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Austin wants to add more money to a program that helps crime victims. Here's what it does.

Austin is expanding the resources it offers to crime victims. The Austin Police Department, which runs a victims fund, has a $30,000 budget to help people with immediate needs like a new pair of glasses or prepaid cellphone. The money…

Council moves to extend police pay package, incentivize bargaining

City Council recently directed the city manager to extend the package of pay and benefits for police enacted last year in the face of stalled labor contract negotiations. With the Austin Police Association still refusing to return to the bargaining…

Art Acevedo says he won't take job overseeing Austin police

Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he is no longer joining city leadership. City leaders on Friday announced Acevedo would take on a new role overseeing policing. The decision sparked controversy and came as a surprise to some local officials and…

Former APD Chief Acevedo is returning to Austin to oversee police

Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo will take a new position created to oversee the police department, a city of Austin memo shared with KUT confirms. The news was first reported by the Austin American-Statesman. Acevedo told KUT he is excited…

Updated: Travis County disputes APD statement about initial price tag of magistration agreement

City Council is expected to consider an interlocal agreement with Travis County next week to provide magistration services, including screening of those arrested for a variety of crimes. The reported price tag on that agreement is $9.9 million, although the…

APD announces partial release of mandated data dashboard

The Austin Police Department will transition the chief’s monthly report from a PDF format to an online dashboard complete with explanations and definitions available through the city’s open data portal. The planned dashboard release date is Jan. 18, according to…

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Virtual magistration pilot now just a 'trial'

The Austin Public Safety Commission on Monday tabled a resolution aimed at stopping or postponing a proposed pilot program that would eliminate Travis County from the process of magistration for people arrested by Austin officers, including pretrial services. Commissioners learned…

Report: APD investigated 47 out of 689 complaints against its officers

Austinites voted overwhelmingly last year to expand the Office of Police Oversight’s authority. Implementing the Austin Police Oversight Act, however, has proven challenging. The office recently faced criticism from the Public Safety Commission over its lack of progress on this…

Austin police officer indicted for fatally shooting tech entrepreneur Raj Moonesinghe in 2022

A Travis County grand jury indicted an Austin police officer for fatally shooting a South Austin man while on duty last year. Daniel Sanchez was indicted on a count of deadly conduct for killing 33-year-old Raj Moonesinghe in November 2022.…

Three Council members call for Middle East cease-fire

Responding to calls from the community seeking a City Council resolution supporting a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, Council members Vanessa Fuentes, Zo Qadri and José Velásquez released a statement Thursday calling for peace. The statement reads: “Whether it be…

Police union leadership says oversight lawsuit further stalls labor contract negotiations

After nearly a year without a police labor contract, city leadership has signaled its hope for – and taken steps toward – a new agreement in early 2024. But incoming Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock says recent developments, including…

Renewed cooperation eliminates backlog of sexual assault evidence kits

After years of discord, the team created to improve Travis County’s response to sexual assault is back to collaborating, team members told the Commissioners Court Tuesday, and a backlog of untested evidence kits has been processed. Spurred by state law…

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