The City of Amarillo announced Wednesday, April 15 that Amarillo Police Department Assistant Chief Jimmy Johnson, who recently served as interim police chief, is retiring after nearly four decades of service.
Johnson has served the Amarillo Police Department since 1988, when he started as a jailer, and he has since risen through every rank of the department to assistant chief and interim chief.
Thirty-eight years later, Johnson is retiring as one of the most experienced and respected law enforcement leaders in the Texas Panhandle.
His last day of service with APD will be April 30.
“I didn’t come here chasing position or rank, I just wanted to do the job well,” said Johnson in a city news release. “If you take care of people and stay focused on the mission, everything else has a way of working out.”
Johnson was recently one of three finalists for the Amarillo police chief position, along with Greg Stevens and Thomas Hover, who was selected by the city following a months-long search and a meet-and-greet.
Johnson attended the police academy in 1989, and began what would become a career defined by steady leadership, deep institutional knowledge and a commitment to both officers and community, the City of Amarillo said in the retirement announcement. He was promoted to corporal in 1995, sergeant in 2007, lieutenant in 2011, captain in 2016, and assistant chief in 2020. In February 2025, city leadership appointed him to the interim chief position, placing him in charge of a department of nearly 400 sworn officers and professional staff and a $60 million annual budget.
He was named interim chief following the retirement of former Chief Martin Birkenfeld, who had been with the department since 1990.
But long before command staff meetings and citywide initiatives, Johnson learned Amarillo one call at a time. He spent eight years on evening patrol and three years on day shift patrol. He worked in the Community Oriented Policing and Problem-Solving Unit, served as a Detective Sergeant in the Burglary/Theft Squad, and held leadership roles as Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Shift Commander, and Unit Leader in the Criminal Investigations Division. As a captain, he led both the Training and Personnel Division and the Patrol Division, shaping how new officers entered the profession and how experienced officers grew within it.
“Training the next generation and watching them succeed, that’s one of the most rewarding parts of this job,” said Johnson. “Policing is a team effort, and every class you train is part of the department’s future.”
Serving in specialized units
Throughout his career, Johnson also contributed to many of APD’s specialized units, including the Dive Team, SWAT as an alternate, CSI as an alternate, Peer Support, Honor Guard, and as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor. He served as program head for the department’s patrol rifle and TASER programs and became a national instructor for the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors. He holds a Master Peace Officer certification and is a licensed TCOLE instructor.
His service and leadership have been recognized with numerous personnel commendations, two Life Saving Awards, an Operations Citation and a Meritorious Achievement Award from the 3M Corporation.
Johnson’s impact extended beyond Amarillo. In 2022, he served as interim police chief for the City of Dalhart, helping guide that department through a leadership transition.
He is a graduate of Amarillo College and Wayland Baptist University, earned his Certified Public Manager designation through Texas Tech University, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 282, where he was selected as class president by 255 law enforcement executives from around the world.
What does retirement look like after four decades in uniform?
Johnson has long emphasized constitutionally based policing, officer development and strong partnerships between law enforcement and the community. Whether overseeing patrol operations, investigations, training, or department-wide initiatives, his focus remained the same — public safety built on trust.
Outside the badge, Johnson is a husband, father of two, and grandfather of three. He is an active member of Hillside Christian Church, a Paul Harris Fellow with the Amarillo South Rotary Club, and a former two-term Rotary president. He has also served on the Potter/Randall 911 Managing Board, supporting emergency communications for the region.
Looking back, Johnson is most proud not of rank, but of the people.
“This job has always been about the officers, the professional staff, and the community we serve,” said Johnson. “No one does this alone. If we made things a little better and helped the next group be even more prepared, that’s a career to be proud of.”
“Retirement just means a change in role, not a change in heart and I’m not finished serving,” Johnson said. “I will always care deeply about this department and this community. That never really retires.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Assistant Police Chief Jimmy Johnson to retire
Reporting by Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
