Austin is looking for its next police chief

The city of Austin has officially launched a national search to find its next police chief. The position was posted on Wednesday and will remain open until June 10. Austin has not had a permanent chief since September, when then-Chief Joseph Chacon left his position. New City Manager T.C. Broadnax, who started his job last week, identified finding a new head of the Austin Police Department as a priority when he began. “Public safety is of paramount importance, not just to me and the Mayor and City Council, but to Austin as a whole. My commitment to this community is to find the absolute best candidate for this critical role,” Broadnax said in a statement to the press. “I want to ensure that I bring forward someone who will build trust and foster a culture of transparency and accountability.” The search will be conducted with the help of Mosaic Public Partners, who also assisted in the city manager search. The firm will gather input from the public through a survey. In terms of a timeline, a press release said the city intends to identify candidates “shortly after” the position closes on June 10.