[ City-Community Reimagining Public Safety Task Force]
[00:00:02]
WELCOME TO THE APRIL MEETING OF THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE MEETING.
I AM VALERIE, YOUR PRODUCTION LEAD FOR TONIGHT, AND I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO GO OVER BEFORE WE START, UM, THE WEBINAR BEFORE THE TASK FORCE BEGINS ITS WORK.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN IN SPANISH, PLEASE LOOK FOR THE INTERPRETATION ICON AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR ZOOM SCREEN AND SELECT SPANISH.
ONCE YOU'RE IN THE LANGUAGE CHANNEL, YOU WILL HEAR THE INTERPRETER INTERPRETER'S VOICE A LITTLE LOUDER THAN THE ENGLISH SPEAKERS VOICE.
IF THAT IS DISTRACTING, YOU CAN SELECT MUTE OR ABORIGINAL AUDIO SO THAT ALL YOU WILL HEAR IS THE INTERPRETER SPEAKING SPANISH.
ALSO, PLEASE TYPE THE LETTERS E S IN FRONT OF YOUR ZOOM NAME TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE LISTENING IN SPANISH.
WOULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THIS IN SPANISH FOR ME? OF COURSE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, ONCE, ONCE AGAIN, FOR EVERYONE JUST SETTLING IN, THIS IS THE APRIL, 2021 REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE MEETING, AND I'M VALERIE HARRIS, YOUR PRODUCTION LEAD FOR TONIGHT.
JOINING ME ON THE PRODUCTION TEAM IS MARIANNA SANCHEZ TO COREY WILSON AND SALUTE GRAY.
WE ALSO HAVE SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS, JACQUELYN, ELIZABETH, AND RAQUEL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS MEETING, THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS WILL CONDUCT BUSINESS, BUT NOT TAKE TWO WOULD NOT TAKE FEEDBACK FROM THE AUDIENCE AND WILL NOT QUESTION, ANSWER QUESTIONS LIVE.
IF SO, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE TASK FORCE, YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO R P S.SUPPORT STAFF AT AUSTIN, TEXAS DOT G O V.
IF YOU HAVE TECHNICAL ISSUES AND YOU NEED TO DROP OUT OF OUR WEBINAR, OR IF YOU GET KICKED OUT OF THE WEBINAR, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME BACK THE SAME WAY THAT YOU CAN, THAT YOU ARRIVED, THAT YOU JOINED WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO JOIN, CAN BE FOUND ON THE AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV WEBPAGE.
UM, AND THAT ADDRESS IS AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV/PUBLIC SAFETY SLASH EXCUSE ME, IT'S SLASH PUBLIC SAFETY SLASH TASK DASH FORCE IN THE WHOLE ELSE FAILS.
IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, YOU CAN TUNE IN AND WATCH US ON FACEBOOK ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN FACEBOOK PAGE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION, UM, TO THESE HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. AND WITH THE FINAL REMINDER THAT THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, I GIVE YOU OVER TO THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE.
OUR TASK FORCE LEADS AND BRIAN WELCOME.
THE, THE KNEE, THIS
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I AM A MIDWIFE, I'M A MOTHER, AND I'M ALSO A REPRESENTATIVE OF CCU COMMUNITIES OF COLOR UNITED FOR RACIAL JUSTICE.
UH, I AM ALSO ONE OF THE TWO CO-CHAIRS FOR THIS TASK
[00:05:01]
FORCE.FOR THOSE OF YOU JOINING FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN FROM YOUR PRECIOUS FREE TIME TO TUNE IN WITH US TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL OUT STILL.
AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MULTITASKING, PARENTING, COOKING, AND WORKING IN OTHER WAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THIS TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO KIND OF REMIND US HOW WE GOT HERE, WHY WE ARE IN THIS PROCESS, AND THEN I WILL PASS THE MIC TO MY CO-CHAIR AND OUR FACILITATORS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JUST JOINING US, UH, I WOULD SAY THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT IN AT LEAST IN MY LIFETIME THAT, UH, NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY, THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG, UH, KIND OF CALL AN UPRISING FOR COMPLETELY RETHINKING POLICING.
AS WE KNOW IT IN THIS COUNTRY FOR, UH, SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING DEFUNDING POLICING, UH, IN THIS COUNTRY AND, UH, YEARS OF COMMUNITY WORK, UH, HERE LOCALLY AND AROUND THE COUNTRY TO CRITICALLY EXAMINE THE ROLE OF POLICING IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR ABILITY TO BE SAFE AS A RESULT OF THESE UPRISINGS, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS CONVENED THIS TASK FORCE, WHICH IS COMMUNITY CITY, UH, JOINT TASK FORCE TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE SINCE THE FALL, UH, IN MONTHLY MEETINGS, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS TO MAKE ALL OF THESE MEETINGS PUBLIC, TO MAKE THEM HAVE INTERPRETATION INTO SPANISH.
THIS IS PART OF WHAT THE EFFORT TO TRULY MAKE THIS AN ACCESSIBLE CONVERSATION TO FOLKS AT HOME.
WE BEGAN OUR PROCESS BY LOOKING AT THE HISTORY OF POLICING BEFORE WE MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WE HAVE A TIMELINE THAT LOOKS AT THE HISTORY OF POLICING, STARTING WITH COLONIZATION AND ENSLAVEMENT COMING TO 2020 IN AUSTIN, LOCALLY.
THAT IS ON THE WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, WE THEN DEVELOPED SOME VALUES TO GUIDE OUR WORK AS A TASK FORCE, WHICH IS ALSO ON THE WEBSITE.
AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN PUT THESE DOCUMENTS INTO THE FACEBOOK LIVE, UH, THAT WE'RE STREAMING, THAT WOULD BE A WAY FOR OTHER FOLKS TO SEE IT, THAT THE VALUES THAT WE DEVELOPED TOGETHER HERE ARE KIND OF OUR GUIDING COMPASS TO HELP US RE-IMAGINE TOGETHER, PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'RE NOW AT A PLACE OF, UH, FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING THE FIRST TIME OF PRESENTING PROPOSALS FROM OUR WORKING GROUPS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WORKING GROUPS THAT HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT TASKFORCE NUMBERS WHO HAVE PUT IN HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS TO THINK TOGETHER, OR, UH, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, HOW WE MIGHT REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT JUST POLICING.
UH, THOSE TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ALL THE WORKING GROUPS, OUR PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS, MANY OF THE WORKING GROUPS HAVE ALREADY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GET FEEDBACK AND INPUT INTO OUR PROPOSALS.
AND WE'VE PRIORITIZED THE EXPERIENCES AND THE VOICES OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS MOST DIRECTLY HARMED BY POLICEMEN.
BUT AFTER TODAY, WE WILL CONTINUE THAT PROCESS OF LISTENING TO FOLKS DIRECTLY IMPACTED.
AND SO WE WANT WE'RE RECORDING HERE AND YOU CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO COME BACK AND WATCH IT AND HOPEFULLY BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE TO IT.
UM, LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, TASKFORCE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UM, KIND OF THE, THE INTEGRITY OF OUR TASK FORCE HAS, HAS BEEN IN QUESTION.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THE POWER OF THIS PROCESS AND WHETHER OR NOT OUR CITY WILL TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
AND FOR ME, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL WITH US IN THIS TASK FORCE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONTINUE THE PROCESS THAT WE, UH, OUT OF OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITIES, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE EXTRA APPRECIATION TO TASKFORCE MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE TASK FORCE FOR CONTINUING THIS PROCESS WITH US.
UH, BRIAN, I'M GOING TO PASS YOU THE MIC, MY CO-CHAIR, BUT I WANTED TO ALSO LET EVERYONE KNOW ROSANNA CRUZ IS OUR FACILITATOR FOR THE EVENING.
WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER AND, UH, HAS A WAY OF WORKING MAGIC WITH TIME.
I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE TO PUT YOUR PRONOUNS IN YOUR ZOOM BOX, IF YOU HAVEN'T AND TO REMEMBER TO USE, UH, EACH OTHER'S PRONOUNS, UH, CORRECTLY.
