Austin voters resoundingly rejected Proposition A on Tuesday’s ballot, which became clear as soon as Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir released the early vote numbers. With more than 85,000 early votes cast, more than 67 percent of early voters said they were opposed to the proposition from Save Austin Now, and less than 33 percent […]
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Posted inBonds & Propositions
Prop A would mandate 2 police officers per 1,000 residents. Where does that ratio come from?
What’s in a ratio? A lot, if voters are being asked to mandate one. Proposition A, one of two local measures on the Nov. 2 ballot, asks Austinites if they want to set a minimum staffing ratio for the Austin Police Department: 2 police officers per 1,000 residents. Save Austin Now, the group behind Prop A, […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Chacon gives progress report on making Sixth Street safer
After decades of discussion about the culture and safety of the Sixth Street entertainment district, a team of city staffers from multiple departments is making headway toward carrying out City Council-directed measures to ensure the public’s safety. Council adopted a series of distinct action items in July for the interdepartmental team to review and implement, […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
EMS union joins firefighters in opposing Prop A
The political action committee for the Austin EMS employees union has voted to join the Austin Firefighters Association PAC and AFSCME Local 1624, the civilian employees union, in opposing Proposition A on the November ballot. Save Austin Now, the PAC that gathered petitions to put the measure on the ballot, has estimated its yearly cost […]
Posted inPolice
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 use-of-force policies and examined how these polices stack up against national standards. The report will […]
Posted inPolice
Austin City Council confirms Joseph Chacon as new police chief
Joseph Chacon is Austin’s new police chief, after City Council members confirmed his nomination Thursday night. Chacon has been serving as the city’s interim chief since Brian Manley’s departure from the top job in March. “Thank you for trusting me to do this job, and I promise that I will not let you down,” Chacon said, after […]
Posted inPolice
Report pushes police to improve training, communication with disabled Austinites
A new report based on feedback from residents with disabilities calls on the Austin Police Department to make improvements to its training and practices concerning interactions with residents experiencing mental health issues, hearing loss or other disabilities. The report comes from the Office of Police Oversight, which scrutinizes police activities and acts as an advocate […]
Posted inPolice
Austin taps interim Chief Joseph Chacon as its next police chief
Joseph Chacon, who has been serving as interim Austin police chief since April, has been nominated to take on the position permanently, City Manager Spencer Cronk confirmed Wednesday. The decision is still pending approval from City Council at its meeting next week. Chacon, who has been with the Austin Police Department for more than 20 […]
Posted inPolice
APD needs more oversight, Public Safety Committee is told
Police transparency and accountability are still sorely lacking in Austin, according to statistical information presented to the City Council Public Safety Committee on Monday. Farah Muscadin, director of the Office of Police Oversight, or OPO, provided several grim findings in her report, which grew out of the Austin Police Department’s violent response to the Black […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
‘No Way on Prop A’ campaign opposes police staffing initiative
A political action committee focused on defeating a November ballot proposal that would significantly increase the size of the Austin Police Department held its first formal campaign event Thursday. More than 80 community groups and more than three dozen local elected officials have joined the No Way on Prop A coalition, which was formed in […]
Posted inPublic Health
Public Safety Commission questions police force’s low vaccination rate
Only about half of Austin police officers have been vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus and mask-wearing is typically at the discretion of officers responding to calls, Public Safety Commission members learned Tuesday. The information did not sit well with commissioners, who are expected to take action on a policy recommendation at next month’s meeting. The […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
How many cops do we want and at what cost?
Reporters and promoters of Proposition A have been using two officers per 1,000 Austin residents to describe the police staffing required if the proposition wins voter approval on Nov. 2. But that number may be insufficient, according to calculations done by Austin Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo. Van Eenoo looked at four key provisions […]