[00:00:01]
IT IS SIX[CALL TO ORDER]
OH ONE.UM, THIS IS AMANI C I'M THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION.
AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, SO WHAT I WANT TO START OFF WITH IS JUST HAVE, UM, OUR COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE PRESENT.
GO AHEAD AND, UM, SPEAK FOR THE RECORD.
SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU'LL JUST UNMUTE YOURSELF IN AND OUT TOO, YOU'RE HERE.
UM, SO I'LL GET STARTED WITH COMMISSIONER BROOKS, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ BURGER HERE.
HI, COMMISSIONER CASITA NETTA HERE.
COMMISSIONER CONNOLLY, COMMISSIONER CONNOLLY PRESENT.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COMMISSIONER FLORES, COMMISSIONER FLORES HERE, COMMISSIONERS THE GOVIA.
COMMISSIONER CARLINO, HIGH COMMISSIONER CARLENE OUT HERE.
THANK YOU AND COMMISSIONER WITH MAN SPEAK MCMAHON PRESENT.
UM, AND JUST LET THE RECORD REFLECT.
TANYA IS UNABLE TO JOIN US FOR THIS MEETING SO SHE WILL BE ABSENT.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHORTER MEETING BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING ON A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT NOW AS A COMMISSION, UM, WITH OUR CASES AS WELL AS THERE'S BEEN JUST A LOT OF MOVEMENT AROUND OUR TOWN HALL.
UM, SO I WANT THIS TO BE KIND OF AN UPDATE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.
[1a. 8 Can’t Wait Townhall Announcement]
OUR, THE FIRST THING ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR TOWN HALL.SO JUST AS AN ANNOUNCEMENT, WE'RE HAVING AN EIGHT CAN'T WAIT TOWN HALL NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 13TH AT 6:00 PM.
AND REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THAT MEETING IS TO GET COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON SOME OF THE CURRENT.
IT CAN'T WAIT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THEM, BECAUSE REALLY THE GOAL OF THIS COMMISSION IS TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT AND PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND TRANSLATE THAT INTO POLICING POLICY AND HOW IT CAN IMPROVE IN OUR CITY.
THIS WILL BE AN INTERACTIVE MEETING.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL BE SHARING ON EACH POLICY AND HAVING PEOPLE REALLY KIND OF IN AN ACTION GROUP OR FOCUS GROUP SETTING SAY, HEY, THESE ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS.
HERE'S HOW WE CAN IMPROVE ON THAT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY STRONG AND HOW WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD AS A CITY OR I COMPLETELY DISAGREE.
UM, SO ALL OF THOSE OPINIONS WERE REALLY WANTING, UM, TO GATHER AND THEN TAKEN THE OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, REALLY REFINE THEM AND BE ABLE TO SHARE THOSE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IN A REALLY FAST TURNAROUND, UM, WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO CONDENSE ALL OF THAT RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEND THEM OUT IN THE SAME MONTH, UM, AND REALLY BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN WHAT OUR CITY IS DOING AND HOW WE CAN REALLY PUSH POLICING TO BETTER REFLECT OUR IDEALS AND WHAT WE WANT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO USE OF FORCE POLICE BRUTALITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT IS OUR GOAL AND THAT WILL BE HAPPENING NEXT WEEK AND THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT EMAILS GOING OUT AS WELL AS SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE LOTS OF VISIBILITY AND COMMISSIONERS FEEL FREE TO SHARE WITH GROUPS THAT YOU'RE A PART OF.
UM, WE WANT TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE TO GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR A BRIEF DISCUSSION SUKI IF I MISSED ANYTHING ON THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
UM, AND THEN TO COMMISSIONERS FOR ANY COMMENTS, I DON'T BELIEVE SO 6:00 PM, APRIL 13TH.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LITTLE BIT.
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO ONE OF THESE TOWN HALLS YET.
WHAT'S CAN YOU SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIKE SORT OF WHAT THE FORMAT LOOKS LIKE, LIKE, LIKE HOW DISCUSSION GOES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WE'LL START IT OFF WITH A PRESENTATION JUST ON WHAT ARE THE POLICIES, WHAT IS EIGHT CAN'T WAIT FOR A BRIEF CONTEXT SETTING AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OPO SHARE ON THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY'VE ALREADY PUT OUT TO THE CITY, UM, ON HOW KIND OF WE TAKE THOSE BROADER, YOU KNOW, LARGER EIGHT CAN'T WAIT AND HOW WE TAILORED THEM TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THEN FROM THOSE TWO KINDS OF CONTEXTS THAT ENDED UP HERE'S WHAT IT IS.
HERE'S HOW WE'VE KIND OF STARTED THIS PROCESS A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THEN WE WILL OPEN IT UP TO ALL OF THE ATTENDEES TO HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION.
SO WE'LL GO BY EACH AND EVERY POLICY AND GIVE LIKE A BRIEF TWO TO THREE MINUTE POLL WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT POLL BE ABLE TO GIVE COMMENTS IN THE CHAT OR UNMUTE THEMSELVES TO SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK ON EACH OF THOSE.
SO IN THE BEGINNING IT'LL BE REALLY CONTEXT SETTING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL HAVE AN HOUR OR SO FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT REALLY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THEIR THOUGHTS AND HOW WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD.
[00:05:01]
THANK YOU.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AROUND OUR OR NO? WELL, WE WILL
[1b. Austin Police Chief Search Discussion]
MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM ONE B, WHICH IS THE AUSTIN POLICE CHIEF, UH, SEARCH.SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE BRIEFLY HINTED AT IN OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, WHEN CHIEF MANLEY HAD KIND OF ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT, WE DO NOW HAVE AN INTERIM CHIEF, UM, AND THAT IS JOE CONE.
UM, HE IS SERVING AS OUR INTERIM AND WILL BE THERE FOR, UM, A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH HIM ON KIND OF PAST RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE MADE AS A COMMISSION, GETTING A RESPONSE ON THAT AS WELL AS ANYTHING THAT MAY COME UP IN THE MEANTIME, HE'LL BE, UM, REALLY OUR POINT OF CONTACT WITH AN APD EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION, THEN THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT ONE THING THAT WE HAD REALLY DISCUSSED AND TALKED ABOUT IS HAVING SOMEONE IN PERMANENT LEADERSHIP WHO BETTER REFLECTED WHERE AUSTIN IS GOING AND THE FUTURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE.
SO OUR COMMISSION, AS WELL AS THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE ARE BOTH KIND OF IN THAT PROCESS OF, OKAY, HOW DO WE REEVALUATE WHAT WE REALLY WANT PUBLIC SAFETY TO LOOK LIKE? AND HOW CAN WE HAVE A CHIEF THAT REALLY SUPPORTS THAT? SO IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE SHARED WITH THE CITY MANAGER, IT WAS AROUND BETTER STAFFING MODELS THAT DON'T JUST GO BY POPULATION, BUT ACTUALLY REFLECT WHAT TYPE OF CALLS MAY BE OR EVEN WHAT TYPE OF PERSONNEL THAT LOOKS LIKE.
WILL THAT LOOK DIFFERENT IN THE FUTURE? UM, SOMEONE THAT ACKNOWLEDGES POLICING AS A SYSTEM THAT WAS INTENTIONALLY CREATED TO CAUSE HARM TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND HAVE SOMEONE REALLY PUBLICLY ADDRESS, UM, THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND DISPARITIES DISPARITY THAT WE HAVE WITHIN POLICING AS A SYSTEM, UM, AS WELL AS SEXISM AND ABLE AS, UM, WITHIN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO REALLY WANTING SOMEONE THAT CAN COME IN AND DO A LOT OF THOSE CHANGE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE AS A CITY, AS WELL AS SUPPORT THE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY INITIATIVES WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN MOMENTUM ON.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY EMPHASIZED WAS NOT WANTING SOMEONE TO STOP AND KIND OF DO THAT START OVER PROCESS THAT SOMETIMES CAN GET BOGGED DOWN JUST IN BUREAUCRACY WHEN A NEW EXECUTIVE COMES IN, BUT WANTING SOMEONE WHO CAN PICK UP WHERE WE'VE ALREADY STARTED AND KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMISSION WILL BE CONTINUALLY, UM, INCLUDED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND IT WILL BE ONGOING FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND HOPEFULLY AUGUST TIMEFRAME, THAT'LL BE KIND OF THE FINALIZING STAGE.
UM, BUT AS I CONTINUE TO HAVE OPEN FORMS COMING IN MAYBE FEEDBACK SESSIONS, OUR COMMISSION WILL BE A PART OF AND, AND COLLABORATIVE IN THAT COMMUNICATION AND A PART OF THOSE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY, AS WELL AS OUR DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT WE, WE ALL REPRESENT FOR WHAT THEIR NEEDS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN A NEW LEADER.
SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR, AND AS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, ONGOING CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE HERE HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT THEY THINK IS A PRIORITY AND IMPORTANT.
AND ALL OF THOSE ARE SUPER VALUABLE TO RAISE AS WE CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, LAST TIME I SENT OUT THAT MESSAGE WHERE IT WAS LIKE, HEY, I HAVE A MEETING, WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE EMPHASIZE? AND SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE AND I WOULD LOVE FOR EVERYONE ON THIS COMMISSION TO CONTINUE THINKING ABOUT IS, OKAY, WHAT ARE THOSE KEY PAIN POINTS THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY? AND HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A LEADER IN THE FUTURE THAT CAN REALLY ADDRESS THOSE AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER? SO I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CURRENT THINGS THAT THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT THEY REALLY WANT TO PRIORITIZE WHAT THE NEW LEADER, I WILL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT NOW.
AND IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S SUPER SET IN STONE, BUT JUST IF YOU'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THESE ARE THINGS I WANT TO MAKE SURE HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND POLICE, UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU.
