AUSTIN, Texas — New Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis officially reported for her first day of work on Monday, a little over a month after the Austin City Council unanimously approved her confirmation to the role.
Davis, who will be the second woman to serve as the a permanent police chief, comes to Austin after spending more than 30 years with the Cincinnati Police Department, most recently serving as an assistant chief. Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax picked Davis after an extensive process that included 32 applicants and several rounds of interviews with Davis and the other finalist, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.
Davis told the council her first 100 days will focus on listening and learning to address challenges like staffing and recruitment.
“Anything I implement, any strategy that is implemented, will be done through the lens that it has to be effective," Davis said at the Aug. 6 meeting. "It has to be equitable, and it has to be ethical. And it all starts with building and gaining that trust we talked about."
Before Davis officially can officially take over the department, she must be certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). She is expected to spend the next couple of weeks training and studying Texas laws and regulations for peace officers in order to obtain the proper certification.
A date has not yet been set for Davis' official swearing in. Current Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson will continue to oversee and run the day-to-day operations of the department until Davis is sworn in.