The city of Austin and the Austin Police Association met for their sixth day of negotiations Monday as they work toward a new labor contract. The city’s bargaining team proposed changes to the contract’s drug-testing and promotion provisions, citing recommendations from a January 2022 report by a consulting firm hired to review the Austin Police Department. […]
Austin Police Association
The organization that represents Austin Police officers.
Posted inEMS
Commission urges city to raise EMS pay
The Public Safety Commission approved a broad resolution Monday calling on the city to raise its offer to the Austin EMS union to pay salaries comparable to what other EMS agencies are paying. EMS salaries should be equivalent to what the city is paying firefighters and police officers and what is offered in the private […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Negotiations begin anew as public safety contracts expire this year
With contracts between the city and Austin’s three public safety associations set to expire in September, the Public Safety Commission heard presentations and perspectives from each of the groups and the Austin Justice Coalition on Monday. The Austin EMS Association, whose uniformed members serve Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, has been at the bargaining table […]
Posted inPolice
Abbott plots DPS takeover of APD
Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Twitter Monday that he had received draft language to seize Austin’s Police Department and put it under the control of the Texas Department of Public Safety “just in time for Christmas.” The Austin Police Association, which has been particularly unhappy with City Council’s work to reimagine public safety, tweeted, “Looking […]
Posted inPolice
Adler, Pool voice support for cadet class this spring
With Austin police officers either retiring or simply quitting the force in record numbers this year, Mayor Steve Adler told his colleagues at Tuesday’s City Council work session that he really wants to have a cadet class this spring. Council cut the Austin Police Department budget this fall and told department leaders they needed to […]
Posted inPolice
Community Police Review Commission convenes
Austin’s new Community Police Review Commission kicked off its inaugural meeting the first week of October, setting guidelines for its activities and discussing how it can help city officials develop more transparent and effective public safety processes. The commission, which will advise and evaluate the city’s Office of Police Oversight, is the latest version of the […]
Posted inAustin
Camping rules continue to stoke arguments
City Council’s decision to revise ordinances related to where homeless people may camp, sit or lie down continues to cause controversy in the city, with some claiming the changes are making things worse for everyone, particularly law enforcement. Mayor Steve Adler has been a major target of ire on the Austin Police Association Facebook page. […]
Posted inPolice
Council approves labor contract with police after a year without one
Officers with the Austin Police Department are getting a new labor contract. After nearly a year of negotiations, City Council members unanimously approved a four-year and $44.6 million contract between the city and the local police union. Police reform activists celebrated the contract as a step toward more transparency – including the ability to file […]
Posted inPolice
Casaday scolds Council over lack of contract
The president of the Austin Police Association lashed out at City Council during Thursday’s meeting over the city’s failure to reach an agreement with the union over police officers’ pay and benefits. “I want everybody on the Council to know that we’ve been waiting over 290 days to sit back down and work out our […]
Posted inPolice
Police union contract includes surprises
The union representing police officers has presented the city with a proposed contract, as well as a study by Angelou Economics challenging the city’s well-worn assertion that Austin officers are paid more than their cohorts in other Texas cities. In addition, the union has agreed with activists that except for the police monitor, that contract […]
Posted inPolice
Divided Council rejects more pay for police
With only five members voting in favor of the motion, City Council rejected reinstatement of extra pay for certain police officers Thursday night, dashing the hopes of officers who work night shifts, for example. Passage of any ordinance requires six votes. Explanations about why that happened depend on who you ask. Council Member Delia Garza, […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Overheard, signs of the times
And on and on… Last week brought a tentative update to the ongoing labor negotiations with the Austin Police Association. Those negotiations resumed after City Council voted against a proposed contract in December. Since then, police have been operating without a contract. In a memo to Council members and Mayor Steve Adler, City Manager Spencer […]