Council approves SXSW policing deal

City Council approved amendments to the “Meet and Confer Agreement” Thursday that will allow it to proceed with plans for policing the “spring festival season.” The agreement includes options that will allow the Austin Police Department to create a volunteer sign-up system for officers who would like to work during festivals as an overtime assignment. It will also allow any remaining positions to be filled by non-Austin-resident officers or retired APD officers, or by APD officers reassigned from their normal duties. At the same time, Council ratified an amendment that, according to a city press release, “permits, but does not obligate, Council to authorize officer residency incentive pay. The conditions for residency incentive pay will be set by ordinance at Council’s discretion.”