APD officers applying to Wilco Sheriff's Office amid contract fallout

The Austin Police Association still hasn't reached a new contract agreement with the city. While that remains in the air, a Central Texas sheriff's office is hiring former APD officers, who are retiring because of the contract fallout.

Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody said while he believes what's happening in Austin is unfortunate, he does however see this as an opportunity to get qualified candidates to work in Williamson County.

However, he says he is not stealing or actively recruiting any Austin police officers.

It is entirely their choice to apply, and a handful already have.

Chody strongly disagrees with what happened with the police contract. He says citizens did some police bashing and he thinks the council did not stand behind their police department.

“Officers in the country, nationwide, should not be held accountable for a bad officer, and that's what I think the city council, in my opinion, in some aspect, is doing,” said Chody.

According to the Austin Police Association, at least 37 police officers have retired since the Austin Police Department went under civil service law.