With Interim Chief of Police Henderson choosing to retire, that means the search for Austin Police Department’s next Chief of Police continues (though being the interim Chief doesn’t automatically guarantee the permanent appointment). After recently being elected himself, Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax made it one of his top priorities to appoint Austin’s new chief.
After months of deliberation, two finalists have been announced: Lisa Davis, Assistant Police Chief, Cincinnati Police Department; and Jefferey B. Norman, Chief of Police, Milwaukee Police Department.
I am confident we have identified the best candidates that will enable us to select an exemplary, experienced leader to guide the dedicated men and women of the Austin Police Department while continuing to collaborate and build trust with the community.
Assistant Chief Lisa Davis is also the Investigations Bureau Commander, overseeing Homicide, Major Offenders, Narcotics and Personal Crimes. Passionate about community policing and building police legitimacy through community partnerships, she developed a specialized unit to address at-risk population victimization that includes the LGBTQ community, Latino/Hispanic community, human trafficking victims and homeless youth.
Chief Jeffrey B. Norman has been with the Milwaukee Police Department since 1996. He was the executive commander of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, overseeing the Homicide, Special Investigation, Violent Crimes, General Crimes, Sensitive Crimes, Fusion and Forensic Divisions. Chief Norman was also the former commander of District 3, where he instituted robust community engagement for his team, a mission he still holds today.
The community will have the opportunity to connect with the two candidates at a meet-and-greet event on Tuesday, July 23, at the Palmer Event Center, located at 900 Barton Springs Road in Austin. The event begins at 6:00 pm with doors opening to the public at 5:30 pm. Free parking will also be available in the adjacent parking garage, which can be accessed from Barton Springs Road or Riverside Drive. A live stream of the event will be available on ATXN.TV (ATXN2 for English and ATXN3 for Spanish) for those who can’t attend.
Community members are also encouraged to submit questions that may be included during a moderated discussion at the meet-and-greet. For your questions to be considered, please arrive at the event between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm. The discussion will be held, moderated by anchor Judy Maggio. Then guests will be able to interact with the Chief of Police hopefuls 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
City Manager Broadnax plans to present his top candidate to the Austin City Council for consideration and approval on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.