After more than four months without a representative, District 1 has a voice on the Tyler City Council again. David Long was sworn in as the new District 1 councilmember on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at a special-called council meeting.
Tyler Presiding Judge Amy McCullough gave him the oath of office.
An Unopposed Path to the Council
Long was the only candidate in the District 1 special election that had been scheduled for Nov. 3. Because nobody ran against him, the City of Tyler’s website says the election was canceled.
The seat had been empty since June. That’s when Stuart Hene, who represented District 1 for almost six years, left it to become Tyler’s mayor.
Long said he ran because he wants to keep serving the people of Tyler.
Decades of Service: Coast Guard and Tyler Police
Long has spent nearly his whole adult life in public service. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1988 to 1996. In 1994 he moved to Tyler and joined the Tyler Police Department, where he spent 32 years in a range of roles. He retired this February as Assistant Chief of Police.
He says that background gives him strengths in public service and safety, executive leadership, and organizational management. Being a councilman has long been one of his goals. He also thinks his years working for the city give him a perspective that’s different from most people who join the council.
His police career wasn’t limited to his own department. Over the years, different assignments had him working on projects with other city departments, especially on budgeting, project development and project management. The City of Tyler says he also helped departments with organizational development and operational improvement, including using Lean Six Sigma principles to make municipal services more efficient and accountable.
A Well-Trained Leader
Long is a graduate of the FBI National Academy’s 240th Session. He also completed the Leadership Command College at the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston State University.
His responsibilities over the years have included:
- overseeing law enforcement units
- directing tactical operations
- managing the department’s budget and finances
- writing organizational policies
- leading public safety improvement efforts
He has also trained law enforcement officers and city employees in leadership, focusing on decision-making, accountability and how organizations work well.
Already Familiar Faces on the Council
Long isn’t meeting his new colleagues for the first time. He says he has known the mayor and the other councilmembers for a long time, including the newer ones, through downtown work and city projects during his police career.
He plans to be a team player. He also acknowledged that sitting on the council is a different job from running a police department, and said he wants to learn from the people around him.
His Priorities: Development and Public Safety
Long said he wants to focus on continued development, public safety and responsibility. With his law enforcement background, he said he is thankful for the strong support Tyler residents and city leaders have always given public safety.
His first goal is to get up to speed. He already knows about some current projects from his time with the city. Since he wasn’t part of earlier council discussions, though, he expects some catching up.
He described it as “a matter of getting caught up and see where I need to be.”
“I Love the City of Tyler”
Long said he feels blessed to have worked for the City of Tyler, and he is glad his children are from Tyler. That connection is a big part of why he wants to keep serving.
He pointed out that from his Coast Guard days through his career with the city, he has always worked to serve others. He plans to keep doing that in his new role.
After Long was sworn in, the council went into executive session. It took no action afterward and then adjourned.