Chief David O. Brown in Lake Highlands in 2013. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)
He became famous nationwide in the wake of an attack on the Dallas Police Department.
Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown served as the face of Dallas as our city sorted out the massacre and dealt with its aftermath, and the world was pretty impressed.
CNN, National Review, US Weekly, New York Times, Time magazine and just about every other news source in the country published stories about Brown’s painful history — including the deaths, over the years, of his police partner, his brother and his son — his laudable management of the DPD and the memorable and inspiring words he spoke throughout the tragic the week.
People in our neighborhood for many years now have appreciated Brown’s specialness.
Former City Councilman Bill Blaydes, David O. Brown and Lake Highlands resident Steve Wakefield in 2013. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)
In the spring of 2013, Advocate photographer Danny Fulgencio and I learned as much at a breakfast to honor Brown and the officers of the Northeast Dallas subdivision, of which Brown once was commander.
We witnessed a customer walk up and hand Chief Brown $200; he said it was a gift for apprehending his son’s killer years ago.
Neighborhood resident and activist Bill Vandivort II organized the appreciation breakfast with other neighborhood residents and pundits following a trying few months, which included the capture of a serial rapist in Lake Highlands.
Before the eggs arrived, Vandivort started in with the war stories (which were leading up to the big award presentation) Specifically: There was a time, about 2006, when Brown was overseeing the northeast division and the drug problem in a certain Forest-Audelia area apartment complex was way out of hand. Brown had declared war on this complex, promising to take down drug dealers who were blatantly conducting business out in the open.
“They said we’ve thrown everything but the kitchen sink at this thing and [Brown] said well, then why not throw the kitchen sink at it,” Vandivort recalls. And that’s how “operation kitchen sink,” a surge that resulted in hundreds of arrests and a newfound pride in our neighborhood police force, came about, he explained.
Of course it was an effort that could not be sustained, Brown adds, but at the time we made our point and it did result in some positive changes.
Vandivort presented Brown with “The Kitchen Sink Award” an actual kitchen sink that he purchased from a home design outlet, reasoning that the Lake Highlands rapist manhunt and capture of the suspect was another “throw everything including the kitchen sink” effort.
A little while into the breakfast, a man approached the table, and something amazing happened.
A grateful Chubby’s customer hugs a police officer in attendance at a 2013 breakfast with Chief Brown. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)
“… a Chubby’s customer named Paul Chapman walked up to the table, stopping the guys mid-story. He said that he wanted to show the officers his appreciation. He dropped two hundred-dollar bills beside Brown’s plate of eggs and said that years ago his son was killed. “You captured his killer. I want to show you how much I appreciate it.” Each officer stood and thanked the man. Several exchanged hugs with him.
When he walked away, there was a few seconds of silent contemplation before someone said, “That just happened. Wow.”
If I remember correctly, the money went toward the bill and a nice tip for the servers at Chubby’s.
More from that day, including photos of the kitchen sink award, here.
