TAFT, Texas — The City of Taft has welcomed Kirk Massey as its new police chief, the first person to fill the position full time since the termination of former Chief John Landreth in April.
As KRIS 6 News previously reported, Landreth was terminated after four consecutive attempts, the last tied to an investigation in which city officials said they felt threatened by a statement Landreth made.
John S. Galvan has served as interim chief of police since April.
Massey was offered the position by the previous city council, which drew mixed reactions on social media. However, the City of Taft noted that Massey interviewed for the position in September, and his employment was discussed at an October council meeting.
Massey also participated in multiple community meet-and-greets following the job offer. Those events “were quite positive,” Massey told KRIS 6 News.
“When I first came here for my first interview and drove around the city, stopping at the stores and just talking to people in general, the friendliness—you could feel that sense of community,” Massey explained. He said that community atmosphere drew him to the position.
“That’s something that I really want to be a part of,” he said. “I grew up in a small town when I was younger, a lot like this, and that sense of community was very important.”
Before accepting the role in Taft, Massey served with the Brownsville Police Department for more than 30 years as a commander. In 2018, he accused former Brownsville PD leadership of retaliation after he and another officer were fired for their union work. Massey was serving as vice president of the union at the time.
The city settled the case, and both officers were reinstated.
Reflecting on Taft’s own history with law enforcement and local government, Massey said he does not “concern himself with the past.”
“My goal is to move this department forward through community engagement.”
Part of that path forward, he said, is his “100-Day Plan,” which will involve continuous meetings with city leadership and community members and “building that trust” in the police department. Over time, the plan will expand to upgrading the department’s technical operations, but for now, community building is the priority.
“My goal is to be able to turn this department over to whoever the next chief is in the future as a turnkey department,” Massey said. “The collaboration between the community and the police department—I don’t think it’s weak right now. There’s a lot of support for police in the city, but that can always be strengthened.”
One initiative Massey will implement starting Wednesday, and recurring each week, is an open-door opportunity for the community to meet with him.
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