AUSTIN, Texas — UPDATE:
On Tuesday, Jan. 23, Acevedo announced that he will not accept this position with the City of Austin. Read more.
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ORIGINAL STORY:
Some Austin leaders are speaking out against the news that former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo will be brought back into a new role overseeing APD.
Acevedo, who left Austin to serve as the police chief in Houston then Miami, will no longer work as a law enforcement officer in the interim position. The position also doesn't require the Austin City Council's approval.
"The biggest reaction, aside from surprise, is how does this make the Austin Police Department stronger and better," Councilmember Ryan Alter, who represents a large portion of South Austin, told KVUE. "There were real problems that happened under his watch. To bring him back ... Doesn't honor the victims and the work that had to be done after he left."
Acevedo served as Austin’s police chief from 2007 to 2016 with mixed reactions. He achieved near-celebrity status, appearing on magazine covers and marching in parades and rallies, but also led the department during multiple controversial shootings that critics said showed a lack of cultural shift.
Other city leaders are concerned that the damage between Acevedo and Austinites remains, pointing to failures under his previous leadership.
"I think that trust was broken and has never fully been repaired between Art [Acevedo] and a lot of folks in the community," Councilmember Zohaib "Zo" Qadri told KVUE about the hire. "It's a worry of theirs, it's a worry of mine. That's why it's so important to have trust and transparency in any relationship, especially as it relates to the work that we do at City Hall."
During his tenure, Acevedo was criticized for how thousands of rape kits were mishandled when he oversaw APD's now-closed crime lab.
"It was under Acevedo's leadership that we increased our exceptional clearance," Councilmember Alison Alter said. "He underfunded victim services and the sex crimes unit. And we have lawsuits that we've been dealing with for many years that came out of time when he was chief. I spent a bunch of time this afternoon talking with survivors and advocates in the sexual assault response community, and they are retraumatized by this announcement.”
Alter also said the City should've known more about Acevedo's history before bringing him back.
"I don't believe that Acevedo is going to help us to address these challenges," Alter said. "He is instead going to make us deal with a distraction that is going to make it even more hard to accomplish those goals."
More reactions from City of Austin leaders
Michael Bullock, who serves as the Austin Police Association's president, said he believes the new role is a chance for Acevedo to prove he's learned from past issues.
"There's some history about him promoting himself, so this could be an opportunity for him to show that this is a different time," Bullock said. "That he recognizes some of the issues that went on with him when he was here previously. But most important ... that he is here to listen and support [Interim] Chief [Robin] Henderson and not to take over the department."
Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes
"I was surprised to learn, just a few hours ago, about Art Acevedo's appointment as Interim Assistant City Manager," Fuentes posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "I hope Acevedo understands our community’s commitment to robust police oversight, accountability, and transparency. Council’s objective remains clear: we must secure a fair and sustainable contract for our officers, one that aligns with the values and needs of our City."
Councilmember Jose "Chito" Vela III
"I cannot support the hiring of Art Acevedo," Vela said in a statement. "There are too many red flags from his previous tenures as police chief, both here and in the other cities he’s served."
Councilmember Mackenzie Kelly
Kelly released the following statement about Acevedo's hiring:
"During this critical time in our city, I would like to thank the Interim City Manager for proactively supporting the Austin Police Department. I am optimistic that Art Acevedo, as Interim Assistant City Manager, will bring additional experience, knowledge, and support to the department. I look forward to continued work with Interim Assistant City Manager Mills and his department on vital public safety initiatives.
I've known Acevedo professionally for over a decade, and today, I spoke with him regarding his new role and expectations. I look forward to continuing our professional working relationship in his new role."
Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool
Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool was supportive of the decision to bring Acevedo back to APD, citing the goal of reaching a new police contract.
"A major goal for me and benefit for the city in 2024 is reaching a four-year police contract," Pool said. "I support the addition of Art Acevedo to the City Manager’s leadership team to help guide this important effort."
Councilmember Paige Ellis
Ellis expressed disagreement with decision to bring back Acevedo.
"I am shocked by this decision, as Acevedo oversaw a department that caused rape kits to go untested for years and entrapped protestors, among other issues. I told Jesus Garza this is a bad call, and I guarantee that if it had come before council it would have a different outcome," Ellis said in a post on the social media platform X Friday afternoon.
Statement from Austin Mayor Kirk Watson
“I favor additional support for our police officers and the Austin Police Department. Art Acevedo brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the challenges facing APD. I’m hopeful he’ll be able to provide needed support for the department and help us to strengthen the relationship between City Hall and APD as well as with the community.”
District Attorney José Garza
Garza expressed dismay with the news of Acevedo's return, calling it "a step backward for survivors of sexual assault." His full statement is below:
"Over five years ago, survivors of sexual assault were forced to sue Police Chief Art Acevedo because he failed to adequately investigate the crimes committed against them and countless other victims of sexual violence. On his watch, a backlog of untested rape kits grew, and a culture of disrespect for survivors of sexual assault festered. As a result, too many survivors were re-victimized and traumatized by the system that was supposed to protect them.
Art Acevedo’s return is a step backward for survivors of sexual assault. His appointment represents a stunning disregard for their pain and our community's values. Even if Art Acevedo is coming back, we are never going back. Our office has increased the number of sexual assault convictions, and we are building a criminal justice system where survivors are treated with dignity and respect.
We will continue our work of strengthening communication between survivors, law enforcement, and prosecutors, fixing our broken criminal justice system, and we will succeed."
Acevedo will be paid $271,000 as an interim assistant city manager. He will supervise APD and serve as a liaison between the department and the city manager’s office. Interim City Manager Jesús Garza said he created the position and hired Acevedo for the job to help lead the department through staffing challenges and continued reform in the aftermath of community demands following the May 2020 protests, among other issues.
Interim APD Chief Robin Henderson will continue in her role. The City has not said when or how it plans to go about naming a permanent chief. Austin is currently in the process of hiring a city manager and is expected to have a new executive in place later this year.