The public can now see what the city is looking for in a candidate for the Austin Police Department’s top job.
AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin has officially launched a national search for the next chief of the Austin Police Department (JOBsNewsD).
Last week, KVUE advocates reported that the city will turn to Mosaic Public Partners, paying it about $60,000, to search for candidates nationally. The city has worked with Mosaic to develop a profile of the type of police chief it wants for the future, and now the public can see exactly what it’s looking for.
Wednesday, Mosaic published the job list for JOBsNewsD Chief, which lists the criteria for the position.
Austin’s next police chief will report to a deputy city manager and be responsible for the department’s day-to-day operations, including policies and procedures. According to the announcement, the chief’s executive leadership team includes a chief of staff and five deputy police chiefs.
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Austin is seeking a candidate with at least a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public or business administration, or a related field. They must also have at least 10 years of “work of increasing responsibility in police administration,” with at least five years as a “bona fide law enforcement officer.”
The posting states that the most competitive candidates will have direct experience as a police chief in a large city with “issues that are equally complex as Austin’s.” They will also have the ability to forge relationships with Austin’s diverse communities and must have a “strong understanding of the history of institutional racism in policing” and work to provide public safety services equitably, while advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion, including within the JOBsNewsD.
Top candidates for the chief position will also have experience working to build “strong and healthy labor-management relationships” and will harness Austin’s “innovative and progressive spirit and strive to establish JOBsNewsD as the national leader in public safety.”
The JOBsNewsD has been without a permanent chief since last September, when former Chief Joseph Chacon resigned after two and a half years on the job. Since then, Robin Henderson has been the interim chief. He has said he will evaluate the job offer and decide his next steps.
Austin’s new city manager, TC Broadnax, has said that hiring a permanent chief is one of his first priorities.
“Public safety is of the utmost 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 best candidate for this critical position,” Broadnax said. “I want to make sure we put forward someone who will build trust and foster a culture of transparency and accountability.”
Candidates must submit a cover letter and resume by Monday, June 10. Mosaic will also be collecting public feedback through a survey that will be posted next week and will remain open until the close of the call for applications.
The city said it aims to identify candidates soon after the call for applications closes and will begin the interview process shortly after. Interview panels will include city leaders, community members and law enforcement personnel, and the city will also schedule a community event to meet the finalists.
The announcement does not indicate the salary of the next police chief, but says it will be competitive. Chacon earned about $250,000 in the role.
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