AND SO ROSANNA'S PRONOUNS, ARE THEY IN THEM? THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE, MY PRONOUNS, ARE SHE HER AND AI? OKAY, GO FOR
[00:10:01]
IT.I'M BRIAN OAKS, CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ALSO THE CO-CHAIR FOR THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE.
I'M GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE TONIGHT.
UH, AS PAULA MENTIONED, UM, ONE OF OUR GUIDING VALUES OF OUR TASK FORCES THAT WE WROTE OURSELVES, UH, IN THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND SO TONIGHT, UH, TO GET US STARTED, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID, UH, SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, LET US ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY ON THE LAND OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OR THE TONKAWA THE APACHE, THE EAST LEFT UP WHERE BELOW THE LIPAN, APACHE, THE TEXAS BAN OF THE YAK Y AND OTHER TRAPS THAT I MAY HAVE FAILED TO NAME THESE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY GENERATIONS AND CONTINUE TO BE SYSTEMATICALLY RAISED BY POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT REMOVE THEIR HISTORIES FROM THIS PLACE.
I ALSO WANT US TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND HONOR THE ENSLAVED BLACK PEOPLE, UH, WHO BUILT THE WEALTH AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND IF YOU WANT TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT, UM, THEY ACTUALLY BUILT THE CITY'S FIRST GRID AND THE CITY'S FIRST BUILDING AS A PART OF THAT.
AND WE NEED TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE, UM, THAT STOLEN LABOR THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THEM, UH, IN HELPING TO CREATE THIS CITY.
ALSO WANT US TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES AS BEING COMPLICIT WITH THE INSTITUTION OF RACISM.
AND AS WE DO THIS WORK, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE DIFFICULT HISTORIES PERSIST AND THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES TODAY, UH, IN WHAT WE CALL RACIAL INEQUITIES OR DISPARATE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE WORKING TO UNDO, UH, LET US COMMIT TO UNDOING RACISM IN EVERY RESPECT, THESE SPACES OF OUR WORK.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS, UH, WITH US.
AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT TASKFORCE MEMBERS HAVE TO PRESENT A KNIFE THROUGH THEIR WORK IN GROUPS.
AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO RC.
CAN I JUST ASK BRIAN, UM, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE, UM, FOR THE FAITH AND ENERGY IN SHOWING UP THIS EVENING.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED AND WE HAVE A BIG TASK AHEAD OF US TO HEAR FROM ALL NINE WORKING GROUPS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY, UM, MORE THAN USUAL CONSCIOUS OF, UH, ALLOCATING TIME EQUALLY.
SO I'M GOING TO INVITE GROUPS.
UH, ONE BY ONE, THE FIRST GROUP WILL BE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKING GROUP, WHICH WILL BE, UM, THEIR PRESENTER WILL BE AT ECF
AND WHAT I'LL DO IS SET THE TIMER FOR EACH GROUP, A STOPWATCH, SO THAT WHEN YOU HIT THE FIVE MINUTE MARK, UM, YOU'RE AWARE THAT YOU'VE USED HALF YOUR TIME.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE GROUPS ARE ABLE TO SHARE SPECIFICALLY THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN CONCRETE AND ACCESSIBLE TERMS, UH, FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO IT'S OKAY IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND TO SHARE OR SOME RESEARCH DATA, BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU HIT THE LAST FIVE MINUTES OF YOUR PRESENTATION, THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO, UH, SHARE THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WILL SAY IS THAT BECAUSE WE ARE DOING ALL NINE GROUPS, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS CONSOLIDATE THE Q AND A, UM, FOR THESE, UH, GROUPS BY HAVING THE FIRST FIVE GROUPS GO FIRST, THEN WE'LL HAVE A 10 MINUTE Q AND A, FOR THOSE FIVE WORKING GROUPS, WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND THEN WE'LL DO THE FOLLOWING FOUR WORKING GROUPS AND HAVE A Q AND A FOR THOSE SESSIONS.
SO, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THAT IN SUCCESSION, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO ONLY ASK QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE FEEDBACK ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WRITE THOSE DOWN AND SEND THEM DIRECTLY TO THE TASKFORCE WORKING GROUP LEADERS.
UM, BUT FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE OF YOUR FELLOW TASK FORCE MEMBERS FOR THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS, PLEASE WRITE THOSE DOWN DURING THE PRESENTATION SO THAT YOU HAVE THEM HANDY DURING THE Q AND A SEGMENT.
AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, THIS EXERCISE AND FAITH AND HOPE AND IMAGINATION CONTINUES.
THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO EXERCISE IT.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT WE WANT TO SAY, GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS, BUT WE REALLY ASK THAT THE TASK
[00:15:01]
FORCE, UM, YOU GIVE YOUR COLLEAGUES, UM, AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.AND, UM, I'M SORRY TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN REAL TIME.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START NOW WITH ALICIA.
WE'RE GOING TO SET 10 MINUTES.
UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH, I KNOW THAT THIS DIFFERS A LITTLE BIT FROM THE TIMING THAT WE HAD, WHEREABOUTS SIX MINUTES OVER ON OUR AGENDA, BUT WE'LL ADJUST AT THE END, ALICIA, AND YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, YES, I, MY NAME IS ALICIA TORRES.
UM, I USE SHE FOR A, UH, UH, PRONOUNS AND I AM A MEMBER OF EYES FOR THE AUSTIN.
UM, AND I WILL, IF YOU GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UM, SO I WILL BE PRESENTING FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK, UH, WORK GROUP, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY WATCHING US.
UM, I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THAT THIS IS A, A FIRST DRAFT OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UM, EVERYBODY WILL BE PRESENTING.
UH, WE STILL, UM, HAVE A COMMUNITY AT LARGE LISTENING SESSION HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY, UM, WHERE THE COMMUNITY WILL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO 2%, UM, THEIR THOUGHTS ON, ON THE, ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY AND ALSO JUST OTHER INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS.
SO, UM, W R AND RECOMMENDATIONS WILL, WILL ALSO, UM, THIS RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE CHANGING AS WE SEEK TO ALSO INCORPORATE WHAT WE HEAR, UM, ON, ON SATURDAYS LISTENING SESSION.
UM, SO JUST SO THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND, UM, WHO IS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK GROUP.
UM, WE ARE COMPOSED OF, UM, MYSELF,
UM, AND I DO APOLOGIZE TO, TO MY FELLOW, UM, UH, WORK MEMBERS, IF, IF I, I MISPRONOUNCED, UM, NAMES, UM, AND REALLY WHAT I WANT TO PRESENT TO, TO, TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND TRY AND IN KEEPING WITH, UH, ENSURING THAT, UM, THE RE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THAT I'M PRESENTING ARE ACTUALLY BEING UNDERSTOOD AND ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS.
I DO WANT TO NAME, UM, THAT AS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK GROUP, UH, WE CHOSE TO FOCUS ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THAT WAS WITH ACTUAL CITY COUNCIL, UM, ITSELF, RIGHT IN PARTICULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT ENCOMPASSED THE, THE ACCESSIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE, UM, IN ACTUAL MEETINGS TO ENGAGE WITH THE MATERIALS THAT ARE OFFERED, UH, PRIOR TO A MEETING AND AFTER A MEETING AND JUST UNDERSTANDING EVEN THE CULTURE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO CENTER, UM, CHOSE TO CENTER OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THOSE, THOSE POINTS OF ACCESS.
UM, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, UM, THAT WE DID TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT.
UM, A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT MAKE UP OUR WORK GROUP, UM, OUR FOLKS THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH, UM, IMPACTED, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND KNOWING HOW, UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED BEFORE, ESPECIALLY THINGS THAT CAME UP DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT CAME UP DURING THE WINTER STORM OF THINGS THAT WE NAMED, WE WANTED TO, TO CHANGE, UM, ABOUT HOW WE ENGAGE WITH CITY COUNCIL.
SO JUST WANT TO NAME THAT WE, WE CENTERED, UM, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THAT.
UM, AND ALSO TAKING NOTE THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, HAVING TO GO FROM DEMANDING FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, DEMANDING FOR PEOPLE TO BE IN PERSON, RIGHT.
