Austin to begin nationwide search for new police chief under city manager Broadnax
Quick Summary: Priorities of the City Manager: Finalizing a contract with the Austin Police Department (APD) & naming a new police chief. Challenges for the New Chief: Addressing current staffing issues in the APD & filling hundreds of positions within the department.
SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2024 BY MONIQUE LOPEZ
AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin could soon be getting a new police chief.
Less than a week after new city manager T.C. Broadnax’s first day in the position, the city of Austin confirmed the search for a permanent police chief will begin soon.
Broadnax wasted no time as soon as he came to Austin. His top priorities: finalizing a contract with the Austin Police Department and naming a new police chief.
“One of the priorities, of course, of this city manager, who is our new city manager, is having a national search to get us a new chief of police,” Austin mayor Kirk Watson said.
Since the retirement of former APD chief Joseph Chacon, Robin Henderson has been serving as interim chief.
In a statement to CBS Austin, Henderson said she’s aware the city manager has plans to search for a permanent chief of police.
“One of the things that was always planned was that when the new city manager came into place that that person would begin this process,” said Watson. “He has hit the ground running, and I am pleased he is moving that process forward.”
Henderson says she has enjoyed serving as interim chief and has made great strides within the department and in the community. She also says she looks forward to the process and evaluating her next steps.
Watson weighed in on some of the things he and city council would like to see in an ideal candidate.
“Of course, what we want is somebody that has big-city experience, we want somebody that has equity top of mind, and we want somebody who is in a position of doing a good job with both the citizens but also with the police force.”
As Austin’s law enforcement leader, the new police chief would have their hands full. They’d be responsible for dealing with the current staffing issues APD is facing and filling hundreds of positions within the department.
Austin Police Association president Michael Bullock told CBS Austin in a statement:
“This is an opportunity to show Austinites and their police officers that they’re valued. Now is the time to work together towards getting our city back on track, and we’re here to help make that happen.”
Right now, we don’t know exactly who the candidates are, as the search has not officially begun yet.