Victory for Vincent in APA Election

Sgt. Wayne Vincent (Photo by John Anderson)

Austin police officers have voted to keep their union president, Sgt. Wayne Vincent, for a second three-year term. Vincent beat out Cpl. Mike Bowen, who had been serving as the Austin Police Association's second in command, by a vote of 554-345. Taking over that VP spot is Sgt. Todd Harrison, who also currently serves as president of statewide cop union Combined Law Enforcement Associa­tions of Texas. There was speculation among cop watchers that both Vincent and Harrison were vulnerable to defeat: Vincent earned the ire of some among the ranks for his push to buy a new union hall without vetting the expensive real estate deal with union members; Harrison was the center of his own bit of controversy this summer connected to his use of association business leave time to cover his APD salary while he was actually off working on CLEAT business. Harrison said in his campaign that being president of CLEAT will not affect his ability to serve as VP for APA. (For more on the building deal, see "Police Group at Odds Over Property Deal," July 1; for more on the ABL time issue, see "Time Bandits in Uniform?," Aug. 12.)