TO OFFER TESTIMONY AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY OVER THE PHONE AND HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE ENGAGEMENT RIGHT.
UH, WHEN, WHEN PROVIDING TESTIMONY WAS MADE ACCESSIBLE BY PHONE, UM, WAS MADE, UM, MORE ACCESSIBLE, RIGHT, BY ALLOWING US TO DO IT BY PHONE.
WE REALLY WANTED TO, TO CENTER RECOMMENDATIONS THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND ON, ON THAT END.
UM, AND SO BASICALLY, UM, I WANT TO OFFER THAT ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DRAFTED UP SO FAR, UH, THE WAY THAT WE WENT ABOUT, UM, IN COLLECTING, RIGHT, THE, THE GATHERING, THE INFORMATION FOR US, UM, WAS, UH,
[00:20:01]
BOTH THROUGH, WE DID PROVIDE, WE DID, UM, OFFER UP A, AN THAT LARGE, UM, LISTENING SESSION, PUBLIC LISTENING SESSION.AND WE ALSO, AS A WORK GROUP CREATED, UM, A, UM, SURVEY, UM, THAT WE SHARED OUT WITH DIFFERENT NETWORKS, UH, THAT WORK WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
SO THIS INFORMATION WAS GATHERED, UM, OR INFORMATION THAT INFORMED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WAS GATHERED IN THAT WAY.
UM, AND AGAIN, UM, AFTER WE DID THE WORK OF COLLECTING AND INTERPRETING SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, UM, WE LED IT THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO CENTER RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY, BUT THAT MEANING INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES, UM, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATIONS, MEANING LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE PUBLICIZE, UM, INFORMATION, UM, AND THEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND WE WANTED TO, TO CENTER THIS MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS AS THE, AS THE, UH, WORK GROUP, UM, SO THAT CITY COUNCIL COULD, UH, IMPLEMENT, UM, HOPEFULLY IF THEY TAKE ALL OF THIS RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, A BETTER WAY TO, TO ENGAGE, UM, WITH THE CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY REPRESENT FOUR MINUTES LEFT.
UM, I'LL GO BRIEFLY INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, WHICH, UH, THE FIRST ONE WAS REALLY PRIORITIZING COMMUNITY ACCESS, UM, RIGHT.
TO, TO THE DECISION PROCESS, TO THE DECISIONS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING IN MEETINGS BY PRIOR TYCENE COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT IS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE, UM, WITH THE DIVERSITY OF CULTURES, ACCESSIBILITY, AND LANGUAGES.
SO I REALLY WANT TO ECHO THAT, UM, RIGHT.
A LOT OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REALLY CENTURY, UM, A CHANGE IN PROCESSES, A CHANGE IN ENGAGEMENT, UM, ON PART OF, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TOWARDS, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UH, BY NOTING THAT WE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ASKING RIGHT.
AND, UM, THAT, THAT IS CULTURALLY, UM, ACCESSIBLE AND LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE.
SO, UH, WE WANTED MORE PAID FOLKS ARE ASKING, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT OUTREACH TO BE DONE AND MORE BY PAID COMMERCIALS, TV, RADIO, SOCIAL MEDIA, THINGS THAT ARE SO THAT ARE NOT SO MUCH TECH DEPENDENT.
UM, AND, UH, THERE'S ALSO, UM, I WON'T GO INTO EVERY SINGLE DETAIL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THEN I WOULD JUST BE READING THEM.
UM, ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, A RECOMMENDATION NUMBER, NUMBER TWO REALLY FOCUSES ON, UM, ALLOWING A LESS INTRUSIVE, UH, WAY OF, UH, FOLK FOR FOLKS TO REGISTER, TO SIGN UP, TO SPEAK, UM, SUCH AS ALLOWING, UM, UH, REGISTERED SPEAKERS TO TESTIFY IN WHICHEVER FORMAT THEY CHOOSE.
SO EXPANDING, YOU KNOW, UM, TESTIMONY TO SUBMITTING VIDEO, AUDIO VOICEMAILS, WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR FOLKS TO CALL IN, UM, ELIMINATING SOME OF THE BARRIERS, UH, FOR HAVING TO REQUEST LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION, UM, AND INSTEAD HAVING THEM BE MADE AVAILABLE AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING, UM, CREATING A PROCESS THAT ENSURES RIGHT, THAT, UH, ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, UH, TESTIMONY SUBMISSIONS HAVE, HAVE GONE ON AND BEEN INCLUDED IN THE, UH, IN THE ACTUAL RECORD AND FOR THAT PROCESS TO ALSO, UH, BE MADE, UM, MADE OPEN SO THAT I CAN GO IN AND CHECK IF MY, TO ENSURE THAT MY, UM, TESTIMONY WASN'T WE DID INDEED GO ON THE POLO RECORD.
UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, UM, WE INCLUDED IN THERE, UH, A FOUR PROCESS, UM, THAT FOR COUNCIL TO REQUIRE THAT BEFORE EACH COUNCIL VOTE TAKES PLACE, IT IS PUBLICLY NAMED HOW MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS REGISTERED OR SPOKE, UH, AGAINST OR IN FAVOR OF, UM, RIGHT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, JUST IN, IN THE, IN ONE EXAMPLE, RIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS, WE'LL SAY 370 PEOPLE THAT REGISTERED AGAINST THE ITEM, THE COUNCIL IS VOTING UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE.
SO JUST CHANGES IN PROCESSES THAT ALLOW FOR MORE CLARITY IN WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A COUNCIL MEETING, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE, UM, THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON CREATING AN ASKING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS CREATE, UM, MORE PROCESSES TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS, UM, IN BETWEEN COUNCIL MEETINGS, NOT JUST AFTER OR PRIOR A BIG COUNCIL MEETING, RIGHT, BUT IN BETWEEN COUNCIL MEETINGS, THERE NEEDS TO BE ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT.
UM, ENGAGEMENT THAT INCLUDES, UH, A, A PRESENTATION OR SOMETHING
[00:25:01]
ALONG EIGHT, A TOWN HALL THAT ALLOWS FOR A Q AND A WHERE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE LETTING THEIR CONSTITUENTS KNOW, HEY, I'M SPONSORING THIS ITEM, OR I AM CO-SPONSORING THIS ITEM, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS MORE CONCRETE AND ESTABLISHED THEM IN PROCESS, UM, AND, AND HONORING AGAIN, UH, COMMUNITY CENTERED WAYS OF, OF COMMUNICATION, UM, IN THOSE SPACES.UM, AND THEN THE, THE FINAL, UM, RECOMMENDATION IS ALSO, UH, ALLOWING FOR, UM, PUSHING FOR CITY COUNCIL TO, TO DEVELOP, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TIMELY W FOR TIMELY RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES.
UM, ONE OF, UH, THAT WAS A BIG THING FOR, FOR FOLKS, RIGHT.
JUST EVEN ENGAGING WITH WHAT, UM, THE COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA WAS, WAS HARD FOR, FOR FOLKS TO, TO, TO FIND AND TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO WE REALLY WANTED TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF AN OPT-IN EMAIL SERVICE, WHERE CONSTITUENTS WOULD GET THE AGENDA RIGHT.
AND ACCESS TO, TO A LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE AGENDA AND AN, A LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE, UH, MESSAGE BOARD.
UM, SO DOES IT JUST, UH, I ENDED UP PROBABLY GOING TO SHOW THEM MY TIME.
THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE RICK OUTWARD RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND AGAIN, HOPING TO INCORPORATE MUCH MORE FROM WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM FOLKS, UM, AT THIS SATURDAY'S LISTENING SESSION, WHICH WE, AS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK GROUP ARE REALLY WANTING TO CENTER THE VOICES RIGHT.
OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND THOSE VOICES, UM, THAT, UM, SHOULD BE THE CENTER OF, OF THIS CONVERSATION.
DOES IT HAVE BEEN MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE VIOLENCE OF, OF, OF THE SYSTEMS, UM, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, I'M GOING TO JUST REMIND US THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SATURDAY AFTER THE SECOND BREAK.
SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU, AND I WANT TO INVITE BOLA.
ARE YOU PRESENTING FOR THE EQUITY RE-INVESTMENT GROUP? I AM.
I'M GOING TO RESTART YOUR TIMER.
THIS IS BILATERAL HAS AGAIN, SHE, HER AREA, AND I'M A REPRESENTATIVE OF CCU.
UH, I'M PRESENTING FOR THE COMMUNITY EQUITY REINVESTMENT WORKING GROUP.
I WANTED JUST TO NAME OUR TASKS, OUR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, EH, MONICA GUZMAN.
WHO'S ALSO ON THE TASK FORCE WITH ME AND OTHERS WHO ARE NOT ON THE TASK FORCE.
MY DISAPPEARED, ALICE, ANDREA BLACK, LES CORTEZ ALVAREZ NIKA OUR NOTE, AMY MADORIE
AND REGARDING THAT, I, UM, THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE WORKING REALLY HARD TO DEVELOP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, WE BELIEVE CRIMINALITY AND VIOLENCE STEM FROM SYSTEMIC FAILURES TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY WELLBEING IN A UNIVERSAL AND NONDISCRIMINATORY WAY.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT VIOLENCE OCCURS NOT ONLY INTERPERSONALLY, BUT ALSO FROM STRUCTURAL NEGLECT AND OPPRESSION, AS WE HAVE ALL OBSERVED DURING THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
ALSO THE RECENT WINTER STORM AND REGULARLY IN THE CITY'S LACK OF LOW COST HOUSING, ADEQUATE INTERVENTIONS TO PROTECT FLOOD-PRONE PROPERTY AND RESPONSE TO LOSS OF WAGES.
WE CALL FOR THE CITY TO HALT INVESTMENT IN THE VIOLENT AND OPPRESSIVE PRACTICES OF POLICING.
AND TO PIVOT THOSE DEDICATED RESOURCES, TO REIMAGINE SERVICES, DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES BY GROUNDING OURSELVES IN THE HISTORY OF POLICING IN THE US AND IN AUSTIN, WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE HISTORICAL ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A MECHANISM TO PROTECT PROPERTY AND WEALTH THROUGH THE USE OF VIOLENCE.
THE U S BECAME THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD VIA INTENTIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF EXPLOITATION AND GENOCIDE.
THE CURRENT RACIAL WEALTH DIVIDE IN OUR COUNTRY IS NOT BY ACCIDENT.
THE SYSTEM OF RACIAL CAPITALISM HAS CEMENTED A RACIAL HIERARCHY IN ALL MARKERS OF LIFE, INCLUDING OUR HEALTH, OUR INCOME, OUR WEALTH AND OTHER AREAS WITH WHITE COMMUNITIES AT THE TOP BLACK COMMUNITIES AT THE BOTTOM AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN BETWEEN TODAY IN AUSTIN, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES OF POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND HOUSING INSECURITY RELATED HISTORICAL PRACTICES, SUCH AS RED LINING AND HOUSING DISCRIMINATION HAVE RESULTED IN GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATIONS OF POVERTY THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR RIGHT HERE
[00:30:01]
IN AUSTIN, BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOCUS ON THESE GEOGRAPHIC COMMUNITIES.SO WHAT WE FOUND IS THERE IS BOTH A NEED FOR IMMEDIATE DIRECT ECONOMIC SUPPORT FOR AUSTIN RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN MADE THE MOST VULNERABLE AND ARE FACING CRITICAL NEEDS, AS WELL AS LONG-TERM AND SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY EQUITY.
SO WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SPEAK TO BOTH.
UM, NUMBER ONE, UH, THE CITY, WE, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY INVEST AT LEAST 10 MILLION FROM THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FROM THE RE-IMAGINING FUND TO BE USED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF 10 NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE, AND COVID CASES, UH, AS WELL AS NEED FOR BASIC ASSISTANCE ON CALLS TO TWO, ONE, ONE AT ANY POINT, TELL ME HOW MANY MINUTES I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I'M OKAY.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU AT THE HALFWAY POINT.
UH, WE ALSO RECOMMEND THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGICALLY LOCATED NEIGHBORHOOD HUBS IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THEM MANAGED BY LOCAL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY'S EQUITY OFFICE IN COLLABORATION WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, OUR VISION IS THAT THESE HUBS WOULD DO THE FOLLOWING ONE, OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF A GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTS IN THE HUBS, IN THE FORM OF DIRECT RECURRING CASH PAYMENTS.
UH, WE ALSO SEE THAT DIRECT NEW AND EXISTING CITY RESOURCES TO THESE NEIGHBORHOOD HUBS IS ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION.
SO, UH, CURRENT EXISTING CITY RESOURCES FROM A NUMBER OF BUCKETS THAT WE EXPLAINED LATER IN THE PROPOSAL, WE WANT TO, UH, TARGET TO THESE NEIGHBORHOOD HUBS WITH SHORT-TERM PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED VIA A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS THAT INCLUDES MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT BY RESIDENTS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND A COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY TO INVEST AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN TO $9 MILLION ANNUALLY PER HUB, BASED ON THE SIZE AND THE NEED OF EACH HUB TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS, TO IDENTIFY LONGER TERM NEEDS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO PRIORITIZE HOW THE FUNDS ARE SPENT, UH, IN TER IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT WAIT POINT.
I THINK I WON'T NEED ALL MY TIME, SO I'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE SOME BACK THEN, UM, IN ORDER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CHOOSE THE HUBS.
UM, WE WANT TO LOOK AT, UH, WE RECOMMEND FOLLOWING DATA SETS TO BE USED TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE THE NEIGHBORHOODS, LOOKING AT THE OVER-POLICING, THE DATA OF POLICING CONCENTRATED SURVEILLANCE PATROL BY, BY APD.
ALSO THE DATE OF CALLS TO TWO, ONE, ONE BY ZIP CODE AND CALL TYPE A, THE DATA ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATES ON POVERTY AND LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, LOOKING ALSO AT THE CENTRAL HEALTH 2020 DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT, WHICH INCLUDES DATA ON ASTHMA, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, C O P D DIABETES, HEART FAILURE, HYPERTENSION AND INSURANCE COVERAGE.
WE ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT HOUSING INSECURITY SUCH AS THOSE IDENTIFIED AND THE UP ROOTED REPORT THAT ARE TO IDENTIFY THE AREAS THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT.
WE WANT TO ALSO LOOK AT THE AREAS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING THE AREAS, LACKING TREE CANOPY COVERAGE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE, UH, NEAR BROWNFIELD BROWN FIELDS, LANDFILLS RECYCLING, AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES, UH, THE DATA AROUND FOOD INSECURITY, THE AREAS THAT LACK ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD OR GROCERY STORES REFERENCED IN THE RECENT TEXAS APPLESEED REPORTS.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT THE PREDATORY LOAN, UH, LOCATION, UH, UH, SITES AROUND THE CITY AND LOOKING AT THE COVID DATA, BUT THE DATA ON NEW CASES, MORTALITY RATES, TESTING SITES, UH, AVAILABILITY AS WELL.
SO, UH, IT'S, UH, A COMBINATION OF PROPOSALS.
SOME THAT I'LL, I'LL JUST GO TO THE BUDGET REAL QUICK, UH, THAT FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, IT ADDS UP TO A LITTLE $11 MILLION, 10 MILLION TO GO TO THESE 10 COMMUNITIES AND 1 MILLION TO ESTABLISH 10 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH POTENTIAL HUBS TO START TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
[00:35:01]
SO THAT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UH, $44 MILLION.THAT WOULD BE INCLUDING STAFFING ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAMMING FOR FIVE NEIGHBORHOOD HUBS, OR POSSIBLY MORE THAN FIVE BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT OF THE DATA TO HAVE ONE CITY LIAISON WHO WOULD WORK BETWEEN THE HUBS AND, UH, THE CITY EQUITY OFFICE, UH, AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ALSO HAVE FUNDS FOR THE EQUITY OFFICE TO HIRE, UH, TWO STAFF PEOPLE TO OVERSEE THIS PROGRAM, UH, AND 12 MILLION TO GO TO THESE PILOT OF GUARANTEED INCOME, WHICH IF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING MANY CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH, UH, GIVING FAMILIES A GUARANTEED MONTHLY INCOME AND ARE HAVING A REALLY POSITIVE RESULTS.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE 12 MILLION TO GO TOWARDS THAT.
