Big send off for retiring Burnet police chief
Burnet Police Chief Brian Lee looks forward to spending more time with his family after retirement, and will brush up on his pickleball skills to play with his wife. Staff photo by Caden Senn.
The city of Burnet bid farewell to long-time law enforcement agent, and chief of police, Brian Lee with a celebration of his career on Dec. 31, drawing in council members, officers, and residents to share the milestone. His replacement, Tony Hefferin, is already poised to take over BPD.
Lee moved to Burnet in 2021, accepting an offer as the chief of police and beginning work on May 3 that year. His impact on the city was immediate according to Burnet leadership.
“It was incredible that this one guy that eight people picked was going to come in and solve our issues. He had a big job in front of him,” Burnet Mayor Pro Tem Philip Thurman said during Lee’s retirement party. “But, Brian came in and he actually did it. He solved and fixed the organizational issues and departmental issues within a month or so.”
Lee’s retirement closed out 36 years total of public service which began with a degree in criminal justice administration from Colorado State Global and four years of service in the United States Air Force.
His foray into police work began in Idaho, where he worked his way up the ranks of the Twin Falls and Boise Police Departments for 27 years. Experiencing the full force of the service, Lee’s roles ranged from patrol, field training officer, narcotics, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and eventually captain, overseeing the criminal investigation division.
Many members of the Burnet City Council were present to celebrate Lee’s retirement and took the opportunity to praise his work ethic, success, and devotion to making the community a safer place.
“Brian has done an absolutely outstanding job,” City Manager David Vaughn said. “But, the single biggest part of that is his leadership, his willingness to fight for his people and get them what they need.”
In over four years, Lee worked to increase staffing, officer presence and responsiveness, strengthen ties with the community, and modernize the department’s equipment and tools. Among his resume was acquiring the TruNarc system to enhance speed and officer safety during narcotics investigations.
Fellow officers also took to the mic to share their own praise for Lee’s determination to provide the police department with what they needed and wanted. Most notable was Lee’s dedication to sending officers to National Police Week in Washington, D.C., honoring fallen service members and their families.
“He’s done an amazing job for our department,” Captain Jeremy Stewart said. “Giving us opportunities to celebrate things that mean the most dearest to us like going to Police Week and being able to honor our fallen officers.”
Lee announced his impending retirement in May 2025, but quickly found his replacement and guided a smooth transition before his departure. In November, Tony Hefferin, a Navy veteran with 26 years of law enforcement under his belt, was selected as Lee’s successor. Since then, the two have worked closely together in preparation for the transition.
“There’s a big part to leaving this thing,” Mayor Gary Wideman said. “And I just want to say thank you (addressing Lee) for making sure that we’re walking out of this building in good hands.”
Though Lee will be absent from the police department going forward, he and his family plan to stay in Burnet, where the former chief plans to enjoy his time golfing, playing pickleball with his wife, and serving on community boards.
“We’re going to be here, part of the community,” said Lee. “But, I’m going to have to learn pickleball a little better if I want to stay active with my wife.”