City of Austin delays police chief decision, angering residents

Austin, we have a problem.

The City of Austin has once again let down its residents by delaying the decision on the next police chief, moving the goalposts yet again.

"This position is too critical to our [Police Department], the City organization as a whole, and this community to rush," said City Manager T.C. Broadnax in a mealy-mouthed statement on Friday. "I’m going to take additional time to consider our two very qualified candidates." https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/08/11/austin-police-chief-announcement-delayed-city-manager-tc-broadnax-says/11819331/

The two finalists, Lisa Davis https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/police/organizational-structure/contact-information/command-staff/assistant-chief-lisa-davis and Jeffrey Norman https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/09/27/jeffrey-norman-milwaukee-police-chief-see-change-first-black-chief-over-decade/9414479001/, are more than qualified and have been waiting with bated breath, no doubt.

This decision was supposed to be made on Friday, with a special City Council meeting called for Tuesday to confirm the new chief. Now, who knows when they'll get around to it. The delay is due in part to the candidates not being able to meet with all the City Council members and, according to Broadnax, to review feedback from the public, stakeholders, and council members.

The City of Austin has a sorry history of dragging its feet on important decisions like these, and this is just another example of their incompetence and lack of respect for the community.

The search process, which has been [shrouded in secrecy], lasted months and resulted in a pitifully small field of finalists. Only 2 out of 32 applicants made the cut, with some residents calling the list "weak" and riddled with "controversy."

The city even hired an outside firm, Mosaic Public Partners, to conduct the executive search, paying them a whopping $60,000 for their efforts. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/08/11/austin-police-chief-announcement-delayed-city-manager-tc-broadnax-says/11819331/

The fact that Broadnax is still undecided and unable to meet his self-imposed deadlines is a gross mismanagement of the process and an insult to the finalists.

With the Austin Police Department without a permanent chief for almost a year, one can only wonder when this liberal city will get its act together and make a decision.

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