I'LL, I'LL, UM, I'LL SAY SOMETHING IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT WHEN THERE ARE LEADERSHIP CHANGES, UM, TO DECIDE WHICH WAY DO YOU WANT TO GO? AND SO, UH, I'M STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW WITH DECIDING, DO WE WANT TO GO MOM, MY DOGS, BUT I'M TRYING TO, UM, DECIDE WHETHER, DO WE WANT TO LOOK FOR SOMEBODY ALREADY WITHIN APB, SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE COMMUNITY AND KNOWS, UM, HAS SEEN THE CHANGES GOING ON HERE, ESPECIALLY RECENTLY IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS OR SO, OR DO WE WANT TO FIND SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE? AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST STRUGGLE WITH THIS SOMETIMES BECAUSE IT'S THIS ALWAYS, ESPECIALLY WITH TALKING ABOUT HIGH LEADERSHIP CHANGES IN ANY ASPECT OF LIFE, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO FIND THE NEXT LEADER? AND, UM, THEY'RE QUALIFIED LEADERS EVERYWHERE, BUT DO WE WANT TO FIND SOMEONE WHO HAS, WHO ALREADY KNOWS THE DYNAMICS AUSTIN, OR DO WE WANT TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY MAY COME FROM A DIFFERENT,
[00:10:01]
UH, AREA OR BACKGROUND THAT MAY HAVE SOMETHING POSITIVE TO CONTRIBUTE? SO I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT, UM, NOT JUST THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, RIGHT.A RESUME LOOKS GOOD, BUT WHAT'S REALLY IN THIS PERSON'S BACKGROUND.
AND DO THEY DO THEIR VALUES COINCIDE WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, UM, AS WE MOVE AUSTIN FORWARD.
SO THAT'S MY TAKE ON, ON LOOKING FOR, IN A LEADER HERE, UM, FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, DO YOU KNOW HOW, UH, THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SEARCH? I IMAGINE THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BE LEADING IT, BUT ARE THERE OTHER FOLKS FROM, UM, THE CITY WHO ARE GOING TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED AS WELL AS APA? UM, SO I KNOW THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER ARE KIND OF TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS SEARCH AND REVIEW.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS OR STAKEHOLDERS ARE INVOLVED IN THAT REVIEW PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE ONE OF THEM AND I BELIEVE RE-IMAGINING, YOU MIGHT ALSO BE A PART IN OTHER CITY COMMISSIONS, UM, THAT ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION FITS INTO THAT DYNAMIC AT THIS TIME.
THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN LOOK INTO FOR SURE.
UM, A PIECE THAT I WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO.
I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT, UH, GRAYSON LAID FORWARD IS, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE HAD, UH, SOME WHISTLEBLOWERS AT THE DEPARTMENT COME FORWARD, UH, WITH, UH, ALLEGATION IS ABOUT, I THINK IT'S WHOEVER WE FIND, WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE WHO COMES FROM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OR FROM OUTSIDE, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE IN, IN, IN, IN HAVING SOMEONE WHO CAN APPRECIATE THAT KIND OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE LIGHT THAT, THAT SHINES ON INTERNAL CULTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT AND NOT SOMEONE WHO DISCOURAGES THAT, BUT ENCOURAGES THAT KIND OF COMING FORWARD WITHIN, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
I DON'T HAVE LIKE AN EXACT ANSWER.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THE INTERNAL CULTURE THAT BLOCK, OR THAT ARE, THAT TEND TO BE SORT OF PROTECTIVE OF THAT, THEN MAYBE SOMEONE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE COULD HELP SHINE LIGHT ON THAT PROCESS.
BUT I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER THERE.
I'M JUST THINKING, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT COMMISSIONER FINALLY, IN COMMISSIONER CARLINO, I WILL, UM, LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF I CAN GET YOU AN ANSWER ON HOW INVOLVED IN WHAT THE, THE NAMES ARE POTENTIALLY A LIST OF ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT KIND OF SEARCH PROCESS AND REVIEW PROCESS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS, UM, POLICE SEARCH POLICE, CHIEF SEARCH.
AND JUST, I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING HERE, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED ON EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY HAVE AN INTERVIEW PANEL FOR A PROSPECTIVE POLICE CHIEF, UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, UM, YOU KNOW, EXECUTIVES THAT SIT ON THAT PANEL AND TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, IN, IN LARGER METROPOLITAN CITIES, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE A MAYOR THAT APPOINTS THIS CHIEF FOR US, IT'LL BE THE CITY MANAGER, LIKELY THAT'LL SPEARHEAD THE SEARCH, LIKE, LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED AND, AND LIKELY SHOULD ON THE BOARD OF THE INTERVIEW PANEL, ET CETERA.
AND I JUST WONDER IF, IF THERE'S ANY VALUE TO HAVING EITHER, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER HERE OF THIS COMMISSION TO SIT IN THAT PANEL AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOME VALUE THERE.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, MAYBE SOMETHING TO, UM, PUSH FORWARD AND ASK IF, UH, ONE OR TWO MEMBERS FROM THIS COMMITTEE CONSIDER THAT INTERVIEW PANEL.
I THINK THAT'D BE SOME, UH, I THINK THERE'D BE SOME VALUE TO THAT.
I KNOW, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ARE SLATED TO BE A PART OF THE ENTIRE PROCESS, BUT KNOWING, YOU KNOW, HOW INTEGRATED WE ARE AND HOW FAR WE GO WITHIN THAT REVIEW.
I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO GET OUTLINED AND DEFINED.
UM, I THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT FOR THE NEXT CHIEF TO INTERACT WITH THIS COMMISSION.
UM, THAT'S THE THING THAT'S BEEN NEEDED AND WANTED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND TO TAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AS A REPRESENTATIVE GROUP TO TAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY AS WELL.
UM, ON THE POLICE CHIEF INTERVIEWS, UM, IN THE, UM, PREVIOUSLY THERE WERE CIVILIANS ON, UM, INTERVIEW PANELS.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A REPEATED PROCESS, UM, AND, UH, GRAYSON, WE DEFINITELY HAVE THAT DISCUSSION LAST TIME ABOUT WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE SOMEONE INTERNALLY,
[00:15:02]
THERE WAS ONLY ONE CANDIDATE AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I WILL STILL HOLD IT.I BELIEVE THAT A NATIONAL SEARCH, UM, IS REQUIRED AS YOU SAID, THERE'S TALENT EVERYWHERE.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE WE DON'T KNOW AT THAT MOMENT WHO WAS AN ACTUAL CONTENDER, CAUSE WE NEVER LOOKED, I REMEMBER THE WORDS BEING THERE IS A SOLE CANDIDATE AND IN MY MIND, THAT'S NOT EVEN A CANDIDATE, THAT'S A JUST PERSON YOU'VE HANDPICKED.
SO I FIND IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THE SEARCH CORRECTLY AND TO LOOK BROADLY, UM, FOR ALL THE REASONS YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S VALUE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE, THERE'S VALUE PEOPLE WITH AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE, UM, THERE'S ISSUES ON BOTH SIDES COMING IN BLIND, LOTS OF LAND MINDED THE WAY, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS BEING REALLY ENTRENCHED IN THE CULTURE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO WEIGH IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCMAHON FOR SHARING ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE TO OUR NEXT AGENDA TOPIC? NOPE.
WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE CONTINUALLY DISCUSSING AND PONDERING AND REFINING, UM, AS THE MONTHS GO ON AND AS THIS SEARCH CONTINUES.
AND SO, UM, I ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS OF WHAT YOU WANT IN THE NEXT EXEC, YOU'LL BE THERE FOR AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, CONTACT US, LET US KNOW, AND COMMISSIONERS CONTINUE TO KEEP, UM, LISTENING AS WELL AS THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE APPROACH THIS DIFFERENTLY AND HOW CAN WE, UM, BECOME A REALLY VALUABLE INTEGRATED PART OF THIS REVIEW.
[2a. Austin Police Association Introduction]
TO AGENDA ITEM TWO, WHICH IS OUR STAFF BRIEFINGS.AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN INTRODUCTION FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION WITH OUR NEW LIAISON.
WE CAN HEAR YOU ALL RIGHT, GUYS.
I'M DETECTIVE WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BEEN HERE 19 YEARS, KIND OF WORKED ALL OVER THE CITY.
UH, SO I'M ALSO THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION TREASURE PROBABLY CHAIRING THE, UH, DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE AND THEN WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE? BUT I CAN'T THINK I WAS LISTENING TO YOU GUYS TALK WHILE I GO.
AND I THINK, AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT THINGS.
UH, YOU KNOW, NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHO'S GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CHIEF'S PROCESS.
WE DON'T EITHER, UH, WE KIND OF BEEN PULLED SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TOLD, BUT IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME RIGHT NOW, UH, LET ME KNOW.
I WILL NEVER NOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I'LL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, SO JUST FOR SOME CONTEXT FOR ANYONE LISTENING, UM, AS OUR COMMISSION REVIEWS CASES, AND WE HAVE THE INFORMATION PRESENTED, JOE IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE PRIVATE MEETINGS AND PRIVATE SESSIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, AFTER THAT CASE IS ON OUR AGENDA.
AND SO HE IS A PART OF THAT PROCESS AND HOW OUR COMMISSION WORKS WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION IN THAT WAY.
SO, UM, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR JOE REALLY QUICK WHILE WE HAVE HIM HERE? NOPE.
THANK YOU, JOE SO MUCH FOR COMING AND INTRODUCING YOURSELF AND, UH, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WE PROCEED IN OUR THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS HAVE A BLESSED NIGHT.
SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND KEEP THIS MOVING AND GO
[2b. APD Internal Affairs Presentation on How Critical Incidents are Investigated]
TO OUR AGENDA.ITEM TWO B, WHICH IS APD INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
UM, THEY HAVE A PRESENTATION ON JUST CRITICAL INCIDENTS AND HOW THEY GO ABOUT THEIR INVESTIGATION.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ROBERT HERE, BUT HE'S CONNECTING.
OKAY, WE'LL GIVE IT ONE SECOND.
I THINK THIS ASKED ME, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME NOW? I CAN HEAR YOU.
[00:20:01]
GREAT, SORRY THAT THE SCREEN JUST GOT TAKEN OVER AND I HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHERE I WAS THERE FOR A MOMENT.WELL, UH, MY NAME IS RICH RICHMOND AS ROBERT RICHMOND.
UM, I WANTED TO FIRST START OFF BY THANKING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
IT'S IT'S DEFINITELY DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.
AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 25 YEARS AND I'VE SEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT AND ALSO THE CITIZENS REVIEW PANEL AND THINGS AS IT STARTED TO DEVELOP.
AND I TELL YOU, I HAVE BEEN, UH, JUST ABSOLUTELY IMPRESSED.
AND I THINK WHAT MOST IMPRESSED ME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT JUST REPRESENTS SO MUCH OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT Y'ALL ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND YOU DO IT ON YOUR OWN TIME.
AND I THINK THAT SAYS SOME WONDERFUL THINGS.
UM, THE FIRST SLIDE I JUST WANTED YOU TO GET TO ME, I WAS TALKING WITH MS. FARRAH ABOUT THIS, AND, UH, SHE WANTED ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO Y'ALL.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS.
THIS IS, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE I'VE BEEN.
I'VE WORKED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE AND VARIOUS DIFFERENT, UH, UH, JOBS, WHETHER IT BE AS A, WHETHER I SERVED THERE AS AN OFFICER, DETECTIVE SERGEANT, AND JUST WORK MY WAY UP THE RANKS OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO CHIEF MANLEY, BEFORE HE LEFT DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO ASK ME TO COME OVER HERE TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
AND THAT'S WHERE I'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
PART OF WHAT I WAS ASKED TO DO IS TO PROVIDE Y'ALL WITH AN IDEA OF WHAT THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS ROLE IS IN CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
AND SO, UM, JUST BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WILL TELL YOU THIS PRESENTATION IS AVAILABLE TO ANY OF THE MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT A FUTURE TIME.
IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, AS WE PROGRESSED, THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 10 SLIDES.
SO JUST TO KIND OF LAY THIS OUT, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT KNOWLEDGE BASE YOU HAVE HERE.
UM, I ASSUME THAT YOU HAD GOT A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE, ESPECIALLY DOING THIS AS LONG AS YOU ALL HAVE.
UM, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF GO OVER SOME THINGS.
WHAT WE DEFINE AS A CRITICAL INCIDENT, A CRITICAL INCIDENT IS ACTUALLY DEFINED IN OUR CONTRACT, UM, AND IT'S PLACE WHERE I TOOK THIS OUT OF, SO THAT I WAS VERY SPECIFIC AS TO THE WORDING IT'S ANYTHING HAS TO DO WITH DEATH, SERIOUS, SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF DEATH, ANY, AND THIS IS FOR CRITICAL INCIDENTS, ANY INTENTIONAL FIREARM DISCHARGE AT A PERSON OR VEHICLE STRUCTURE, REGARDLESS OF INJURY, UNINTENTIONAL, DISCHARGES OF FIREARMS THAT ACTUALLY RESULT IN ANOTHER PERSON'S, UH, INJURY OR DEATH, ANY FORCE THAT HAS TO DO WITH SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR REQUIRING ADMITTED INTO A HOSPITAL BEYOND THAT, OF JUST GOING TO THE ER, UM, OR ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY HAS A PROTRACTED LOSS OR IMPAIRMENT OF FUNCTIONING OF ANY BODY PART OR ORGAN USE OF AN IMPACT WEAPON OR KINETIC ENERGY PRODUCTION SHOULD PROJECTILES OR IT, I THINK THE CONTRACT REALLY MEANT TO SAY IMPROVISE WEAPONS THAT STRIKES THE HEAD OF A SUBJECT RESULTING IN SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR DEATH.
IT'S NOT JUST IN CUSTODY DEATHS, WHERE OUR OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED IN ABUSE OF FORCE OR RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE SITUATION.
BUT, UM, AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF SOMEONE PASSES AWAY AFTER THEY ARRESTED FOR NATURAL CAUSES WITHIN THAT 24 HOUR TIMEFRAME, WE WOULD INVESTIGATE THAT ALONG WITH SIU, AS A NAME CUSTODY DEATH, AND THEN ALSO UTILIZATION OF WHAT WE CALL THE PIT MANEUVER, PRECISION IMMOBILIZATION TECHNIQUE.
THIS IS WHERE THEY USE A VEHICLE TO STOP ANOTHER VEHICLE.
IF THERE WAS A DEATH INVOLVED, NEXT SLIDE, INTERNAL AFFAIRS ROLE IN THIS, IT, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS CRITICAL INCIDENT HAPPENS, WHEN THERE IS A CRITICAL INCIDENT, WE GET CALLED UP THE WATCH COMMANDER.
WHO'S HERE 24 HOURS, WHICH IS STAFFED WITH THE LIEUTENANT, THEY'LL CALL THE ON-CALL LIEUTENANT OR SERGEANT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
AND WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON CALL AND SECONDARY SERGEANTS THAT ARE ON CALL 24 SEVEN.
UM, SO THEY'LL CALL US, THEY'LL LET US KNOW THAT IT'S CRITICAL INCIDENTS TAKEN PLACE, BOTH THE LIEUTENANT AND THE SERGEANT WILL RESPOND TO THE SCENE.
THEY'LL TAKE A VISUAL OBSERVATION NOW, SIU, WHICH IS OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATION UNIT, WHICH IS THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SIDE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.
AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE FURTHER AS WE GO ON WHAT WE DO WHEN WE GET THERE, I WILL BRING ALL THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK THAT YOU NEED TO HELP FACILITATE THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND MODIFICATIONS OF DUTY STATUS AS NEEDED.
UH, THIS WOULD BE LIKE IF AN OFFICER WAS INVOLVED IN A SHOOTING OR A CRITICAL INCIDENT, AND WE NEEDED TO PUT THEM ON A DIFFERENT DUTY STATUS, LIKE MAYBE RESTRICTED DUTY OR LIMITED DUTY, WE BRING THE PROPER FORMS FOR THEM TO FILL OUT SO THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE PROPERLY.
ALSO, IF WE NEED TO, UH, SERVE THEM IMMEDIATELY WITH THE DO NOT DISCUSS FORMS SO THAT WE COULD START THE INVESTIGATION.
SO THEY'RE NOT DISCUSSING THIS WITH OTHER OFFICERS OR COLLABORATING, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THIS INVESTIGATION STARTS OFF PROPERLY.
ALSO, WE HAVE THINGS THAT WE PROVIDE THEM TO WHERE WE ORDER BLOOD AND URINE SAMPLES AND ANY OTHER KIND OF, UH, DRUG SAMPLE DRUG TESTING TO, UH, WE TO CONDUCT AN ADMINISTRATIVE WALKTHROUGH OF DIRECTED BY THE CHIEF OR THEIR DESIGNEE, THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS LIEUTENANT
[00:25:01]
AND SERGEANT WILL ENSURE THAT NO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR FROM ANY AGENCY IS WITHIN VIEW PRIOR TO THE WALKTHROUGH.NOW, THE REASON THIS IS DONE IS IT'S IN ORDER TO KEEP A CLEAR DELINEATION BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND TO AVOID ANY AD PACK IMPLICATION TO THE OFFICER'S RIGHTS UNDER GARRITY VERSUS NEW JERSEY, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE FURTHER AS WE GO ON NEXT SLIDE.
SO APD, THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WE RUN CONCURRENT INVESTIGATIONS, AN ASSISTANT CHIEF OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE THEY'LL FILE A COMPLAINT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY IS AN ASSESSMENT.
IT IS A, UH, IT'S AN INQUIRY INTO THE CRITICAL INCIDENT OR OTHER INCIDENT ORDERED BY THE CHIEF OR DESIGNEE THAT INQUIRES, UH, THE INQUIRIES ARE GENERALLY USED FOR ISSUES THAT COULD DESTROY PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN AND RESPECT FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS PRESIDENTIAL GOOD ORDER OF THE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? I, WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE INFOR INVESTIGATION, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OR CHIEF OF POLICE FILES THAT COMPLAINT LIKE I DISCUSSED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY BEGINS AND IT'S INTO BASICALLY THE CRITICAL INCIDENT.
OTHER INCIDENTS ORDERED BY THE CHIEF INQUIRIES ARE GENERALLY ISSUED.
UH, LIKE I SAID, IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, ANYTHING THAT COULD LOOK NEGATIVE UPON THE DEPARTMENT OR COULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THE GOOD ORDER OF THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THE CHIEF WOULD ACTUALLY ORDER THAT INQUIRY.
AND THIS COULD BE SOMETHING WHERE IF IT'S JUST MERELY AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING, THERE WAS NO INFORMATION UP FRONT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT IS A JUSTIFIED OR NOT JUSTIFIED SHOOTING AT THE TIME OR WHATEVER THAT INCIDENT IS.
THE CHIEF CAN IMMEDIATELY ORDER AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY.
NOW THE INQUIRY AND ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION ARE NOT THE SAME.
THE INVESTIGATION IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION IS AN INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED MISCONDUCT BY AN APD EMPLOYEE THAT CAN RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
SO, MIKE, I EXPLAINED EARLIER THE INQUIRY IS JUST TO SAY AN INCIDENT TOOK PLACE.
WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THE ACTUAL INVESTIGATION IS SAYING, HEY, WE BELIEVE THAT ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, YOU DID SOMETHING THAT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AGAINST POLICY OR AGAINST THE LAW.
NOW DURING AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY, WE, WE DISCOVER THAT THERE IS MISCONDUCT.
THEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION IS OPENED UP.
MY ROLE IN THIS INCIDENT IS SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS VERSUS INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
AND I'M GOING TO REFER TO THESE AS SIU, AS AN IAA, UM, SIU CONDUCTS A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.
THEY CANNOT COMPEL AN OFFICER TO COOPERATE THEY'RE BOUND BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT ANY PERSON WOULD HAVE.
UM, AND THIS WOULD BE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION THEY'RE REQUIRED TO GIVE MIRANDA RIGHTS, THINGS OF THAT SORT.
IF THEY MAKE AN ARREST AND THINGS OF THAT SORT, THEY CAN'T COMPEL OFFICERS TO COOPERATE AT ALL.
THEY SHARE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING WITH INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
UM, I A, WHEN WE CONDUCT AN ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPEL OFFICERS TO COOPERATE AND PROVIDE INFORMATION.
UM, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT DURING AN INQUIRY, AS WELL AS AN INVESTIGATION.
