LUBBOCK, Texas – Lubbock Police Chief Floyd Mitchell begins his tenure as the city’s 23rd police chief.
Mitchell served as chief for the Temple Police Department for four years prior to arriving in Lubbock. Mitchell also served over 25 years in the Kansas City Police Department.
Mitchell said he embraces the department’s plan to decentralize and open substations across the city.
“It’s gonna put those police officers within those communities closer to the people they are there to protect and serve,” said Mitchell. “That’s one of the things that attracted me to the position.”
As it relates to the recent shootings, two of them involving minors, Mitchell said the department must do a better job to keep drugs out of local communities.
“How are we intercepting the drugs entering Lubbock,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell also said he has no plans to change his stance on marijuana.
“Right now, marijuana is illegal in the state of Texas, so I have to follow the laws of our constitution,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell said residents should expect “quality policing” from his department.
“I wanna make sure that we have a very smart, well-trained, well-equipped, talented police department that is protecting people’s constitutional rights,” said Mitchell.