As of Monday, Lisa Davis has been officially instated as Austin's new police chief in a ceremony at Austin City Hall. The event marked a significant transition for the Austin Police Department (APD), punctuated by Davis's first day in uniform, according to a KXAN report.
Davis, the former assistant chief of the Cincinnati Police Department, took over APD's helm after a rigorous selection process narrowed down to her and Jeffrey Norman, the Milwaukee Police Chief, out of about 30 candidates. The choice by the City of Austin was reached in August, but Davis's tenure officially commenced in early September. As she steps into her new role, Davis looks to leave her unique imprint on the force.
At the Monday Public Safety Commission meeting where Davis made her announcement, APD also presented its quarterly public safety report. As noted by CBS Austin, Davis sat in on discussions highlighting important facets of community safety, such as response times, staffing levels, and the recently reintroduced License Plate Reader program. This technology has already proven instrumental in apprehending suspects, with 40 arrests for stolen vehicles and two murder suspects identified and arrested among other successes.
Moreover, Chief Davis emphasized her commitment to reviewing the academy, which forms a critical component of her leadership's foundations. "Reviewing the academy is one of my priorities," she told the commission. APD's current 153rd cadet class, consisting of 39 students, is on track to graduate on March 7, 2025, illustrating the ongoing efforts to augment APD’s workforce under Davis’s oversight.
