There was a great turnout in Downtown Garland today for the Día de los Muertos celebration! Our Garland PD Unidos team loved seeing so many people enjoying the festivities and stopping by our booth. Thank you to everyone who came out and to all who helped make this event possible.

Our very own Detective John Capers made an appearance on The Daytripper! Travel show host Chet Garner recently visited Garland to highlight some of the great places our city has to offer. During the episode, Chet featured Detective Capers' incredible LEGO replica of the Downtown Garland Square, which John officially unveiled to the City on December 4, 2025. Chet, if you ever make your way back to Garland, you'll have to check out John's LEGO replicas of the Garland Police Department and Richardson Police Department! Check out the full episode of The Daytripper here: youtu.be/s_RGDX38avk?si=zDGu… Check out all of Detective Capers' builds at bluelinebricks.com/ @garlandtxgov #legobuild #GarlandLegos

Today, our Garland Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (GCPAAA) treated us to their annual police department cookout! We are truly grateful for everything the GCPAAA does for our department throughout the year. Their generosity, dedication, and continued support mean more to us than they know. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make today's cookout possible! We are fortunate to have such a wonderful group of people supporting our Garland Police family! #grateful #Community #workingtogether

Join us for a Scam Prevention presentation to learn how common scams work, what warning signs to watch for, and how AI is changing the way scams operate. We have three upcoming sessions: North Garland Library 3845 N. Garland Ave., Garland, TX 75040 Thursday, October 22, 2 PM – 3:30 PM Fields Recreation Center 1701 Dairy Rd., Garland, TX 75040 Thursday, November 5, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM West Garland Library 3921 W. Walnut St., Garland, TX 75042 Thursday, November 5, 2 PM – 3:30 PM We hope to see you there! #ScamAwareness #ScamPrevention #beaware @garlandtxgov

We are HIRING for Police Officers! If you are ready to #acceptthechallenge we have our next Police Civil Service Exam on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Our 28-week academy will challenge and prepare you to serve the community of Garland with the highest level of training. Civil Service Exam: Saturday, October 24, 8 AM Naaman Forest High School 4843 Naaman Forest Blvd., Garland, Texas 75040 Learn more and apply today garlandpolice.com/481/Recrui… Contact our recruiter for more information: 972-205-2058. #policerecruiting #acceptthechallenge

**Update** All lanes on Broadway are open. Please drive safely.

**Traffic Alert** Garland police are investigating a crash involving a pedestrian on Broadway Blvd. at Tacoma Dr. All southbound lanes on Broadway are currently closed. Please seek alternate routes. The roadway is expected to be closed while officers investigate the crash.

Police Investigate Early Morning Fatal Shooting Outside Business – Suspect Arrested At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, Garland Police responded to a report of a person shot outside a business in the 500 block of West Oates Road. When officers arrived, they located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. Garland Fire Department paramedics responded, and the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. During the investigation, detectives determined the victim and suspect had been involved in an argument earlier in the night while inside the business. After the business closed, investigators believe the suspect shot the victim in the parking lot before fleeing the scene in a white Ford F-250. Investigators identified the suspect as 31-year-old Ezequiel Hernandez and subsequently located the vehicle and Hernandez at a residence in the 1300 block of Summit Street in Mesquite. Hernandez was taken into custody and transported to the Garland Detention Center, where he was charged with Murder. No bond has been set at this time. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. This remains an active investigation.

NOW HIRING Our next Civil Service Exam is October 24. Our in-house academy will challenge and prepare you to build the skills needed for a rewarding career in public service. With competitive pay, excellent benefits, advanced training, specialized units and strong community support, Garland PD a great place to work and know you’ve made a difference. Answer the call and begin your journey with the Garland Police Department. Apply today: garlandpolice.com/481/Recrui… #NowHiring #AnswerTheCall #PoliceRecruiting

We had a great time today at Garland’s Community Health and Resource Fair! It was wonderful visiting with members of our community and seeing all the vendors and organizations providing valuable resources and services to Garland residents. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to visit with us! #communityfirst @garlandtxgov

