Austin Police Department Interim Chief Brian Manley has been named the lone finalist for the role of permanent chief, according to an April 30 news release from the city of Austin. The Austin Police Association, which advocates on behalf of APD officers in contract negotiations, and the Greater Austin Crime Commission have released statements of support. “He knows Austin,” said GACC President David Roche. “We’re enthusiastic about it.” Manley’s appointment will “lend a sense of calm to the department,” which has operated without a permanent chief since 2016, Roche added. Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk will oversee a public engagement process to allow Manley to lay out his vision for public safety in Austin. In the coming weeks, Manley will participate in community events, meetings and interviews, including two public forums. The first will be held on Monday, May 7, at the Turner-Roberts Recreation Center from 6-7:30 p.m., and the second on Thursday, May 17, at the KLRU Studio from 7-8:30 p.m. Austin residents are encouraged to provide feedback by attending these events, posting on an online forum, calling an information line at 3-1-1, emailing [email protected] or texting the word "Chief" to 512-580-8850. “We want to hear as many voices as possible,” Cronk said at an April 30 press conference. Following this process, Cronk may decide to widen the pool of candidates through a national search. However, he said, Manley’s performance as interim chief and feedback from community stakeholders has led him to the conclusion that vetting Manley as the main candidate prior to opening a national search is the best option. "There are several key characteristics I'm looking for in my executive appointments—a focus on partnerships, a commitment to community involvements, and a positive and innovative view toward the future," Cronk said in the release. "I believe that Manley embodies these characteristics." Manley was appointed to the position of interim chief in December 2016 after former Police Chief Art Acevedo left to lead the Houston Police Department. An Austin native, Manley attended high school in East Austin before studying finance at the University of Texas at Austin. He joined the APD in 1991 as a patrol office before serving as a detective and sergeant in the Child Abuse Unit and a lieutenant in the Traffic Enforcement Division. He was promoted to commander in 2005, to assistant chief in 2012 and to chief of staff in 2015, the department's second-highest position. In an interview earlier this year, Manley told Community Impact Newspaper that he first became interested in law enforcement while participating in a ride-along as a 17-year-old high school student. "I knew in that moment that that's what I wanted to do with my life," he said. "I never looked back on it from that day."