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

The City of Austin announced last week that Acevedo would return for a newly created position to oversee police. But after backlash from the community, he said he will not take the job.

By Syeda Hasan, KUTJanuary 23, 2024 2:39 pm, ,

From KUT:

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.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

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