Hailing from the small neighboring town of Lefors and armed with decades of experience in public service, Bo Lake has decided to take his career to the next level and run for Sheriff of Gray County.
Upon graduation from high school, Lake served in the Navy for four years stationed in Florida, returning home after his term was complete.
He relocated to Perryton where he became a jailer for one year and applied to become a police officer.
After graduating the Police Academy, he became a peace officer and worked in Armstrong County until a change within the department relocated him to Pampa, where he served as a police officer working the midnight shifts on the south side of town for six years.
After his six-year patrol in Pampa, he joined the Panhandle Region Narcotics Task Force based in Amarillo, spending five and a half years working within a division that included Gray County.
During his time working in narcotics as a lab tech, Lake traveled all over the Texas Panhandle gaining experience and building an impressive resume that has not gone unnoticed.
Lake’s supervisors recruited him to work for the Amarillo Police Department, where he was assigned to midnights on the north side of Amarillo.
He spent two and a half years in that department until his father-in-law’s passing resulted in him needing to take a step back to help operate his family’s ranch north of Pampa. This shift in his personal life led him back to the Pampa Police Department.
His tenure would last nearly eleven years with Pampa serving as a patrolman, detective, narcotics, Patrol Lieutenant, Sergeant, and school resource officer during that time.
He resigned from Pampa with a total of 24 years in law enforcement and went back to the Amarillo Police Department working as a theft detective for the last two years, and has since been working for Armstrong County for the last three years- currently serving as Chief Deputy.
“I just want to serve the citizens of this county,” Lake said when inquired about why he wanted to run for Sheriff. “I want to come back home and stay in law enforcement.”
When asked about his opponent, current Sheriff Michael Ryan, Lake had nothing but good things to say about him and doesn’t believe in partaking in a “political battle.”
“We worked with each other at the Police Department. In fact, when I came back from the Amarillo Police Department in 2005, he was on midnights with me. So there’s no malice at all.”
“It should be about what the people want and not a battle. Ultimately, the citizens have the final say so. That’s why it’s an elected position.”
Voting will begin on February 20 through March 1 at the Gray County Courthouse, located at 205 N. Russell in Room 104. The last day to request a ballot by mail is Friday, February 23.
