Rockwall Police Chief Moeller honored with awards at Retirement Celebration

(ROCKWALL, TX – July 15, 2015) Community members gathered at The Center in Rockwall this evening to wish Rockwall Police Chief Mark Moeller a happy retirement and pay tribute to his 13 years of service at the helm of the Rockwall Police Department.

Moeller received several awards in his honor, including proclamations from the offices of Senator Bob Hall and Texas State Governor Greg Abbott; a proclamation submitted to the U.S. Congressional Record on Moeller’s career, legacy and leadership on behalf of Congressman John Ratcliffe; a recognition of excellence from the Rockwall County Criminal District Attorney’s Office; and a special portrait drawing of Chief Moeller from all the men and women of the Rockwall Police Department.

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve in the Rockwall Police Department and to work here in Rockwall,” Moeller said. “It’s an outstanding community and I’ve loved every minute of it. I appreciate the work of every member within our department, because they’ve done it all.”

Chief Moeller began his career as a patrol officer in the Dallas Police Department in July 1977. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant, holding supervisory positions in multiple divisions within the department before coming to lead the Rockwall Police Department in April 2002.

Chief Moeller has guided RPD through many changes. The department has grown from 45 officers and 18 civilian personnel to 79 officers and 22 civilians while the city’s population grew from 23,000 to more than 43,000.

He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from Central Missouri State University and an M.S. in Human Relations and Business from Amber University.

He was honored with the Outstanding Leadership Award from the TPCA in 2011, and currently serves as Regional Director of TPCA. Chief Moeller has also had the honor of serving as President of the North Texas Police Chiefs Association from 2012-13.

Several members of the city’s leadership addressed Chief Moeller’s professionalism, friendliness and leadership in his capacity as Police Chief and as a dedicated volunteer working actively within the community:

“You should be very proud of your service to Rockwall,” said Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Lewis. “You were here when Rockwall was a small town. You’ve grown with its growth and managed it correctly, and I’m very proud to call you my friend.”

“You can tell in the professionalism and the friendliness of his officers that that’s the kind of man he is,” said city councilman David White.

“Sometimes police and leadership in communities don’t always look that good, but in Rockwall we do, and I know that stems from the top, Chief, so thank you for all that you’ve done,” said County Judge David Sweet.

“One of the best things that I can say about Chief Moeller is that he’s been a part of our community,” said Mayor Jim Pruitt. “He’s not just come in to be Police Chief; he’s involved in every aspect of our community, from our church which he belongs to, to doing different things in the Rotary Club. He’s someone we can call on because he’s always been there.”

After interviewing several highly-qualified applicants, City Manager Rick Crowley chose Assistant Chief of Police Kirk Riggs to fill in Moeller’s shoes as the new leader of the Rockwall Police Department. Chief Riggs has served as Assistant Chief in Rockwall for more than 9 years. Prior to his appointment, he worked for the Farmers Branch Police Department for 25 years, moving through the rank structure to the position of Deputy Chief. He received his Bachelor of Science in Management and Ethics from Dallas Christian College. Chief Riggs has also completed management courses sponsored by The Institute for Law Enforcement Administration (ILEA), The Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT), and the FBI National Academy. He has been married to his wife Jean for the past 23 years and their son Campbell is a junior at Texas State University, where he is majoring in Business.

Chief Moeller said he looks forward to continuing his volunteer work within the City of Rockwall in his retirement, and knows that the Rockwall Police Department will continue to keep Rockwall safe for its citizens as it has done throughout his tenure.

“This organization is full of the most professional, dedicated and hard-working people I’ve ever worked with,” Chief Moeller said. “I know you all will take that attitude forward and continue to work in the mission of our department, serve the citizens and make this the safest place possible.”

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News staff writer, reporter and photographer.