Tag Archives: Austin Police Department
Christopher Taylor murder trial to be rescheduled after mistrial
The trial of the Austin police officer accused of murder in the 2020 shooting of Mike Ramos ended in a mistrial on Friday. Travis County Judge Dana Blazey is working with prosecutors and the defense team to determine the date…
Courts • By Nina Hernandez • May 31, 2023
APD, DPS brief Public Safety Committee on suspended partnership
More than a week after the Austin Police Department announced its controversial partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety had come to a close, law enforcement officials on Monday briefed the city’s Public Safety Committee on the now-defunct deployment…
Police • By Emma Freer • May 24, 2023
In surprise move, Blazey releases part of Christopher Taylor's secret personnel file to the defense team
The district court judge overseeing the trial of the Austin police officer charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Mike Ramos has ruled that parts of the officer’s secret personnel file will be handed over to the defense. Last…
Courts • By Nina Hernandez • May 23, 2023
Public Safety Commission, APD reach a detente
The Public Safety Commission and the Austin Police Department are recovering from a tense meeting earlier this month, at which APD leadership threatened to no longer attend commission meetings and commissioners lamented APD’s unresponsiveness, revealing a widening chasm. That’s why…
City Hall • By Emma Freer • May 23, 2023
Public Safety Commission greenlights license-plate reader program amid police pushback
The Public Safety Commission voted unanimously on Monday that City Council approve a pilot program reinstating the Austin Police Department’s license-plate reader program – with caveats. Council is due to revisit a new contract for license-plate reader systems and related…
Police • By Emma Freer • May 18, 2023
City still needs more 911 operators
Although the city has stepped up recruiting efforts considerably for filling vacancies in its 911 call center, there are still 49 vacancies among the 104 positions, according to Maria Calagna, director of emergency communications for the Austin Police Department. Calagna…
Police • By Jo Clifton • May 17, 2023
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Judge will see secret personnel file of Austin police officer charged with murder in Mike Ramos shooting death
Days before the start of the murder trial of the Austin police officer who fatally shot Mike Ramos, a Travis County District Court judge has denied a city of Austin request to keep part of the officer’s personnel file private.…
Courts • By Nina Hernandez • May 16, 2023
State police suspend controversial patrol agreement with Austin
The Austin Police Department says the Texas Department of Public Safety is ending its partnership with the city of Austin to supplement police patrols. APD told KUT Saturday that troopers were being reassigned to the Texas border following the expiration…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • May 15, 2023
Austin passed a sweeping police oversight measure. Here's what happens next.
Austin resoundingly approved an expansion of police oversight on Saturday. About 80 percent of voters in the city approved Proposition A, while the same percentage of voters shut down the opposing proposition, Prop B. Now comes the hard part. City leaders will have to…
Bonds & Propositions • By Andrew Weber, KUT • May 9, 2023
Election results: Voters overwhelmingly support civilian oversight of Austin police
Austin voters have decided the future of police oversight of the Austin Police Department. Proposition A, which would expand oversight, cruised to victory Saturday: 70 percent of voters supported the measure, according to unofficial voting numbers. Proposition B, which would…
Bonds & Propositions • By Andrew Weber, KUT • May 6, 2023
Community groups call for an end to APD, DPS partnership
Multiple community representatives and activists called for an end to the partnership between the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety during public comment at City Council’s regular meeting May 4. The concerns echo questions raised by…
Police • By Nina Hernandez • May 5, 2023
Council members grill APD, DPS chiefs over partnership's impacts on Black and Latino Austinites
City Council questioned leaders of the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety on Tuesday about the disparate impacts its policing partnership is having on communities of color throughout Austin. The briefings took place during Tuesday’s work…
