Former Cedar Park Police Chief Sean Mannix will be the new chief of police in the city of Burnet.
Burnet City Manager David Vaughn confirmed Mannix accepted the position in a July 8 email to Community Impact Newspaper. Mannix will begin his new role July 13, according to Vaughn.
On Jan. 24, Mannix announced his retirement after serving 36 years "in the trenches," which includes seven years as the Cedar Park chief, according to a letter by Mannix. Mannix's retirement comes after the November exoneration of Greg Kelley, who was wrongly convicted of aggravated sexual assault against a child in 2014. Kelley and others called for the firing of Mannix following the Nov. 6 exoneration.
“Make no mistake, I have heard the criticisms surrounding this case and taken actions to address them," Mannix said in a statement after Kelley's exoneration. "I want to reassure our citizens that the department remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure community safety and public trust. It’s a responsibility and privilege I take very seriously.”
Kelley filed a lawsuit against Mannix, Cedar Park Detective Christopher Dailey and the city of Cedar Park on May 5. The lawsuit seeks seeks monetary damages “for committing acts and knowing omissions.”
Since Feb. 27, Mike Harmon has served as the interim chief of police in Cedar Park.
Burnet city officials have not yet responded to additional questions related to Mannix's hiring.