AND FROM THERE 30 MILLION TO BE FOR A COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND THAT HAS BOTH, BOTH A LOAN PROGRAM TO SUPPORT EXISTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS PIECES THAT WOULD GO FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR HOME REPAIR, EVICTION PREVENTION AND OTHER UNFORESEEN EMERGENCIES, UH, FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE, HOME AND CAR REPAIR, ET CETERA, AND TO CONTINUE THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
I WILL, UH, OH, LASTLY, WE, UH, IN, IN ADDITION TO ADVANCING OUR GOAL, WE SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH RE-INVESTMENT WORKING GROUP.
THAT'S ANOTHER WORKING GROUP REGARDING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, NETWORK AND TRAINING HUB.
WE THINK THAT'S VERY ALIGNED WITH THE EQUITY REINVESTMENT, UH, VISION THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE'D LIKE TO KIND OF SECOND AND UPLIFT THE PUBLIC HEALTH REINVESTMENT WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION.
JESSICA JOHNSON FROM THE NINE ONE ONE WORKING GROUP TO PRESENT EVERYBODY.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HERS? I'M AN ATTORNEY AT TEXAS FAIR DEFENSE PROJECT AND A PART OF THE NINE 11 WORKING GROUP OF THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE.
OUR WORKING GROUP HAS INCLUDED PRISCILLA, HAIL MYSELF, CHAZ MOORE, SUE GABRIEL, CHRIS HARRIS, CARRIE ROBERTS, RODNEY SIGNS, KATE GRAZIANO, HALEY EASILY.
KRISTIN LINELLE, KATHY MITCHELL, DON HANDILY, MATT SIMPSON, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, JEN MARGOLYES KAY, STELLAR DUTCHER, RACHEL SHANNON AND HILDA GUTIERREZ.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS LARGELY CENTERED ON THE, ON INCREASING THE ACCESSIBILITY OF FIRST RESPONSE AND A VARIETY OF WAYS.
ACCORDING TO A 2019 STUDY, AUSTIN HAS THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA, EXCUSE ME, PER CAPITA RATE OF POLICE SHOOTINGS DURING MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AMONG THE 15 LARGEST US CITIES WITH THAT BACKGROUND, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT RECKONING THAT OUR COUNTRY FACES WITH REGARDS TO POLICE BRUTALITY, MANY ARE AFRAID OR UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO USE EXISTING FIRST RESPONSE STRUCTURES THAT COULD BE TO THE DISPATCH OF POLICE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE RECOGNIZE THAT MORE EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO MAKE EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACCESSIBLE FOR CALLERS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT SPECIFICALLY TIED TO THE NINE ONE ONE, UM, TO THE FIRST RESPONSE IN OUR CITY ALSO ADDRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUED ROBUST COMMUNITY INPUT ON REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY BEYOND THE END OF THE TASK FORCE, WHENEVER THAT MAY BE.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS CONSISTS OF 10 DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE FIRST HAS TO DO WITH REMOVING ANY STRUCTURAL BARRIERS THAT PREVENT A FULLY FUNDED MENTAL HEALTH, FIRST RESPONSE AND COMMUNITY ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH.
FIRST RESPONSE, INDEPENDENT FROM POLICE BASED ON A PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD WITH CITY STAFF.
IT WAS CLEAR THAT, UM, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONDERS CAN RESPOND TO.
WE ALSO, AS A GROUP, WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S, IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NINE ONE ONE, UH, THAT NINE ONE ONE WILL BE DECOUPLED FROM APD, BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN APPRISED OF WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS, AND THAT WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
UM, WHATEVER THE CURRENT STATUS IS.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT NINE ONE, ONE CALLERS ARE NOW TO BE GIVEN, UH, THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS, EMS, FIRE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND POLICE.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, WE ARE ASKING FOR ANY STRUCTURAL BARRIERS THAT CURRENTLY EXIST.
AND WHILE WE MAY NOT BE PRIVY TO ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS THAT WOULD PREVENT,
[00:40:01]
UM, MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONSE FROM BEING ABLE TO RESPOND INDEPENDENTLY POLICE.UH, THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE IS SPECIFICALLY THAT, UH, NINE 11 OPERATORS AND FIRST RESPONDERS SHOULD RECEIVE APPROPRIATE TRAINING WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PRIORITIZING THE RESPONSE TO AND NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OVER RESPONDING TO NON-VIOLENT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN OUR CITY.
WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE'S NEEDS SHOULD BE MET FIRST BEFORE BEING CONCERNED WITH ANY SORT OF NON-VIOLENT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
UM, OUR THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CITY SHOULD FUND A COMMUNITY RUN NON POLICE FIRST RESPONSE OUTSIDE OF THE NINE 11 SYSTEM.
AND SO THIS IS IN LEARNING FROM CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SUCH AS SACRAMENTO, WHERE THEY HAVE THE MENTAL HEALTH FIRST RESPONSE PROGRAM THAT FUNCTIONS OUTSIDE OF NINE ONE, ONE, UH, CURRENTLY IN AUSTIN, UH, THIS SERVICE EXISTS THROUGH 10,000 FEARLESS FIRST RESPONDERS, AND WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY SHOULD FULLY RESOURCES GROUP AND OTHERS LIKE IT TO ALLOW THEM TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AUTONOMOUS AND ABLE TO BE SUSTAINED.
UM, WE SPECIFICALLY ARE RECOMMENDING THAT, UM, POLICE SHOULD NOT BE RESPONDING TO THINGS THAT ARE NON CRIME.
AND ACCORDING TO A REPORT RELEASED IN JULY, 2020 REGARDING NINE 11 CALLS, ONLY 21% OF NINE 11 CALLS PERTAIN TO CRIME.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY RESPONSE IT'S ABLE TO RESPOND TO, UH, THE MAJORITY OF CALLS THAT ARE COMING TO NINE 11 THAT DO NOT INVOLVE, UM, OUR FOURTH RECOMMENDATION CENTERS ON AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ENSURING LANGUAGE ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AND EMERGENCY CALL RESPONSE CENTERS.
UM, THAT INCLUDES THAT TEXT MESSAGING SHOULD BE ADDED AS AN OPTION TO ACCESS EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
UM, RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, ASIAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY AVOID USING NINE ONE ONE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AND ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE CALLING PROCEDURES.
AND SO, UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONSE IS ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
I SEE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY SHOULD UNDERTAKE A MULTILINGUAL PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS REGARDING APPROPRIATE EMERGENCY SERVICE USE.
UM, OVER RELIANCE ON POLICE TO RESPOND TO CRISES HAVE LED TO THE MURDER OF MANY AUSTIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SUCH AS MIKE RAMOS AND DAVID JOSEPH AUSTINITES SHOULD BE EDUCATED ON THE VARIOUS EMERGENCY SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM AS WELL AS HOW THEY WORK.
AND AUSTIN, I SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE OF THE PROCESS FOR LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION WHEN THEY CALL NINE ONE ONE FOUR MINUTES.
UM, OUR SIX RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD CONDUCT A REGULAR AND ONGOING INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE CALLS AS WELL AS A LINGUISTICALLY AND CULTURAL ACCESSIBLE CULTURALLY ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY SURVEY, REQUESTING RESIDENTS OPINIONS REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE CALLS.
THIS RECOMMENDATION SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO THAT THE PROCESS OF GETTING FEEDBACK FOR HOW THE SERVICES ARE BEING USED SHOULD BE ONGOING SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WEATHER, WHATEVER OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR AUSTINITES ARE ACTUALLY SERVING ALL AUSTINITES AND ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL LAST NIGHT.
UM, OUR SEVENTH RECOMMENDATION IS TO REMOVE ANY REFERENCE TO, OR UNFOUNDED TRAINING ON SOMETHING CALLED AN AGITATED CHAOTIC EVENT OR EXCITED DELIRIUM, WHICH HAS FOUND, UH, IF IT MAY BE IN THE CRISIS CALL CURRICULUM.
