Pflugerville Chief Of Police Chuck Hooker Announces Retirement After 30 Years-Plus Of City Service

PFLUGERVILLE, TX -- Pflugerville Police Chief Chuck Hooker -- the longest-tenured employee in city history -- has announced his impending retirement after more than 30 years of municipal service.

“Chief Hooker has been instrumental in building the Pflugerville Police Department into a professional law enforcement agency that truly understands the benefit of community policing,” Mayor Jeff Coleman said in a prepared statement. “I applaud and am thankful for his service.”

The chief's last day will be Jan. 6, 2017.

“Under Chief Hooker’s leadership the Police Department has expanded community policing initiatives, received numerous accolades for valor and kept our city among the safest in America,” City Manager Brandon Wade said n a prepared statement. “Our community has ‘backed the blue’ and appreciates Hooker’s efforts and more than 30 years of dedicated service to the City of Pflugerville.”

Hooker joined the City of Pflugerville Police Department in 1983 as a Patrol Officer, and served in numerous roles over the years including detective sergeant, lieutenant, assistant chief and chief of police since 2004. Since 2005, Hooker has overseen the city’s emergency management system as Emergency Management Coordinator, city officials said.
“It has been my privilege and honor to serve the Citizens of Pflugerville throughout these many years and to have been a small part of the successes of our Police Department and City,” Chief Hooker said in a prepared statement. “It is the men and women who have served with me both past and present who deserve the credit for making our agency one of the finest Police Departments in Texas. I would like to thank all the city employees, my peers on the City Staff, City Manager Brandon Wade and the current and past members of our City Council for their support. It has been my honor to serve with you.”

Over the years, Hooker has garnered numerous accolades. In February 2012, Hooker was honored by the Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Additional honors include 2008 and 2011 Outstanding Crime Prevention Manager from the Central Texas Crime Prevention Association (CTCPA) for agencies in cities up to 99,999 people. The Department received Recognized Status from the Texas Police Chief Association in March of 2014.
While serving the City of Pflugerville, Hooker has supported crime prevention, created and participated in the “Cool Moves” program which encourages children to be safe, initiated the City's "Drop It and Lock It" campaign designed to help stop theft and burglaries of motor vehicles and launched Pfreeze Pflugerville to encourage children to safely use sidewalks, city officials said.

In addition, the department has added theft prevention programs for local businesses and expanded community partnerships under his leadership. Locally Hooker supports the Pflugerville Council of Neighborhood Association and served on the Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce Board, according to city officials.
In addition to service to the city, Hooker also has served in statewide and national roles. Among those roles was president and treasurer of the Capitol Area Law Enforcement Executives Association and as a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Texas Association of Chiefs of Police.
Over his career Hooker has accrued more than 3000 hours of specialized training in all areas of law enforcement through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education Training.
With programs like Blue Santa which have supported more than 1000 families in the last 5 years and Cool Moves, Pfreeze Pflugerville and various programs that encourage safety, the Pflugerville Police Department has made a lasting impact on the City of Pflugerville.
"The Department continues to grow into the 21st Century Policing model as the city adds body cameras in 2017 and enhanced 911 and operations with a new CAD/RMS system to further manage the more than 68,000 calls for service the department receives each year," city officials noted.
The city is scheduled to honor Hooker at the January 10, 2017 Pflugerville City Council meeting. Assistant Chief Jim Mclean will be acting chief of police until a replacement is found.

>>> Photo courtesy of City of Pflugerville