Tag Archives: Public Safety Commission
EMS using medication-assisted treatment to reduce overdoses
Two Travis County programs are proving successful at reducing opioid overdoses and connecting people in need with treatment at a time when deaths from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are on the rise nationally. Last week, the Public Safety Commission…
EMS • By Nina Hernandez • Nov 14, 2022
Crash deaths, injuries on the rise despite Vision Zero interventions
Traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries in the city of Austin have increased in 2022 compared with the five-year average, highlighting the barriers that stand in the way of the city’s Vision Zero goals. The Vision Zero program, which originated in…
Public Safety • By Emma Freer • Oct 6, 2022
Public Safety joins parks board effort to study crime in city parks
At its special called meeting Tuesday, the Public Safety Commission unanimously voted to send one of its members to a Parks and Recreation Board working group studying crime in city parks and tasked with coming up with recommendations for City…
Public Safety • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 15, 2022
APD responds to concerns about LRAD crowd control measure
At the Public Safety Commission’s special called meeting Tuesday, the Austin Police Department answered follow-up questions about its ongoing use of long-range acoustic device, or LRAD, technology as a crowd control method amid concerns it could damage the hearing of…
Police • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 14, 2022
Public Safety Commission discusses APD's protest response
The Public Safety Commission heard from the Austin Police Department Monday about how it responds to protests, including how it uses the LRAD, a powerful speaker that some fear could damage protesters’ and police officers’ hearing. APD Commander Corey Wroblewski…
Police • By Jonathan Lee • Aug 3, 2022
AFD on the front lines of effort to combat overdose crisis
The Austin Fire Department spoke about its use of naloxone to combat drug overdoses in its quarterly report at the Public Safety Commission’s July 5 meeting. The department’s report coincides with City Council’s declaration of opioid overdose deaths as a…
Public Health • By Veronica Apodaca • Jul 14, 2022
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Public Safety Commission dives into data transparency at APD
The Austin Police Department gave a presentation on its efforts to improve data transparency at the Public Safety Commission meeting on Tuesday. The presentation, given by APD Research and Planning Division Manager Jason Matson, focused on how the public can…
Police • By Veronica Apodaca • Jul 8, 2022
Public Safety Commission debates police department software
The merits of Lexipol software as a tool for the Austin Police Department was the focus of the Public Safety Commission’s Tuesday meeting. The crux of the debate between the commissioners and APD representatives was whether the software was worth the…
City Hall • By Veronica Apodaca • Jul 7, 2022
Public safety departments present budget proposals to Public Safety Commission
Austin’s public safety departments – police, fire and EMS – are preparing for the annual budget process in July and August by forecasting budgets and drafting wish lists, all of which include additional funding to fill vacant positions. Meanwhile, a…
Budget • By Emma Freer • Jun 8, 2022
City, police union negotiate new labor contract after eventful five years
The city of Austin and the Austin Police Association met for their sixth day of negotiations Monday as they work toward a new labor contract. The city’s bargaining team proposed changes to the contract’s drug-testing and promotion provisions, citing recommendations from…
Police • By Emma Freer • May 4, 2022
Commission urges city to raise EMS pay
The Public Safety Commission approved a broad resolution Monday calling on the city to raise its offer to the Austin EMS union to pay salaries comparable to what other EMS agencies are paying. EMS salaries should be equivalent to what…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • May 3, 2022
Chacon pledges more diverse police force
Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon told members of the Public Safety Commission Monday that his department has signed the 30 by 30 pledge, a national initiative that agrees to diversify the police force by 2030. APD is one of 40…
