Garland Names Scott Vornberg Interim Police Chief as Jeff Bryan Moves to City Administration

Garland’s police leadership changed July 20-21 as Jeff Bryan moved from police chief to assistant city manager and Assistant Police Chief Scott Vornberg took the oath as interim police chief.

The transition gives Garland a new interim leader for its police department while moving a longtime police executive into a broader city-administration role.

Bryan moved into city administration

Bryan became an assistant city manager effective July 20, according to the city announcement reported by the Richardson-Garland Herald. He is taking over the position held by Phil Urrutia, who was named city manager of San Angelo.

Bryan joined the Garland Police Department in 1997 as a late-night patrol officer and advanced through a range of assignments before becoming police chief in 2019. The city said his experience includes emergency management, strategic planning, organizational leadership and coordination across city departments.

In his new position, Bryan will continue serving Garland within the city administration. The city described the appointment as a continuation of his service to residents and City staff.

Vornberg appointed interim police chief

The Garland City Council unanimously appointed Vornberg as interim police chief. He was sworn in during the Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21, according to the City of Garland.

Vornberg is a Garland native and graduate of Lakeview Centennial High School. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin before returning to Garland and joining the Garland Police Academy.

He has served the department for 32 years. His assignments have included patrol officer, field training officer, K-9 handler, lieutenant, Neighborhood Police Officer Unit supervisor and criminal investigations supervisor for detective units including Crimes Against Children and Homicide/Crimes Against Persons.

The city also said Vornberg holds a Master Peace Officer License and has completed leadership programs including the FBI National Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Police and the School of Executive Leadership, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class.

Community relationships are among Vornberg’s stated priorities

After accepting the appointment, Vornberg said he wanted to continue fostering the community relationships the department has built. He also emphasized working together to maintain a safe and prosperous community.

Those remarks describe the priorities stated in the city’s announcement. The reviewed sources did not announce specific operational changes, new crime-fighting initiatives or a separate policy agenda.

What remains unknown

The reviewed announcements did not disclose how long Vornberg’s interim appointment will last or provide a timeline for selecting a permanent police chief. They also did not identify specific compensation terms or a formal search schedule.

For residents, the immediate change is a new interim leader for the Garland Police Department and a former police chief serving in city administration. Future City Council, city-management or police-department announcements may provide more information about the longer-term leadership plan.

Sources

• City of Garland: Interim Police Chief Scott Vornberg Takes Oath of Office
• Richardson-Garland Herald: Garland Police Chief Jeff Bryan Named Assistant City Manager