Buckholtz replaces Interim Police Chief Lee Tipton, who City Council appointed after accepting the retirement of Jeff Christy, as previously reported.
The approach
A committee of three council members and three city staff members was formed to vet out the candidates, Conroe’s Human Resource Director Andre Houser said.
“We had over 40 highly qualified applicants from around the state and around the country,” Houser said during the meeting.
The committee narrowed down 40 applicants to five and interviewed four candidates, with one candidate withdrawing before the interview process began, Houser said.
“We had so many qualified candidates, and I certainly appreciate their responses,” Deputy City Administrator Nancy Mikeska said. “I thank them for their interest in the city of Conroe, and that's what's important, is that you have a good, diverse section to actually review and look at.”
Mayor Duke Coon said the city needs to move forward with chiefs like Buckholtz on staff.
“Integrity, honor, honesty,” Coon said. “We have those same things in our current interim chief, but as mayor, and as we all work together as a team up here, this is about vision and moving this organization forward, I believe Mr. Buckholtz is the right man to lead our city forward.”
Council member Howard Wood abstained from the vote, citing he couldn’t vote after hearing the discussions during executive session. Buckholtz was appointed 4-0-1.
A closer look
Buckholtz comes from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office where he served as a criminal investigator since 2018, according to his LinkedIn profile. Previously, Buckholtz worked within the Conroe Police Department as a division commander lieutenant starting his career with the department in 1997.
Also on the agenda
City Council also appointed Interim City Attorney Mike Garner as city attorney. Garner has held the role of interim city attorney since May 2023, said Yanira Peres-Gutierrez, a staff member in Conroe's legal department.
One more thing
The police department is staffed by 170 sworn officers and 46 civilian employees, along with other volunteers, according to the city’s website.
The department also covers about 77.5 square miles of Conroe, overseeing 101,000-plus residents and operating with a $30 million annual budget, according to the city’s website.
