Art Acevedo says he won’t take job overseeing Austin Police
Your donation to The Texas Tribune will help investigative journalism that impacts state policies and politics. It is the last week of our Spring Member Drive, and our newsroom relies on readers like you who support independent Texas news. Donate today.
Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he is no longer joining city leadership.
City leaders on Friday announced Acevedo would take on a new role overseeing policing. The decision sparked controversy and came as a surprise to some local officials and social justice advocates.
In a new statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Acevedo said he has shared his decision not to accept the job with interim City Manager Jesús Garza.
“While I continue to admire and support these leaders of the Austin community, it is clear that this newly created position has become a distraction from the critical work ahead for our city," Acevedo said.
Information about the authors
Learn about The Texas Tribune’s policies, including our partnership with The Trust Project to increase transparency in news.