Retired Austin police chief dies at 85; Hoffman led dept. through the Hormel strike of 1985-86
Published 8:37 am Thursday, September 28, 2017
Donald R. Hoffman, 85
Former Austin Police Chief Donald R. Hoffman passed away on Tuesday. He was 85 years old.
Hoffman joined the Austin Police Department on Feb. 23, 1957. In 1983, he replaced Robert Nelson as police chief.
One year later, current Austin Police Chief Brian Krueger joined the Austin Police Department.
“It’s sad to see a former chief go,” Krueger said of Hoffman. “He was a good chief for the department and for the city.”
Described as a man who strictly adhered to the chain-of-command, Hoffman led the Austin Police Department through the Hormel Foods Strike of August 1985 to June 1986.
Hoffman retired on June 30, 1990.
“He will be missed,” Krueger said.
