Sections

About Us

 
Make a Donation
Local • Independent • Essential News
 

Tag Archives: Public Safety Commission

City seeks to separate forensics lab from APD while complying with state law

It’s never too soon to talk about the 2023 city budget, especially as it relates to the Austin Police Department and the divisions that were separated out from under APD before the state Legislature penalized cities for thinking outside the…

Negotiations begin anew as public safety contracts expire this year

With contracts between the city and Austin’s three public safety associations set to expire in September, the Public Safety Commission heard presentations and perspectives from each of the groups and the Austin Justice Coalition on Monday. The Austin EMS Association,…

Public Safety Commission hears update on police academy after reset

This week the Public Safety Commission heard an update on the Austin Police Department’s first cadet class since pausing cadet training to restructure the curriculum to align with the city’s reimagining public safety process. Dr. Anne Kringen, who joined APD…

Search for new EMS chief still under wraps

As with last month’s meeting of the Public Safety Commission, Assistant City Manager Rey Arellano had little to report regarding the nationwide search for a new chief of Austin-Travis County Emergency Services. At Monday’s commission meeting, Arellano reported there were…

Public Safety Commission frowns on marshal office proposal

While it took no action on a proposal to create a marshal office within the Austin Municipal Court, the Public Safety Commission largely gave the plan a thumbs-down on Monday. Last month, City Council heard concerns from residents about the…

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…

Subscribe to our newsletter

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,…

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…

EMS leader recounts medics' harrowing week during freeze

First responders are still in recovery mode as they plan for the next severe weather event, such as the freeze that gripped Austin in mid-February, and any other unforeseen disaster that may occur. “Our medics’ stories should be heard,” Austin…

APD to issue citations beginning Sunday as part of Prop B enforcement

The Austin Police Department could begin issuing citations this Sunday, July 11, for camping, panhandling and resting in the public right of way in downtown, West Campus and part of East Austin – areas where such activities were allowed before…

New police chief expected to be named by late summer

More than three dozen people have applied to become Austin’s next police chief, a role that comes with a number of challenges critical to the success of the city and its process to reimagine public safety. Recruitment for the position…

Public Safety Commission recommends budget requests – with one exception

The Public Safety Commission “wholeheartedly” recommended City Council adopt all budget items requested by Austin’s police, fire and EMS departments for Fiscal Year 2022 – with the exception of money for a new police helicopter. The budgets await review by…

Back to Top