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Police
Assistant Chief Joseph Chacon confirmed as Austin's new interim police chief
Assistant Chief Joseph Chacon will be Austin’s interim police chief starting April 11. City Council approved his appointment Thursday night. “This is not an easy city, probably, to be police chief,” Mayor Steve Adler told Chacon before the vote. “It’s…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Mar 26, 2021
Austin nominates interim police chief, permanent chief to be named by August
Joseph Chacon, an assistant chief of the Austin Police Department, has been nominated to serve as interim police chief as Brian Manley readies to leave the department this week. City Manager Spencer Cronk announced Chacon’s nomination in a memo Monday morning.…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Mar 23, 2021
Downtown Commission hears plans for APD headquarters relocation
Alex Gale from the city’s Office of Real Estate Services and Darrell Alexander from the Building Services Department spoke to the Downtown Commission Wednesday on the relocation of the Austin Police Department headquarters. Gale explained that Council had given direction…
Police • By Seth Smalley • Mar 22, 2021
Review commission works through reforms of police procedures
Last summer, amid widespread calls for police reform, Austin City Council adopted Resolution 95, which is aimed at reworking many of the Austin Police Department’s most controversial policies. The resolution ordered APD to implement restrictions on chokeholds, purchases of military…
Police • By Sean Saldaña • Mar 10, 2021
APD details cadet academy reforms
The Austin Police Department presented reforms to its cadet academy at Tuesday’s City Council work session, moving Council closer to a vote on restarting the academy after halting it last summer. The changes respond to a preliminary report by consulting…
Police • By Jonathan Lee • Mar 3, 2021
Racial inequity at APD front and center at Public Safety Commission
Public Safety commissioners took a closer look at racial issues in the Austin Police Department, diving into a recent report on the subject at their Monday meeting. A survey of over 1,000 APD officers and staff about their attitudes toward…
Police • By Jonathan Lee • Feb 2, 2021
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Videos used to train Austin police perpetuate 'racism, sexist gender norms and classism,' panel finds
A panel of community members has recommended the Austin Police Department remove 60 videos from its training curriculum after concluding they bolster racist and sexist ideas and do little to help officers constructively interact with the public. “The vast majority…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jan 21, 2021
Abbott plots DPS takeover of APD
Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Twitter Monday that he had received draft language to seize Austin’s Police Department and put it under the control of the Texas Department of Public Safety “just in time for Christmas.” The Austin Police Association,…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Dec 22, 2020
Adler, Pool voice support for cadet class this spring
With Austin police officers either retiring or simply quitting the force in record numbers this year, Mayor Steve Adler told his colleagues at Tuesday’s City Council work session that he really wants to have a cadet class this spring. Council…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Dec 9, 2020
Police department sees trend in violent crime uptick
Breaking from typical practice, the Austin Police Department presented the Public Safety Commission with a monthly crime report for the month of October as part of its routine quarterly update on Monday afternoon. While department representatives said the crime report…
Police • By Ryan Thornton • Dec 8, 2020
Another demonstrator sues APD after she says she was shot in the head with 'less-lethal' ammunition
Another demonstrator has filed a federal lawsuit against the Austin Police Department and an unidentified police officer over the use of so-called less-lethal rounds. Arianna Chavez filed a complaint in federal court last week, alleging the officer used excessive force…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Dec 2, 2020
Police department makes an effort to reach out to Austin’s deaf community
The Austin Police Department is taking special measures to make sure its policies and procedures do not disproportionately affect community members with hearing loss. At Sunday’s Special Meeting of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities, Officer Scott Marler met…