NOW, WHAT I WILL NOT DO AND WE CANNOT DO BY LAW IS SHARE THE INFORMATION THAT WE GATHER DURING THE INVESTIGATION WITH SIU.
SO WE CAN SEE EVERYTHING THEY DO, BUT THEY CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FOR LEGAL REASONS.
NOW I'VE MENTIONED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WHAT IS GARRITY? AND FOR THOSE OF YOU ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THIS GARRITY VERSUS NEW JERSEY.
UH, BASICALLY IT WAS A SUPREME COURT CASE THAT, UM, THE COURT HELD THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND OTHER PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE FREE OF COMPULSORY.
SO BASICALLY TO BE STRAIGHT FORWARD, AN OFFICER CANNOT BE COMPELLED BY THREAT OF SERIOUS DISCIPLINE TO MAKE STATEMENTS THAT MAY BE USED IN A SUBSEQUENT CRIMINAL PROCEEDING.
SECOND, AN OFFICER CANNOT BE TERMINATED FOR REFUSING TO WAIVE HIS FIFTH AMENDMENT, RIGHT, TO REMAIN SILENT.
NOW THAT BEING SAID, AN OFFICER COULD GO IN AND SPEAK WITH SIU AND DECIDE NOT TO MAKE A STATEMENT AT ALL.
BUT WHEN THEY COME AND TALK TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU OTHERWISE THAT COULD RESULT IN INDEFINITE SUSPENSION OR EVEN TERMINATION, UH, IF THE CHIEF DECIDES, SO THEY DO HAVE TO COOPERATE WITH INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
THIS IS WHAT WE IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS CAN ACTUALLY COMPEL OFFICERS TO PROVIDE THE BLOOD BREATH OR URINE TEST FOR LOOKING FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUGS.
UM, WE CAN ALSO ASK FOR HAIR FOLLICLE TESTING, ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITHIN OUR CONTRACT TO ALLOW TESTING FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, A POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS, OTHER MEDICAL LABORATORY TESTS AS NEEDED.
[00:30:01]
OF THE, UH, OTHER INCIDENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE INVESTIGATE, THEY MAYBE WE NEED DNA OR SOMETHING OF THAT SORT.UH, WE CAN CONDUCT VIDEO REENACTMENT.
BE PHOTOGRAPHED, PARTICIPATE IN PHYSICAL LINEUPS, PRODUCE ANY DOCUMENTATION REQUEST AND RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION AND ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER HAS SEEMED NECESSARY.
NOW, WHEN I SAY THAT, OFTENTIMES WE'LL ACTUALLY, UH, REQUEST OFFICERS, WE'LL GIVE THEM AN ORDER TO PRODUCE OR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KEEP ALL OF THEIR PHONE RECORDS OR FINANCIAL RECORDS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT, DEPENDING ON THE INVESTIGATION THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELATED TO A CRITICAL INCIDENT.
AND USUALLY THEY'RE NOT, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO ORDER THEM TO DO SO.
A LOT OF QUESTIONS ARE ASKED ABOUT THE LENGTH IN WHICH IT TAKES US TO DO THESE INVESTIGATIONS.
SO SIU AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS.
IN ESSENCE, SIU DOES NOT HAVE A TIME PERIOD IN WHICH THEY'RE MANDATED TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION.
AND OFTENTIMES WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS IN AN INVESTIGATION, SIU WILL START WORKING THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SIDE, WE'RE DOING A PARALLEL INVESTIGATION.
HOWEVER WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS, IS IAA IS BOUND TO 180 DAY TIMEFRAME.
IF THEY DON'T, IF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED, THEN THE CHIEF OF POLICE CAN BASICALLY GO AND WRITE A LETTER TO THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL AND SUBMIT THIS REQUEST TO ALLOW US TO HAVE AN EXTENSION, TO BE ABLE TO WORK THAT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THE CHIEF INTENDS TO, OR MIGHT POSSIBLY INDEFINITELY SUSPEND THAT OFFICER.
SO THEY, THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE INVESTIGATIONS THAT START.
AND THEY'RE NOT WITHIN THAT 180 DAYS THAT THEY MAY GO ON AND ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
SOMETIMES IT WE'VE SEEN IN SOME CASES FOR YEARS, AND THAT'S NOT BASED ON WHAT INTERNAL AFFAIRS OR WHAT THE AWESOME POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTROL OVER.
IT'S BASED ON WHAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY DISTRICT ATTORNEY OR MAYBE FEDERAL COURT MAY NEED TO, TO CONDUCT THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO DO, UH, GO THROUGH THE DEPTHS OF THE DISPOSITION OF THE CASE.
UM, WE SEE THIS ACTUALLY FREQUENTLY, WHERE THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES THAT ARE AWAITING A GRAND JURY OR TO TUTORIAL REVIEW, AND IT JUST EXTENDS IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS, AND I DIDN'T PUT IT IN THE SLIDE IS ONCE WE GET THAT BACK, THAT THEY'RE DONE WITH THAT, WE HAVE 30 DAYS TO START THAT INVESTIGATION AND TO CONTINUE.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE GET THESE CASES TO ACTUALLY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH SIU, SO THAT WE'RE DOING THAT PARALLEL INVESTIGATION.
WE'RE VERY CAUTIOUS IN THE WAY THAT WE PROCEED, BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE EVER WANT IS AN INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE TO JEOPARDIZE A CRIMINAL CASE.
CRIMINAL CASES HAVE THEIR PRIORITY BECAUSE THAT CAN RESULT IN JUST TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CITIZENS THAT ARE INVOLVED, OR EVEN THE OFFICERS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF EVERYTHING, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CRIMINAL SIDE, THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART NOT TO, UM, TO RUIN THE INVESTIGATION THAT, UM, THAT THE CRIMINAL SIDE I WAS WORKING ON.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF AN OFFICER IS INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED, BUT NOT CHARGED WITH THE CRIME? I WANTED TO ADD THIS, UM, BECAUSE WHERE INTERNAL AFFAIRS ROLE, ONCE AGAIN, AS SAY FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A CRITICAL INCIDENT WHERE AN OFFICER IS INVOLVED, BUT NOT CRIMINALLY CHARGED.
THE CASE MAY BE DISMISSED, OR THE, THE GRAND JURY DECIDES TO NO BILL OR THE, FOR SOME REASON, UM, YOU KNOW, IT GOES THROUGH COURT AND EVERYTHING SAYS THE OFFICER DIDN'T DO, AND THEY WERE ACQUITTED.
SO IF THAT OCCURS AND THE CHIEF STILL DECIDES TO, TO INDEFINITELY SUSPEND THE OFFICER OR DETERMINATE, THE OFFICER, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS OFTENTIMES THE OFFICER WILL APPEAL THE CHIEF'S DECISION.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, INTERNAL AFFAIRS WILL ACTUALLY ASSIST OUR CITY LEGAL IN PRESENTING THE CASE TO IT'S AN ARBITRATION.
WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN AND SUPPORT TO CITY LEGAL WITH THE HEARING EXAMINER DURING THIS, UH, ARBITRATION.
UM, BUT AT THE END, IT IS STILL UP TO THE HEARING EXAMINER TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISION IN THOSE CASES.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A DECISION OR NEITHER DOES THE CHIEF.
ONCE IT GOES TO ARBITRATION, THAT'S FULLY WITHIN THE HEARING EXAMINERS, UH, HANDS TO MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION.
AND THAT MUST BE ADHERED TO BY THE CITY.
SO I FIRED THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS AND I'M SURE THAT Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
IF YOU NEVER EVER NEED ANYTHING AT ALL, I'M AVAILABLE.
UM, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE OPO.
UH, OFTENTIMES I'VE TALKED TO FARRAH WEEKLY AND, UH, WE COLLABORATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, I WILL GIVE HER IDEAS OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND NEW CASES THAT WE RECEIVE, AND SHE DOES THE SAME TOO, SO THAT WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCEDURAL JUSTICE IS, IS DONE.
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ENJOY HAVING THIS ABILITY TO TALK WITH Y'ALL, UH, AND BEING ABLE TO, TO REALLY BE PART OF THIS PROCESS BEING HERE SO LONG, THIS SOMETHING IS A REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME IS BECAUSE I FULLY BELIEVE WE NEED TO HOLD OUR OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY MESS UP.BUT I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT AS WELL THAT OUR CITIZENS SEE THE TRANSPARENCY IN EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS.
I MEAN, THIS GOES INTO THE TOTALITY OF POLICING AND ITS LEGITIMACY, AND I REALLY DO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BE, SO IF IT WASN'T FOR THE CITIZENS AND YOUR FEEDBACK, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, COMMANDER, RICHMOND.
UM, AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP TO, UM, VICE-CHAIRMAN COMMAND AND THEN THE COMMISSION.
UM, BUT MY FIRST QUESTION IS YOU KIND OF LISTED ON ONE SLIDE THAT THERE ARE NINE THINGS THAT YOU CAN COMPEL AN OFFICER TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH.
AND I'M WONDERING OUT OF THAT LIST OF NINE, UM, HOW MANY IS KIND OF ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEN OTHERS THAT YOU KIND OF PULL IN ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, OR IS IT NORMALLY YOU JUST GO THROUGH THE STEPS AND DO ALL NINE WHEN YOU'RE, UM, COMPLETING AN INVESTIGATION? SO DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S A CRITICAL INCIDENT OR A REGULAR INVESTIGATION, THE CRITICAL INCIDENTS, WE'LL USUALLY GO THROUGH OUR LIST WHERE WE GRABBED THE THINGS, ESPECIALLY THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OFFICER GIVES A SAMPLE IMMEDIATELY AFTER A SHOOTING OR THINGS OF THAT SORT, OR IF THEY'RE INVOLVED IN A CRITICAL INCIDENT WHERE SOMEONE RESULTS IN DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, UM, WE MAY NOT NEED A POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION.
NOW THAT LIST OF NINE, OR JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN ORDER.
THERE ARE OFTENTIMES WHERE WE'LL GET INTO A CASE WHERE THEY'RE JUST BASED ON THE UNIQUENESS OF THE CASE.
