NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - One of the four finalists to head the New Orleans Police Department has accepted a new job as chief of police in a small Texas town instead.
Thedrick Andres was announced Wednesday (Aug. 23) as the new police chief in Cibolo, Texas. The suburb of San Antonio has a population of about 32,000, according to 2020 census figures.
Andres had applied for the NOPD job after retiring in February as police chief in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nev. Andres left that job after votes of no confidence in his leadership from two local police unions, one representing rank-and-file officers and the other representing supervisors.
Andres last month was advanced as a finalist for the New Orleans superintendent post by a search committee from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), along with former Oakland police chief Anne Kirkpatrick and NOPD’s interim superintendent Michelle Woodfork. Mayor LaToya Cantrell later convinced former Albuquerque and Texas police official David Franklin to also interview as a finalist, after he previously withdrew his name from consideration.
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Andres, who reached the rank of sergeant during a seven-year stretch with the NOPD from 1998-2005, scored the highest of the first three finalists on the IACP’s overall assessment center results, with scores of 90 percent on analysis presentation, 84 percent on his structured interview and 57 percent on his written exercise.
Cibolo’s announcement of Andres’ hire concluded a six-month national search to replace police chief Bryan Hugghins and interim chief John Wells.
“The path to this decision spanned many applicants and ultimately resulted in the successful recruitment of a talented leader to join our Cibolo community,” city manager Wayne Reed said in a statement. “Thedrick brings a wealth of leadership experience and a passion for positive change. With his exceptional leadership skills, coupled with extensive law enforcement knowledge, I am confident that Thedrick is the right leader to guide our police department towards achieving even greater heights in alignment with our mission and vision.”
Andres, who worked at the Arlington (Texas) Police Department before his move to Nevada, made no mention of seeking the New Orleans job in his statement released by Cibolo.
“I am very excited to lead the team at CPD. To join such a well-established and professional agency and to have the opportunity to build on the achievements of the past is a true honor and one that I take very seriously,” he said. “I am committed to supporting and furthering the city’s priorities, and I am eager to build a community of my own here.”
Cantrell has not said when she plans to complete interviews with the three remaining NOPD candidates. Her eventual selection still would need confirmation from the New Orleans City Council, following a change to the city’s home charter approved late last year.
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