UM, AND THEN ALSO EXAMINE IF THE REFERENCES FOR THIS APPEAR IN THE APD ACADEMY OR GENERAL ORDERS.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR TERM, UM, IS A PSEUDO SYNDROME THAT HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE BOTH INCORRECT AND UNRECOGNIZED BY THE AMA, THE APA AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
AND IT HAS ALSO BEEN LINKED TO RACIAL BIAS AGAINST BLACK MEN IN PARTICULAR.
UM, SO OUR LAST COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, SO YES, OUR LAST TWO RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFICALLY INVOLVE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT THE CITY SHOULD SUPPORT A SECOND PHASE OF RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY THAT ALLOWS FOR TRANSPARENT AND THOUGHTFUL COMMUNITY INPUT.
UM, AND THAT LEADS TOWARDS EFFECTIVE RESULTS FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE.
WE, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SHORT AND HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FULLY, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, EXCUSE ME, I WILL SLOW DOWN.
UM, THE, THE LENGTH OF THE PROCESS HAS MADE IT SUCH THAT, UM, RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY IS A VERY DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TASK IN SUCH A SHORT TIMELINE.
AND SO WE RECOMMEND THAT THIS PROCESS OR A PROCESS, UM, AND OTHER, ANOTHER PROCESS THAT, UH, ALLOWS FOR COMMUNITY
[00:45:01]
MEMBERS TO HAVE INPUT ON REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY CONTINUES BEYOND WHENEVER THIS TASKFORCE.YES, AND OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION IS ALSO ALONG THOSE SAME LINES.
AND SPECIFICALLY THAT THE TIMELINE FOR AN AUTHENTIC THOUGHTFUL REORGANIZATION PROCESS IS MUCH LONGER THAN SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS AND THE PROCESS OF REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND REINVISIONING HOW RESOURCES ARE USED TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARE LONG-TERM PROJECTS AND SHOULD BE INVESTED IN, UM, ON A LONG-TERM BASIS.
UM, AND THEN ONE FINAL RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CITY SHOULD BUDGET A ROLE FOR THE EQUITY OFFICE IN ASSESSING PLANS FOR AN IMPLEMENTATION OF NON-POLICE CRISIS RESPONSE.
AND AGAIN, WE JUST ARE EMPHASIZING THAT IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT NON-POLICE CRISIS RESPONSE FULLY SERVES BLACK PEOPLE, LATINO PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, UM, SPECIFICALLY COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO VARIOUS SERVICES IN AUSTIN.
SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR RESPONSE, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NINE 11 WORK GROUP.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO INVITE THE PUBLIC HEALTH REINVESTMENTS WORKING GROUP TO PRESENT WHO TO BE.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF, I THINK SO MUCH R C UM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE THINKING OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH REINVESTMENTS WORK GROUP.
I'M A MEMBER OF THIS WORK GROUP, AND I REPRESENT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR UNITED FOR RACIAL JUSTICE.
SO I DON'T SIT ON THE TASK FORCE JUST TO CALL IT THE NAMES OF THE AMAZING COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES THAT SAT ON THIS, UH, WORK GROUP.
UH, JOANNA SAUCEDO, BRIAN GARCIA, CHRIS HARRIS, AARON FERGUSON, AND ESQUITH THIS SHANNON JONES, JOSHUA ROBINSON, RACHEL LEE, JENNA NESBIT, MARIANNE MCDOWELL STAY HELD PATEL WITH SUPPORT FROM RICOTTA THAT I
ACTUALLY, THERE WERE A FEW TEXTS TASKFORCE PEOPLE ON HERE.
I THINK SO PUBLIC HEALTH IS, IS THE PRACTICE OF PROTECTING AND CULTIVATING HUMAN WELLBEING.
AND THAT IS CENTRAL TO CENTRAL TO THAT IS RECOGNIZING THAT RACISM, SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITY, GENDER, AND AGE DISCRIMINATION, RACIST LAWS, POLICING, UM, HATRED AND IGNORANCE ARE THE FOUNDATIONAL CAUSES OF HEALTH INEQUITY.
SO AS WE THINK ABOUT PURSUING HEALTHY POPULATIONS AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES, PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES LOOK AT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
THEY IDENTIFY DISPARITIES AND THE HARMFUL STRUCTURES THAT CREATE INEQUALITY AND THEY IMPLEMENT PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY ACCESSIBLE AND CULTURALLY INFORMED CARE.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT STRATEGIES THAT IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES, THAT IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO CHANGE.
IT'S THE INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THE PEOPLE.
SO HOW DO WE INCREASE THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT, AND REDUCE THE RISK FACTORS SO THAT, UM, FOR THESE POOR HEALTH AND SAFETY OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, WE ARE CONSTANTLY IMAGINING RE-IMAGINING WITHIN PUBLIC HEALTH, ALL ALTERNATIVES TO POLICING AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSES.
IF WE CAN THINK ABOUT IT AS AN OPPOSITE OF A CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSE, A PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE CAN OFFER US THAT.
SO TO THIS END, WE HAVE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS WORK GROUP.
AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN REALLY BE SEEN IN CONCERT WITH THE, THE EQUITY REINVESTMENT WORK GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY SUPPORTS AND ADVANCE EQUITY IN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL AS OUTCOME.
SO THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS TO INVEST IN A SUBSTANTIAL COHORT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS OR CHWS OR
UM, BUT WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN A SUBSTANTIAL COHORT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND ESTABLISHING A NETWORK OR A TRAINING HUB AND TRAINING HUB WILL BE ESSENTIAL FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE AHEAD OF US.
REPLACING POLICE WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IS IN MOST HEAVILY POLICED COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN HAS MANY
[00:50:01]
POTENTIAL BENEFITS.CHWS ARE BASICALLY FRONTLINE, PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS.
WE HAVE MANY OF THEM AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT EXPANDING THEM CAN GIVE US A LOT.
THEY HAVE, THEY ARE FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE WORKING IN.
THEY HAVE CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, AND BECAUSE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS, THEY SERVE AS TRUSTED LIAISONS BETWEEN HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THEY FACILITATE IT ACCESS TO SERVICES AND IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVERY.
AND RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND REDUCE COSTS, IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IN THIS CONVERSATION, REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES, CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE OF COLOR IN AUSTIN TO HAVE MEANINGFUL DIGNIFIED JOBS WITH COMPETITIVE SALARIES WILL BE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ACHIEVING EQUITY AND BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE CITY.
THIS CAN CREATE A, OR BUILDING A COHORT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS CAN CREATE A PIPELINE TO REPLACE THE ONE THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
FUNNELING PEOPLE OF COLOR INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT, APD RESOURCES CAN AND MUST BE REINVESTED IN PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE THAT REFLECTS THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT.
MOST COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY'RE PART OF A NETWORK OF OTHER COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, AND THEY WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
SO ESTABLISHING A HUB FOR REGULAR AND FREE LOW COST TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION WILL PROVIDE A RESOURCE FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THEIR SKILLS AND RECEIVE THE SUPPORT AND REFLECTIVE SUPERVISION THAT'S NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL BURNOUT OR VICARIOUS STRESS THEY MAY EXPERIENCE IN SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY.
SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT? YOU HAVE FIVE.
RESOURCES HAVE TO BE MULTILINGUAL.
AND IN THIS INVESTMENTS, WE MUST INVEST IN TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION.
SO WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO FUND A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER PILOT PROGRAM TO HIRE 50 COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT OF AUSTIN, UM, THAT THAT'S SO HEAVILY POLICED ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER NETWORK AND TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION HUB, AND COMMIT TO BUILDING A MUCH LARGER COHORT BY 2025 OF A THOUSAND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
MY SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS TO IN THE SECOND AND THIRD ARE RELATED.
SO I'LL TALK ABOUT THEM TOGETHER TO INVEST.
UM, AND METHADONE INVEST IN METH.
MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT, PARTICULARLY METHADONE PROGRAMS, METHOD, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT, OR MAT IS A PROVEN, UH, PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE USING OR MISUSING DRUGS THAT ARE GOVERNED BY OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAMS. IT'S THE FACT THAT IT'S FDA APPROVED AND IT'S THE, UM, AND IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR, UH, HELPING PEOPLE OR HELPING COMMUNITIES REDUCE DRUG USE OVERDOSES AS WELL AS, UM, INFECTIOUS DISEASE ACQUISITION.
AND IT'S EXTREMELY COST EFFECTIVE COMPARED TO THE, THE HOW MUCH CAN WE SPEND ON USING PUBLIC SERVICES.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO OPEN TO ADDITIONAL, UM, TREATMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE CO-LOCATED WITH THE HARM REDUCTION IN CENTER AND FUND PERSON CENTERED METHADONE TREATMENT.
THAT'S CONNECTED TO THIS IS TO EXPAND AND FUND EXISTING HARM REDUCTION SERVICES IN ORDER TO BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NAVIGATING SUBSTANCE USE AND MISUSE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND HOMELESSNESS, WE MUST EXPAND AND FUND EXISTING HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, SUCH AS SYRINGE ACCESS DROP-IN CENTERS, ACCESSIBLE DETOX AND HOUSING FIRST PROGRAMS, AND ADOPT ADDITIONAL INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS OVERDOSE, OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES, MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPITE CENTERS TO BROADEN THE HARM REDUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT AUSTIN HAS AND OFFER ALTERNATIVE PEER RUN NON-PUNITIVE SETTINGS AND SUPPORTS.
SO THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO OPEN TWO ADDITIONAL DROP IN CENTERS, ONE IN NORTH AUSTIN, ONE IN SOUTH AUSTIN CO LOCATED WITH AN WITH OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND TO CREATE A HARM REDUCTION HOUSING FIRST PROGRAM, BECAUSE HOUSING INSECURITY INCREASES THE RISK OF OVERDOSE DEATHS, HIV, HEPATITIS C, AS WELL AS A HOST OF OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES.
AND FINALLY, THE LAST RECOMMENDATION IS TO INVEST IN A TRAUMA INFORMED ASSESSMENT PROCESS WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WHEN SURVIVORS OF TRAUMA SEEK HEALTHCARE SERVICES OR SEEK PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS, THEY ARE SOMETIMES FACED WITH FURTHER RETRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCES AND UNDERSTANDING THE, THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN TRAUMA HEALTH OUTCOMES AND PATIENT BEHAVIOR IS ESSENTIAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES AND
[00:55:01]
MITIGATE THE HARM OF OPPRESSIVE PRACTICES LIKE EXCESSIVE POLICING.SO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO INVEST IN BUILDING A ROBUST TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND TOOL WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
THERE ARE MANY MODELS THAT WE CAN RELY ON FROM SAN FRANCISCO AND THE FEDERAL SUBSTANCE USE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, AND TO ESTABLISH A FUND FOR ONGOING TRAINING WITHIN, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ON TRAUMA INFORMED CARE AND HEALING CENTERED ENGAGEMENT.
THESE KINDS OF THESE KINDS OF APPROACHES FROM COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE, TO DIRECT, UH, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE NOT ONLY REDUCE THE NEED ON THE STREET, BUT ACTUALLY REPLACE THE POLICE ON THE STREET.
THAT IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE IN COMMUNITIES.
COMMUNITIES HAVE TOLD US THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND THESE ARE SOME, UH, WELL-RESEARCHED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN OFFER THAT WE'RE PROUD TO OFFER FROM OUR WORKING GROUP.
NEXT UP IS KATHY MITCHELL WITH, UH, PATROL AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS WORKING GROUP.
HI, EXCUSE ME, I'M A LITTLE LESS SEAMLESS.
I NEED TO PULL UP THE DOCUMENT ONE MOMENT WHILE YOU'RE PULLING THAT UP.
AFTER THIS PRESENTATION, WE'LL TAKE 10 MINUTES FOR Q AND A AT THE END OF THAT 10 MINUTES, WE'LL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
UH, WHEN WE COME BACK FROM THE BREAK PATROL AND SURVEILLANCE WORKING GROUP WILL PRESENT AN AFTER PATROL AND SURVEILLANCE WE'LL HAVE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE PRESENTERS FOR THE OTHER WORKING GROUPS, PLEASE MESSAGE ME AND LET ME KNOW.
SO I CAN, UM, CALL YOU BY NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO PRESENT.
AM I GOOD? SO I'M GOING TO START JUST WITH KIND OF AN OVER VIEW STATEMENT, UM, OF MY OWN, I GUESS, THAT, UM, PART OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD, AND WE NEED TO HAVE MANY MORE IN MY VIEW, UM, WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE IDEA THAT, UM, IN ADDITION TO POLICE DOING THINGS THAT OTHER STAFF MAY BE BETTER AT DOING, WHICH IS A LOT OF WHAT YOU'VE JUST HEARD, UH, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT MAYBE POLICE DON'T NEED TO BE DOING AT ALL.
AND THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THIS BUDGETARY PROCESS OVER THE PAST FOREVER IS THAT WE'VE NEVER LOOKED DEEPLY INTO THIS GIANT CHUNK OF MONEY.
YOU KNOW, THIS $400 MILLION THAT GOES TO POLICE HAS BEEN SORT OF SUBJECT TO THE MOST, UH, FACILE TERMS OF DEBATE.
UM, HOW MANY OFFICERS PER THOUSAND POPULATION WITHOUT ASKING WHAT THE OFFICERS ARE DOING, OR, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH TIME OFFICERS SPEND ON COMMUNITY POLICING WITHOUT REALLY INTERROGATING WHETHER THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR THIS POLICING OR WHAT AGAIN, WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE STARTED WALKING DOWN A ROAD WHERE WE'VE LOOKED AT BITS AND PIECES OF IT, AND WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK MORE HOLISTICALLY, BUT I WANT TO START WITH SOME THINGS THAT I THINK WE'VE FOUND PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UH, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE LAKE PATROL SHOULD BE SWITCHED TO EMS OR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT LIKE PATROL ENFORCES STATE LAWS AND CITY ORDINANCES ON 28 MILES OF WATERWAY, ALONG WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, LIKE PATROL THE LCRA RANGERS AND TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAPPING POLICING HERE.
APD OPERATES SEVEN BOATS WITH 10 FTES AT A COST OF $1.4 MILLION.
AND A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO IS IN THEIR, IN THEIR OWN DESCRIPTION.
TALK WITH PEOPLE ABOUT SAFETY, PICKUP, FATIGUED SWIMMERS.
SO GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THE WATER, UH, HELPING STRANDED BOATERS, UH, WATCHING FOR RECKLESS BOATERS AND SUPPORTING THE SEARCH AND RESCUE.
SO, UH, AND OH, AND, UH, PULLING DANGEROUS LIMB TREE LIMBS OUT OF THE WATER.
SO I THINK THAT IS SORT OF SELF-EXPLANATORY, UH, THE MOST COMMON QUOTE UNQUOTE
[01:00:01]
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT HANDLED BY AP APD LAKE PATROL IS NOISE.SO SINCE SO MUCH OF APDS WORK IS ACTUALLY RELATED TO SAVING LIVES RATHER THAN ADDRESSING CRIMINALITY AND SEVERAL OTHER POLICE AGENCIES HAVE CONCURRENT JURISDICTION.
WE RECOMMEND THAT APDS PRESENCE AT THE LAKE BE ELIMINATED IN FAVOR OF AN ALLOCATION OF $1.4 MILLION TO EMS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THEM TO ADD A TEAM AND BOATS.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE EMS FOLKS HAVE SAID THAT I FOUND TELLING WAS THAT, UM, THEY'RE TOO FAR AWAY TO BE IMMEDIATELY HELPFUL.
AND IF THEY WERE ON THE LAKE, THEY HAVE THE SKILLS TO, YOU KNOW, SAVE PEOPLE FROM DROWNING IN THE WATER.
AND I THINK THAT TRANSLATION, SORRY.
SO THAT IS OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION.
