Hot Competition in Police Union Election

Austin Police this week are holding their own elections, deciding who will lead their union, the Austin Police Association, for the next three years. It's been a somewhat rocky year for the union: Members have raised questions about the APA brass' decision to purchase, without member input, a new union hall in Southeast Austin; in August the APA was again in the spotlight over the use of association business leave to pay Sgt. Todd Harrison's city salary while he spent time doing business as the president of the statewide cop union, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas. Perhaps because of the recent dustups, both Harrison and APA President Wayne Vincent have drawn challengers. Vincent is being challenged by Cpl. Mike Bowen, a 20-year department vet who is the union's current vice president. In the race to replace Bowen in the No. 2 spot are Harrison – who currently represents the department's sergeants for APA and is still serving as CLEAT president – and current APA Treasurer Tim Atkinson.

Also running for spots on the board are members who have raised questions about the union's building deal and about Harrison's use of association business leave. Lt. Kurt Rothert, who challenged Vincent on the decision to enter into the property deal without first querying the members, is running to represent officers of his rank; Cpls. John Coffey and George Jackoskie, who this summer filed an official contract complaint over the ABL issue, are both also on the ballot. Jackoskie is running to represent officers from Central East Austin; Coffey is running unopposed to represent Central West Austin officers. (For more on the building deal, see "Police Group at Odds Over Property Deal," July 1; for more on the ABL dispute, see "Time Bandits in Uniform?," Aug. 12.) Voting closes at 5pm on Friday, Nov. 11; official results should be known shortly after 6pm, according to the APA's website.