The Public Safety Commission recently considered a pair of reports issued by the Office of Police Oversight regarding policing and people with disabilities. At the commission meeting last week, Austin police leadership also responded to the reports, emphasizing ongoing training on building empathy for people with disabilities and also emphasizing obstacles to implementing some of […]
Austin Police Department
the law enforcement entity for the City of Austin.
Posted inPublic Safety
Austin police investigating stabbing of pro-Palestinian demonstrator as hate crime
Austin police are investigating a stabbing near the University of Texas campus over the weekend as a hate crime. Zacharia Doar, 23, was grabbing a bite to eat with three of his friends Sunday after attending a rally in support of Palestinian rights and calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. The group said they were […]
Posted inPolice
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 also covers things like travel expenses to get a person to a safe place. Last […]
Posted inPolice
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 table, Council also directed the city manager to implement a controversial bonus program for officers […]
Posted inPolice
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 social justice advocates. In a new statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Acevedo said he […]
Posted inPolice
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 to return to Austin in this new role focusing on the police department. “I look […]
Posted inPolice
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 city had not posted the Council agenda as of Thursday afternoon. A spokesperson for the […]
Posted inPolice
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 a recent memo from interim Chief Robin Henderson to City Council. The dashboard is part […]
Posted inPolice
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 from APD Chief of Staff Jeff Greenwalt that the department is now planning to do […]
Posted inPolice
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 front. Equity Action, which spearheaded the act, sued the city on Dec. 5 for its […]
Posted inPolice
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. Moonesinghe was carrying a long gun when Sanchez shot him outside his home near the […]
Posted inEnvironment
New working group will analyze city process for euthanizing injured deer
The Animal Advisory Commission last week voted to form a working group dedicated to examining the city’s protocol on euthanizing injured deer. Former commissioner and North Austin resident Craig Nazor brought the issue before the commission at its meeting on Dec. 11. He told the commission that he lives near Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park and […]