Breckenridge Texan

By Carla McKeown and Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

Breckenridge Police Chief Blake Johnson has announced his retirement, effective Oct. 29. He said that after 36 years, he’s getting out of law enforcement.

“You know … that was always the plan coming here, was I always felt like this was going to be my last stop,” Johnson said.

Breckenridge Police Chief Blake Johnson

His announcement on Thursday, Oct. 15, was just two days after City Manager Cynthia Northrop resigned from her position, effective Nov. 30, at the end of the Breckenridge City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Northrop said the City officials haven’t had a chance to develop a plan yet but that she’s going to recommend bringing in an outside interim to serve as chief during the search for a full-time replacement.

Speaking about Johnson’s job over the past two years, Northrop said, “I think he’s done an outstanding job. You know, the mayor and commissioners, when we went out on the search, the goal was to increase the professionalism of the department and bring in more visibility and more activity, and we’ve been able to accomplish that. The chief has done an outstanding job for the city. You know, there’s more work to do, but we’ve made progress.”

Some of the accomplishments Northrop mentioned include increasing the pay for officers, as well as adding body cams, guns and new cars. “We’ve been able to do quite a bit,” she said.  “… So I think the chief has done an outstanding job for the city.”

Johnson said that looking back over the past two years, he’s proud of the public safety aspect he’s accomplished. “I mean when you look at where we were at in animal control and where animal control is now, you know, I mean I think we’re a much safer community because … we’ve really gotten a lot more enforcement and dogs picked up,” he said. “We’ve done more … with those things.”

The police chief also said the department is actively involved in drug cases right now, which is something he’s proud of. Additionally, he said traffic enforcement has doubled in the last year.

“So … I just I think in the end, I just I feel like that I’m leaving in Breckenridge in a safer place, you know, through good enforcement,” Johnson said.

Johnson joined the Breckenridge Police Department as its chief in April 2024. He and his wife, Monica, moved here from Clifton.

Prior to coming to Breckenridge, Johnson had served as the Chief of Police in the community of Meridian in Bosque County from July 2021 until June 2023. His previous work included Patrol Supervisor for the Leon Valley Police Department, February 2017 to July 2021; Patrol Sergeant for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, August 1993 to January 2017; Deputy Constable for the Bexar County Constables Precinct 1, August 1991 to August 1993; and part-time dispatcher for the City of Alamo Heights, December 1990 to December 1992. Additionally, he was an event supervisor for Spurs Sports and Entertainment from August 1999 to July 2015.

The City of Breckenridge hired Johnson following the resignation of former Police Chief Bacel Cantrell. Between Cantrell’s last day and Johnson’s hiring, Tommy Williams served as the interim police chief through the City’s contract with Strategic Government Resources.

Cutline, top photo: Breckenridge Police Chief is pictured above at a 2025 emergency planning briefing during the city’s water crisis following a major water line break. Johnson has announced his retirement from law enforcement, effective Oct. 29. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)