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Public Safety
Years after deadly storms, city still lacks comprehensive flood policy
In the wake of devastating flooding over Memorial Day Weekend in 2015, City Council established the 22-member Flood Mitigation Task Force to examine the city’s flood preparedness and come up with a list of recommendations for how to better prepare…
Public Safety • By Nina Hernandez • May 12, 2017
Commission on Immigrant Affairs responds to SB 4
As the sky crumbled above them, the city’s Commission on Immigrant Affairs scrambled to pick up the pieces Monday night in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of Senate Bill 4 over the weekend. Slated to become law September 1,…
Public Safety • By Joseph Caterine • May 11, 2017
Council to reconsider curfew for kids
Members of City Council are exploring changes to a 27-year-old ordinance aimed at keeping kids off the streets at night and during school hours. Currently, those under age 17 who are caught wandering about unaccompanied during school days from 9…
Public Safety • By Jack Craver • May 3, 2017
Sanctuary cities debate revolves around ICE detainers. But what are they?
Members of the Texas House of Representatives today will consider Senate Bill 4, popularly coined the “sanctuary cities” bill. The practices of the Travis County Sheriff’s Office have been heralded as a reason to pass this bill – one that…
Public Safety • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Apr 26, 2017
Activists weigh in on police contract as city begins negotiations
As the city of Austin moves forward with the renegotiation of its public safety contracts, local activists are asking for several changes to the city’s contract with the local police union. The contract, which is negotiated every couple of years,…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Apr 24, 2017
Nancy Pelosi discusses impact of Affordable Care Act on Austin
U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Lloyd Doggett hosted a roundtable with a group of Austin-based medical professionals, musicians and technology experts Thursday morning. Discussion at the meeting, held at the Clinical Education Center at Brackenridge, addressed the…
Public Health • By Sommer Brugal • Apr 21, 2017
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Safety commissioners voice concerns about forensic officer's firing
Slowly but surely, reported Austin Police Department officials at a recent meeting of the Public Safety Commission, the city of Austin is reducing its backlog of DNA evidence. The total backlog has dropped from roughly 4,500 batches in June to…
Police • By Jack Craver • Apr 4, 2017
Travis County tops list of jurisdictions declining immigration detainers
A new report suggests Travis County refused more federal requests to detain undocumented immigrants than any other law enforcement agency. The report from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is the first of what are promised to be weekly…
Public Safety • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Mar 21, 2017
Safety commission discusses staffing for APD sexual assault unit
The Austin Police Department’s struggle to indict perpetrators of sexual assault crimes could be due in part to a lack of staffing, according to data examined by its Sex Crimes Unit. For nearly a year, the APD’s battle to clear…
Police • By Kara Nuzback • Mar 8, 2017
Austin to take over some county firefighting
On Feb. 16, City Council unanimously approved negotiation of a contract with Travis County Emergency Services District 4 to transfer firefighting duties to Austin firefighters within the ESD’s area in eastern Travis County. The parties will have to come back…
Fire • By Jo Clifton • Feb 27, 2017
Voters to decide on new emergency services district in Southeast Travis County
Residents in Southeast Travis County will soon get to vote on a plan to shore up the financial health of their first responders. Last Tuesday, the Commissioners Court unanimously approved a petition to create Emergency Services District No. 15, a…
Public Safety • By Caleb Pritchard • Feb 21, 2017
Austin Monitor Radio: What's next for local users of the Affordable Care Act?
Insure Central Texas Director Elizabeth Colvin joins Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to chat about the Affordable Care Act and potential local implications of a repeal. Kanin is also joined by Health Alliance for Austin Musicians Chief Operating Officer Rachel…
