Art Acevedo, former Austin police chief, pulls out of city position
AUSTIN, Texas - Former Austin police chief Art Acevedo has declined a position with the City of Austin.
Acevedo posted a statement on X, formerly Twitter, outlining why he made the decision and cited "politics and power struggles."
Acevedo was set to take on a $271,000 assistant city manager position overseeing the Austin Police Department, sources told FOX 7 Austin. He served as Austin police chief for nine years, from July 2007 to December 2016, then later took over as police chief in Houston.
However, there was backlash from city council members and Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, who pointed out that Acevedo had been police chief when APD was mishandling sexual assault cases and leaving thousands of rape kits untested.
Concerns over how APD handled rape kits over the years led to its lab being shut down. The department had to use other labs to handle DNA testing to clear the backlog.
Acevedo also faced controversy in his previous roles in Houston and Miami.
"It doesn't surprise me, given the controversy that has occurred over the last several days regarding that appointment," said District 6 Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, who had supported Acevedo for the new position. "I’ve known Art Acevedo professionally for over a decade, and I believe that with his knowledge, skills, abilities and experience, he could help lead the department in this critical time."
"Five of us did meet with [Interim City Manager Jose] Garza yesterday afternoon to express our concerns over Mr. Acevedo, his record, and what he would be bringing to our community and whether it would be meeting the challenge," said District 10 Council Member Allison Alter, who had slammed Acevedo’s return to the city payroll. "The seeds for why we had those lawsuits came under Acevedo’s leadership. And so, to me, that confluence just wasn't something that I could live with."
READ ACEVEDO'S FULL STATEMENT BELOW
"For almost a decade, I led the men and woman of the Austin Police Department and served the people of this city with passion and unwavering dedication. Earlier this month, Interim City Manager Jesus Garza asked me to join the city team in an interim capacity to be a resource for Chief Robin Henderson.
"I was thrilled about the opportunity to work closely with the Chief, someone I have known for nearly 17 years and have always recognized her as the future of the department. I also jumped at the opportunity to work with Mayor Kirk Watson, a leader with a proven track record for getting real results for his constituents. Additionally, while I did not know many of the Mayor's council colleagues, I looked forward to working with him for the incredible people of Austin.
"While I continue to admire and support these leaders of the Austin community, it is clear that this newly created position has become a distraction from the critical work ahead for our city, the Austin Police Department and the Austin Police Association.
"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. This mentality has caused us to take a step back instead of building a better path forward together. That is why I have informed Interim City Manager Garza that I cannot accept this position and will pursue other opportunities.
"I have and always will love and admired [sic] the men and women of the Austin Police Department and Chief Henderson, and as a long time member of their extended family, I will continue to support them in any way I can. Their well being has and will always [be] a priority for me, which is one of the reasons I have made this decision.
"I look forward to rejoining my family in Austin next week and will continue to voice my support for the men and women of the Austin Police Department, Mayor Watson, his council colleagues, and the great people of Austin. I stand ready to assist and to be a resource in any way I can. I extend my thanks to Interim City Manager Garza, Mayor Watson, and the council members who supported the creation of the new position, and I wish all the best of luck.
"With Warm Wishes and Great Hope,
Art Acevedo"