Tonight is National Night Out in Garland! Across the city, our officers and staff are visiting neighborhood gatherings, meeting residents and celebrating the partnerships that help make Garland a safe and welcoming community. National Night Out is an opportunity to connect with your neighbors and strengthen community relationships. Thank you to all of the neighborhood organizers, volunteers and residents who make this event possible. We appreciate the opportunity to be part of your evening and look forward to seeing everyone out tonight. Together, we continue building a stronger Garland. #communityfirst #strongertogether #GarlandTx @garlandtxgov

**Garland Police Department Update**   We are pleased to share that at last night’s Garland City Council Meeting, Interim Chief Scott Vornberg was officially recognized by the Garland City Council as the Chief of Police for the Garland Police Department.   With Chief Vornberg’s appointment, several leadership promotions will take effect Sunday, October 11: Interim Assistant Chief Stokes will be promoted to Assistant Chief. Captain Shaabani will be promoted to Deputy Chief. Lieutenant Cummings will be promoted to Captain.   Please join us in congratulating Chief Vornberg, Assistant Chief Stokes, Deputy Chief Shaabani, and Captain Cummings as they begin this new chapter in their careers and continue serving the Garland Police Department and our community. Congratulations to all! @garlandtxgov

Help us congratulate one of our incredible boxers from the Garland Police Boxing Gym, Alex Espinoza! Today in Cleveland, Ohio, Alex became a USA Boxing National Open Champion! Alex fought three days in a row, winning all three bouts by decision on his way to the championship. Two of the opponents he faced were nationally ranked. We are incredibly proud of Alex and the hard work, dedication, and countless hours of training he has put in to reach this moment. Congratulations, Champ! We are proud of you! #Champ #HardWork #Dedication @GunsandHosesTX @garlandtxgov

Today, Friday, October 2, 2026, just before 7 AM, Garland Police received a request from DART to assist with traffic control stemming from an incident involving a train and an adult pedestrian. The incident required multiple intersections along West Walnut Street to be closed for an extended period of time. The roadways have since reopened and traffic is moving normally.

NOW HIRING Our next Civil Service Exam is October 24. Now is your opportunity to start a career with a top-tier police department and make a lasting impact in your community. Our in-house academy will challenge and prepare you to build the skills needed for a rewarding career in public service. With competitive pay, excellent benefits, advanced training, specialized units and strong community support, Garland PD a great place to work and know you’ve made a difference. Answer the call and begin your journey with the Garland Police Department. Apply today: garlandpolice.com/481/Recrui… #NowHiring #AnswerTheCall #PoliceRecruiting

One of our School Resource Officers received a pretty special honor from one of his students! A student at Walnut Glen Academy chose SRO Schnoebelen for a school project. As part of the assignment, the student stepped into Officer Schnoebelen’s shoes and answered a series of questions based on how he thought his SRO would respond. It’s pretty cool to see the impact our SROs can have on their students. When you love what you do, it shows, and it’s always an honor to be included in moments like this. Great answers from the student who put it all together. And you are correct, we do LOVE donuts! Come work with us when you get older. We’ll save you a spot!

Join us for a Scam Prevention presentation to learn how common scams work, what warning signs to watch for, and how AI is changing the way scams operate. We have two upcoming classes at the Garland Police Department, 1891 Forest Lane: Wednesday, September 30, 10 AM – 11:30 AM Thursday, October 1, 6 PM – 7:30 PM We hope to see you there! #ScamAwareness #ScamPrevention #beaware @garlandtxgov

Heavy rain can quickly create dangerous driving conditions across Garland. If you encounter a flooded roadway, do not attempt to drive through it. Water depth can be difficult to judge, roadways may be damaged beneath the surface and even 1 inch of moving water can carry a vehicle away. Turn Around, Don't Drown. Slow down during wet weather, allow extra stopping distance and watch for road closures and high water areas. Stay Safe Garland. #WeatherAlert #heavyrain