WE MAY NEED TO ORDER SOMETHING IN ADDITION.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CITY LEGAL, TO BE ABLE TO ASK THEM IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LEGALLY DO NOW EXAMPLE WOULD BE, AND THIS MAY NOT BE RELATED TO A CRITICAL INCIDENT, BUT OTHER INVESTIGATIONS THAT WE DO SAY THAT WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING FROM AN OFFICER SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, OR WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE RELATED TO THOSE NINE ITEMS. THEN WE'LL TALK WITH CITY LEGAL AND WE'LL ACTUALLY ASK FOR THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN THE DETERMINATION GOES FROM THERE.
WE DO THIS OFTEN WITH TEXT MESSAGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER MCMANN, THANKS FOR THE MONEY.
AND HELLO, DETECTIVE, IS THAT YOUR TITLE? IS THAT CORRECT? I'M SORRY.
UM, ARE YOU ARE, UM, DETECTIVE RICHMOND? I WANT TO BE SURE I'M ADDRESSING YOU CORRECTLY.
RICH IS FINE, BUT I'M A COMMANDER I'M IN CHARGE OF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS UNIT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, I THINK I HAVE THREE ISH QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, WE HEARD A LOT IN YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT THE WAY I A N S I SINK.
UM, BUT I WAS HOPING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW YOU PLAN TO SYNC WITH THIS COMMISSION AND HOW YOU SEE US FITTING INTO THE ROLE OF REVIEWING CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
UM, SO BECAUSE WE'RE BOUND QUITE A BIT, BY THE WAY THAT THE CONTRACT IS DEVELOPED AND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE INTERVIEWS, UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN, AND CAN'T DO THAT.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADHERE TO, BUT THE WAY THAT I LOOK AT IT, MY OPINION IS, IS BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONCLUSION, THAT CLEAR AND OPEN TRANSPARENCY WITH YOU ALL.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH ANY CASE, LIKE WHEN WE HAVE CASES THAT ARE INVOLVING CRITICAL INCIDENTS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE MOVING PARTS TO THEM, UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE AND WE'LL ACTUALLY VET THOSE WITH THE DA, SO THAT CAN URGENTLY BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD THAT, PROVIDE THAT TO THE OPO SO THAT SHE CAN THEN PROVIDE IT TO Y'ALL.
UM, THE BIG PART IS TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPARENCY, AND BEING ABLE TO FACILITATE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AS A GROUPS OF COMMISSIONERS TO BASICALLY ARTICULATE AND HELP EDUCATE OR HELP CLARIFY ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE THAT JUST MAY HELP YOU IN YOUR DETERMINATION OF YOUR OPINION OF WHAT WENT ON.
SO I GUESS FROM WHAT I'M SAYING, UM, JUST BRIEFLY IS JUST ANYTHING THAT Y'ALL NEED AND WITH RESPECT AND THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT AND OF WHAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE OPO TO PROVIDE YOU.
UM, YOU'VE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND AND YOU'VE SEEN THE EVOLUTION OF THIS COMMISSION, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, UM, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IT'S GROWN AND IT'S A DIFFERENT BEAST THAN WHAT IT WAS JUST EVEN A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, ALTHOUGH I HAVE DEEP, DEEP REGARD FOR OUR PREDECESSORS AND THE WORK THAT THEY DID.
UM, AND I'M WANTING TO KNOW IF FOR THE ITERATION AND THIS ITERATION OF THE CPRC OF THE CIVILIAN REVIEW PANEL, UM, WE WE'VE SENT LETTERS TO THE, OUR CHIEF, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO AS TO RESPOND.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD ADVOCATE FOR FOR THE NEXT CHIEF, GIVEN THE HIGH REGARD YOU HAVE FOR THIS COMMISSION AND
[00:40:01]
FOR HIM TO TAKE THAT FIRST AND TO TAKE THIS COMMISSION, BUT DURING HIS LEAVE AND OUR PREDECESSORS.SO YOU BROKE UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT LET ME MAKE SURE I'M GOING TO SUMMARIZE JUST REAL QUICK, BECAUSE I KIND OF WENT DIGITAL A LITTLE BIT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS ABOUT WITH THE LETTERS THAT YOU'VE SENT IN THE PAST, AND THAT YOU CONTINUE TO SEND TO THE CHIEF WITH REGARD TO YOUR OPINIONS IN REGARD TO WHAT YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE, WHAT I, UH, DO, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE AND WHAT I SUPPORT THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
SO, YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU GIVEN WHAT YOU'VE SAID ABOUT, UM, HOW YOU'VE SEEN THIS, THE PROGRESSION OF THIS COMMISSION AND ALSO, UH, WOULD YOU ADVOCATE FOR THIS COMMISSION WITH THE NEXT CHEEK TO RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER TO OUR LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION? ABSOLUTELY.
I REALLY DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
LIKE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, THERE ARE SOME THINGS, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE THAT IMMEDIATE RESPONSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, BUT WHAT I WOULD DEFINITELY ADVOCATE IS AS IF THAT DOES OCCUR, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION OF WHY IT'S BEING DELAYED OR WHAT THE ACTUAL ISSUE IS BEHIND THAT, BECAUSE YES, ABSOLUTELY.
I DO FEEL THAT YOUR ANSWERS, YOUR QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND IF THEY CAN'T, YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN A REASON WHY NOT? I HONESTLY DO FEEL LIKE I SAID, WHEN I SAID IT EARLIER ABOUT POLICE LEGITIMACY, WE CAN NOT ESTABLISH THAT WITHOUT HAVING TRANSPARENCY AND GROUPS SUCH AS THE, AS THE CRPC AM I SAYING IT CPRC CITIZENS LEAVES REVIEW COMMISSION.
SINCE WE CHANGED IT, GET THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME TOO, AND YOU'RE USED TO ANOTHER NAME AND COME BACK, BUT WITH IT BEING THERE, LIKE I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THOUGH, IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, PLAIN AND SIMPLE FACT IS IS THAT WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON HERE IN AUSTIN IS VERY PROGRESSIVE COMPARED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES TOO, THAT ARE LEAPS AND BOUNDS ABOVE WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN PLACE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD.
AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WITHOUT THAT, WE'RE NOT, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A LEGITIMACY.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED IN A TIMELY MANNER, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY SHOW FOR OUR PROFESSIONALISM? SO, ABSOLUTELY I GUESS, A LONGER ANSWER AND THE SHORT ANSWER TO IT IS YES.
I WOULD DEFINITELY ADVOCATE THAT.
AND I HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION.
SO, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEEN, HAVE RECEIVED FOUR POWERS ESSENTIALLY, BUT WE COME UP AGAINST SIMILAR OBSTACLES THAT ARE PRED AS OUR PREDECESSORS DID.
UM, AND I, I'M ONLY GOING TO, WELL, I'LL PUT THIS OUT THERE.
UM, SO IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM A PREVIOUS CASE THAT WE REVIEWED THAT WE RECEIVED, UM, JUST THE HANDFUL OF VIDEOS WHEN I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE MANY, MANY, UM, IN THIS CASE FILE.
AND MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE COME FROM YOU ALL, UM, WHAT GOES TO THAT FILTERING PROCESS THAT DETERMINES WHAT'S USEFUL FOR THIS COMMISSION? AND ALTHOUGH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS MIGHT LOAD ME FOR ASKING THIS CAUSE THAT WERE VOLUNTEER GROUP, AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF VIDEOS SHE REVIEW, BUT WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE FOR US TO REVIEW ALL OF THOSE VIDEOS? IS THERE A TAGGING SYSTEM THAT YOU ALL USE TO DETERMINE WHICH ARE NOT AS USEFUL? I'M JUST TRYING TO GET SOME, AN INSIDE LINE INTO WHAT YOUR PROCESSES AND WHAT COMES TO US.
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND, AND SO, EXCUSE ME HERE TOO, BECAUSE ME BEING NEW OVER HERE, I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN THE WAY THAT I AM IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING.
SO THE INFORMATION THAT YOU REQUEST AS IT GOES THROUGH THE OPO, BECAUSE THE OPO IS RESPONSIBLE, THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CPRC, UM, IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OPO WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION AND MAKING THAT AVAILABLE TO YOU.
BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE OPO.
THERE MAY BE SITUATIONS WHERE CERTAIN VIDEOS, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, AND I'M JUST GOING TO USE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS ONE THAT YOU WILL BE SEEING HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE IS THE JAVIER AMBLER CASE, THAT INCIDENT WHERE ONE OF OUR OFFICERS WAS INVOLVED.
BUT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THAT IS, IS WILLIAMSON COUNTY DEPUTIES BEING INVOLVED.
WE CAN, WHEN THAT COMES AROUND.
AND ONCE WE GET THE CLEARANCE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE THINGS TO YOU, WE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE ASKING, BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
AND THAT COULD BE VIDEO OR THINGS THAT WILLIAMSON COUNTY HAS, UM, THINGS THAT THE DA MAY OR MAY NOT FEEL THAT THEY WANT TO RELEASE YET.
NOW, I'M JUST SAYING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, AND THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT EVEN THERE YET, BUT I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE HAD LIMITED INVOLVEMENT WITH ONLY ONE OFFICER WHERE THE LARGER MECHANISM IS REALLY KIND OF FOCUSED TOWARD WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND ALL THE MOVING PARTS
[00:45:01]
THERE.NOW, IF THERE'S VIDEOS THAT ARE MISSING, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO SEE, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU GO BACK AND YOU SPEAK WITH YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, WHETHER IT BE CLAIRE MIA AND SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
THEY'LL CONTACT US AND WE'LL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
NOW, IF THERE IS A REASON WHY WE CAN'T, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION OF WHY WE CAN'T.
UM, AND I WANT TO ANSWER IT GENERALLY, BECAUSE THESE ARE KIND OF A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE LIKE A, A NORMAL INCIDENT, LIKE, UM, I CAN'T USE ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES RIGHT OFF HAND, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING WHERE ALL THE VIDEOS AVAILABLE, IT'S ALREADY BEEN THROUGH GRAND JURY, THERE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE ANY REASON WHY YOU'RE NOT SEEING EVERY BIT OF THAT VIDEO.
