City of Bonham announces new Chief of Police

BONHAM, Texas (KXII) - The city of Bonham announced the hiring of Andrew Hawkes as their new Chief of Police.

According to a press release from the city, Hawkes is currently the Chief of Police for the town of Sunnyvale, Texas. Prior to that, Chief Hawkes was the Chief of Police for the city of Jacksonville, Texas.

Prior to beginning his career as a Chief of Police, Hawkes spent 15 years at the Collin County Sheriff’s Department working his way up to Lieutenant, the release states.

Chief Hawkes holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Dallas Baptist University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. Chief Hawkes holds both a Master Peace Officer License as well as a Certified Public Manager Certification, according to the release.

“Appointing a leader for our Police Department is among the most important decisions we make as a city, and we know that Chief Hawkes is the right person for this particular job,” City Manager Sean Pate said. “He understands our current community needs and he understands the challenges that a growing community experiences as it relates to law enforcement. Chief Hawkes is a proponent of both community involvement and community policing, and he strives for best practices recognition as defined by the Texas Police Chiefs Association. We are confident he will build upon the foundation that Chief Bankston so loyally dedicated his career to.”