Police
Austin faces another round of lawsuits related to police use of 'less lethal' rounds
Three more demonstrators are suing the Austin Police Department for injuries sustained from so-called less-lethal ammunition fired by police over a weekend of racial justice protests in 2020. More than a dozen protesters have sued the department for use of the ammunition, which include…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Apr 6, 2022
Chacon pledges more diverse police force
Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon told members of the Public Safety Commission Monday that his department has signed the 30 by 30 pledge, a national initiative that agrees to diversify the police force by 2030. APD is one of 40…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Apr 5, 2022
Another demonstrator is suing Austin and an APD officer after being shot with a beanbag round
Austin is being sued in civil court by another demonstrator who was struck by so-called “less-lethal” rounds during protests over police violence and racial justice in 2020. On Tuesday, Bomani Barton filed a civil suit against the city and the…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Mar 10, 2022
Austin OKs $2.95 million settlement for Brad Levi Ayala, teen injured by police at 2020 protests
Austin City Council agreed to pay Brad Levi Ayala $2.95 million for injuries suffered after being shot by an APD officer on May 30, 2020. Ayala, who was 16 at the time, suffered brain trauma as a result of the…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Mar 4, 2022
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…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Feb 22, 2022
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…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Feb 18, 2022
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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…
Police • By Amy Smith • Feb 17, 2022
As Austin reimagines public safety, new police findings emerge
Arrests made by Austin police declined 51 percent from 2017 to 2020, yet use-of-force incidents increased 58 percent, according to an independent review of the Austin Police Department. A city-retained consulting firm, Kroll Associates, spent 48 months reviewing Austin’s police…
Police • By Amy Smith • Jan 28, 2022
Austin voters to decide on decriminalizing small amounts of weed and banning no-knock warrants in May
Austin voters will be asked in May if they want to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana and do away with no-knock warrants. The former practice is already police policy. In July 2020, the Austin Police Department said it would no longer…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jan 19, 2022
Austin police should budget for 100 more patrol officers, study says. Chief unsure if he’ll ask for funds.
The Austin Police Department should budget for 108 more patrol officers to respond to emergency calls more quickly, researchers hired by the nonprofit Greater Austin Crime Commission say. In an analysis of about 2 million 911 calls going back to 2016, researchers…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jan 13, 2022
Public Safety Commission hears update on police academy after reset
This week the Public Safety Commission heard an update on the Austin Police Department’s first cadet class since pausing cadet training to restructure the curriculum to align with the city’s reimagining public safety process. Dr. Anne Kringen, who joined APD…
Police • By Amy Smith • Dec 10, 2021
APD should follow national best practices on use of force and make guidelines clearer, watchdog says
The Austin Police Department’s policies governing when an officer can and can’t use force don’t align with Austinites’ expectations, according to a new report from the city’s independent police monitor. The Office of Police Oversight collected feedback from 1,400 Austinites on APD’s…
