Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon abruptly resigned on Monday, amid shortages in staff, the lack of a police union contract, and years of disputes with the city council and mayors.
Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon announced his retirement (Photo: Kut)
Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon announced his resignation “with a heavy heart” in a post on X, previously Twitter, on Monday, citing that he made the decision after a lot of thought.
In the recent published report by Fox News, Chief of Staff Robin Henderson will be assigned Interim Chief of Police in the coming days, according to Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon. As Henderson takes over, Chacon will take on an advisory position for a short time to facilitate a smooth transition before retiring and leaving the agency. The announcement of Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon comes as locals continue to suffer the effects of staffing shortages, which include longer-than-normal 911 hold times and criminality that is out of control.
The Austin City Council cut APD’s budget by around $150 million in 2020, or roughly one-third of its current budget. A state statute approved the next year required the city to restore APD’s lost money, but by then, officers were leaving in huge numbers. Simultaneously, the city halted police cadet classes, severely reducing the department’s workforce.
Riots erupted in Austin during the summer of 2020 in response to the death of George Floyd, with APD officers using bean bags, rubber bullets, and tear gas during an out-of-control protest. As a result, 19 officers have been charged with aggravated assault, and at least one of them faces a charge of lethal conduct discharge of a firearm.
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In Monday’s news conference, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon stated that he believes his ties with the community have improved over his term.
According to Austin American-Statesman, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon stated that his connection with the mayor and council has been steady and that this choice was not taken owing to strained relationships with anyone at City Hall, adding that he was urged to stay in his post by officials. He claimed there was “no hint” he would have been fired if he had stayed.
During his tenure, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon has witnessed an unusual number of officers leaving the department, prompting the DPS collaboration. Currently, the agency has approximately 330 openings, 240 of which are on patrol. Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon stated that one of the main disappointments of his tenure has been the department’s inability to fill vacancies.
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