AUSTIN, Texas — Robin Henderson, the interim chief of the Austin Police Department (APD), will not apply for the permanent chief position, KVUE learned Friday.
A city memo stated that Henderson will not apply for the position and will retire "upon the hiring of a new police chief."
Henderson said in the memo, "Please know it is time for me to take a step back, enjoy time with my family and see what the next chapter in my life has in store for me. I appreciate the support of our Austin community and will continue to be a champion of the Austin Police Department."
Henderson has served as interim chief of APD since last August, when she was appointed after former chief Joseph Chacon announced his retirement.
In that time, the memo stated that she has worked to address staffing issues in the 911 operation, ensuring that emergency calls are consistently answered within the national standard. She also started the city's first reserve officer program to help work special events and eliminate the need to use on-duty officers. And she helped develop the department's first strategic plan to help ensure APD is innovative, transparent and community-focused.
Prior to taking the interim position, Henderson served as Chacon's chief of staff. She has been with the department for 27 years.
Austin's search for a permanent police chief
Back in early May, the city of Austin launched its national search for the next chief of APD. The KVUE Defenders reported that the city is relying on Mosaic Public Partners, which it's paying about $60,000, to look for candidates nationally.
The city worked with Mosaic to develop a profile of the type of police chief it wants next. On May 15, Mosaic officially posted the job listing, which lists criteria for the position.
Austin's next police chief will report to an assistant city manager and will be accountable for the day-to-day operations of the department, including policies and procedures. According to the job posting, the chief's executive leadership team includes a chief of staff and five assistant chiefs of police.
Austin is looking for a candidate with at least a Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, public or business administration, or a related field. They must also have at least 10 years of "progressively responsible work in police administration," with at least five years as a "bona fide law enforcement officer."
The job posting states that the most competitive candidates will have direct experience as a police chief in a large city with "issues that are similarly complex to those in Austin." They will also have the ability to forge relationships with Austin's many diverse communities and should have a "sound understanding of the history of institutional racism in policing" and work to provide public safety services equitably while also advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion, including within APD.
Top candidates for the chief position will also have experience working to build "strong and healthy labor-management relationships" and will take advantage of Austin's "innovative and progressive spirit and strive to set APD as the national leader in public safety."
Candidates must submit a cover letter and résumé no later than Monday, June 10. As of Friday afternoon, 22 candidates had submitted applications.
The city and Mosaic are also soliciting feedback from community members on what they would like to see in the next police chief. A public survey is currently available in both English and Spanish. It will close on June 10, the same day the job posting closes.
The city has said it aims to have candidates identified shortly after the position closes and to quickly begin the interview process. Interview panels will include city leadership, law enforcement personnel and community members, and a meet-and-greet community event with the finalists will also be scheduled.
The finalist for the position will be selected by City Manager Broadnax and presented to Mayor Watson and the city council for confirmation.
Broadnax has said hiring a permanent chief is one of his first priorities in office.
"I need someone, and want someone, who's had experience in the seat. I can't tell you how long that needs to be, but I'll know it when I see it and meet them," Broadnax told KVUE Political Director Ashley Goudeau in a one-on-one interview. "They have to have 'muscle memory,' as I refer to it, meaning there shouldn't be a situation – particularly at a large city scale – that they may not have already had experience in dealing with. So that when in fact something does happen, they're going to have the presence and the understanding to be able to work through it."
Broadnax also said it's important that the next chief is able to communicate effectively with the public, as well as officers within the police department.