Patrol Supervision

Sergeants

The patrol division is comprised of four shifts. Each is comprised of a patrol Sergeant and 2-3 patrol officers, and they work 12-hour shifts on a rotating "Panama" schedule with every other weekend off.

Mark Gann, Sergeant 

Sergeant Gann began his Law Enforcement career with the City of Murphy in December 2000 as a Police Officer. Before coming to Murphy PD, he served as a reserve officer for the Tom Bean Police Department and a full-time police officer for the City of Bells. Sergeant Gann graduated from the Texoma Regional Police Academy in 1997. Sergeant Gann has served in various positions in his career, including Patrol Officer, Court Security, Patrol Corporal, Detective, FTO Sergeant and Patrol Sergeant.

Sergeant Gann holds a Master Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE, the State of Texas governing board for Law Enforcement Professionals. Sergeant Gann has held positions as Field Training Officer, Crisis/Hostage Negotiator, Internal Affairs Investigator, and Crime Scene Specialist. Sergeant Gann was selected as one of fifteen Law Enforcement Officers (the only one in Texas to receive this honor) by the U.S. Department of Justice (FBI) nationwide for Crime Scene Survey, Documentation, and Reconstruction at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, in 2007. Sergeant Gann was also President of the 139th class of Police Supervision at the Institute of Law Enforcement Administration in 2023. Sergeant Gann was selected Officer of the Year in 2002 and Supervisor of the Year in 2022.

Sergeant Gann is originally from Tom Bean, Texas and graduated from Tom Bean High School. In his spare time, Sergeant Gann enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors.



Gann

Jonathan Hunter, Sergeant

Sergeant Hunter attended the Texoma Regional Police Academy in 2011 after graduating from Austin College with a Bachelor’s Degree in History in 2010. He first started as a Patrolman with the Van Alstyne Police Department in October of 2011, before joining the Murphy Police Department in November of 2013. Since joining the City of Murphy he has served in the Criminal Investigations Division and on Patrol. He has obtained several certifications and commendations while being a Police Officer, including Life Saving Award, Physical Fitness Award, Accident Reconstructionist, Mental Health Peace Officer Certification, Hostage Negotiator Certification, Animal Control Officer Course Certification, and Officer of the Year Award in 2017. Sergeant Hunter currently holds his Master Peace Officer Proficiency Certification. 

Hunter

Sarah Ashmore, Sergeant

Sarah Ashmore is a Patrol Sergeant and Victim Advocate for the Murphy Police Department (MPD) in Murphy, Texas.  Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in Criminal Justice Management from Texas A&M Commerce, a Master’s Certificate in Organization Development from Texas A&M Commerce, and a Master’s Degree in Educational Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University.

Sergeant Ashmore started her career in law enforcement in 2001 when she graduated from the Regional Police Academy in Arlington, Texas.  She has been with the Murphy Police Department since 2010, with previous experience at the Baylor Healthcare System Department of Public Safety and the Greenville Police Department.  Sergeant Ashmore received her Master Peace Officer from TCOLE in 2012 and also holds an Intermediate Telecommunicator Certificate.  She is a TCOLE Instructor, Mental Health Peace Officer, Field Training Officer, Communications Training Officer, and is a NASRO Advanced SRO.  

In addition to being a patrol Sergeant, Sarah serves at the Victim’s Assistance Coordinator for Murphy PD and is the Internship Coordinator with our partnering High Schools.  After several years as a patrol Officer, Sarah served as the Crimes Against Persons Detective for 4 years and served as the Middle School SRO for 5 years before being promoted to Sergeant.  She is a member of the Collin County Crime Victims Council and serves on the Collin County SART team as well.  She has previously served on the executive advisory board for the Collin County Council on Family Violence, and a member of the North Texas Anti-Trafficking Task Force.


Brent Bartholomew, Sergeant