During talks about a program that provides counsel at first court appearance, Bradley Hargis with Capital Area Private Defender Service shared the experience of a former client. The person had been charged and processed with a felony, and faced a multi-thousand-dollar bond. But Hargis and his team discovered that the felony had been dismissed and […]
Public Safety
Posted inPolice
Deadlocked on oversight, city and police union pause contract negotiations
After nearly nine months of negotiation sessions, the city of Austin halted bargaining with the Austin Police Association Thursday, citing disagreement about civilian oversight of police and raising questions about whether the two sides will agree to a new labor contract before the current one expires at the end of March. Sarah Griffin, the city’s […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Equity Action denounces fraudulent petition drive by sham group
Equity Action, a local nonprofit political action committee, is decrying what it calls a fraudulent effort by an unknown group impersonating it online and while canvassing for petition signatures. In August, Equity Action submitted 33,000 petition signatures to the city clerk in support of the Austin Police Oversight Act, which would remove the Office of Police […]
Posted inPublic Health
County gets creative to counter ‘staggering’ number of fentanyl deaths
In the first half of this year, from January to June, 118 people in Travis County died from an overdose of fentanyl. This equaled the number of fentanyl-related overdoses from the entirety of last year. The outsized opioid-overdose figures spurred county leaders’ announcement of a public health crisis in May, which brought with it a host […]
Posted inEMS
City still faces gap in first responder pay, benefits
After a presentation comparing first responder salaries and benefits, and a direct plea from an Austin-Travis County EMS medic, the city’s Public Safety Commission is recommending the city take another look at closing the compensation gap between paramedics and the city’s other first responders. At its regular meeting on Nov. 7, the commission passed a […]
Posted inPolice
APD has improved response to sexual assault cases but there’s more work to do, report finds
While the Austin Police Department has improved its handling of sexual assault cases in some areas – like sending sexual assault kits for DNA analysis faster and correctly classifying more cases – there’s still room for improvement, a new report finds. Researchers with the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit research and policy group, looked at police […]
Posted inEMS
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 heard an update from Austin-Travis County EMS on the city’s opioid use disorder support and […]
Posted inPolice
Police union revisits city’s proposal to expand civilian oversight as clock ticks down
The Austin Police Association will respond later this month to the city’s repeated demands to remove civilian oversight of the police department from the labor contract. In exchange, the union has asked the city to reconsider some of its earlier requests, including those related to promotions, vacation time and sick pay. APA President Thomas Villarreal […]
Posted inPublic Health
Travis County puts millions toward food access
On Tuesday, Travis County commissioners unanimously approved a series of contracts with local nonprofits and community groups, totaling $3.1 million, to help at-risk residents access healthy and fresh food. “The organizations receiving these funds will use the money in various ways,” a county press release explains, such as “enhancing their food delivery services, expanding pantry […]
Posted inPolice
Community advocates seek to expand police oversight – but not at the bargaining table
After months of negotiation over a new police labor contract, the city and the police union have reached an impasse over the most contentious issues: civilian oversight and pay. As the bargaining teams attempt to forge a path forward, balancing the city’s finite budget and desire for increased oversight with the union’s demand for higher […]
Posted inPolice
Police union rejects city’s proposals to expand civilian oversight, raise pay
With the city of Austin eager to reach an expedited agreement for a new police labor contract that expands civilian oversight, the police union is demanding higher wages for officers – or no deal. Lowell Denton, an outside attorney and labor negotiator for the city, proposed a 10 percent raise over four years during the […]
Posted inPolice
Austin approves $1.75 million settlement in lawsuit over police conduct during 2020 protests
City Council has approved a nearly $2 million settlement in a lawsuit related to police use of force during racial justice protests in 2020. In his complaint, José “Joe” Herrera said Austin police shot him in the leg with a “less-lethal” round, causing lasting nerve damage and triggering PTSD related to his military service in […]