Lisa Davis becomes new Austin Chief of Police

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin City Council has convened a special meeting and voted to confirm Assistant Chief of the Cincinnati Police Department Lisa Davis as the new Austin Police Department chief.

Davis was one of the two finalists for the job and is the second woman in Austin's history to hold the permanent chief role.

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The vote by the Austin City Council to approve Lisa Davis as the city's new police chief came with no discussion and no objection. 

Many police officers were in the council chamber for the vote Tuesday afternoon. In her acceptance speech, incoming APD Chief Davis acknowledged the new job comes with challenges from within.

"I want to make a commitment to the men and women of the APD today. I will listen to you. I will meet you where you are, and I will be visible," said Chief Davis. 

In a news release, Davis said, "Collaboration and trust are the foundation of my approach to public safety. I am honored to be selected as Austin’s Chief of Police and I can’t wait to begin building relationships with our officers, city leaders, and community members so we can work together to ensure Austin is a safe and welcoming place for everyone."

"The Chief of Police is a critical position for any city and, as I’ve said since joining the City of Austin in early May, identifying a permanent police chief was a top priority for me," City Manager T.C. Broadnax said in the release.

"I appreciate the invaluable feedback I’ve received, which has helped inform my decision. I have elected to move Chief Davis forward for confirmation by the City Council as she has a stellar record in her extensive career in law enforcement, and I am confident that she will earn the trust and confidence of our Austin Police officers and our community," Broadnax added.

Mayor Kirk Watson welcomed Davis to the team.

"And I'll just say no pressure. But the entire city is counting on you for that new set of eyes and new leadership. And we have great confidence in you," said Mayor Watson.

Davis wore civilian clothing for the Special Called meeting because she has not yet finalized state certification to wear her new badge. Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson was among those who gave Davis a warm welcome after the council vote. Later, at a news conference with City Manager T.C. Broadnax, Henderson offered some advice to Austin’s new top cop.

"Taking that time to invest in getting to know our community members, all of our community members, our unique diversity that we have here, but also that engagement with our officers," said Henderson.

Lisa Davis is coming from Cincinnati where she is leaving the job as Assistant Chief. She is credited with creating programs to improve high-crime neighborhoods and help at-risk populations. On Tuesday, Davis did not talk about any special project she plans to launch, but promised everything would start with an open dialogue.

"It's truly about learning and listening. That's what I'm doing right now. Right. And so those first hundred days are extremely important. And I'll have more on how that's going to look, at some point. But that's a big deal, is that first hundred days, and it's about listening, looking at the challenges facing the department and then where we go from there. So that's the focus and that's what the officers and the community do," said Chief Davis.

Davis is the second woman in the history of Austin to permanently hold the position of police chief. Recruiting more women to the department will be a priority.

"Austin PD is committed to the 30 by 30 initiative, which is getting the department to 30% women by the year 2030. And there's a lot of work to do," said Chief Davis.

Chief Davis plans to meet with command staff on Wednesday, but her first official day on the job is expected to be in early September.

On a lighter note, Chief Davis said she loves Austin’s BBQ, especially the brisket. But when asked if she is an Astros or Rangers fan, Davis admitted she roots for the Big Red Machine, the Cincinnati Reds.

David will be getting paid a little more than $275,000 a year.

Who is Lisa Davis?

Davis’s career spans more than three decades with the Cincinnati Police Department. She has served in multiple roles and specialized in building community relationships and using problem-solving and evidence-based policing to address crime and disorder.

In Cincinnati, she created a city-wide problem-solving unit trained to address crime and disorder in chronically violent locations, reducing overall crime and increasing the quality of life for area residents.

Davis is passionate about community policing and building police legitimacy through community partnerships. She developed a specialized unit to address at-risk population victimization that includes the LGBTQ community, Latino/Hispanic community, human trafficking victims and homeless youth.

Davis has received several awards for her work, including the Superior Achievement in Law Enforcement and the Award of Valor, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University.