Tag Archives: Austin Police Department
Friday, October 15, 2021 by Jo Clifton
Bonds & Propositions
EMS union joins firefighters in opposing Prop A
The political action committee for the Austin EMS employees union has voted to join the Austin Firefighters Association PAC and AFSCME Local 1624, the civilian employees union, in opposing Proposition A on the November ballot. Save Austin Now, the PAC…
Thursday, October 14, 2021 by Andrew Weber, KUT
Police
APD should follow national best practices on use of force and make guidelines clearer, watchdog says
The Austin Police Department’s policies governing when an officer can and can’t use force don’t align with Austinites’ expectations, according to a new report from the city’s independent police monitor. The Office of Police Oversight collected feedback from 1,400 Austinites on APD’s…
Friday, October 1, 2021 by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Police
Austin City Council confirms Joseph Chacon as new police chief
Joseph Chacon is Austin’s new police chief, after City Council members confirmed his nomination Thursday night. Chacon has been serving as the city’s interim chief since Brian Manley’s departure from the top job in March. “Thank you for trusting me to do…
Tuesday, September 28, 2021 by Chad Swiatecki
Police
Report pushes police to improve training, communication with disabled Austinites
A new report based on feedback from residents with disabilities calls on the Austin Police Department to make improvements to its training and practices concerning interactions with residents experiencing mental health issues, hearing loss or other disabilities. The report comes…
Thursday, September 23, 2021 by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Police
Austin taps interim Chief Joseph Chacon as its next police chief
Joseph Chacon, who has been serving as interim Austin police chief since April, has been nominated to take on the position permanently, City Manager Spencer Cronk confirmed Wednesday. The decision is still pending approval from City Council at its meeting…
Tuesday, September 21, 2021 by Amy Smith
Police
APD needs more oversight, Public Safety Committee is told
Police transparency and accountability are still sorely lacking in Austin, according to statistical information presented to the City Council Public Safety Committee on Monday. Farah Muscadin, director of the Office of Police Oversight, or OPO, provided several grim findings in…
Friday, September 10, 2021 by Chad Swiatecki
Bonds & Propositions
‘No Way on Prop A’ campaign opposes police staffing initiative
A political action committee focused on defeating a November ballot proposal that would significantly increase the size of the Austin Police Department held its first formal campaign event Thursday. More than 80 community groups and more than three dozen local…
Thursday, September 9, 2021 by Amy Smith
Health & Human Services
Public Safety Commission questions police force’s low vaccination rate
Only about half of Austin police officers have been vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus and mask-wearing is typically at the discretion of officers responding to calls, Public Safety Commission members learned Tuesday. The information did not sit well with commissioners,…
Thursday, September 9, 2021 by Jo Clifton
Bonds & Propositions
How many cops do we want and at what cost?
Reporters and promoters of Proposition A have been using two officers per 1,000 Austin residents to describe the police staffing required if the proposition wins voter approval on Nov. 2. But that number may be insufficient, according to calculations done…
Friday, September 3, 2021 by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Police
City pays $2.25 million to family of man killed by police in 2017
In the conclusion of a lawsuit against the Austin police officer who shot and killed a 20-year-old Hispanic man in 2017, Austin City Council Thursday approved $2.25 million to be paid as a settlement to the man’s family. “There’s no…
Monday, August 16, 2021 by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Police
Austin narrows police chief search to three finalists
The city of Austin has narrowed its search for a new police chief down to three candidates: Joseph Chacon, Austin’s interim police chief; Avery Moore, an assistant chief with the Dallas Police Department; and Emada Tingirides, a deputy chief with…
Thursday, August 12, 2021 by Elizabeth Pagano
Bonds & Propositions
City Council denounces Prop A, approves ballot language revealing its cost
An upcoming proposition that would mandate police staffing could cost the city almost $600 million over the next five years. City Council is trying to drive that reality home with newly adopted ballot language. If approved by voters on Nov.…
Thursday, August 12, 2021 by Amy Smith
Police
APD Animal Cruelty Unit down to one detective
The Animal Advisory Commission may be philosophically divided on some issues, but commissioners were united Monday in calling for the restoration of recent staffing cuts made to the Austin Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Unit. Responding to queries from the Austin…
Wednesday, August 11, 2021 by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Budget
Last year Austin cut its police budget by millions. A new state law means it’ll likely reverse that move this week.
The same day Austin City Council members voted to reduce the police budget by roughly $150 million, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to make it so cities could never do it again. “Austin’s decision puts the brave men and women of the…
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 by Andrew Weber, KUT
Bonds & Propositions
Petition-backed measure to mandate police staffing will go to Austin voters
A ballot measure that would set a mandatory minimum for police staffing in Austin is on its way to voters. The city clerk on Tuesday certified petition signatures from the group Save Austin Now, paving the way for a November…
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 by Jonathan Lee
Public Safety
Public Safety Commission recommends ceasing Prop B citations
The Public Safety Commission Monday recommended that City Council halt citations and arrests related to Proposition B, arguing that public camping should not be criminalized when people don’t have anywhere else to go. “There are myriad reasons listed for why…
Wednesday, July 28, 2021 by Jo Clifton
Public Safety
Public safety looms over city budget talks
The plea for more staff at Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services has reached City Council’s ears. The majority of Council members expressed a desire at Tuesday’s work session to increase that funding for next year, as requested by Selena Xie,…
Tuesday, July 27, 2021 by Chad Swiatecki
Public Safety
Downtown shootings bring plans to address violent crimes
Just over a month since a mass shooting incident on East Sixth Street killed one person and injured more than a dozen, the state of downtown safety is receiving special attention in a pair of public sessions offering differing views…
Tuesday, July 27, 2021 by Alejandro Martínez-Cabrera, KUT
Police
Austin narrows down police chief candidates to seven finalists
The city of Austin has narrowed the pool of candidates for police chief down to seven. The finalists are: Joseph Chacon, interim Austin police chief since former Chief Brian Manley retired in March Anne Kirkpatrick, former police chief, Oakland, Calif. Avery…
Monday, July 26, 2021 by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Police
Austin announces new policy to release video footage of police shootings within 10 business days
The Austin Police Department says it will try to release video footage of incidents where police seriously injure or kill someone more quickly than in the past. Previously, the department’s policy was to release this footage within 60 days; the…
