The Austin Police Department is inching closer to acquiring at least 500 body-worn cameras, but some close to the process told the Public Safety Committee on Monday that more public input should be sought. This month, APD announced a “pilot confirmation process” with Taser International Inc., which bid on a job to procure the 500 cameras and provide […]
City of Austin Office of the Police Monitor
An oversight group that, among other duties, reviews citizen complaints filed against the Austin Police Department and monitors APD internal affairs investigations.
Posted inPublic Safety
Police monitor talks body cameras on task force
As the Austin Police Department prepares to roll out a body camera pilot program in the coming months, city Police Monitor Margo Frasier and law enforcement experts from across the nation are tackling the ethical and legal questions that come along with the technology. Frasier, a former Travis County sheriff who heads a city office […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Police, Public Safety
Body camera policies to be scrutinized
After the City Council Public Safety Committee heard from five people well versed on issues surrounding police body cameras, committee Chair Don Zimmerman asked Kim Rossmo, chair of the citizens group charged with vetting public safety issues, to get more public input and help develop policies for using those cameras. Everyone on the panel seemed […]
Posted inCity Council, Police, Public Safety
Body cameras roll through Public Safety Committee
The long march to add body cameras to Austin Police Department’s official toolkit took a symbolic step forward Monday night when members of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee heard unanimous support from a diverse group of stakeholders. It was a rare moment of harmonic accord for APD, the Office of the Police Monitor, the […]
Posted inAustin, Public Safety
Police Monitor says citizen complaints up in 2013
The Office of the Police Monitor, which works to improve relations between the Austin Police Department and the public, is preparing to issue a report showing that citizens filed more complaints against police officers in 2013 than in 2012. Police Monitor Margo Frasier told the Austin Monitor on Friday that 2012, which had fewer overall complaints […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Police Monitor’s report suggests profiling, illegal searches
New data released last week by the Office of the Police Monitor show that, based on statistics, some Austin Police officers may be illegally profiling minorities and performing questionable searches of detained individuals. Austin Police Monitor Margo Frasier also said that her recently released reports – covering all of 2012 and the first six […]