Austin Police Department Assistant Chief Joseph Chacon will take over as interim chief of the department following Brian Manley’s retirement, the city announced this week. City executives also launched the search for the city's next permanent chief.
City Manager Spencer Cronk said his goal is to have a replacement named by August, KXAN reports.
Cronk said community engagement will be “at every level,” of the search, and Cronk continued to say that this is the first step in rebuilding trust with the community.
“We need to make sure we find the next chief for the City of Austin that fits the values of what we deserve,” Cronk said. “It begins with leadership. and we need to make sure we have the right chief that will lead our community and our department into the future.”
The biggest difference from when Manley was named chief in 2018 and the upcoming search, Cronk said, is that they’re starting with an “open and national, dare I say international, search.”
Cronk said he hopes that internal candidates apply for the job.
