Plano’s new interim police chief is serving his hometown

Newly named Plano interim police chief Norm Allison is always looking at ways he can serve the people of the community where he grew up.

Allison was raised in Plano and is a 1998 Plano High School graduate. He started his career with the Plano Police Department when he was an intern at Waubonsee Community College.

Allison has been with the department since 2000, working his way up through the ranks to the position of lieutenant. He became interim police chief on Jan. 6 following the retirement of Plano police chief Jonathan Whowell. Whowell had been with the department for 26 years and had been chief since 2017.

In naming him interim chief, Allison is appreciative of the city’s faith in him.

“I’m just on cloud nine right now that I can have an impact on our organization in this way,” he said.

He viewed Whowell as a mentor, training him to do such things as prepare the department’s budget.

“He was actually my sergeant when I was a patrol officer,” Allison said. “And for a brief period, we were peer sergeants. And then he became my lieutenant and I followed him up the ranks.”

At the Jan. 8 Plano City Council meeting, he presented a 2023 year-end report to the City Council. In the report, he said that a main focus this year will be to train and build a leadership team “that is equipped with the tools to succeed and prepared to lead the men and women of the Plano Police Department.”

He also wants to keep the public informed.

“My belief is that it starts with me,” Allison said.

On Jan. 23, he presented a “State of the Plano Police” presentation during a luncheon sponsored by the Plano Area Chamber of Commerce.

Having good communication with his staff is also important. He is personally meeting with his staff to ensure them that he is there for their needs.

“My goal is to be there for them to make sure that the ship is kept above water and that we’re doing the very best that we can do in the organization,” Allison said.

The Plano Police Department continues to reach out to the community. That includes having an officer assigned to Plano School District 88, Officer Alejandro Lopez.

“He does an awesome job bridging the gap between the staff, the students, the parents and the police department,” Allison said.

The department recently purchased its first body cameras. A $20,000 grant paid for more than 50% of the $38,000 cost for the 10 body cameras.

Allison thinks body cameras are important.

“They contribute to transparency,” he said.

Allison also noted body cameras can be used for training purposes.

“If an officer is brand new and is in training and maybe they are struggling on how to do a traffic stop or whatever, the supervisor or the training officer can then use that footage to help them understand what they’re doing wrong and how to fix that,” he said.

Right now, his main goal as interim police chief is to ensure continuity of operations.

“My job is to make sure that the day-to-day functions of the police department are running properly and all the needs are met,” Allison said.