Bonifay city council votes Jimmy Macon as Chief of Police

BONIFAY, Fla. (WTVY) - After being disbanded for a month, the Bonifay Police Department is under new leadership.

A retirement, death and arrest of the top three positions at BPD caused the city council to vote to disban the department in May.

Now, the city council is welcoming in Jimmy Macon as police chief, who brings 21 years of military experience and 26 years of law enforcement experience.

Chief Macon discussed his concerns with stepping into a department with a desperate need for leadership.

“My biggest concern right now is making sure that we can take care of the citizens in Bonifay and the Holmes County area,” said Chief Macon. “We’ll work alongside by side with the sheriff’s office to accomplish that because they deserve that.”

Macon also addressed the need to add to his fleet.

“We need to have at least two officers per shift at night,” said Macon. “I can get away with one during the day. At night? We need to have two so we can have each other back and make sure that an officer can get home safe and then those officers get home safe the next morning.”

Though he knows he is going to have to work to build the station back up, his outlook and message to the citizens of Bonifay remains positive.

“I want the people to know that I’m going to be a hands-on chief. When I say hands-on chief, I’m not one of the ones who likes to ride the desk. I like to go out in the community every day,” said Macon. “I need to see how my businesses are doing. Let them know that I am there, me and my officers. It’s the same thing with the citizens, going to their homes, their nursing homes, or wherever it may be. Schools? We let kids know law enforcement is here to help.”

In addition to Macon, Johnny Whittaker was also voted in by the city council to work for the department full-time.

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