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Tag Archives: Office of Police Oversight

Public Safety Commission 'concerned and excited' about progress from Office of Police Oversight

On Monday, the Public Safety Commission heard an update on the Office of Police Oversight’s implementation of the Police Oversight Act, as well as its vacancies and hiring processes. The OPO operates separately from the Austin Police Department, and its…

Police • By Mina Shekarchi • Mar 5, 2025

City, police union resume bargaining over long-term police labor contract

After more than a yearlong hiatus, the city and the Austin Police Association (APA) resumed long-term police labor contract negotiations on Wednesday. But it remains to be seen whether the two bargaining teams will be able to reach an agreement…

Police • By Emma Freer • Mar 15, 2024

Council OKs ordinance on police pay, benefits

City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance extending pay and benefits for Austin police officers in line with the ordinance passed last year, including extra pay for longevity, for field training officers, bilingual officers, officers with mental health certification and…

Police • By Jo Clifton • Feb 2, 2024

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…

Police • By Emma Freer • Dec 22, 2023

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Police union leadership says oversight lawsuit further stalls labor contract negotiations

After nearly a year without a police labor contract, city leadership has signaled its hope for – and taken steps toward – a new agreement in early 2024. But incoming Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock says recent developments, including…

Police • By Emma Freer • Dec 15, 2023

Austin hasn't allowed more police oversight, despite voter approval. Now it's getting sued.

A lawsuit in a Travis County court aims to force Austin’s hand in rolling out a voter-backed plan to increase police oversight. Austin voters approved Proposition A in May by a four-to-one margin. The measure, known as the Austin Police Oversight Act, roundly…

Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Dec 11, 2023

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Council members question Garza’s promotion of police oversight director

Interim City Manager Jesús Garza’s recent promotion of Gail McCant to director of the Office of Police Oversight has rankled City Council members, who say he backtracked on a prior commitment to conduct a national search and skirted transparency considerations. …

Police • By Emma Freer • Oct 13, 2023

APD pushed to improve training, engagement with Austin’s disabled community

Disability advocates in Austin want the Austin Police Department to include training and research on the lives of people with disabilities as part of basic academy education, while encouraging department staff to build stronger relationships with the local disabled community.…

Police • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 12, 2023

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Austin interim city manager appoints head of police oversight without promised national search

Austin has named interim Director Gail McCant to run the Office of Police Oversight – one of the highest-profile offices in the city. And it has done so without public notice. Created in 2018, the office oversees police policy, conduct…

City Hall • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Oct 2, 2023

Interim city manager updates Office of Police Oversight procedures

Austin’s Office of Police Oversight has been in limbo in recent years. Its authority to investigate allegations of police misconduct was dismantled in 2021. Its director, Farah Muscadin, resigned in 2022. The city’s police labor contract expired – without a…

Police • By Emma Freer • Jul 6, 2023

Council debates data-retention period for license plate reader pilot program

City Council is negotiating how long the Austin Police Department should retain data from dashboard camera license plate readers – weighing civil liberty protections against potential crime-solving benefits – in preparation for a pilot program using the technology.  Council defunded…

Police • By Emma Freer • Jun 1, 2023

Equity Action denounces fraudulent petition drive by sham group

Equity Action, a local nonprofit political action committee, is decrying what it calls a fraudulent effort by an unknown group impersonating it online and while canvassing for petition signatures. In August, Equity Action submitted 33,000 petition signatures to the city clerk…

Public Safety • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 2, 2022

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