Jerry Harold Neal

Former Amarillo Chief of Police, Jerry Harold Neal, passed away on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, in Amarillo, Texas. He was 75. Funeral Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 21, 2018 at Hillside Christian Church Main Auditorium. Burial will follow at Llano Cemetery with full honors. The family will receive friends for visitation from 6-8:00 p.m. Friday, April 20, 2018 at Cox Funeral Home. Neal served as Amarillo Police Chief for 26 years, from 1981 to 2007. When he retired, Neal was the longest tenured police chief in the history of the State of Texas. He was well respected in his field. During his time as Amarillo's Chief, Neal served as President of both the State Police Chiefs and the State Police Officers Associations. Neal became Amarillo's Chief of Police in February 1981. Neal had been serving as Major of the Norman Police Department in Norman, Oklahoma. He is credited with reforming Amarillo's police department by improving officer training and equipment, cooperating with other area law enforcement agencies and district attorneys offices to create the Special Crimes Unit and a regional drug task force. He also partnered with the Bridge Children's Advocacy Center to give children who had been abused a friendlier environment in which to share their experiences. Neal consistently endeavored to strengthen the department in number and obtain fair compensation for every member of the force. The police department grew from 234 officers to 312 under his leadership and moved into a newly renovated multi-story police department in downtown Amarillo. Neal created the original bicycle mounted officers unit, Peer Counseling, and volunteer parking enforcement program. Neal's two sons are currently serving as police officers. Jerry Neal, Jr. is a sergeant for the city of Corpus Christi and his youngest son, Kent Neal, is an officer in Amarillo. Neal was born in Wanette, Oklahoma, on March 10, 1943, to Anna and Odus Neal. He moved to Norman, Oklahoma, as a freshman in high school where he lettered in three sports: baseball, basketball, and football. He played professional baseball for the California Angels until an ankle injury prematurely ended his professional career. He served in the United State Army during Viet Nam, driving military armored tanks on the German/Czechoslovakian border in the early 1960's. After three years in the military, he began working as a police officer in Norman, Oklahoma, while he attended college. The job was originally a way to fund law school but Neal always said that he loved being an officer so much he chose to make it his career. Neal spent 13 years serving the Norman Police Department, moving up the ranks from patrolman to Major of Norman Police Department before being hired in Amarillo. He earned a bachelor's degree in law enforcement from Oklahoma State University and a masters degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Oklahoma City University. He is also a graduate of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Jerry was an avid golfer who played only on days that end in "y"