Business

Kroll today announced the appointment of David Brown as a Managing Director in Kroll’s Investigations and Disputes practice. The former Chief of the Dallas Police Department, Brown rose through the ranks over the course of a distinguished 33-year career, and today is a nationally recognized expert on promoting law and order and reducing violent crime, particularly through the use of highly effective community-based methods.

“David brings to Kroll a unique and highly informed perspective on many of the challenging issues currently facing our country and organizations – public and private,” said William Nugent, Regional Managing Director, North America, for Kroll’s Investigations and Disputes practice. “David’s leadership and community-based approach has been recognized as a model for effective local policing in America’s cities. He understands and has excelled at bridging the priorities, perceptions, and concerns of multiple stakeholders, and I am confident that our clients will find his forward-thinking methods immensely practical as they navigate the dynamic complexities of public safety, security, crisis management, and community relationships. For our clients and for our company, I am excited to welcome David to Kroll.”

Brown is also well known for his crisis management expertise. Last year, he demonstrated to all his steady hand and extraordinary leadership in his handling of the nation’s worst-ever police shooting incident that resulted in the death of five Dallas police officers and injury to nine others.

“David’s outstanding record of achievement and public service stand as testament to his unwavering commitment to making a positive difference,” said David Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer of Kroll and its parent, Corporate Risk Holdings. “His accomplishments are many and varied. Throughout his career, he has carried out every task and challenge that he has encountered with integrity and excellence. I look forward to David sharing his experience with our teams across Kroll and in helping our clients achieve successful outcomes for their organizations.”

Brown’s service with the DPD was marked by a genuine sense of duty and commitment to the residents and communities in his hometown, and to his fellow officers. A proponent of accountability and transparency, Brown focused on instituting improvements during his tenure as Deputy Chief (2003-2010) and Chief (2010-2016) that would result in the most significant reduction in crime in the city’s history as well as increased diversity and education levels throughout the department. Brown joined the DPD in 1983 and progressively advanced to the department’s SWAT team in 1996, which he directed and served on for seven years. He was appointed Deputy Chief in 2003, at a time when Dallas had led the country in violent crimes for six years.

Working alongside the then-current Chief, Brown introduced and managed an initiative to effect change via accountability among the 3,500+ sworn officers comprising the force. Through strong commitments to relationships, attracting and hiring the right people, and modeling the proper behaviors, Brown oversaw a transformation that resulted in reducing violent and overall crimes to 50- and 40-year lows, respectively. This included achieving the lowest murder rate in the modern era of Dallas, since 1930, as well as reducing the number of officer-involved shootings by 40 percent, the lowest point on record.

Brown is frequently invited to speak to groups both locally and across the country on his community-based approach. He continues to contribute to the well-being of those in the Dallas community, and enhance relationships with law enforcement, as a Senior Fellow with the Meadows Mental Health Institute; a Senior Advisor with the Rainwater Charitable Foundation; and Chief Social Entrepreneur with Mark Cuban Enterprises, which includes work as a liaison between the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team, police officers, and young people. In addition to earning police departmental honors, Brown has received numerous awards from civic organizations that include the NAACP Dallas Branch, Dallas Interdenominational Ministers Alliance, and the National Black Police Association.

Brown earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Amberton University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree at Dallas Baptist University. He also attended the University of Texas, Austin, prior to beginning his career in law enforcement.