SO IF YOU DO, YOU DO HAVE THAT AND YOU DO ENCOUNTER THAT.
THAT'S WHY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR LIAISON WITH THE OPO, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS SO THAT WE COULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT FOR YOU OR A JUSTIFICATION AND REASONING FOR WHY WE CAN'T, IF WE CAN'T.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, IT'S HELPFUL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT IS A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR WITH WHOMEVER IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, PROVIDING SOME FLAVOR TO, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON ON YOUR END.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU POSTED ON THINGS AS THEY ARISE, WHEREAS TO, WITH REGARD TO CASE FILES AND SUCH, PLEASE, THAT'S ALL I HAVE AMANI.
IF THERE ARE ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMANDER, FEEL FREE TO UNMUTE.
IT'S A, MAYBE IT'S A QUICK ONE, BUT IT'S A QUESTION ABOUT TIMELINE.
UM, YOU, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU, YOU HIGHLIGHTED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY THAT COMES FROM THE CHIEF, UM, OR A DESIGNEE.
CAN YOU DROP YOUR QUESTION IN THE CHAT FOR US? YOUR VIDEO BROKE UP JUST AS SOON AS YOU GOT INTO REALLY THE MEAT OF YOUR QUESTION THERE.
SO IF YOU COULD DROP IT IN THE CHAT, UM, SO WE CAN ANSWER IT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR ME.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE ME A SECOND HERE TO TYPE THIS UP.
UM, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, UM, JP IS DROPPING THAT IN THE CHAT.
UM, SO YOU SAID THAT SIU, UM, PERFORMS THEIR INVESTIGATION AND THEY SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET A SENSE OF HOW OFTEN YOU'RE GETTING, UM, DIRECT CONTENT, UM, VIDEOS OR INTERVIEWS VERSUS LEVERAGING SOME OF THE WORK, UM, IN AN INVESTIGATION THAT THEY HAVE DONE.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND AS YOU ALL ARE RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION, HOW DO YOU DETERMINE ALL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO GET OUR OWN EYES ON OR PERFORM OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, INTERVIEW, OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AS YOU ALL ARE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS? SO WE CONDUCT A WEEKLY MEETING WHERE I GO WITH MY STAFF OVER ALL OF THESE CASES.
AND THEN I HAVE A BIWEEKLY MEETING WITH OUR EXECUTIVE STAFF TO GO OVER ALL OF THE CASES AGAIN.
AND WHAT WE DO DURING THESE IS WE ASK THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHERE THEY'RE AT, SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT WEEK.
UM, MY GOAL IS THAT FOR MY STAFF TO TOUCH EVERY ONE OF THEIR CASES EVERY WEEK, IF NOT EVERY DAY, TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THEY CAN UPDATE THAT CASE WITH WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE THE CRITICAL INCIDENT TYPES OF CASES, THERE ISN'T ALWAYS AN UPDATE, BUT THEY ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THAT DETECTIVE.
I'M SORRY THAT THE SERGEANTS THAT ARE OVER IN SIU AND WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AN UPDATE ON A DAILY BASIS WHEN SOMETHING ACTUALLY CHANGES.
AS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE CASES IT TAKES MULTIPLE WEEKS JUST TO GET A SUSPECT IN OR A WIN WITNESS INTERVIEW IN.
AND SO WHEN THEY DO HAVE THAT, WE ASKED THEM TO REACH OUT ONCE A WEEK TO SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS CASE SO THAT THEY CAN REVIEW THAT MATERIAL TO SEE WHAT'S USEFUL FOR THEM AND WHAT WE NEED TO ACTUALLY EXPOUND ON.
WE HAD A CASE THAT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OLD, AND IT WAS INVOLVING A SHOOTING.
AND IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT IT KIND OF WENT THROUGH THE GRAND JURY AND THINGS OF THAT
[00:50:01]
SORT.BUT THE SERGEANT HAD JUST A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS THAT HE NEEDED TO ASK.
WHAT WE'LL DO EVEN AFTER SIU IS DONE WITH THEIR CASE, WE'LL REVIEW ALL THAT MATERIAL AND THEN GO BACK OVER IT AND CALL WITNESSES AND MAYBE THE SUSPECT OFFICER OR, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY THAT WE CAN IN SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, WHATNOT, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY THAT WHEN WE'RE DOING THE ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION, TO BE ABLE TO ASK A LOT MORE QUESTIONS THAN WHAT THEY MAY HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM DURING THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, BECAUSE THE POLICIES, THEY DRILL DOWN A LOT DEEPER INTO BEHAVIOR THAN WHAT MAY BE THE CRIMINAL CULPABILITY IS.
SO THERE ARE TIMES THAT THEY JUST DIDN'T ANSWER A QUESTION THAT WAS PART OF A COMPLAINT.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I TELL MY STAFF, THIS IS WHAT MY EXPECTATION IS, IS THAT THESE INVESTIGATIONS, ESPECIALLY BASED OFF MY, MY EXPERIENCES, THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO BE CLEAR, CONSISTENT, AND THEY NEED TO BE THOROUGH.
AND I TELL THEM ANYTHING THEY POSSIBLY NEED TO DO IN ANY RESOURCE.
THEY NEED TO INVESTIGATE THESE CASES.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT GOES BACK TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION IS THAT WE, BY WEEK, ANYTIME THEY GIVE ME AN UPDATE ON A CASE, I NEED TO HAVE THAT MONDAY EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID AND WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT CASE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW I'M GOING TO KIND OF GRILL THEM THE NEXT WEEK TO SAY, HEY, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS.
AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE LEARNED OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS THAT I'LL ASK SOME VERY UNIQUE QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, IF YOU LOOKED AT MY BIO IS I ACTUALLY WORKED OUR VERSION OF IT BACK IN THE DAY, IT WAS CALLED INTEGRITY CRIMES.
AND IT WAS WHEN IT WAS FIRST DEVELOPED.
I WORKED THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHICH IS OUR SIU BEFORE, YOU KNOW, MOVING ON AND PROMOTING AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
SO I'M PRETTY HARD ON THEM ABOUT MAKING SURE THEY UPDATE WEEKLY ALONG ANSWER.
FARRAH DID WARN YOU I'M LONG-WINDED RIGHT.
AND COMMISSIONER CONNOLLY DROPPED HIS QUESTION IN THE CHAT.
UM, IT'S AROUND THE DIFFERENCE IN TIMELINE BETWEEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION.
I'M WONDERING, DO THEY RUN CONCURRENTLY OR, UM, DOES ONE NEED TO BE COMPLETE BEFORE THE OTHER BEGINS? UM, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? SO AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY AND ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION, THIS IS WHERE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT A SIMPLE ANSWER.
SO BOTH OF THEM NORMALLY W DATE, UH, ACCORDING TO CIVIL SERVICE UNDER ONE 43, WHICH WE'RE BOUND BY TO KEEP THAT 180 DAY TIME LANE, UH, UH, TIMELINE, IF ON THE DATE THAT IT WAS REPORTED THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED, WHETHER IT BE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OR A POLICY VIOLATION, WE HAVE 180 DAYS TO CONDUCT THAT INVESTIGATION BASED ON THAT, IF THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY THAT THE CHIEF HAS, THAT ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY CAN ACTUALLY LAST A LITTLE LONGER, BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE CASES, THEY PUT US AN INQUIRY.
WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC COMPLAINT YET.
SO THEY SIT OUT THERE AND THEY'RE WAITING AS WE'RE DOING THE INVESTIGATION.
WE'RE USUALLY THAT'S THOSE CASES WHERE WE'RE PELLET PARALLELING THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, WHERE IT'S NOT OBVIOUS UP FRONT, THAT THERE MAY BE A CRIMINAL IN, YOU KNOW, INCIDENT.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, SAY THAT WE HAVE A REALLY CLEAN CUT SHOOTING WHERE YOU BASICALLY HAVE A SUSPECT COME OUT, SHOOTS AT THE OFFICERS, OR IS IN THE PROCESS OF SHOOTING SOMEONE ELSE.
AND THE OFFICERS, THEY RESPOND TO THAT RESISTANT AND SHOOT BACK AND SAY, WHETHER THEY ARE, THEY CAUSED SERIOUS BODILY INJURY OR A DEATH, THAT'S ALL ON VIDEO.
IT MAY NOT SEEM UPFRONT BEFORE THE, WHETHER THERE'S ANY CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICERS.
HE'LL TELL US, HEY, DO AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY AND FOLLOW ALONG.
WHAT'S GOING ON NOW, THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY FIND THAT SOMETHING MAY BE CRIMINAL, WE START ON THAT DATE, THAT, THAT ALLEGATION OF THAT BEHAVIOR OCCURS.
AND THEN WE HAVE SIX MONTHS FROM THAT TIMEFRAME NOW WHERE IT'S NOT A SIMPLE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT ONCE WE GET THESE EXTENSIONS FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FINISH OFF THIS CASE, THERE'S WHERE ANOTHER TIMELINE STARTS TICKING IS THAT AS SOON AS THEY'RE DONE WITH THIS, AND THEY SAY, OKAY, THE GRAND JURY DECIDED THAT THEY DECLINED, UM, TO TRUE BILL.
THIS OFFICER WILL, THEN THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING FOR US TO FINISH THAT UP WITHIN 30 DAYS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD ALL OF THAT TIME TO DO IT.
AND NOW WE HAVE 30 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMELINES.
UM, SO IN ESSENCE, IT ALL RULES BASED ON THE DATE OF THE ALLEGATION.
NOW WE HAVE THESE CASES SOMETIMES, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT, UH, USUALLY THERE ARE CASES THAT ARE NOT CRITICAL INCIDENTS SAY THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE MAYBE AN ALLEGATION OF FAMILY VIOLENCE AND THERE'S MULTIPLE, UH, INCIDENTS WHERE THIS OCCURRED.
WE CAN HAVE SEVERAL ROLLING, ONE 80 DATES BASED ON WHEN THIS LAST OCCURRED.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN AT TIMES WHERE MAYBE WE HAVE A, UH, AN INCIDENT THAT INVOLVED, UM, LIKE A, A TIMESHEET ISSUE.
