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Tag Archives: Austin Police Department
SXSW, public safety leaders detail road closures and prep for festival season
The city plans to completely close or restrict more than 30 streets during the South by Southwest festival next month as part of safety planning for the event, a major economic driver for the area. The heads of all of…
Public Safety • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 21, 2025
Public Safety Commission discusses and recommends improvements to data transparency on sex crimes
During the Public Safety Commission meeting on Monday, members took several small but hard-fought steps to improve Austin’s response to sexual assault. The commission discussed data related to sexual assault with presentations from the Austin Police Department, the SAFE Alliance…
Public Safety • By Mina Shekarchi • Feb 6, 2025
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…
Police • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Feb 3, 2025
Council to consider a resolution to examine response to mental health-related 911 and 311 calls
One item on the hefty agenda for the first regular City Council meeting of 2025 will explore how the city responds to mental health-related incidents. This resolution, authored by Council Member Chito Vela, directs the city manager to prepare a…
Public Safety • By Mina Shekarchi • Jan 30, 2025
Advocates urge immigrants in Austin to plan – but not panic – over new Trump orders
Advocates say President Donald Trump’s immediate actions on immigration have created a climate of fear among immigrant communities in Austin. On his first day in office, Trump signed more than 200 executive orders, many related to immigration, and issued a policy allowing…
Public Safety • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Jan 27, 2025
Downtown Commissioners weigh in on Sixth Street plan
Hours after the announcement that Austin will be opening Sixth Street to vehicular traffic on weekend nights, the Downtown Commission had a chance to weigh in. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and APD Lieutenant Christopher Juusola, who is the downtown…
Public Safety • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jan 17, 2025
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Dirty no more? City opts to keep Sixth Street open to traffic at all times
Beginning this weekend, the city will keep Sixth Street open to vehicular traffic on weekends, a substantial departure from decades of street closures designed to accommodate nightlife culture that saw thousands of pedestrians gather in the roadway while moving among…
Transportation • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 16, 2025
Office of Violence Prevention applies public health tenets to help reduce violent crime
Two years ago, following a spate of violent incidents at Givens District Park, the city’s Office of Violence Prevention took action to better understand what was driving crime at the historically significant East Austin park. The OVP partnered with the…
Public Safety • By Amy Smith • Jan 10, 2025
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…
Police • By Amy Smith • Dec 6, 2024
City Council moves to complete purchase of combined public safety headquarters
The city is moving ahead with the planned purchase of a combined public safety campus located in four existing office buildings on South MoPac Expressway in District 8. Late during Thursday’s City Council meeting, after several hours of public comment…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 28, 2024
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…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Oct 25, 2024
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…
