The Fort Worth Police Chief, Ed Kraus, announced his plans to retire at the end of the year.
Kraus, a 28-year veteran of the Fort Worth Police Department, announced his retirement Monday. Kraus had been appointed chief in December 2019.
He’d been named interim chief in May 2019 after Joel Fitzgerald was fired.
Kraus announced his decision in an email to employees Monday morning.
Kraus will remain with the department through the end of 2020. A national search will be conducted to find his replacement.
“Throughout his tenure, Chief Kraus has focused on promoting community problem-solving, reducing crime and enhancing justice for all of our residents,” Fort Worth City Manager David Cooke said. “During the turbulent period of a COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide concern over racial equity and police actions, Chief Kraus has had the support and respect of his fellow officers and stakeholders in the Fort Worth community.”
“I want to let you know that I have decided to retire from the FWPD,” he said in the letter. “My wife has also decided to retire from her career in education, and we are ready to explore the next chapter in our lives. I have let the City leaders know that I will stay on through the end of the year or until they hire a new police chief.”
In October, the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old Black woman in her home by a white police officer damaged the trust the department had been trying to build with communities of color. Officer Aaron Dean resigned and was charged with murder after fatally shooting Atatiana Jefferson through a back window of her home while responding to a call about an open front door.
Kraus declared there was “absolutely no excuse” for Jefferson’s killing.
Councilwoman Gyna Bivens told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that she believed Kraus brought a new level of trust to the department, noting he attended community meetings and engaged with residents.
“Fort Worth has been incredibly blessed to have Chief Kraus at the helm of our police department,” said Mayor Price. “His servant’s heart has been what the City of Fort Worth needed during these unprecedented times and his leadership has been transformative for our community. Chief Kraus has laid the groundwork for a more accountable and transparent Department through various initiatives, from working with the Police Monitor to establishing the third-party panel review, and I am confident these efforts will continue for the remainder of his tenure and beyond.”
Kraus began his law enforcement career in 1992. He has served as an officer, detective and sergeant in several units in the Patrol Bureau. His command experience includes assignments as a neighborhood policing district lieutenant, a Patrol Division captain and commander of the Training Division. He has served in executive roles as deputy chief over the Investigative and Support Command, assistant chief over the Support Bureau and executive assistant chief over the Patrol Bureau.