Commander David Blackmon (left) and Assistant Chief of Police MIchael Alanis were sworn in to their new positions serving under Chief of Police Mike Markle at city hall Friday, Jan. 22. Courtesy photo
Commander Michael Alanis was sworn in as Assistant Chief of Police and Captain David Blackmon became Commander Blackmon of the Corpus Christi Police Department during ceremonies at city hall Friday, Jan. 22. New Chief of Police Mike Markle promoted three offers as a first step in taking over the department after he was sworn in as its new leader earlier in the week. The third promotion was Lee Preiss from senior officer to lieutenant.
Markle stepped in to serve as interim chief last May when then Chief Floyd Simpson was killed in a motorcycle accident on Texas 361. He was nominated for the position after a nationwide search that resulted in six candidates converging on the city for final, public and private interviews.
As a Captain, Alanis served as head of the Public Information Office for the last two years. He was promoted to Commander in 2015. He is a 17-year veteran of CCPD and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Midwestern State University. He also is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
Blackmon, who is now in charge of the Uniform Division, has been with the department since 1989, the same year Markle joined. He is in charge of patrol officers, traffic and neighborhood safety. He said his focus would be on how to reduce crime with non-traditional methods.
All three promotions fit into Markle’s announced plans to make the police department more transparent and to work closely within communities for a better understanding of police policies and enforcement.
