So, you thought Ed Drain would take over the Amarillo Police Department for a short time, repair some of the broken parts and then return to the Dallas Metropolex, did you?

It ain’t happenin’, folks. Police Chief Drain has the permanent job, meaning he’s likely staying in Amarillo for as long as he wants to stay.

Some of us thought that might be the case when interim City Manager Terry Childers appointed Drain to the interim top cop post.

I won’t mention any names, but … you know who I am.

I’ll be candid: I had a favorite within the police department who I thought would make an excellent choice to be its new chief. I’ll keep that to myself.

Drain, though, is an impressive fellow. I particularly like his emphasis on community policing, his insistence that cops on the beat interact more up close and personally with the people who they swear to “protect and serve.”

I also like his decision to reinstate the bike patrols as part of the community policing initiative.

I don’t know the new police chief. I’ve heard him speak just one time — so far. I hope to hear more from him.

Now … as for the gentleman who selected him — Childers — I think it’s fair to ask whether he, too, is going to shed the “interim” tag in the months ahead.

The City Council already has tabled the search for a permanent city manager. Childers is making his mark known at City Hall. Yes, he got off to a bit of a rocky start with that unfortunate briefcase/9-1-1 matter. He’s said he’s sorry and has moved on.

I’m acquainted with Childers only a tiny bit more than I am with Drain. But I also am impressed at least with the public perception of him as a hands-on municipal administrator.

So, the “change” we knew was coming to City Hall has been felt by a key city department.

That ol’ trick knee of mine is telling we might be seeing more of it … involving one of the key players in this latest critical appointment.

I might be wrong.

Then again … let’s all stay tuned.