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Public Safety
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…
Police • By Emma Freer • Feb 13, 2024
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…
Public Safety • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Feb 7, 2024
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…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Feb 2, 2024
Austin wants to add more money to a program that helps crime victims. Here's what it does.
Austin is expanding the resources it offers to crime victims. The Austin Police Department, which runs a victims fund, has a $30,000 budget to help people with immediate needs like a new pair of glasses or prepaid cellphone. The money…
Police • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Jan 31, 2024
An Austin-area food bank wants students to get healthy meals, so it opened a food pantry at a school
The Central Texas Food Bank is launching a new program to establish food pantries in schools and opened its first location on Wednesday at Creedmoor Elementary, a Del Valle Independent School District campus. “We are super excited to be a flagship and…
Public Health • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Jan 25, 2024
Council moves to extend police pay package, incentivize bargaining
City Council recently directed the city manager to extend the package of pay and benefits for police enacted last year in the face of stalled labor contract negotiations. With the Austin Police Association still refusing to return to the bargaining…
Police • By Emma Freer • Jan 25, 2024
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Art Acevedo says he won't take job overseeing Austin police
Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he is no longer joining city leadership. City leaders on Friday announced Acevedo would take on a new role overseeing policing. The decision sparked controversy and came as a surprise to some local officials and…
Police • By Syeda Hasan • Jan 24, 2024
Former APD Chief Acevedo is returning to Austin to oversee police
Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo will take a new position created to oversee the police department, a city of Austin memo shared with KUT confirms. The news was first reported by the Austin American-Statesman. Acevedo told KUT he is excited…
Police • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Jan 22, 2024
Updated: Travis County disputes APD statement about initial price tag of magistration agreement
City Council is expected to consider an interlocal agreement with Travis County next week to provide magistration services, including screening of those arrested for a variety of crimes. The reported price tag on that agreement is $9.9 million, although the…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Jan 12, 2024
APD announces partial release of mandated data dashboard
The Austin Police Department will transition the chief’s monthly report from a PDF format to an online dashboard complete with explanations and definitions available through the city’s open data portal. The planned dashboard release date is Jan. 18, according to…
Police • By Emma Freer • Jan 11, 2024
Virtual magistration pilot now just a 'trial'
The Austin Public Safety Commission on Monday tabled a resolution aimed at stopping or postponing a proposed pilot program that would eliminate Travis County from the process of magistration for people arrested by Austin officers, including pretrial services. Commissioners learned…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Jan 10, 2024
Commission questions what Central Health is doing to address persistent disparities in health access
The Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission heard key findings of Central Health’s 2022 Demographic Report at its regular meeting on Jan. 3. Central Health updated the report in February 2023, finding that Austin’s high cost of living and affordability crisis…
