Pflugerville City Council approved the appointment of James William Richards as the city’s new police chief following a nationwide search for the position.

The search included a community meet-and-greet with the three finalists. Richards is expected to begin his new role in December.

The overview: Richards joined the Round Rock Police Department in 1995, serving multiple roles including his most recent as the assistant chief of police for Round Rock. Previously, he worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety Capitol Police and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. He is also a veteran.

Born and raised in Central Texas, Richards said he’s eager to serve a growing community close to home and apply his decades of experience to strengthen the department.

“Not to say that I've got it all, but I think together, we can put our heads together and come up with a really great process,” Richards said. “There's a great team here,”