HOUSTON – Austin police Chief Art Acevedo has accepted the job as Houston’s new chief of police, sources told KPRC 2 on Thursday morning.
Houston’s top cop job has been vacant since former Chief Charles McClelland retired in February.
Martha Montalvo, who was McClelland’s chief of staff, has served as interim police chief since his departure.
“Acting Police Chief Martha Montalvo and Acting Fire Chief Rodney West have performed exemplary in dealing with some challenges and we are indebted to them for their service,” said Mayor Turner. “I had said all along that once we reached solution to our pension problems, I would move quickly to fill key positions. This is the team that will carry us into 2017 and beyond. We are going to build upon the successes of 2016 and be even more transformative, innovative and responsive.”
Earlier this month, KPRC 2’s Andy Cerota reported that Acevedo was on the short list of candidates being considered for the job.
Acevedo has been Austin’s chief since 2007, when he came to Texas’ capital city from the California Highway Patrol.
He has 30 years of law enforcement experience, which began in East Los Angeles.
Houston Police Officers’ Union President Ray Hunt told Cerota that he knows Acevedo, and he wouldn’t be surprised if he was being looked at by major cities.
“He’s a very high-profile person,” Hunt said. “He’s been in a major city for 10 years.”
Acevedo is popular with the public, but the outspoken chief has faced recent internal battles with senior command staff over how he dealt with use-of-force incidents.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler released the following statement about Acevedo's departure:
“Houston is getting a world-class police chief. Chief Acevedo has made our community safer and closer, and he is trusted and much loved by so many. Austin is losing a moral and joyous leader, and I’m losing a friend.
“Losing Art Acevedo is a huge deal, and replacing him will be a daunting task in part because he gave so much of himself to his job and his community. But Austin is a safe city with a strong police force, and we’ll have talented applicants to take his place. We’ll shortly have a new city manager and a new police chief, and this gives Austin a unique opportunity to enter a new era in our history.”
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner officially introduced Houston's new police chief and fire chief in a press conference Thursday afternoon.
RAW VIDEO: Mayor Turner introduces new Houston police Chief
