The Amarillo Police Department has promoted a nearly 34-year veteran of the department to one of its top leadership positions.
Erick Bohannon was named APD’s newest assistant chief of police during a ceremony Wednesday, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of former Assistant Chief Jimmy Johnson.
Bohannon has spent more than three decades with Amarillo police, working his way through the ranks and serving in nearly every area of the department. Most recently, he served as captain of APD’s patrol division.
His promotion followed a selection process that lasted about three months, according to APD. Candidates were evaluated through written assignments, strategic planning exercises and multiple interview panels. The panels included community members, City of Amarillo department directors and police chiefs.
Bohannon’s career with APD has included assignments as a patrol officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant and captain. Along the way, he gained experience in patrol operations, criminal investigations, SWAT, narcotics, homicide cases and critical incident response.
During Wednesday’s ceremony, Bohannon became the first officer to take part in a new APD tradition by repeating the same swearing-in oath officers take when they begin their law enforcement careers.
For Bohannon, the promotion comes after a career that has exposed him to some of the most difficult situations police officers encounter.
He spent years working with SWAT and in the narcotics division, gaining experience in high-risk operations and critical incidents. Bohannon also spent eight years in special crimes, now known as the homicide division, where he developed extensive experience investigating some of the department’s most serious cases.
That work, he said, taught him not only about investigations but also about the lasting impact violent crime has on victims’ families.
“I can teach a lot of people a lot of stuff about how to work those kinds of cases because a homicide case impacts a lot of people. Families are devastated,” Bohannon said. “We have a duty to bring justice to those families, and even though the victim is deceased, to bring justice for the victims—that’s what we do. I bring a high level of empathy, along with the ability to be an effective police officer.”
Bohannon also brings an extensive academic and training background to the assistant chief position. He holds a Master of Science in criminal justice and is a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Master Peace Officer and certified instructor. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Command College.
Outside APD, Bohannon serves as an adjunct criminal justice faculty member at Amarillo College and has remained involved in the Amarillo community.
During the promotion ceremony, Bohannon also recognized the family members who have supported him throughout his lengthy law enforcement career.
He specifically credited his wife, Shelly Bohannon, executive director of the Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center.
“I’ve been married to the best,” Bohannon said.
With his promotion to assistant chief, Bohannon moves into APD’s senior leadership after almost 34 years of experience within the same department — experience that has taken him from patrol calls to homicide investigations and high-risk tactical operations.
