The City of Amarillo has taken a key step forward in its search for a new police chief by selecting a professional recruitment firm to lead the process. Though the name of the firm has not yet been released, Deputy City Manager Andrew Freeman says the city hopes to finalize a contract within the next few weeks, setting the stage for a comprehensive and transparent hiring process.
The vacancy opened in February following the abrupt retirement of Chief Martin Birkenfeld, who stepped down after authoring a controversial letter of support for former Perryton football coach Cole Underwood—a convicted child predator. In March, Assistant Police Chief Jimmy Johnson was appointed Interim Chief of Police, guiding the department through this transitional period.
A Competitive Selection Process
According to Freeman, the city issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in late March, asking qualified firms to submit plans for assisting with the chief recruitment. By the end of April, the city had received proposals from 10 firms—more than expected.
“All extremely qualified,” Freeman said. “We narrowed that down to three and then got it down to a single one to move forward with.”
Although the selected firm remains unnamed due to contract negotiations, city officials emphasized the importance of stakeholder involvement before the job search officially begins.
What Comes Next?
Freeman said the city’s priority is to ensure the process is not only thorough but inclusive.
“This is going to be an engagement process. We want feedback,” Freeman explained. “Anytime you have a key position like this, you want to make sure we know what direction we’re heading, what qualities we want to see and achieve.”
Once the firm is formally on board, it will begin gathering input from key stakeholders—including city council members, police department personnel, and Amarillo residents. The goal is to develop a leadership profile that reflects the community’s values, concerns, and vision for the department.
Key questions will guide the discussion:
What kind of leadership style is needed?
How should the new chief engage with the community?
What experience is essential to lead the department through current and future challenges?
Timeline for Hiring
After gathering input, the recruitment firm will advertise the position, identify and vet candidates, and recommend a shortlist of 6–8 qualified individuals. From there, city officials will conduct interviews and host community meet-and-greet events to allow residents to interact with the finalists.
Once the field is narrowed to a top choice, the finalist will be presented to the Amarillo City Council for final approval.
Freeman said the city is aiming to hire the new police chief by the end of 2025, or early January 2026 at the latest.
“The reason we’re kind of in the time period we’re going through: we, of course, had the council elections. We want people to know who their council is, and then we want to get through this budget process coming up,” Freeman added.
A Critical Leadership Decision
The next chief will inherit a department in flux and a community with heightened expectations around transparency, accountability, and community policing. For many, the selection will be a defining moment for the city’s law enforcement leadership.
