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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…
Public Safety • By Trey Shaar • Jul 5, 2019
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.…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Jun 26, 2019
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,…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Jun 25, 2019
Travis County changes course on electronic monitoring
The electronic monitoring business just got a little bit more competitive in Travis County. The Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to abandon its practice of allowing only a single company to provide tracking devices to those accused or convicted of…
Public Safety • By Jack Craver • Jun 19, 2019
Why does one company get all of Travis County's electronic monitoring business?
In recent years, Travis County has seen an increase in the number of people released from jail on bail on condition that they wear some type of monitoring device, whether it tracks their location or detects the presence of alcohol.…
Public Safety • By Jack Craver • Jun 10, 2019
Public Safety Commission backs adoption of international wildfire code
The Public Safety Commission is again recommending tighter wildfire protection standards for structures built between the city’s wildlands and urban center. On Monday the commission endorsed adoption of a Wildland-Urban Interface Code that would expand ember protection and structure hardening…
Public Safety • By Ryan Thornton • Jun 5, 2019
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Travis County sees big increase in electronic monitoring
Travis County has seen its incarcerated population drop dramatically in recent years, due in large part to policy changes aimed at keeping low-level drug offenders out of jail. As of April 2019, the average daily jail population stood at 2,143,…
Public Safety • By Jack Craver • Jun 4, 2019
Travis County leaders urge vigilance on flooding
Heavy rains over the past two weeks have not resulted in major residential flooding, but at least one death appears to be linked to flooding and government officials are urging residents to avoid certain waterways and to be on high…
EMS • By Jack Craver • May 14, 2019
Fire and police response times lagging due to low staffing
In an effort to serve citizens as quickly, efficiently and proficiently as possible, Austin public safety departments have response time goals. For the Fire Department, this means response times of eight minutes 90 percent of the time, while police should…
Public Safety • By Jessi Devenyns • May 8, 2019
Central Health says Sendero is relatively healthy, but its survival is still uncertain
As the June deadline draws closer for Sendero Health Plans to prove its worth in the insurance market, Central Health officials gathered Monday night to update the community about the nonprofit health insurance company. According to Sendero and Central Health’s…
Public Health • By DaLyah Jones • Apr 17, 2019
County ready to consider options for designated behavioral health authority
After bouncing the idea around for several months, Travis County is ready to start exploring options to dedicate a local behavioral health authority as an overlay to its existing local mental health authority under Integral Care. The local behavioral health…
Public Health • By Ryan Thornton • Mar 13, 2019
APD investigates causes of traffic fatalities
As busy and congested as Austin streets have become, drivers have managed to keep the number of traffic fatalities from rising over the last few years. “We’re on a four-year downward trend,” Ron MacKay, Austin Police Department’s crime analysis division…
