Heart may be the key word here. Art Acevedo, who's been the top cop in the Capital City since 2007, said his heart is here and he's got plenty of unfinished business left to do.
Late Tuesday night, the tech-savvy, charismatic and politically proficient chief posted a statement to his Facebook wall, which in part said, "Well, I feel like a heavy weight has been lifted. First, I want to thank all of you your outpouring of support, good thoughts and prayers."
Several weeks ago, news surfaced that Acevedo became a finalist for the Dallas police chief position. The department's current chief, David Kunkle, is on his way out. City officials said they planned on having a new chief in place by the time of his last day on the job, which is Friday.
Austin city manager, Marc Ott, offered Acevedo a raise that would equal $12,000, but Acevedo declined the offer, saying he would like to explore the Dallas position. Numerous times, Acevedo told reporters he looked forward to the challenges of being the police chief of a large city like Dallas.
Also during the time Acevedo explored Dallas as a potential new employer, a report from Padadena, CA said Acevedo was also a finalist for a police chief position there. Acevedo continuously denied the reports.
In his online statement, Acevedo thanked the members of his department, the city, and the community for support during the process. "Lastly, I want to thank the City of Dallas and its leaders for the opportunity to explore this opportunity," he said.
At the end of the day, said Acevedo, Austin was the right choice for him. There's no place like home.
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