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East Texas Police Chiefs Association
East Texas Police Chiefs Association

  • 2025 EAST TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS OFFICERS

Richard Salter-President
​rsalter@​paristexas.gov
​Paris Police Department

Richard W. Salter Jr., was appointed Chief of Police for the City of Paris, Texas on 4-12-2021, following a 30-year career as a Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). At the time of his retirement from DEA in January of 2021, Chief Salter served as the Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Omaha Division where he was responsible for the operational, administrative and financial management of eleven (11) DEA offices in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota as well as counties along the western border of Illinois and Wisconsin, During the course of his DEA career, Chief Salter served tours of duty in Houston, San Antonio, Little Rock, Washington D.C., Oklahoma City and Omaha, Nebraska. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Chief Salter attended the University of Texas System Police
Academy in 1986, and served as a Texas Police Officer and Narcotics Detective until the fall of 1991, at which time he joined the DEA. Chief Salter received his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1988.

Bryan Pool-Vice President
​bpool@cityofoverton.com
​Overton Police Department


Chief Bryan Pool was appointed Chief of Police for the City of Overton on July 1st, 2021. Chief Pool graduated from Henderson High School in 1989 and then joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves. Chief Pool would spend the next five years working for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Institutional Division and then went on to graduate from the East Texas Police Academy in 1995. Chief Pool spent the next 22 years working for the Henderson Police Department where he served as a Dispatcher, Patrolman, Field Training Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol lieutenant, and Firearms Instructor. Chief Pool retired from the Henderson Police Department in 2018 at the rank of Patrol Lieutenant. Chief Pool then spent the next 3 ½ years working for the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office where he served as Patrol Deputy, Sergeant Investigator, and Patrol Commander. Chief Pool attended Kilgore College, Trinity Valley Community College and is a Class of 71 Graduate of Bill Blackwood’s Leadership Command College.

Shawn Murry-Secretary
​trouppdsmurry@trouptx.com
​Troup Police Department
Assuming the role of Chief of Police for the Troup Police Department in 2023 has been a significant honor and the fulfillment of a long-held aspiration. With more than 23 years of varied experience in law enforcement, I have committed my professional life to the protection and service of our communities. My journey has taken me from the Smith County Sheriff’s Department to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department and eventually to the Troup Police Department, where I honed my skills in various critical areas. As a Basic TCOLE Instructor and a certified firearms and patrol rifle instructor, I’m passionate about training the next generation of officers to respond effectively and responsibly in any situation. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of investigating serious crimes as both a Homicide Investigator and a Sexual Assault/Family Violence Investigator. These experiences have deepened my commitment to justice and have highlighted the importance of empathy in our work. Being SWAT certified has also provided me with unique insights into tactical operations, ensuring that I can lead with both strategy and compassion. I proudly hold a Master Peace Officer License and have graduated from Whitehouse High School and the East Texas Police Academy, alongside furthering my education at Tyler Junior College. I am an active member of the Texas Narcotic Officers Association, East Texas Crime Association, and Texas Police Chiefs Association, continually seeking to collaborate and enhance our law enforcement efforts. As I step into the position of Chief of Police, my goal has been to foster a department that prioritizes community engagement, transparency, and resilience, all while building a safer, stronger Troup for everyone.

Cliff Carruth-Treasurer
carruth.cliff@marshalltexas.net​
​Marshall Police Department

BIO COMING

Mark Buhman-Past President
​mbuhman@mpcity.org
​Mt. Pleasant Police Department
​Chief Mark Buhman has been the chief of police for the City of Mount Pleasant, Texas since September 2020. The department includes Dispatch for police and fire and Animal Control Services. He retired in 2020 from the Salt Lake City Police Department, as the acting Division Commander for the Support Division, to begin his current career in Texas law enforcement. He began his career in law enforcement in 1997 with the Salt Lake City Police Department. Over the next 23 years he served in a variety of assignments in patrol and CID as well as on the Utah AG’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. As a sergeant, Chief Buhman worked as a patrol supervisor and later managed the Salt Lake PD Intelligence Center where he was responsible for crime intelligence and analysis well as all police sworn and civilian background investigations. As a lieutenant, Chief Buhman served as a Watch Commander, an Assistant Division Commander, and as the Chief’s Executive Officer. Chief Buhman holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University and is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. He has attended the West Point Leadership Program and has been an instructor in several disciplines such as emergency vehicle operations, bicycle patrol, police intelligence, and online investigations. He also served on the Utah Child Abduction Response Team (CART) for several years.