Art Acevedo says he won’t take job overseeing Austin Police

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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.