AND SO WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S TIME, SHE, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, LIKE DOCUMENT FRAUD.
SO WE'LL LOOK AT THAT MAYBE A GOOD WENT ON OVER A TWO YEAR PROCESS.
[00:55:01]
IT DOESN'T STAY AT THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT THEY LOOKED AT IT BECAUSE IF WE LOOKED AT IT THE FIRST TIME, BUT YET THE OFFICER CONTINUES TO DO IT BEFORE THEY KNOW THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION THAT ONE 80 CONTINUES TO ROLL AND GIVES US MORE TIME EVERY TIME THEY DO SOMETHING MORE.SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
IT'S JUST, WE HAVE 180 DAYS FROM THE DAY THAT THE ACTUAL ALLEGATION OF INCIDENT OCCURRED TO CONDUCT THAT INVESTIGATION, UNLESS WE HAVE THOSE OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED.
DOES THAT CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT, COMMISSIONER COLON, IT HELPS.
APPARENTLY MY CONNECTION IS NOT VERY STABLE, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THAT.
JUST WONDERING WHAT ARE THE ACTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE IN AN INQUIRY.
AND I GUESS, HOW DO THEY DIVERT FROM A FULL ON INVESTIGATION KNOWING THAT IT IS PRELIMINARY? AND I HOPE I'M DESCRIBING THAT ACCURATELY, UM, FROM WHAT YOU'VE SAID.
SO AN INQUIRY IS STILL AN INVESTIGATION.
WE JUST USE THE TERMS, ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY TO ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION, THE DIFFERENCES.
AND WHEN WE DO A FULL ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ALLEGATION OF MISCONDUCT.
AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY CAN OCCUR WITHOUT AN ALLEGATION OF MISCONDUCT.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU A GOOD EXAMPLE, SAY THAT WE HAVE A PROTEST DOWNTOWN WHERE YOU SEE SOMETHING ON VIDEO, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A COMPLAINT AGAINST A SPECIFIC OFFICER, BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK GOOD.
SO THE CHIEF COULD COME DOWN AND SAY, HEY, I'M GOING TO ORDER AN ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRY BASED ON THESE FACTORS, BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT THIS AND WE JUST FEEL, IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, SOMETIMES THESE ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES CAN START OUT OF, MAYBE WE HAVE A COMPLAINT BY SOMEONE WHO CALLS IN AND SAYS, HAVE THIS INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR OFFICER.
NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A DIRECT COMPLAINT OF THEM DOING ANYTHING AGAINST POLICY.
AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH MISCONDUCT YET, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT IT COULD DO TO THE AGENCY AND TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HOW IT CAN APPEAR, WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING THERE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AGAINST POLICY OR THE CRIMINAL WISCONSIN.
IN ESSENCE, WHAT THE CHIEF IS SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO CUT TO THE CHASE BEFORE SOMEBODY MAKES A COMPLAINT, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT OURSELVES, BUT THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN DO IT PER POLICY AND PER CIVIL SERVICE LAWS BY ADMINISTERING AN INQUIRY, AS OPPOSED TO AN INVESTIGATION, A LOT OF THESE ARE MORE LEGAL EASE TERMS. UM, BUT DEFINITELY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION, THAT'S WHEN DIFFERENT THINGS ACTUALLY APPLY, LIKE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T ASK THE OFFICERS.
AND THAT'S VERY SPECIFIC THAT LIKE, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
IF WE HAVE AN OFFICER WHO'S ACCUSED OF THEFT, BUT YET DURING THIS THEFT INVESTIGATION, WE FIND THAT THE OFFICER WAS DRIVING DRUNK.
UM, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND SAY, THIS IS THE INFORMATION THAT WE FOUND DURING THIS INVESTIGATION FOR DEATH THAT MAY INDICATE THAT WE POSSIBLY BELIEVE THAT THIS OFFICER MAY BE INVOLVED IN A DRUNK DRIVING INCIDENT TOO, THAT MAY HAVE VIOLATED POLICY.
SO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND LOOKS AT IT AND SAYS, YES, WE AGREE.
THEY MAKE A COMPLAINT AND SEND IT BACK TO US.
ONE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IS THAT INTERNAL AFFAIRS CANNOT MAKE COMPLAINTS BY LAW.
UNDER ONE 43, WE CANNOT BE THE COMPLAINANT AND THE INVESTIGATOR.
SO WE DON'T MAKE THE COMPLAINTS TO CHAIN OF COMMAND.
DOES THE CHIEF CAN INQUIRE ABOUT STUFF, BUT THE CHIEF'S ACTUALLY NOT MAKING A COMPLAINT.
USUALLY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND WILL DO THAT.
UM, AND ANOTHER THING TOO IS LIKE OPINIONS ON DISCIPLINE AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND TOO, INTERNAL AFFAIRS CANNOT MAKE OPINIONS ON, ON DISCIPLINE.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT INTERNAL AFFAIRS IS A NEUTRAL ARBITRARY, THAT WHEN THEY DO THE INVESTIGATION, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS ABSOLUTELY NEUTRAL.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THINGS THAT SAY, WELL, INTERNAL AFFAIRS SUGGESTED THIS DISCIPLINE, WE DON'T SUGGEST DISCIPLINE THAT GOES THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
AND OFTENTIMES WE USE THE MATRIX.
WHAT I THINK MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR OF THAT ARE IN OUR GENERAL POLICIES AS PART OF OUR CONTRACTS AND STUFF.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO THAT.
UM, AMANI, COULD I TRY TO JUMP IN HERE AND JUST, I DON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH SPACE, BUT THIS IS KIND OF A RELATED QUESTION, UM, ON THIS SUBJECT, UM, IT MIGHT HELP CLARIFY THINGS.
IF I TRY TO USE IT A DIFFERENT EXAMPLE OF A SITUATION, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME LET'S SUPPOSE A HYPOTHETICAL POLICE OFFICER OFF DUTY ENGAGES IN ACTS OF PUBLIC SPEECH THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE DEMEANING TO ETHNIC GROUPS OR DISPLAY DIFFERENT FORMS OF PREJUDICE THAT, THAT REFLECT NEGATIVELY ON THE DEPARTMENT, BUT HE'S NOT ON DUTY.
UM, AND THEN THIS TAKES PLACE ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR IN PUBLIC IN SOME PLACE.
UM, I IMAGINE IF, UH, BUT, BUT IT REFLECTS NEGATIVELY ON THE DEPARTMENT AND HURTS COMMUNITY TRUST.
IF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS REACHES THE CHIEF THAT I IMAGINE THAT TRIGGERS THE INQUIRY.
UM, BUT THEN, SO HOW DOES THAT, BUT THEN THE INQUIRY RUNS AS
[01:00:01]
AN INQUIRY UNTIL IT TURNS INTO POTENTIAL INVESTIGATION OR, UM, OR, OR IS THAT ONLY AN INQUIRY THEN, OR DURING THE INQUIRY? WE FIND THAT THERE IS A, THAT THERE IS A, UH, POTENTIAL FOR AN ACTUAL VIOLATION OF POLICY.THEN IT WILL TURN INTO AN ACTUAL ADMINISTRATIVES INVESTIGATION.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COMMANDER RICHMOND WHILE WE HAVE HIM.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMANDER RICHMOND FOR COMING IN AND SPEAKING WITH OUR GROUP.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UM, TO GET ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AS WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW THESE CRITICAL INCIDENTS AND, UM, COLLABORATE WITH YOU THROUGH THE OPO.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[3. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS NUMBER THREE, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SUB ITEMS UNDERNEATH THIS.SO, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING AGENDA ITEM A THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BRIEFLY, WHICH IS JUST DISCUSSIONS ON HOW WE CAN IMPROVE, UM, OUR FOCUS AND SOME OF OUR WORK, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY CENTER ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO PART OF THIS IS OUR TOWN HALL, WHICH HAS WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, AND PART OF THIS IS SOME RESEARCH THAT OUR SUBCOMMITTEES HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE BACKGROUND, UM, AND KIND OF LEADS TO OUR MAIN MEETINGS.
SO OUR MAIN MEETING IS CENTERED AROUND RACIAL EQUITY.
UM, AND SO THERE IS THIS DISCUSSION, UM, ON JUST HOW WE CAN IMPROVE APD.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER IDEAS GENERALLY, UM, RIGHT NOW THAT WE WANT TO ADD TO OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, UM, AND DISCUSS IN MAY, AS IT RELATES TO APD, UM, FEEL FREE TO UNMUTE AND SHARE.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR ME, BUT, UM, I'VE GOT SOMETHING A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.
COULD I MENTION THAT NOW, GO AHEAD AND SHARE NOW, UM, W DO YOU THINK IT'D BE POSSIBLE AND I'M HAPPY TO, TO WORK ON THIS OR HELP? UM, I GUESS IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE UNTIL OUR JULY MEETING, BUT MAYBE DOING, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'D BE HELPFUL TO MAYBE DO SOME KIND OF DIGEST ON, UH, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATION THAT PASSED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
UM, CAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED AROUND, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILLS THAT MIGHT BE RELEVANT FOR US TO JUST HAVE AN AWARENESS OF.
UM, BUT YEAH, I'M GUESSING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY PROBABLY BE JULY SINCE OUR, OUR, OUR MEETING IN JUNE WOULD BE PRETTY EARLY IN THE SESSION WOULD HAVE JUST WRAPPED UP.
SO JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THAT, I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY AN OPTION FOR US TO DISCUSS AND JUST BRING SOME GREATER CONTEXT TO EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
BECAUSE THERE WERE A COUPLE EVEN AROUND, YOU KNOW, CRISIS SITUATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO DEFINITELY THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ON OUR RADAR AS A GROUP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING.
UM, I WONDER, YOU KNOW, APD RECENTLY HIRED A NEW TRAINING DIRECTOR TRAINING MANAGER.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ON SOME INITIATIVES WITH CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE REALLY WELL-VERSED IN, IN THOSE AREAS.
