AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Against the backdrop of questions from several members of the Austin City Council, interim city manager Jesús Garza is pushing back on his recent appointment for the city's Office of Police Oversight.
Last month, Garza announced he was appointing Gail McCant to serve as the office's permanent director - a role she had been filling in an interim capacity since June.
"With the resolution recently passed by Mayor and Council and the desire to move forward quickly with implementing those aspects of [Proposition A], it was important to provide stability to the OPO and provide clear direction of where we need to head," Garza wrote in a memo to council members.
Last month, council members voted to pass a resolution calling to Garza to revise and implement policies related to police oversight in accordance with the Proposition A vote.
After Garza announced McCant's appointment, council members Qadri, Vela, Velasquez, Fuentes, Ellis, and both Ryan and Alison Alter all called on Garza to explain the pivot away from conducting a national search for the position.
Garza, and his predecessor Spencer Cronk, had both previously indicated a national search would be conducted. The oversight office had been without a permanent director since Farah Muscadin resigned in October 2022.
"Had I moved forward with a national search, we would be waiting until next year before being able to name a permanent lead for the Office – a delay that would simply add to the already perceived delay of moving forward with the voters’ will via Prop A," Garza said.
