Dallas’ 1st Black assistant police chief remembered as trailblazing legend dies at 89

Donald “Don” Stafford, the first Black officer to achieve a rank above lieutenant at the Dallas Police Department, died Sept. 16, according to an online obituary. He was 89.
Stafford was the 14th Black officer hired by the city’s police when he joined the department in August 1960, and roughly 22 years later, was named the first Black executive assistant chief of police. He was the highest-ranking Black officer at DPD for nearly his entire career.
“He truly symbolized what excellence in policing looked like amid a pivotal evolution in law enforcement,” DPD said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News. “His integrity, courage and resilience continue to inspire all who knew him and those who will honorably serve the citizens of Dallas in the future. Chief Stafford’s dedication and leadership will never be forgotten.”
In a Dallas police video featuring Stafford during Black History Month in 2017, he spoke about memorable moments of his career, including being at Parkland Memorial Hospital when news broke that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas and building trust with kids by driving them to school when he was assigned to the Southeast patrol division.
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The video showed a photograph of a billboard with Stafford’s picture on it and the text: “Thanks for 31 years of service. ‘A Job Well Done!’ from all the officers and citizens of Dallas.”
In another nod to everything Stafford did for the community, the department named a conference room at the Jack Evans Police Headquarters after him in 2011.
“It makes me feel like I achieved something in life for somebody else other than just myself,” he said in the 2017 video. “Because I know there are many Blacks and browns in that department that have been overlooked in the past. It doesn’t matter how you come into the world, only how you live in it.”
Often revered as a trailblazer during his three decades with DPD, Stafford was quoted in a The Dallas Times Herald article in 1972 saying he didn’t consider himself one.
“I just like doing police work,” he said. “As a policeman you can be a help to people.”
Stafford — who worked as a court bailiff in Dallas County for about a decade after his retirement from DPD — was a distinguished leader and dedicated public servant who became a mentor for other people of color.
The Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters named Stafford one the honorees of the 1992 local “Black Living Legends,” which included an exhibit featuring “men and women who have made history by continuing a tradition of excellence in their careers and services to their community.”
Even decades after leaving policing, Stafford was recognized for his service by the Urban League of Greater Dallas and North Central Texas, according to an article published in 2012 by The Dallas Morning News.
“They mean everything to me,” Stafford said. “And I’m still available to anybody who thinks Don Stafford can be of help.”
Stafford was also a U.S. Air Force veteran and his time in the military helped him develop the qualities of leadership and dedication that defined his career, his obituary reads, adding that his professional achievements were “a testament to his unwavering dedication to justice and community safety.”
Above all else, Stafford was known for being kind to others and being an uplifting presence, especially in the everyday moments like responding with a heartfelt “Super!” whenever someone asked how he was doing.
“Chief Donald A. Stafford will be remembered not only for his significant achievements but also for the love and joy he brought to the lives of those around him,” his obituary says. “His legacy of service and strength will continue to inspire future generations.”
His funeral was Saturday at the Community Missionary Baptist Church in DeSoto.