Holly MatkinEl Paso, TX – El Paso Police Department (EPPD) Chief Gregory “Greg” Allen died unexpectedly on Jan. 17.
El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said the 71-year-old police chief died while he was recovering from a medical procedure, KFOX reported.
“We lost a great leader today,” Leeser said. “El Paso Chief of Police Greg Allen was not only an incredible Chief of Police, but he was an incredible son, husband, father, and friend. He earned the respect of every officer on his force, and I was proud to call him my friend. He will be greatly missed, and the City of El Paso will be forever indebted to him for his leadership.’
“Our heart goes out to his wife Rosanne and his entire family at this difficult and painful time,” the mayor continued. “He was an esteemed member of our City family and we mourn alongside them.”
The EPPD announced the longtime chief’s death in a press release.
“The El Paso Police Department and the community are heartbroken over the loss of Police Chief Greg Allen,” the department said. “He was a dedicated servant of our community, always putting the needs of the people first. We will honor his legacy by continuing to serve our community with the same passion and commitment as Chief Allen.”
Chief Allen was a police officer for 45 years and headed up the EPPD for nearly 15 years, the El Paso Times reported.
“We lost a great leader today,” El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said in a statement. “El Paso Chief of Police Greg Allen was not only an incredible Chief of Police, but he was an incredible son, husband, father, and friend.”
“He earned the respect of every officer on his force, and I was proud to call him my friend,” Leeser continued. “He will be greatly missed, and the City of El Paso will be forever indebted to him for his leadership.”
The mayor also extended his condolences to Chief Allen’s family.
“Our heart goes out to his wife Rosanne and his entire family at this difficult and painful time,” Leeser wrote. “He was an esteemed member of our City family and we mourn alongside them.”
Chief Allen joined the EPPD in 1978 was initially assigned to patrol on the city’s central and west side, according to the El Paso Times.
He rose through the ranks over the decades that followed, to include being promoted as deputy in charge of the Pebble Hills and Central regional command centers.
Chief Allen served as the agency’s interim police chief before he was formally appointed as the department’s leader in March of 2008, the El Paso Times reported.
Despite his rise to the top, Chief Allen held a deep respect for the officers out working the streets and considered them to be the backbone of the agency.
“For me, the patrol officer is the most important person (in the department) because that’s the day-to-day contact that the people have with the department,” he told the El Paso Times the day he was promoted to chief.
The city’s first African American police chief told the paper back in 2008 that he wanted to serve his city as a law enforcement officer ever since he was a boy.
He came from a military family and took part in Junior ROTC before going to work as a martial arts instructor at the YMCA following his graduation from Bel Air High School, the El Paso Times reported.
He was inducted into the city’s Boxing and Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 1995.
Chief Allen graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and spent time working for the West Texas Council on Alcoholism before he joined the EPPD, the El Paso Times reported.
During his time in the law enforcement academy, he received the class’s top physical fitness award and was chosen as class president.
His law enforcement career ultimately spanned 45 years.
He was the city’s longest-serving police chief at the time of his death, according to his obituary.
Chief Allen leaves behind his wife of 27 years, Rosanne, as well as his four children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Thousands of mourners participated in the beloved police chief’s two-day memorial service, the El Paso Times reported.
He was laid to rest on Jan. 27.
EPPD and the community are heartbroken over the loss of Police Chief Greg Allen. He was a dedicated servant of our community, always putting the needs of the people first. We will honor his legacy by continuing to serve our community with the same passion and commitment as he did pic.twitter.com/WgfKS7NvAS
— EL PASO POLICE DEPT (@EPPOLICE) January 18, 2023
#HSI El Paso special agents paid their respects to the late @CityofElPasoTX of @EPPOLICE Greg Allen. The special agents gave a final salute to the chief Jan. 27 as his hearse passed by on Montana Avenue during a lengthy procession on its way to Evergreen Cemetery East. pic.twitter.com/xDvmqCHBdl
— HSI El Paso (@HSIElPaso) January 30, 2023
This evening, I had the solemn privilege of speaking at Chief Greg Allen’s remembrance ceremony. Chief Allen was a leader, a guardian, & an El Pasoan. Praying for comfort and healing to Chief Allen's wife, Rosanne and their family during this time. #txlege pic.twitter.com/X2CbNktj0Z
— Cesar Blanco (@CesarJBlanco) January 27, 2023
El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen procession arrives at Abundant Church where a funeral mass will be celebrate for him. pic.twitter.com/LEix8EApUl
— Aaron Martinez (@AMartinezEPT) January 27, 2023
Rest in Peace @EPPOLICE Chief Greg Allen#elpasodistrict4 #elpaso #iamelpaso #northeastelpaso #blueline #police #RestInPeace pic.twitter.com/4PQ2e3061D
— City Rep Joe Molinar (@CityRepMolinar) January 27, 2023
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of El Paso Police Department Chief Gregory “Greg” Allen, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.
