AUSTIN -- An endorsement by the premier voice of Austin's law enforcement community made it official:
Mackenzie Kelly is the choice for Northwest Austin voters concerned about public safety and the future of this great city.
The Austin Police Association announced their endorsement of the District 6 City Council runoff election challenger in a recent mail piece.
"Jimmy Flannigan called for demolishing Police Headquarters, shutting down the police academy, and eliminating 150 police officer positions," the mailer read. "He did this during the pandemic and rioting. Meanwhile he voted to allow the explosion in the homeless problem by letting them camp practically wherever they want."
Flannigan's tragic timing (and flip-flop from his previous position of expanding funding for law enforcement) did not resonate well with voters. Around 62% of voters turned out against Flannigan in District 6 during the Nov. 3 election. But because no single candidate in the four-way race received a 50%-plus-one majority of the votes, a Dec. 15 runoff was scheduled between Kelly and Flannigan.
"With the Austin Police Department hundreds of officers short and violent crime on the rise, supporting our law enforcement community has been and will continue to be a major focus of my campaign," Kelly said. "I'm grateful for this critically important endorsement and will keep working hard to earn it."
Last week Kelly was also endorsed by the Austin Retired Police Officers Association. Other key endorsements include former Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Travis County Commissioner for Precinct 3 Gerald Daugherty.
A longtime advocate of Austin's finest, Kelly was recently elected president of the 100th class of APD's Citizen Police Academy. In other civil service, she worked with the Jollyville Fire Department from 2005-13. She is now employed in the health care sector working with front-line workers who care for the area's elderly population.
Established in 1949, the Austin Police Association represents approximately 1,800 women and men who work as police officers for the Austin Police Department. The APA serves as a voice at the bargaining table advocating for the working conditions, pay, benefits, and employment rights of all officers of the Austin Police Department.
A wife, mother, and community advocate, Austin native Mackenzie Kelly is the leading candidate in the race to represent Northwest Austin in District 6. Learn more about her and her campaign for Austin City Council at facebook.com/mackenzieforaustin and volunteer at www.MackenzieForAustin.com.
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