AND I WONDER IF IT MIGHT BE A VALUE TO US TO HAVE HER, OR INVITE HER TO COME ON AND MAYBE GIVE A, GIVE A PRESENTATION ON SOME IDEAS THAT SHE MIGHT BE TRYING TO CHAMPION IN THE ACADEMY IN TERMS OF CURRICULUM CHANGE AND CADET TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF OUR PAST PRESENTATIONS DOES ON THE EVALUATION OF THE ACADEMY AND ALL THE DISCUSSION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE CADET CLASS, UM, AND HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST IMPROVE THAT AND REFORM THAT WITHIN APD.
I THINK THAT'D BE A GREAT SUGGESTION TO HAVE HER COME AND SHARE TO OUR COMMISSION.
I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU AND, UH, COMMISSIONER CUSTOM-MADE ON BOTH THOSE ITEMS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM A UNDER THREE, THREE, NOPE.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THREE B, WHICH IS HOW THE CPRC CAN BETTER ADDRESS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN POLICING.
[01:05:01]
AN INTERNAL CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING, UM, WITH POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE RESTRUCTURE OUR SUB COMMITTEES AND HAVE THEM BE SLIGHTLY MORE FOCUSED, UM, IN THAT DIFFERENT AREAS CAN REALLY PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS AND DIVE DEEPER INTO SOME OF THE RESEARCH AND REFORM THAT WE CAN ENACT AS A COMMISSION.UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE REALLY IMPACTFUL TO HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT FOCUSES ON OUR RESEARCH AND CAN DIVE REALLY DEEP IN THAT ANOTHER ONE THAT FOCUSES ON RACIAL EQUITY AND SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING JUST IN THE BACKGROUND SINCE WE'VE STARTED THIS COMMISSION IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE CULTURAL ISSUES THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH APD THAT HAVE COME UP FROM WHISTLE BLOWERS AND INVESTIGATIONS AND DIFFERENT THINGS WITHIN THE NEWS OF THERE'S CLEARLY CHALLENGES THERE WITH BOTH HOW OFFICERS FEEL, UM, ON THE WORKFORCE, BUT ALSO HOW THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN INTERACTED WITH AND DISPARITIES WE'VE SEEN FROM REPORTS FROM THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT.
UM, SO REALLY WANTING TO BETTER FOCUS ON THIS WORK AND POTENTIALLY RESTRUCTURE SOME OF HOW OUR COMMISSION OPERATES TO FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS AND GIVE THEM THE ATTENTION THAT WE BELIEVE THEY DESERVE.
UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS ONGOING AND WHY I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR MAIN MEETINGS SO MUCH BECAUSE IT REALLY, THAT KIND OF IS THE CATALYST AND KICKOFF, UM, WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO INVITE A LOT OF COMMUNITY GROUPS TO COME IN AND SHARE THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE CITY ON RACIAL EQUITY AND DISPARITY ISSUES.
UM, AND ALSO GIVE US A CHANCE TO FORM SOME REALLY CONCRETE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO SOME OF THAT RESEARCH HAS BEEN ONGOING WITH, UM, RYAN SUBCOMMITTEE AND APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL START TO SHARE OUT, UM, AROUND THE TIMEFRAME OF OUR TOWN HALL NEXT WEEK OF LIKE, OKAY, HOW CAN WE START TO REALLY BUILD ON THIS WORK? UM, AND IN MAY KIND OF PRESENT THAT AS WELL AS GET THAT COMMUNITY INPUT, UM, AND INVITE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT GROUPS TO COME AND SHARE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL I WILL SAY.
AND THEN, UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO SUKI TO GIVE A CHANCE TO COMMENT, AND THEN THE COMMISSION, OH, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD, BUT MAYBE JUST SOME CONTEXT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING ABOUT THE SUB-COMMITTEES.
UM, WHEN WE FIRST BECAME A COMMISSION, UM, FOR THE SAKE OF EFFICIENCY AND, UH, PRODUCTIVITY, I GUESS, UM, WE SPLIT UP INTO THREE SUB GROUPS, SUB COMMITTEES, UM, SO THAT THERE ARE, UH, THERE'S A ROLLING, UH, GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT CASE FILES.
SO NOT ALL 10 OF US HAVE TO LOOK AT A CASE FILE AT ONE TIME, THAT WAS A REAL HANGUP, UM, PREVIOUSLY, UM, AND, UH, TO HAVE 10 PEOPLE FIND THE TIME AS VOLUNTEERS TO REVIEW ALL THOSE CASE FILES.
SO THE SUBCOMMITTEE WILL GO IN AND BE OUR EYES AND EARS AND GIVE US IN DEPTH, DETAILED REPORTS OUT, UM, TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION AND THAT'S BEEN WORKING GREAT.
UM, BUT ALSO SUBCOMMITTEES ARE TAKING ON PROJECTS OF THEIR OWN, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN OTHER COMMISSIONS AROUND TOWN THAT MIGHT HAVE A WORKING GROUP ON X THING.
UM, AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER CARLINOS GROUP IS RESEARCH HEAVY.
UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING AMAZING WORK AROUND RESEARCH.
AND SO, UM, TO COMPLIMENT THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES TAKING ON, UM, SPECIFIC AREAS, UM, COMMISSIONER TURNER'S SUB COMMITTEE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT RACIAL JUSTICE WITH A MUCH, MUCH DEEPER LENS.
UM, AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
WE'LL TALK WITH, UM, THE SUBCOMMITTEE LEADS MORE IN DEPTH IN THE FUTURE ABOUT, UM, HOW WE CAN ALL, UM, WORK SEAMLESSLY ON THESE ISSUES AND BE REALLY COMMUNICATIVE.
CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE OWE THAT TO THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT US HERE AND THAT LOOKED TO US FOR GUIDANCE AND OR PRESENTATIONS.
SO THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCMAHON.
UM, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO OUR COMMISSIONERS TO GIVE COMMENT ON THIS FOR ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON IT.
I JUST HAD A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
SO THE, THE SUBCOMMITTEES WOULD THERE BE THE SUBCOMMITTEES THAT WERE BROKEN INTO TO DO CASE REVIEW, BUT THEN ALSO SUBCOMMITTEES BY TOPIC OR WOULD EACH REVIEW SUB COMMITTEE ALSO BE ASSIGNED TO TOPIC? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND HOW THE STRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD.
RIGHT? SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT KEEPING EVERYONE TOGETHER AND NOT MAKING THIS OVERLY COMPLICATED.
SO THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT YOU'RE IN, YOU WILL STAY IN THAT GROUP, BUT POTENTIALLY GET A FOCUS AND, UM, HAVE THAT WHATEVER YOUR WORKLOAD THEN IS WITH THAT
[01:10:01]
FOCUS ON RACIAL EQUITY OR RESEARCH OR WHATEVER THAT IS, HAVE THAT BE, UM, TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION FOR CASE REVIEW.SO IF YOU'RE GOING INTO A DEEP DIVE, OBVIOUSLY DO NOT WANT TO ALSO ADD ON SEVERAL CASES FOR YOUR REVIEW.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IT IS OKAY.
IF A TEAM DOESN'T HAVE A PROJECT PER SE, OR THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THAT THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON AT THAT TIME, THEN IT'LL BE BACK INTO CASES AND DOING THAT WORK AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE IS SOME TIME FOR US TO REVIEW OR TAKE ON A SPECIAL PROJECT, REALLY HAVE THAT LENS FOCUS SO THAT WE CAN PARTNER YOU WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE CITY TO GET THAT SUPPORT.
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM THREE B NOPE.
WELL, WE'VE CONTINUED TO DISCUSS THIS.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, SUBCOMMITTEE LEADS SCHOOL.
WE'LL BE HAVING A MEETING TO TALK ABOUT HOW EVERYONE CAN WORK TO THEIR STRENGTHS AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THE WORK.
UM, SO THAT IT'S MORE STREAMLINED.
AND SO THAT EVERYONE DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE ON A BIG CHUNK OF A PROJECT BECAUSE LIKE RESEARCHERS A CHUNK WRITING THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CHUNK AND LIKE MEETING WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO GATHER THEIR RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS AND GET THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
UM, ALL OF THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT A LOT TO TAKE ON JUST AS THREE PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DISTRIBUTE THAT WORKLOAD SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE COLLABORATIVE.
UM, BUT ALSO, SO IT DOESN'T FEEL SO HEAVY AND IN DOING A LOT OF THIS WORK, SO BEYOND THE LOOKOUT FOR EMAILS FROM ME, UM, AND MEETINGS THAT WILL COME UP WHERE WE WANT TO BRAINSTORM WITH EVERYONE ON WHAT ROLES WE CAN TAKE ON AND WHAT THINGS ARE OUR KEY PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE WILL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM THREE C, UM, WHICH IS A HISTORY OF RE-IMAGINING THE HISTORY OF POLICING, A PRESENTATION BY THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE.
UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE HAVING AT OUR MAIN MEETING, HOPEFULLY, AND HAVE THEM COME AND SPEAK.
UM, THEY GAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION.
UM, THE OTHERS HAVE SEEN AROUND THE CITY, SO WANTING TO BRING THAT CONTEXT TO THIS COMMISSION, UM, AS WELL AS THEIR INSIGHT AND CONTINUE OUR COLLABORATION WITH THAT TASK FORCE AS WELL.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM FROM COMMISSIONERS THAT SOUNDS SUPER HELPFUL? SO WILL IT BE LIKE JUST GENERAL, LIKE SOME, YOU KNOW, HISTORY OF AMERICAN POLICING AND THEN ALSO SOME STUFF THAT'S SPECIFIC TO AUSTIN AS WELL? I BELIEVE SO.
UM, ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT AGENDA ITEM BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD? AWESOME.
SO WE WILL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND, UM, FRANKIE, DO WE HAVE ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? THERE ARE NO SIGNUPS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CHRISTINA.
SO IF THERE ARE NO, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT, IS THERE ANY COMMENT THAT A COMMISSIONER WANTS TO MAKE BEFORE WE ADJOURN? OKAY.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY WHO CAME OUT AND VIEWED THIS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT THE POLICE CHIEF SEARCH THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'VE GOT SOME WORK AROUND RACIAL EQUITY, UM, THAT WE'RE DOING, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS OR MYSELF VIA OUR EMAIL.
UM, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE.
UM, AND I WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.