Getting to know the 2 Austin police chief finalists
AUSTIN, Texas - Two finalists remain in the search for the Chief of the Austin Police Department. Those candidates are Lisa Davis and Jeffrey Norman.
Lisa Davis is currently the Assistant Police Chief for the Cincinnati Police Department, overseeing homicide, major offenders, narcotics, and personal crimes.
During her interview, she said she would have two main priorities if she were to get the job. The first is boosting morale within the department by making sure officers are happy and want to stay. The second is building trust with the community, and she believes transparency is a way to do that.
When asked what her first 100 days would be like, if she were to get the APD Chief title, she focused on trust.
MORE: City announces two finalists for Austin's chief of police
Lisa Davis and Jefferey Norman
"My first thing I have to do is start building trust, and that means trust with city administration and trust with the officers and the professional staff within the APD, trust within the community, trust with the media, all of those things. And that's done by listening, being on the ground. I'm not someone that sits in an office. I don't like that. I like being out. I like being in the community. I like being where the officers are. And I think that makes a big difference," said Davis.
Jeffrey Norman is also in the running for APD chief. He has currently been the Chief of Police at the Milwaukee Police Department for the last four years, but has been with the department since 1996.
During his interview, he said this is a process he is taking seriously. If given the chief position, he says he will be aiming for a police contact with the city that will have a positive resolution on retention and also boost morale for the current APD officers.
He also says he will be the type of leader who thanks his officers every day and will utilize all tools available to make APD as efficient and effective as possible.
He also mentioned community engagement is his core. He plans to gain trust by being there with the community and also being transparent.
"You want to have a connected community to your department. You want to have someone who knows what it means to work on challenges and have positive outcomes. This particular challenge is not new to me. The things I have dealt with in regard to my respective department has been a labor of love, but through collaboration, great team members, and a supportive community. Things can happen when we all work together," said Norman.
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax plans to present his top candidate to the Austin City Council for consideration and approval on Tuesday, July 30.