AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- The search for the next chief of the Austin Police Department moved forward Monday, with city officials announcing seven finalists for the position.
A total of 46 candidates applied for the job. Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk said Monday that he hopes to name a finalist before the end of August.
Current APD interim chief Joseph Chacon is among the seven finalists. Prior to taking over the interim job, Chacon had served as an Assistant Chief for almost five years.
Other finalists for the position include:
Anne Kirkpatrick, former Oakland Police Chief, whose career began in 1982 in the Memphis Police Department. She has served with 8 agencies, including 4 as a Chief of Police, in her 38 years in policing.
Avery L. Moore is currently an Assistant Chief with the Dallas Police Department, where he's served for 30 years. He began as a patrol officer in 1990, and was also named a finalist for the top job in Dallas in late 2020.
Celeste Murphy is currently Deputy Chief of the Atlanta Police Department. She was appointed Deputy Chief in January 2020 and joined the department in 1997.
Mirtha V. Ramos is currently Chief of the DeKalb County (Georgia) Police Department, outside Atlanta. Her law enforcement career began in 1997 with the Miami-Dade Police Department, and was appointed to her current position in November 2019.
Gordon Ramsay has served as chief of the Wichita Police Department since January 2016, and has served as a police officer since 1993.
Emada E. Tingirides is currently a Deputy Chief in the Los Angeles Police Department. She joined LAPD in 1995.
“I am excited about the diverse slate of individuals we have identified for this position,” said Cronk. “I look forward to discussing with them how we can accomplish the goals of the community and the City Council.”
Austin has had one woman serve as police chief in the department's history - Elizabeth Watson, who led APD from 1992 until 1997. Cathy Ellison served as interim chief in 2006, becoming the first Black chief or interim chief in APD history, prior to Art Acevedo taking over.
Interviews and community input opportunities will be held as the hiring process continues over the next few weeks, Cronk said.
The new chief will oversee a department with 1,809 sworn officers and another 734 non-sworn professional staff members.