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Public Safety

Austin still looking for more 911 call takers

Austin’s 911 call takers are regularly asked to take on a high call volume, but the Austin Police Department does not have a regular process for expediting call taking when the volume reaches higher-than-normal levels, according to a special report…

City, police union resume bargaining over long-term police labor contract

After more than a yearlong hiatus, the city and the Austin Police Association (APA) resumed long-term police labor contract negotiations on Wednesday. But it remains to be seen whether the two bargaining teams will be able to reach an agreement…

APD settles another use-of-force case from 2020

The city of Austin has settled another case involving use of force against a citizen during the August 2020 protests against police violence. According to a news release from the Kaplan law firm, city officials agreed to and have paid…

Central Health to spend millions on opioid abatement

Central Health, Travis County’s hospital district serving low-income residents, is due to receive over $3 million from the state’s opioid abatement trust fund this spring. An allocation of nearly $10 million more – largely “front-loaded” – will be disbursed over…

Considering a community-first approach to public safety and crime prevention

Criminal justice leaders at the state and federal levels see benefits in changing the idea of public safety in the U.S. to promote community intervention and public health approaches to problems like gun violence as well as most nonviolent crimes.…

Plumbing problems could cost the county $4 million

On Tuesday, a coalition of Travis County staff appeared before the Commissioners Court requesting funding for a derelict section of plumbing in the Travis County Jail.  The Travis County Sheriff’s Office and Travis County Planning and Budget Office requested $150,000…

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Travis County declares local disaster ahead of April 8 total solar eclipse

Lee esta historia en español Travis County declared a local disaster on Friday ahead of the April 8 total solar eclipse. The eclipse is expected to bring an influx of people to the area, putting a major strain on roads, emergency…

Questions abound over pilot program for mental health diversion

As City Council is set to consider authorizing negotiations on a contract that would include allocating $2 million for a mental health diversion pilot program, a lot of questions remain unanswered. On Tuesday, Mayor Kirk Watson started the work session…

Partners unite in fight against opioid epidemic 

On Thursday, the city of Austin, Central Health and community partners delivered presentations to the Travis County Commissioners Court addressing ongoing opioid crisis abatement measures in the greater Austin area.  At present, major interventions include the distribution of naloxone (a…

Public Safety Commission begins discussion of how people with disabilities relate to policing

The Public Safety Commission recently considered a pair of reports issued by the Office of Police Oversight regarding policing and people with disabilities. At the commission meeting last week, Austin police leadership also responded to the reports, emphasizing ongoing training…

Austin police investigating stabbing of pro-Palestinian demonstrator as hate crime

Austin police are investigating a stabbing near the University of Texas campus over the weekend as a hate crime. Zacharia Doar, 23, was grabbing a bite to eat with three of his friends Sunday after attending a rally in support…

Council OKs ordinance on police pay, benefits

City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance extending pay and benefits for Austin police officers in line with the ordinance passed last year, including extra pay for longevity, for field training officers, bilingual officers, officers with mental health certification and…

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