About Us

On behalf of the more than 200 men and women of the Denton Police Department, welcome to our website. The City of Denton is a vibrant and growing community, made up of a diverse population of more than 133,000 residents, and home to the University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University, and North Central Texas College. With a rich music and arts scene, Denton is truly a gem in what is known as the “Golden Triangle” of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Whether you live and raise a family here, or you are visiting our city, we want your experience to be safe, fun, and memorable.  
 
It is truly my honor and privilege to lead the dedicated men and women of DPD as they deliver the highest level of professional service. To maintain a standard of excellence, we partner with our community, regional law enforcement agencies, and numerous service providers to use innovation and collaboration in providing a holistic approach to keeping you and your family safe.  
 
We will remain vigilant while working alongside you, the community, to focus on relational-based policing. True excellence can be achieved by building upon our relationship, collaboration, and communication, all of which are critical components to our collective success. I extend the opportunity for you to learn more about your police department by enrolling in our Citizen’s Police Academy. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of service. 

Organization

View our Organizational Chart. 

• Chief of Police

  Chief of Police Frank Dixon is committed to building trusting relationships within the diverse cultures in Denton. Forming partnerships is key to policing in an equitable and just manner. Chief Dixon encourages you to get involved and engaged, so that everyone in Denton can enjoy an improved quality of life. If he can be of service to you, feel free to contact him at Frank.Dixon@cityofdenton.com or (940) 349-8181. 

• Operations Bureau

  The Operations Bureau, under the direction of Deputy Chief Paul Willenbrock, is the uniformed presence for the Denton Police Department and includes the following units: Patrol, Traffic Enforcement, School Resource Officers, and Community Resource Officers. Officers assigned to the Operations Bureau take pride in providing quality customer service, developing positive partnerships with members of our community, and ensuring a safe community for our citizens. Our officers are committed to working with community members and are often involved in neighborhood meetings and the development of neighborhood-focused problem resolution. If you have ideas or important information, you may contact him at Paul.Willenbrock@cityofdenton.com or by calling (940) 349-8181. 
   
  The Patrol Division is deployed in 4 shifts working 12-hour shifts. Each shift is supervised by a Lieutenant and two Sergeants. Each shift is responsible for providing police service through responding to calls for service and performing self-initiated police activity in each of the five police districts. 
  
  The Neighborhood Services Division includes the Traffic Section and Downtown Day and Night Patrol Units. 

• Investigations and Support Bureau

  The Investigations and Support Bureau conducts investigations of criminal activity committed within the city limits of Denton. The Bureau is commanded by Deputy Chief Frank Padgett and consists of four Divisions: General Investigations Division, Major Crimes Division, Family Services Division and the Special Operations Division. If you have ideas or important information, you may contact him at Frank.Padgett@cityofdenton.com or by calling (940) 349-8181. 
  
  The General Investigations Division is responsible for the follow-up investigation of crimes committed against persons or property in the City of Denton which require a degree of specialization or a centralized investigative approach. 
  
  The detectives assigned to the Major Crimes Division are responsible for criminal investigations that are time consuming, require specialized expertise or are of a serious nature. 
  
  The detectives assigned to the Family Crimes Division investigate offenses where children are the victim of crimes of violence. The detectives investigate both physical and sexual abuse of children. The Bureau works very closely with the Denton County Children’s Advocacy Center and Child Protective Services. The Family Services Coordinator for the Denton Police Department is assigned to this division. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/counselor and is responsible for providing victim’s services for crime victims, providing short term counseling, crisis intervention and referral to social service agencies. 
  
  The Special Operations Division includes the Narcotics Section and the Denton Repeat Offender Program (DROP). The detectives assigned to the Narcotics Section target narcotic/drug activities that affect the city of Denton. The investigators conduct both covert and overt type investigations. The detectives assigned to DROP are responsible for serving active arrest warrants that originate from other members of the police department. They also are a part of a United States Marshals Service Violent Offender Task Force responsible for apprehending persons who have active federal or state warrants in the Eastern district of Texas. A crime analyst/forensic computer specialist is also assigned to this section.