Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

AROUND THE COUNTRY
AUSTIN, TX.
Acevedo turns down Austin job after his proposed hiring caused a backlash
at city hall....says he’s still going to Austin.
AUSTIN, TX. - Art Acevedo
is bound for Austin but is now
without a job at his old police
department.
The former chief of the Houston
Police Department announced
on Tuesday he declined
to return to the Austin Police Department
in an interim capacity
to be a resource to Chief Robin
Henderson.
KUT-FM in Austin reported that
he was to create new recruiting
strategies, review patrolling
operations, and improve police
academy training for APD.
In an Instagram post, Acevedo
said it was clear that his hiring
“has become a distraction from
the critical work ahead” for the
city, the police department, and
the police officers’ union.
“Unfortunately, politics and
power struggles have hindered
our efforts to create real positive
improvements for the people of
this city. I firmly believe that if
we are to build a future together,
we cannot afford to blame others
and point fingers,” Acevedo
wrote in part.
Acevedo served as Austin’s police
chief from 2007 to 2016 before
becoming Houston’s police
chief. Since then, he’s worked in
Miami and Colorado and served
as a CNN on-air analyst.
He has served as interim police
chief for Aurora, a suburb
outside Denver, for the last 13
months.
In a memo to council members,
interim City Manager Jesús
Garza said there were challenges
facing the Austin Police Department
and that he believed “additional
resources are needed to
better support the department,
our interim police chief, and her
management team to ensure
success.”
Mayor Kirk Watson expressed
his support for the decision in
an emailed statement. He emphasized
that Acevedo’s police
background can strengthen the
relationship between ADP, City
Hall, and the community.
However, KUT reported that
the decision was made without
community or council input.
Last Friday, Council member
Vanessa Fuentes posted on X,
formerly known as Twitter, expressing
her surprise about Acevedo’s
appointment.
Council members Paige Ellis,
Alison Alter, and Chito Vela also
expressed concerns with Acevedo’s
sudden hiring.
KUT reported that Ellis felt this
was a bad move and a step in the
wrong direction. She highlighted
the fact that while Acevedo was
police chief, hundreds of rape kits
went untested.
Alter called it a slap in the face
for the survivors, advocates, and
others who have worked to make
changes in the system around
sexual assault.
Despite turning down the job,
Acevedo stated that he is still
moving to Austin.
42 The Blues - February ‘24