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- How Trump’s federal funding freeze is beginning to affect Austin
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Public Safety
Council weighs financial impact of proposed police contract
As City Council weighs approval of a proposed police contract expected to cost $218 million over five years, city budget staff on Tuesday presented a brighter financial outlook compared to the dire projections given earlier this year. At Tuesday’s work…
Police • By Amy Smith • Oct 10, 2024
Community-based public safety program reaches out to overlooked and underserved Austinites
Urban Alchemy, a national nonprofit, has been awarded a $2 million federal grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The grant will expand an initiative to create a replicable model to reduce crime and bolster resilience through community intervention. As part…
Public Safety • By Mina Shekarchi • Oct 8, 2024
Residential substance abuse treatment program for women to open next fall
At its Tuesday meeting, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved a $469,559 contract for a residential substance use treatment program for women, using the state’s opioid abatement funds. The contract is the first time an inpatient residential resource has been…
Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Oct 3, 2024
TCSO officers stationed at Central Library
To alleviate pressure on library staff to respond to incidents at the Central Library, 10 officers from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office have been onboarded and cleared for stationing at the West César Chávez Street branch downtown. Officers serve in…
Austin • By Hunter Simmons • Oct 3, 2024
Austin's police union, city agree to a $218 million, five-year labor contract
Austin’s police union and the city agreed in principle Monday to a five-year labor contract. The $218 million deal, which comes after years of occasionally contentious negotiations, would give police officers a 28 percent raise over the next five years.…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 25, 2024
Police, state ready to intervene on after-hours bars operating downtown
The Austin Police Department may soon take steps to punish downtown bars and nightclubs identified recently as potentially violating state liquor laws by operating and selling drinks after hours. At the latest meeting of the Downtown Commission, talk turned to…
Police • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 23, 2024
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Central Health audit raises more questions than answers
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the Travis County Commissioners Court received a troubling and confusing report on an audit it authorized in 2022 of the county’s health care district, Central Health. Audit consultant Mazars found that Central Health has committed no…
Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Sep 12, 2024
EMS station renovations improve conditions for an industry with a high attrition rate
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services has been seeing staffing shortages since the pandemic, due to a combination of low pay, difficult working conditions and recruitment from other health care sectors. The vacancy rate has been improving – in July 2022…
EMS • By Lina Fisher • Sep 11, 2024
Why doesn't the Austin Police Department publish yearly reports on the crimes it solves?
People have opinions on policing, but there’s one unifying constant in discussions around the practice: Crimes are bad, and they should be solved. To measure that efficacy, departments across the country use clearance rates, an imperfect metric but one that…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 10, 2024
Former officer proposes settlement that includes changes at APD
City Council last week approved a payment of up to $293,000 to a law firm to defend the city against claims of discrimination and harassment at the Austin Police Department. The total contract amount for Schmoyer Reinhard LLP could be…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Sep 6, 2024
Homeless Strategy Office turns its focus to prevention and diversion
With a $2.1 million boost from the federal American Rescue Plan Act and City Council’s recent approval of a contract for navigation services, the Homeless Strategy Office is now better equipped to address housing barriers, HSO leader David Gray told…
Public Health • By Amy Smith • Sep 6, 2024
Austin plans to move forward with abortion travel fund, officials say
The city of Austin will be allowed to move forward with plans to implement its Reproductive Justice Fund, despite a lawsuit challenging its legality, city officials said. The Reproductive Justice Fund is a provision in the city’s 2024-25 budget that is…
