AUSTIN (KXAN) — After more than a year in the role of interim Austin Police Chief, Brian Manley was unanimously approved to take the position permanently.

The Austin City Council voted 11-0 to approve Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk’s appointment of Manley to the position. Last week, Cronk announced he would put the item on the city council agenda after Manley went through a number of community forums and a public comment period.

Cronk outlined a number of areas he wanted Manley to improve within the department, including safety in Austin, community policing and transparency, staffing, training and promoting equity and inclusion. 

Manley took on the role of interim chief in December 2016 when former Chief Art Acevedo left for a job in Houston. Hiring a permanent chief was delayed when Austin’s city manager left and a new one had to be hired.