The City of Amarillo has named three finalists to become the next chief of the Amarillo Police Department following a months-long nationwide search.
The finalists are Thomas Hover, Jimmy Johnson and Greg Stevens.
City officials said the candidates were identified through a national search led by Public Sector Search & Consulting, the only recruiting firm in the United States focused solely on executive-level police recruitment. The selection emphasized public input and the leadership qualities residents said they want to see in the next police chief.
Search process
The Amarillo City Council approved the recruiting firm in July, following the appointment of an interim chief in March. The search included:
City officials said feedback from those discussions helped shape the evaluation criteria and narrow the list of candidates.
Public open house
Residents will have an opportunity to meet the finalists during a Community Open House on Dec. 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 3400 (City Council chambers) at Amarillo City Hall.
Hiring timeline
The city has not announced a final selection date. However, when Johnson was named interim chief in March, city officials indicated their goal was to appoint a permanent chief by early 2026, with January 2026 cited as the anticipated timeline. The announcement of finalists and the upcoming community open house appear to follow that original schedule.
Former Police Chief Martin Birkenfeld retired effective Feb. 21, 2025, after nearly 35 years with the department. His departure followed scrutiny over a Jan. 3 letter he wrote to a federal judge in support of former Perryton ISD athletic director and coach Cole Underwood, who later received a 30-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to enticement of a minor.
Meet the finalists
Thomas Hover
Assistant Chief Hover began his law enforcement career with the Cedar Park Police Department, where he served for two years before joining the Irving Police Department in December 2003. At Irving PD, he advanced from officer to sergeant in 2011, lieutenant in 2016 and deputy police chief in 2021 before being named assistant chief in April 2023.
His experience includes patrol operations, special operations, the DWI Unit, the Detention Section and the Community Services Division. Hover earned his master’s degree after his promotion to deputy chief and participated in more than 50 community events in 2022, including presentations at leadership symposiums and outreach tied to a community homeless survey. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Leadership Command College at the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas.
Jimmy Johnson
Interim Amarillo Police Chief Johnson was officially named to the position on March 4, 2025, following Birkenfeld’s retirement. Born and raised in Amarillo, he began his law enforcement career with APD in 1988 as a jailor, graduating from the Amarillo Police Academy the following year. Over his 36-year tenure, Johnson has served in patrol, investigations and the Community Oriented Policing and Problem-Solving Unit (COPPS).
He has also worked on specialized teams including the SWAT Team, Dive Team, Peer Counseling and Honor Guard. From August to November 2022, he served as interim police chief in Dalhart, experience city officials said helped prepare him for this role. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in justice administration from Wayland Baptist University and a Master Peace Officer License through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Session 282) and completed the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Leadership Series.
Greg Stevens
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Executive Director Stevens was born and raised in Amarillo and graduated from Canyon High School before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, where he served four years as a military police officer and K-9 handler. He later graduated from the Lubbock Police Academy and spent more than two decades with the Lubbock Police Department, working in patrol, special operations, investigations, administration and public information.
Stevens reenlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves in 1998 and was recalled to active duty after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, serving in support of Operation Noble Eagle. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Wayland Baptist University and an MBA from Texas Tech. Stevens later served as police chief in Lubbock beginning in 2015 and in Rockport starting in 2019 before being appointed director of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement in 2024. He was among the top five finalists for Amarillo’s police chief position in 2020 and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. Throughout his career, he has participated in community leadership initiatives and served on multiple nonprofit boards.
With the city’s stated goal of appointing a permanent chief by early 2026, the announcement of finalists marks a key step toward that transition.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo names three finalists for next police chief
Reporting by Michael Cuviello, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
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