The city of Amarillo announced Monday that it had appointed Jimmy Johnson, the Amarillo Police Department assistant chief, to interim police chief.
This move was necessitated by the city’s decision to name former Police Chief Martin Birkenfeld to the city’s newly created Managing Director of Public Safety.
In a news release, the interim city manager Andrew Freeman spoke about the new appointment.
“Assistant Chief Johnson’s extensive experience, leadership qualities, and dedication to the City of Amarillo make him the ideal candidate for Interim Police Chief,” Freeman said. “I have absolute confidence in his ability to lead the Amarillo Police Department effectively and to ensure the safety and well-being of our community.”
A member of the department since April 1988, Johnson has moved up the ranks in multiple capacities, from patrol, detective and community policing to problem-solving unit. He has a bachelor’s degree in justice administration from Wayland Baptist University. He also received a Master Peace Officer and an Instructor License through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and completed the FBI National Academy course.