On Wednesday, City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee heard a briefing on the Austin Police Department’s recruiting and hiring efforts. City leaders have been raising concerns about APD response times and staffing of sworn and non-sworn public safety employees for several years. The presentation this week focused on the findings of an audit on recruitment […]
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APD gets temporary extension of license plate reader program
The Austin Police Department’s use of automated license plate readers as an investigative tool will continue through June, City Council decided last week. Later this year, Council will determine whether to make the pilot program a permanent feature, depending on the findings of the city auditor’s analysis to be presented to the Audit and Finance […]
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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 sexual assault response system. This initial case review focuses on cases the Sex Crimes Unit […]
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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 mission is to enhance public transparency and accountability through impartial oversight of APD. As part […]
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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 back-and-forth related to the Austin Police Oversight Act. Those behind the 2023 measure, which passed […]
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Austin is increasing security at city parks and greenbelts following string of car break-ins
After recent vehicle break-ins at parks and greenbelts, the city of Austin is looking to improve security. Each year, thousands of car breaks-in are reported in Austin. In 2024 alone, more than 8,200 cars were broken into, according to crime data from the Austin Police Department. Cpl. Jose Mendez, a spokesperson with APD, said car […]
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Public safety departments show progress in recruitment efforts
White males continue to make up the majority of Austin sworn public safety personnel, but police, fire and emergency medical services appear to be making strides in recruitment and diversification efforts. That was the assessment of some Public Safety Commission members after hearing brief updates from the three departments on Monday. It was the first […]
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Austin City Council passes new police contract
Austin City Council approved a five-year, $218 million contract with the city’s police union Thursday. The deal passed on a 10-1 vote. The approval came after hours of impassioned testimony from scores of Austinites. Supporters argued the contract is necessary to stem years of attrition at the police department and address crime throughout the city. […]
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Public lines up to oppose police contract
The Austin City Council sat through hours of speeches from the public on Tuesday, mostly from citizens who oppose the proposed five-year contract with the city’s police union. A few spoke in support, but the vast majority of the 236 speakers said they were opposed to the $218 million contract and wanted Council to instead […]
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Austin’s previously secret ‘G-files’ on police misconduct are now public. Here’s what that means.
More than a year after Austin voters OK’d a measure to make them public, the so-called “G-files” of police officers accused of misconduct are now available to the public. Disclosure of these disciplinary files was a sticking point in discussions around the voter-approved Austin Police Oversight Act and the city’s tentative labor agreement with the […]
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APD touts early successes of license plate reader program
The Public Safety Commission was briefed Monday on some early results of the license plate reader program that rolled out in March with cameras at undisclosed sites across the city. The Austin Police Department credits the cameras for the 40 arrests patrol officers made for stolen vehicles and the 20 stolen vehicles recovered with no […]
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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 session, there were no warnings of a $60 million budget deficit by 2029. Budget Officer […]