Public Safety

APD publishes first annual sexual assault case review

The Austin Police Department has released its first annual review of cases investigated by the Sex Crimes Unit. The annual case review is one of several commitments APD has made as part of an ongoing, survivor-led effort to reform Austin’s…

Police • By Mina Shekarchi • Mar 21, 2025

Central Health opens long-awaited Del Valle Health Center

Last week, Central Health announced at a Travis County Commissioners Court meeting that it has finally opened its Del Valle Health Center, the long-awaited collaboration with CommUnityCare that will expand access to health care for low-income Eastern Travis County residents.…

Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Mar 20, 2025

Austin has had 5 high-risk wildfire days this month alone. Why are there so many red flag warnings?

As Texas becomes hotter and drier, and urban sprawl grows, the state could see more days with an elevated risk for wildfires. So far this year, Austin has had five of these days, also known as red flag warning days,…

Fire • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Mar 20, 2025

City IDs progress, funding needs to carry out area food plan

A pair of recent city memos shows progress and the need for additional funding sources to implement the first comprehensive food plan for the Austin area. The two memos were released last week, outlining nine goals and 61 strategies aimed…

Public Health • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 18, 2025

As wildfire anxiety grows, Austin plans to designate half the city as at risk of fire damage

Austin plans to greatly expand the amount of land, and therefore homes, considered at risk of wildfire damage. City Council members are scheduled to discuss updating rules surrounding Austin’s WUI, or Wildland-Urban Interface, later this month. This is the area…

Fire • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Mar 14, 2025

Council adds funding to bolster Integral Care’s mental health efforts

Responding to the need for more mental health workers to staff Integral Care’s Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, City Council on Thursday voted to allocate additional funding to the program. The action will inject more than $1.4 million into the…

Public Health • By Amy Smith • Mar 7, 2025

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Early data suggest opening Sixth Street to traffic has improved public safety

Early data from the Austin Police Department suggests that a new public safety initiative aimed at reducing crime and violence on East Sixth Street is yielding positive results. The changes, which took effect in December, reintroduced vehicular traffic on weekend…

Public Safety • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 6, 2025

Public Safety Commission 'concerned and excited' about progress from Office of Police Oversight

On Monday, the Public Safety Commission heard an update on the Office of Police Oversight’s implementation of the Police Oversight Act, as well as its vacancies and hiring processes. The OPO operates separately from the Austin Police Department, and its…

Police • By Mina Shekarchi • Mar 5, 2025

Travis County outlines the next year of opioid overdose prevention strategy

Even as the Trump administration attempts to gut every kind of federal grant bolstering local services, from transportation to public health and beyond, Travis County is still managing to continue its long-term investments in opioid recovery services and harm reduction.…

Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Mar 3, 2025

Amid ongoing measles concerns, Austin ISD’s vaccination rate is below target for its youngest students

As a measles outbreak in West Texas continues to raise concerns throughout the state, Austin ISD’s vaccination rate for incoming kindergarteners remains well below pre-pandemic levels. Public health experts say around 95 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated…

Public Health • By Olivia Aldridge, KUT • Mar 3, 2025

Austin opened up police misconduct files. Now, state lawmakers want to lock them back up.

A bill that’s making its way through the Texas Legislature could target Austin’s management of its police department. Now, Senate Bill 781, authored by Republican state Sen. Phil King, could undo years of litigation, a citywide referendum and countless hours of public…

Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Feb 27, 2025

Austin ranks fifth in nation for cities most at risk for wildfires

According to a CoreLogic Wildfire Risk Report conducted in 2024, Austin ranks fifth in the nation for cities most at risk for wildfires. The top four cities are all located in California. David Bock, senior wildfire mitigation specialist at the…

Fire • By Hunter Simmons • Feb 25, 2025

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