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Tag Archives: Austin Police Department

City delays decision on license plate reader program

After a prolonged discussion during Tuesday’s City Council work session, a proposed extension of the city’s Automated License Plate Reader program is no longer under consideration. “Given concerns expressed today, I have decided to withdraw this item from the agenda…

Police • By Amy Smith • Jun 4, 2025

Austin has paid out $27 million to people injured by police during 2020 racial justice protests

Austin has paid out nearly $30 million to settle lawsuits over police conduct during protests following George Floyd’s murder five years ago. Most of the settlements were related to injuries caused by police using shotguns to fire lead-pellet bags at…

Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • May 30, 2025

External review finds data inconsistencies in APD reporting on use of force

During a special called meeting of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, Dr. Robin Engel, a Senior Research Scientist at The Ohio State University, presented findings from a recent re-examination of the Austin Police Department’s use of force. Engel said…

Police • By Mina Shekarchi • May 22, 2025

Audit flags oversight gaps in APD license plate reader pilot

A recent audit of the Austin Police Department’s License Plate Reader (LPR) program found that while the department largely complied with policies during the yearlong pilot, internal audit procedures and vendor contracts left room for improvement and potential privacy risks.…

Police • By Chad Swiatecki • May 21, 2025

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Two Years after the Austin Police Oversight Act passed, Community Police Review Commission finally meets

The first meeting of Austin’s long-awaited Community Police Review Commission (CPRC) was marked by urgency and undergirded by a strong sense of duty to a community that has been expecting this meeting for years. The formation of a civilian body…

Police • By Lina Fisher • May 19, 2025

After court ruling, APD says it won't cite people for small amounts of marijuana — for now

When an appeals court struck down Austin’s marijuana decriminalization ordinance late last month, confusion and disappointment flooded social media. “So am I a criminal now?” Reddit user Environmental_Ad3964 commented. “So.. I’m kinda confused about what this accomplishes,” another user wrote. Good question,…

Police • By Katy McAfee, KUT News • May 13, 2025

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Public Safety Commission discusses firefighter cancer prevention, quarterly Fire Department update, and bylaws

On Monday, the Public Safety Commission (PSC) heard a quarterly report from the Austin Fire Department and discussed initiatives related to firefighter cancer prevention. The commission also conducted business related to their internal Austin Police Department (APD) Training Academy Working…

Public Safety • By Mina Shekarchi • May 8, 2025

City reports fewer crimes, stable crowds in Sixth Street pilot

Data from the city’s efforts to revitalize the Sixth Street Entertainment District show reductions in violent crime and public safety incidents, according to a new memo summarizing the results of a pilot program launched late last year. A recent memo…

Public Safety • By Chad Swiatecki • May 5, 2025

Police oversight report shows progress in 2023 data

The Office of Police Oversight received more than 1,500 public contacts in 2023, forwarding 578 complaints to the Austin Police Department and recommending 215 for investigation, according to the agency’s newly released annual report. Of those, APD investigated 138 cases…

Police • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 28, 2025

Council Audit and Finance Committee hears updates on APD recruiting and hiring practices

On Wednesday, City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee heard a briefing on the Austin Police Department’s recruiting and hiring efforts. City leaders have been raising concerns about APD response times and staffing of sworn and non-sworn public safety employees for…

Police • By Mina Shekarchi • Apr 18, 2025

Austin’s redemption arc: The embarrassing recent failures and hard-fought reforms in our city’s response to sexual assault

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The city of Austin has garnered national attention for its prior failures to investigate cases and support survivors in their healing and, more recently, for its survivor-led reforms. The Austin Monitor took…

Public Safety • By Mina Shekarchi • Apr 7, 2025

Staffing isn't the only thing to blame for Austin's slow 911 response times

When someone calls 911 for help in Austin, about 93 percent of those calls are answered within 15 seconds. But once those calls are answered, police, fire or EMS must then respond. And those public safety agencies are not responding…

Public Safety • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Apr 4, 2025

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