Public Safety
Thursday, August 8, 2019 by Jessi Devenyns
Police
Public Safety Commission recommends increased funding for mental health first responder program
The Austin Police Department is working to revamp its tactics when handling calls related to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Fulfilling that goal starts with training officers so they are equipped to help in these tense situations.Public Safety Commissioner…
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 by Andrew Weber
EMS
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say assaults on the job are common and ‘unavoidable’
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say they’ve been assaulted on the job in the last two years, according to an internal survey. Most first responders also say they don’t feel properly trained to address aggressive behavior.Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical…
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Fire
Two firefighters fired over ‘theft’ of exam
Fire Chief Joel Baker has fired two firefighters, Nicholas Schroeder and Anthony Stewart, who were attending classes on handling hazardous materials, after Schroeder allegedly stole a copy of the final exam and Stewart took photos of it.The class was required…
Friday, July 5, 2019 by Trey Shaar
Public Safety
New Texas law has Travis County dismissing marijuana cases
Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore said Wednesday her office is dismissing 32 felony cases involving possession or delivery of marijuana or THC, pending further investigation, as the result of a new Texas law legalizing hemp.The law, which took effect…
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Police
City audit says Austin police could be better about keeping track of body camera footage
The Austin Police Department is still working out the kinks in its body camera program, according to a new city audit.The report released today by the city auditor’s office looked at footage from 151 body cam videos from Aug. 1,…
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Police
Austin police report shows a slight uptick in property crimes in 2018
A new report released Monday from the Austin Police Department shows crime overall increased in 2018, with property crimes up 9 percent. Violent crimes dropped slightly, however.The report also acknowledges controversy surrounding the way APD handles sexual assault cases, after…
