Mckinney Courier-gazette > News
McKinney police chief reassigned
Doug Kowalski, McKinney police chief since 2001, has been reassigned, according to city officials.
By Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
Doug Kowalski is no longer McKinney police chief.
City officials said he has been reassigned, but didn't disclose his new assignment. Deputy City Manager Joe Williams has been named interim police chief.
CBS 11 reported that Kowalski will serve as a "special assistant to the city manager" for 30 days while they determine an exit agreement and severance packaged.
"Doug Kowalski is no longer the chief of the McKinney Police Department. He has been reassigned effective today," city spokeswoman Anna Clark said in a statement released Friday. "Joe Williams, who has been deputy city manager with the city of McKinney since June 2011, is the McKinney chief of police. This change is effective today in order to maintain continuity of command for the police department."
City officials also haven't yet revealed the reason for the change, but sources reportedly told CBS 11 that Kowalski is leaving over "philosophical differences" with City Manager Jason Gray.
Williams, who has 20 years of law enforcement experience, has worked with Gray in three different cities.
Williams worked for the Frisco Police Department from 1994 to 2007 as a patrol officer and sergeant, detective sergeant, lieutenant and captain over operations for the Frisco Police Department. Gray spent five of those years as Frisco's assistant city manager.
In 2007, Gray, then Celina city manager, appointed Williams as chief of police. And last June, about four months after taking over as McKinney city manager, Gray brought in Williams as deputy city manager to replace Jim Parrish, who had resigned from the position several days earlier.
As one of two deputy city managers, Williams oversaw the Public Works, Library, Human Resources, Information Technology, City Secretary, and Parks, Recreation & Open Space departments, but had no police oversight.
Kowalski served 23 years with the Dallas Police Department before leaving a high-ranking position to join MPD as assistant police chief. He was named police chief less than a year later in January 2001.
City officials said he has been reassigned, but didn't disclose his new assignment. Deputy City Manager Joe Williams has been named interim police chief.
CBS 11 reported that Kowalski will serve as a "special assistant to the city manager" for 30 days while they determine an exit agreement and severance packaged.
"Doug Kowalski is no longer the chief of the McKinney Police Department. He has been reassigned effective today," city spokeswoman Anna Clark said in a statement released Friday. "Joe Williams, who has been deputy city manager with the city of McKinney since June 2011, is the McKinney chief of police. This change is effective today in order to maintain continuity of command for the police department."
City officials also haven't yet revealed the reason for the change, but sources reportedly told CBS 11 that Kowalski is leaving over "philosophical differences" with City Manager Jason Gray.
Williams, who has 20 years of law enforcement experience, has worked with Gray in three different cities.
Williams worked for the Frisco Police Department from 1994 to 2007 as a patrol officer and sergeant, detective sergeant, lieutenant and captain over operations for the Frisco Police Department. Gray spent five of those years as Frisco's assistant city manager.
In 2007, Gray, then Celina city manager, appointed Williams as chief of police. And last June, about four months after taking over as McKinney city manager, Gray brought in Williams as deputy city manager to replace Jim Parrish, who had resigned from the position several days earlier.
As one of two deputy city managers, Williams oversaw the Public Works, Library, Human Resources, Information Technology, City Secretary, and Parks, Recreation & Open Space departments, but had no police oversight.
Kowalski served 23 years with the Dallas Police Department before leaving a high-ranking position to join MPD as assistant police chief. He was named police chief less than a year later in January 2001.
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