Austin, Texas announces 3 finalists for chief of police position

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the city of Austin enters the final stages of its police chief search, residents will have the chance to meet the remaining candidates before a finalist is selected.

Who are the finalists?

After the city launched its national search in the spring, over 40 candidates applied for the police chief opening. Of more than 40 applicants, the remaining three finalists include Joseph Chacon, the current interim chief of police with the Austin Police Department; Avery L. Moore, assistant chief with the Dallas Police Department; and Emada E. Tingirides, deputy chief with the Los Angeles Police Department.

The search follows former Chief Brian Manley’s retirement from the force in March, following a 30-year career with APD. After his retirement, City Manager Spencer Cronk chose Chacon to fill in as interim chief.

How can we meet them?

The city will host an in-person and virtual meet and greet with the three finalists Wednesday and Thursday evening, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Palmer Events Center’s Exhibit Hall 2. In-person attendance is limited to 100 people, and all guests are required to wear masks.

Virtual attendees will be able to stream the event online here. Additional sources covering the event include Cable TV Channel 6, U-Verse Channel 99, KAZI FM 88.7 and on KXAN’s website.

View Wednesday’s full meet and greet session in the video player below.

What are the candidates’ experience?

KXAN filed for and received a public information request that includes each candidate’s application and submitted resume. Findings from those documents, including candidates’ professional experience and portions of their personal statements, are outlined below.

Joseph Chacon

Chacon serves as interim chief of police for APD and has 29 years of combined law enforcement experience with APD and the El Paso Police Department. He served in El Paso from December 1992 through June 1998 as a police officer, patrol officer and detective.

He has worked with APD since October 1998 in several roles, including police officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, commander, assistant chief of police and interim police chief.

Chacon earned a bachelor of applied arts and sciences degree from Midwestern State University and a master of public administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington’s School of Urban and Public Affairs.

In his personal statement, Chacon noted “unprecedented shifts” emerging within law enforcement, citing “protests, political unrest, and varying opinions on social issues and appropriate responses.”

“I firmly believe that shifts in policing practices and culture are necessary and overdue. We must address institutional racism and the disparate impacts of our contacts with people of color and other affected communities. I am a strong proponent of the law and believe that reimagining efforts will lead to balanced public safety approaches. Our plans moving forward must consider all voices to ensure that Austin remains one of the safest large cities in the nation.”
Joseph Chacon, Interim Chief of Police, Austin Police Department

Avery L. Moore

Since March, Moore has served as assistant chief of police for the Dallas Police Department’s investigations bureau. Moore has 30 years of experience with DPD, beginning in May 1991.

Throughout his 30-year career, positions held include police officer, senior corporal of police, sergeant, crime scene response commander, SWAT commander, lieutenant of police, major of police, deputy chief and assistant chief.

Moore earned an associate of arts degree in psychology from Cameron University in Oklahoma, as well as a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from Cameron University. He received a master of business administration in management degree from the University of Phoenix’s Dallas campus.

In his personal statement, Moore said the “national outcry for police reform and racial equality” across the nation within the past year. He said APD is not without these same concerns and noted incidents within APD that have “brought to light the concerns that plague many United States law enforcement agencies.”

“With the proper leadership in this time of heightened expectations of public safety the Austin Police Department can become a model of public safety excellence based on fairness for all. To achieve this, we must effectively foster inclusion with the community and the Austin Police Department that would strengthen, build, and even close the gap with communities that have felt neglected and abandoned by the department. I envision a shared leadership perspective to emerge – the entirety of city leadership must step up, and function as one team with clear and concise expectations and goals in concert with the communities served by the Austin Police Department.”
Avery L. Moore, Assistant Chief, Dallas Police Department

Emada E. Tingirides

Since August 2020, Tingirides has served as a commanding officer and deputy chief of the community safety partnership bureau for the Los Angeles Police Department. She has 26 years of law enforcement experience with LAPD, beginning in March 1995.

In Tingirides’ 26-year career, positions held include field patrol officer, field supervisor, community relations officer-in-charge, community safety partnership coordinator, watch commander, officer-in-charge, commanding officer and captain, commanding officer and deputy chief.

She earned a bachelor of science in criminal justice degree from National University in La Jolla, California. Tingirides also has a masters of advance study degree in criminology, law and society from the University of California at Irvine.

In her personal statement, Tingirides pointed to her 10 years of experience building the community safety partnership, a concept that promotes “inclusion of community, elected officials and community stake holders in the process of building a safe healthy community as partners with law enforcement.” She said she was inspired to join law enforcement following the 1991 Rodney King incident.

“My background and experience on the LAPD are built on a strong foundation in patrol operations and building community trust with a record of positive, fair, and respectful leadership as well as significant administrative experience. In each of my assignments the central focus of my leadership has been creating change in policing by building partnerships, understanding community cultures, and increasing trust and public safety. My deliberate intentions have resulted in changing policing culture, implemented
shared responsibility amongst community, civic leaders, and social resources to build relationships, increase public safety and create a healthy community.”
Emada E. Tingirides, Deputy Chief, Los Angeles Police Department