Floyd Simpson began his job as Corpus Christi’s first black police chief March 12, 2012. He was a 25-year-veteran of the Dallas Police Department and well-liked in both departments. Courtesy Photo
Two services are planned in the next week for Corpus Christi Police Chief Floyd Simpson who was killed in a motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon. Corpus Christi Christian Fellowship will host visitation from 2 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 7. The first service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, May 8, at the American Bank Center. A second service will be held in Dallas at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the Friendshjip West Baptist Church. Burial will be in Chicago, his hometown.
Citizens of Corpus Christi will have an opportunity to express their condolences to the family of deceased police chief Floyd Siimpson via video message, announced the Corpus Christi Police Department. No appointments are necessary. Anyone may stop by city hall at 1201 Leopard on the first floor today, Monday, May 4, 3-7 p.m.; Tuesday, May 5, noon-7 p.m.; or Wednesday, May 6, noon-7p.m. Time will be limited to 3 minutes per person.
"Chief Simpson was a beloved member of the community and as such the City wants to document his legacy for his family of not only condolences, but special stories and words of encouragement for his family," reads a press release from the police department.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Special Olympics South Texas Area 2, which can be made online at www.sotx.org.
A great loss for Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi city leaders responded immediately with grief and a sense of loss at the news that police chief Floyd Simpson was killed in a motorcycle accident on Hwy 361 Sunday, May 3.
"Hearts are heavy today," said Mayor Nelda Martinez at a Sunday evening press conference. "We've lost a great public servant in Chief Floyd Simpson."
Simpson swerved to avoid a pickup truck that had crossed from the northbound to southbound lanes into oncoming traffic. Simpson was heading south, home to Corpus Christi from Port Aransas. He was wearing a helmet that dislodged as he hit the ground. The accident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. He was declared dead at the hospital a short time later.
Assistant Chief Michael Markle will serve as interim chief for the time being, announced city manager Ron Olson.
Simpson's legacy
The 51-year-old officer was the city's first black police chief. He came onboard in March 2012 as a 25-year-veteran of the Dallas Police Department. He was called "a legend of the Dallas Police Department," by the city's police chief at the time, David Kunkle. Simpson served as assistant chief under Kunkle when he took the Corpus Christi job.
"You never saw Floyd when he didn't have a smile on his face," Kunkle told the Dallas Morning News when he learned of the accident. "He was an extradorinarily decent human being, husband, father. I don't know that you can find anyone who didn't love Floyd and respect him and hold him in highest regard."
Simpson's legacy in Corpus Christi includes a focus on transparency and his belief that, "what we do has to be, in the eyes of the public, the right thing," he said at his second State of the Police speech in February. The State of the Police Department luncheon is sponsored by the Corpus Christi Police Foundation, with Chief Simpson as guest of honor and keynote speaker. Money from the fundraiser luncheon will be used, in part, for police officer body cameras.
Simpson practiced a "broken windows" philosophy of policing made famous by New York City's former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in the 1990s. Under Simpson's guidance, police officers cracked down on property crimes like graffiti and vandalism that many believe negatively affect a community's sense of pride and ownership.
In a biography posted online at cctexas.com, the theory is explained this way:
Chief Simpson expects supervisors to utilize daily crime reports to identify where crime trends are occurring, rapidly deploy officers to these areas, develop effective tactics to eliminate crime problems, and then conduct unrelenting follow-up to ensure the problems have been resolved. By addressing minor crimes and improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods, Chief Simpson believes the Department can significantly reduce the crime rate in all of Corpus Christi while accomplishing our mission of reducing crime, reducing the fear of crime, and enhancing public safety.
At the State of Police speech, Simpson was able to report that all crimes but one were dropping across the city. Domestic violence crimes, which have been on the rise in Corpus Christi, were a new focus for the police department. The chief planned to used some of the foundation's donation to send officers to domestic violence training.
"We have some of the best trained officers in the nation," Simpson said. "Through all of this, the ultimate benefactor from the efforts of the foundation is the community."
Simpson was also looking forward to the opening of a new police building under construction at Greenwood and Holly and the installation of 30 additional cameras in downtown Corpus Christi. These cameras are to record into a central location 24 hours a day, he explained.
"We need this real-time crime center," he said at the luncheon. "I look forward to all the changes coming in 2015."
During his time in Corpus Christi Simpson started a policeman's choir and a police officers' yearbook. He also began a tradition of promotion ceremonies for officers that included their families.
Officers in Corpus Christi have attached black bands to their badges as condolences from across the country pour into the department's downtown headquarters. Yellow roses were left at Simpson's parking spot.
Chief Simpson was a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum Management Institute, the FBI National Academy and the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. He served on the Executive Committee of Special Olympics Texas-Law Enforcement Torch Run. An avid runner, he also enjoyed his Harley Davidson motorcycle, and was a member of the Iron Knights, a riding club. In 2007 he organized a charity ride to benefit children with sickle cell anemia.
Simpson and his wife of 27 years, Tanya, have four children ranging in ages from 30 to 14.
