Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson Selected for Chief of Staff

Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon shook up up the Department’s leadership with the announcement that he selected Assistant Chief Robin Henderson to be the new Chief of Staff.

Melanie Rodriguez, president of the Austin Police Women’s Association said, “I think that Chief Chacon could not have named a stronger choice than Chief Henderson for the Chief of Staff. She and I were in the police academy in 1997 and have been best friends ever since. She has the respect of the rank and file officers, and she’s earned that respect as a patrol officer and a sergeant at the Academy who prepared many of our cadets to be the officers they are today. She cares about her officers on a personal basis and treats every one of them as a member of her family. She is still the vice president of the Women’s Association. Chief Henderson is such a good person with a good heart and does a lot for the whole department and officers’ morale. She is always out with her troops and is a constant visible figure in the Department. She is a fantastic mother and family is the most important thing to her, and you don’t have to be a blood relative for her to consider you family.”

Austin Police Association president Ken Casaday echoed Rodriguez’ sentiments saying, “Robin has been well-respected by supervisors and her peers at every rank. She will make an excellent Chief of Staff.”

Chasity Salazar, an APD officer who works out of APD’s Springdale Road substation and serves as an APA representative for officers, said “I am excited that Assistant Chief Henderson has been selected as Chief of Staff. She genuinely cares about every person that works with her & the future of the profession. She is visible, takes the time to be on the front lines with the community, & constantly makes herself available for guidance for patrol officers, which is rare in policing as people move up the ranks. Her selection for this position gives me hope for the future of the Austin Police Department.”

Chief Henderson has served with the Austin Police Department for 24 years. She served in many roles at APD, from patrol to being an instructor at the training academy, a detective, and vice president of the Austin Police Women’s Association.