Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall Passes State Licensing Exam

Dallas police Chief U. Renee Hall's days as an out-of-uniform civilian administrator are over. The Dallas Police Department announced Thursday morning that Hall has passed her Texas Commission on Law Enforcement licensing exam, making her a real Texas police officer and allowing her to wear a DPD uniform. "TCOLE test done!...

By Stephen Young

February 15, 2018

Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall shows off her uniform after passing the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement licensing exam. U. Renee Hall via Twitter

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Dallas police Chief U. Renee Hall's days as an out-of-uniform civilian administrator are over. The Dallas Police Department announced Thursday morning that Hall has passed her Texas Commission on Law Enforcement licensing exam with a score of 83 percent, making her a real Texas police officer and allowing her to wear a DPD uniform. Seventy percent is a passing score on the exam.

"TCOLE test done! Passed! Ready to get back to work!," Hall said in a tweet showing off her new duds.

TCOLE test done! Passed! Ready to get back to work! pic.twitter.com/1fV482pgOz
— U. RENEÉ HALL (@ChiefHallDPD) February 15, 2018

The 250-question exam, required for all Texas cops, including those like Hall who've been police officers elsewhere, has been a source of consternation since Hall left the Detroit department and took over Dallas' from interim Chief David Pughes in September. While Hall never complained or showed concern over the exam, fraught media reports bubbled to the surface every couple of weeks throughout the fall and winter as people wondered why the chief had yet to put on her stars.

Congrats to @ChiefHallDPD on a job well done with the TCOLE exam. Glad to have you in uniform! pic.twitter.com/aro45rw376
— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) February 15, 2018

In November, rumors about the test forced Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax to deny claims that Hall had resigned.

"There appears to be rumors that Chief Hall has resigned," Broadnax said in a message to the Dallas City Council. "This is not the case. She is focused on preparing for the TCOLE exam and not taking media calls and outside meetings at this time."

Hall had a year to pass the exam after taking the over chief's job under Texas state law. It took her less than six months.

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