photo credit: Irwin Thompson
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department is making history in the new year with the appointment of Marian Brown as the county’s first ever Black sheriff.
Having served three years with the department, Brown was personally recommended by former sheriff Lupe Valdez who resigned from her position last month to run for governor.
Prior to joining the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Brown served 26 years with the Duncanville Police Department, where she worked her way up from officer to assistant chief. During her swearing in ceremony to the new position, Commissioner John Wiley made it clear that Brown’s history “speaks for itself” and that she is more than worthy to hold the esteemed role.
While Brown has been sworn in as interim sheriff until a new person is elected in November, Dallas News reports Brown saying her first priorities will be learning more about jail issues and rebuilding the trust between the department and the community.
“Tonight is a historical night for various reasons,” she said after taking oath. “I want it to be a historical night because it is the night that we recommit to why we organically became police officers. I think it’s important for us to start the new year together as a unit.”
Valdez, who was Texas’ first Hispanic woman sheriff, says she recruited Brown to join her team after seeing a photograph of her and wanting to know more about her as there are very few Black female chiefs in the nation.