Barry Ragsdale
Barry Ragsdale, Sergeant
Dallas Police Department (Retired)
Career Highlights
- Dallas Police Department - Supervisor of the Year (2016)
- Dallas Police Department - Officer of the Year (2000)
- Texas Narcotic Officers Association (TNOA) Officer of the Year
- National Association of Police Organizations "Top Cop" Honorable Mention
- Meritorious Conduct Awards (3)
- Police Commendation Award (2)
- Life Saving Awards (3)
- Over 180 Citizen / Supervisor Commendations
Barry Ragsdale
is a twenty-nine (29) year veteran of the Dallas Police Department who spent approximately two decades assigned to the Narcotics Division as an undercover officer/detective and supervisor.
For almost seven (7) years, Barry was assigned to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as a Task Force Officer (TFO) to investigate large-scale drug trafficking organizations.
Barry began his law enforcement career with the Dallas Police Department in February 1990. In early 1995, Barry transferred to the Narcotics Division “Street Squads” where he was assigned to work in an undercover capacity purchasing illegal narcotics from street level dealers throughout the city of Dallas.
While working as a TFO with DEA, Barry was the case agent and lead undercover officer on numerous federal investigations ranging from the “Texas Syndicate” prison gang to Iranian MDMA/Ecstasy traffickers While assigned to the DEA Task Force, Barry initiated and worked on numerous complex conspiracy investigations where he worked as an undercover officer, surveillance officer, cultivated and managed CI’s, prepared search warrants, and assisted on Title III wiretap investigations. Barry has participated in numerous prosecutions of federal drug trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies.
After promoting to Sergeant, Barry was asked to supervise a uniformed Drug Task Force responsible for targeting chronic drug house complaints by conducting covert surveillance, “Knock & Talk” operations, and vehicle stops on suspected drug dealers. In 2012, Barry transferred back to the Narcotics Division where he supervised investigations until his retirement in 2019.
Barry is recognized as a hands-on type of leader, which was never more evident than during the tragic events of July 7, 2016, in Dallas, Texas when five uniformed police officers were killed by an armed gunman during a lawful protest. On November 1, 2016, he was recognized for his actions during that historic event at the Friends of the Dallas Police awards banquet when he was honored with the Dallas Police Department “Supervisor of the Year” award.
Barry has been an instructor and keynote speaker on narcotics related subjects and leadership over the past twenty (20) years.