Allen J. Banks
Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks started with Round Rock in March 2014 after a 21-year career with Albuquerque (N.M.) Police Department. Chief Banks’ time with Albuquerque PD exposed him to nearly every facet of municipal law enforcement. He started as a patrol officer in 1992. He was promoted to lieutenant and managed Internal Affairs and Criminal Nuisance Abatement. Next, he served as a Shift Watch Commander for the busiest sector of that City. He was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2009 and headed that agency’s largest division, Field Services, before being tapped for Interim Chief in 2013 upon the last chief’s retirement.
A revitalized approach to community and relational policing has marked Chief Banks’ tenure in Round Rock. Under his leadership, the Department has introduced major initiatives that have significantly impacted the community. These include the Junior Police Academy, Back to School Celebration, and Operation Front Porch. The Department has also seen a surge in volunteer recruitment through programs like the Chaplains Program, Citizens on Patrol, and Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association. Chief Banks’ dedication to community outreach is evident in the introduction of events for the international, faith, and diverse communities, including the Bless the Badge event conducted by area church pastors. In 2016, the Department launched the Be Alert of Residential K9s (BARK) program, a citizen-driven initiative that has notably improved community safety.
Because of these initiatives, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) awarded him the Civil Rights Justice by Action Award in 2016. The Round Rock Chamber of Commerce named him the 2018 Citizen of the Year, the State of Texas Office of the Governor awarded him the 2022 State of Texas Law Enforcement Achievement Award for Public Service, and the Texas Police Chiefs Association awarded him the 2023 Chief Mike Gentry Executive Leadership Award.
Chief Banks’ professional journey is anchored in a robust educational foundation and active participation in professional associations and community organizations. He is a proud graduate of the FBI National Academy class #237 and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar session #78. His academic qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University and a Master’s in Science in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management from Sam Houston State University. He is a member of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Texas Police Chiefs Association, the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX) advisory board, the St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center Board of Trustees, the Round Rock Black History Organization board, and the Leadership Round Rock Planning Committee.
He and his wife, Tammy, have three children.