On Tuesday, with staff’s recommendation, a solid majority of the Travis County Commissioners Court voted in favor of joining the city of Austin to create a joint public health commission. The motion comes as many in the community criticize the work of Central Health, which was created in 2004 by the voters of Travis County. […]
Public Safety
Posted inPublic Safety
Council adopts public safety initiative to address vacancy concerns
With staffing challenges at a critical juncture in each of Austin’s three public safety departments, City Council has directed the city manager to build a comprehensive plan to address the shortages. The ATX Public Safety Vacancy Staffing Plan lays out direction for staffers to identify vacancy challenges and historical trends in each department, outline what […]
Posted inPolice
Here’s what we know about APD officers facing charges for using beanbag rounds in 2020 protests
Nineteen Austin police officers face criminal charges for the use of so-called “less lethal” ammunition on demonstrators during racial justice protests in 2020. Police use of the lead-pellet bags, which were fired from shotguns, severely injured protesters, at least 19 of whom were hospitalized. The officers have been indicted on charges of aggravated assault by […]
Posted inPolice
DA says grand jury indicting ‘multiple’ Austin police officers for injuries during 2020 protests
A Travis County grand jury is expected to indict “multiple” Austin police officers accused of injuring people during the 2020 protests following the killing of George Floyd. In announcing the indictments, Travis County District Attorney José Garza said “multiple indictments will be forthcoming in the days ahead,” but did not specify how many. The Austin American-Statesman reports 19 […]
Posted inPolice
Police academy shows progress in adopting reforms
With a new cadet class set to begin in late March, the Austin Police Department and consultants are fine-tuning a curriculum that more closely aligns with the city’s reimagined public safety process. APD Chief Joseph Chacon updated City Council in a lengthy briefing at Tuesday’s work session that included input from Dr. Anne Kringen, division […]
Posted inPublic Health
APH launches three phases of solicitations to increase homeless services
Austin Public Health is seeking partners in social services to help provide for the city’s unhoused community. This winter and spring, APH’s Health Equity and Community Engagement Division is working with the Homeless Strategy Division to release three phases of solicitations, all designed to increase the city’s capacity to address Austin’s homelessness crisis. The three […]
Posted inPublic Health
Cold weather shelters kept hundreds warm in cold snap
On the rare occasions when the weather in Austin gets uncomfortably cold, Austin Public Health, the Homeless Strategy Division and the Parks and Recreation Department work together to activate the city’s cold weather shelters. In January, the shelters were put to use seven different times by an average of 88 people, most of them men (only 17 […]
Posted inEMS
EMS interim chief optimistic about future of the department
With 124 vacancies that need filling to round out the medic force, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services is applying a variety of methods to try to close the gaps, interim Chief Jasper Brown told the City Council Public Safety Committee on Tuesday. Brown delivered an update on staffing levels and the functions of each rank, […]
Posted inEMS
With new EMS chief hire, Cronk shows commitment to change
In a somewhat surprising move, City Manager Spencer Cronk has selected an outsider with a diverse background as the new chief of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Robert Luckritz, chief operating officer of Transformative Healthcare, an EMS, medical transportation and public health organization in New England, is set to start his new job March 14. […]
Posted inPublic Health
Pharmaceutical opioid companies pay out – but will it be enough?
The Travis County Commissioners Court received a legal briefing Tuesday on County of Travis v. Purdue Pharma, a yearslong case brought by Travis County and a host of other plaintiffs against a number of manufacturers and distributors of pharmaceutical opioids, including Purdue Pharma. Last month, multiple defendants in the opioid litigation entered a number of […]
Posted inPublic Safety
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 box. The Public Safety Commission kick-started the budget conversation Monday with a discussion about the […]
Posted inPublic Health
Vaccine effort continues in Travis County with focus on first doses
The Travis County Commissioners Court held a regular briefing Tuesday on the county’s response to Covid-19 and its ongoing vaccine distribution efforts. Several representatives spoke on behalf of independent and governmental organizations, including Central Texas Allied Health Institute, the County Constable’s Office and the FUSE program, which are partnering with the county. “The goal of […]