Out of a pool of more than 60 applicants hailing from all over the U.S., City Manager Sheryl Sculley has selected five to undergo rigorous panel interviews to take over as chief of the San Antonio Police Department – including interim Chief Anthony Treviño, who assumed the role when former Chief William McManus retired in December 2014 to become head of security for CPS Energy.
This Friday, Aug. 21, the finalists will be asked the same set of questions, but they’ll go through three different panels consisting of 24 community members from various organizations (see list here) to answer them. Sculley will interview each individually.
Finalists include Treviño, Las Vegas Police Department Deputy Chief Albert Salinas, Austin Police Department Chief Art Acevedo, Dallas Police Department Deputy Chief Malik Aziz, and Tucson Police Department Chief Roberto Villaseñor.
All five candidates are men.
According to a news release, Sculley expects to appoint a new police chief later this month. Her selection would require approval by City Council, which would take place in September.
Here is an overview of each candidate as provided by the City:
Art Acevedo Chief of Police- Austin, TX
Art Acevedo brings more than 29 years of law enforcement experience including 8 years as the Chief of Police for the City of Austin. Prior to his appointment with the City of Austin he served for 21 years with the California Highway Patrol including two years as Chief of one of state agency’s eight divisions. He is a board member of the Major Cities Police Chiefs Association and currently chairs the organization’s Homeland Security Committee. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Administration from the University of La Verne and is a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute.
Malik Aziz Deputy Chief, Dallas, TX
Malik Aziz is a 23-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department including more than 7 years as a Deputy Chief. In this capacity, he has managed the City’s Support Services and Field Services Divisions with responsibilities including SWAT, Communications, Detention Services, Traffic Enforcement and Accident Investigation functions. He currently serves as the president of the National Black Police Association. Chief Aziz holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas-Arlington and an MBA from the University of Dallas. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police run by the Police Executive Research Forum.
Albert Salinas Deputy Chief, Las Vegas NV
Albert Salinas is a 28 year veteran of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD). During his time with LVMPD he served over the Gang Crimes Bureau, the Southern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, the Investigative Services Division and the Professional Standards Division. He served over 15 years as an active duty member and reservist with the US Army. He is also a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute. Chief Salinas was born and raised in San Antonio and is a proud graduate of St. Mary’s University.
Anthony Treviño Interim Chief of Police- San Antonio,TX
Anthony Treviño has more than 21 years of experience in law enforcement including three years as Chief of Staff. Chief Treviño joined the San Antonio Police Department in 1993 and in January 2015 was appointed as the City’s Interim Chief of Police. He also served 23 years in the United States Air Force retiring as a Chief Master Sergeant. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science from Wayland Baptist University and a Master of Public Administration from the American Military University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police run by the Police Executive Research Forum.
Roberto Villaseñor Chief of Police- Tucson, AZ
Roberto Villaseñor has been a police officer for more than 35 years with the City of Tucson and has served as the City’s Chief of Police for more than 6 years. Prior to his service as Chief, he served as an Assistant Chief for 9 years and was responsible for the City’s Patrol, Investigations, Support and Administrative Divisions. In 2014 he was appointed by President Obama to the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and he currently serves as the President of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science from Park University and a Master of Education from Northern Arizona University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute and Senior Management Institute for Police run by the Police Executive Research Forum.
*Featured/top image: City Manager Sheryl Sculley (center) stands with San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus (left) to announce Deputy Chief Anthony Treviño as the SAPD interim chief on Dec. 5, 2014. File photo by Iris Dimmick.
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