OUR SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS TO DISCONTINUE THE USE OF POLICE DOGS.
UH, WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AND I EXPECT WE'LL HAVE MORE, A LOT OF THE REASONS BEHIND THIS HAVE TO DO WITH, UH, RESEARCH THAT TWO OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ON THIS TASK FORCE HAVE DONE, UH, THAT WAS TEXAS FAIR DEFENSE PROJECT.
AND MY ORGANIZATION JUST LIBERTY LOOKED AT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAW DATA ON A DOG BITE CASES.
WE FINDING THAT THEY PRIMARILY INVOLVE HISPANIC AND BLACK MEN.
UH, IT IS LIKELY BASED ON THE DATA AND MISSING DATA POINTS THAT SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS INVOLVED CHILDREN, AND ONLY ONE OF 55 CASES WE LOOKED AT OR TWO TO THE BITTEN PERSON HAVE A GUN THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT OF CASES APPEARED TO INVOLVE NO CRIME AT ALL.
AND OF COURSE, SO, AND PRIMARILY ANY PERSON ATTACKED BY A DOG WILL EVADE OR RESIST CREATING THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT A PERSON BEING ATTACKED BY A DOG MAY FACE CHARGES RELATED TO RESISTING.
WE HAVE NOT VERY MANY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO KIND OF SKIPPING THE REST OF OUR RESEARCH AND OUTCOMES.
UH, WE DO RECOMMEND THAT, UH, THE USE OF POLICE DOGS BE SIMILARLY, THE USE OF POLICE HORSES SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED, UH, OTHER CITIES, BALTIMORE, WASHINGTON, BOSTON, TULSA, LAS VEGAS, KANSAS CITY, AND ST.
PAUL HAVE DISBANDED THEY'RE MOUNTED UNITS ARE MOUNTED UNIT, PRIMARILY PERFORM CEREMONIES, CEREMONIAL DUTIES, AND CROWD CONTROL.
DOWNTOWN CROWD CONTROL CAN BE HANDLED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS WITHOUT HORSES AND FREQUENTLY IS THE MOUNTED UNIT SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.
THE HORSES MOVE TO GOOD HOMES BECAUSE THAT REMAINING SARA CEREMONIAL PURPOSE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO THE CONTINUED EXPENSE.
THESE HORSES ARE EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN.
AND AFTER NEARLY A DECADE, APD HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BUILD THE NEEDED STABLES WITH THE MONEY APPROVED BY VOTERS, UH, OFFICERS IN THE MOUNTED UNIT TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, MOST OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN MIGRATED TO PATROL AND SHOULD BE PERMANENTLY REASSIGNED.
THIS IS A MORE COMPLICATED ONE.
APD SHOULD DISCONTINUE THE USE OF OFFICER'S SELF-INITIATED CALLS.
UH, WE HAVE ALL AS A TASK FORCE RECEIVED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DATA RESEARCH FROM THE INNOVATION OFFICE, BREAKING DOWN OFFICER CALLS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THAT TIME, AS IT TURNS OUT ABOUT 35% OF THE CALL CALL VOLUME IS SELF-INITIATED TIME WHERE OFFICERS DECIDE NOT BASED ON A CALL OR ASKING THEM TO GO TO A SCENE, BUT ON THEIR OWN RECOGNIZANCE TO STOP A PERSON, UH, AND INTERROGATE THEM.
AND IT LOOKS FROM ALL THE DATA THAT WE HAVE SEEN.
AND WHEN WE'VE NOW LOOKED AT QUITE A LOT THAT THIS DOES NOT, UH, PARTICULARLY ADDRESS CRIME, REDUCE CRIME, OR, UH, RESULT IN ACTIONABLE INFORMATION ABOUT CRIME.
AND SO WE'VE RECOMMENDED THAT APD DISCONTINUE THIS PRACTICE AS IT'S STARTING TO OCCUR IN OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND THEN FINALLY WE RECOMMEND THAT THERE BE A COMMUNITY FULL CURRICULUM REVIEW OF THE CADET ACADEMY TRAINING POLICE ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT AND SERVE ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS REPORTS.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE ACADEMY HAS BEEN A PROBLEM CHANGING AN US VERSUS THEM MINDSET INTO A MINDSET OF CONSUMER OF COMMUNITY SERVICE WILL ONLY OCCUR WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGE ACROSS THE CURRICULUM.
APD OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS HAS ATTEMPTED
[01:05:01]
TO MINIMIZE THE DEGREE OF CHANGE NEEDED OR CORRAL THE CHANGE TO A HANDFUL OF COURSES TO ENSURE THAT A NEW MODEL IS WOVEN THROUGH THE ENTIRE CURRICULUM, THE CONDUCT CURRICULUM IN ALL, ALL TOLD AND ITS TEACHING MATERIALS SHOULD BE RELEASED TO THE, TO FOSTER TRANSPARENCY AND CREATE TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY.THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION SO FAR.
WE WILL NOW ALLOCATE 10 MINUTES TO QUESTIONS.
AND I WANT TO SAY SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE ASKING FOR QUESTIONS, NOT FEEDBACK AT THIS TIME.
SO ANYTHING THAT IS A CLARIFICATION OR OTHER QUESTION FOR THE FIVE WORKING GROUPS THAT HAVE PRESENTED SO FAR AND MAYA AND KELLY ARE SUPPORTING, UM, CREATING A STACK.
SO WE'RE LOOKING, YOU CAN IDENTIFY YOURSELF BY RAISING YOUR HAND, UM, EITHER PHYSICALLY LIKE THIS OR RAISING YOUR VIRTUAL HAND LIKE THIS, OR TYPING INTO THE CHAT.
I WANTED TO ASK SORT OF ABOUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH REINVESTMENT GROUP.
SO QUICKLY, UM, FOR THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, WE RECOMMEND A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER PILOT PROGRAM, FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S FOR THE 50 COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND AN EVALUATION OF A PILOT PROGRAM, UM, THEN TO ESTABLISH THE NETWORK AND TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION HUB, ANOTHER $4 MILLION.
AND THEN WE ANTICIPATE 70 MILLION TO COMMIT TO A, BUILD A COHORT OF A THOUSAND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS BY 2025 THAT WE EXPECT TO COME FROM MANY SOURCES.
BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR METHADONE.
I MEAN, SORRY, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT, UM, 4 MILLION IN THE FIRST YEAR TO CREATE, UM, UH, TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND THEN 3 MILLION A YEAR FOR PERSON CENTERED METHADONE TREATMENT TO EXPAND EXISTING HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AND ADOPTING FURTHER LIKE OPENING THE TWO DROP-IN CENTERS, 3 MILLION OPENING, A STARTING COSTS, AND THEN 3 MILLION A YEAR TO RUN THOSE CENTERS.
AND THEN FOR CREATING A HARM REDUCTION HOUSING FIRST PROGRAM, AND WE ANTICIPATE A NEED FOR ABOUT $14 MILLION AND THEN, UM, TO CREATE A TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS, UM, INCLUDING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP ABOUT $500,000, AND THEN TO ESTABLISH A FUND FOR ONGOING TRAINING WITHIN US IN PUBLIC HEALTH, THAT COULD BE CONNECTED TO THE HUB THAT WAS PROPOSED BY THE EQUITY, UM, REINVESTMENT TASK FORCE, UH, ANOTHER $2 MILLION.
SO A RELATIVELY MODEST AMOUNTS FOR A LOT OF THESE THINGS CONSIDERING WHAT THE, BUT YEAH, REALLY ENHANCING THE PUBLIC HEALTH WORK IN A CITY.
SO DO WE, UH, WE'RE GOING TO ALSO ADDRESS THE, UM, QUESTIONS.
WE CAN'T ADDRESS ALL THE QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT NORMALLY, BUT I DO WANT TO INVITE ONE OF OUR, EITHER OF OUR TASKFORCE, UH, CHAIRS TO PLEASE EXPLAIN, UM, HOW THE PUBLIC CAN ACCESS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY A QUESTION ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE THEM BEFORE SATURDAY.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND US THE IDEA WAS THAT THERE'D BE AN INITIAL PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSION, WHICH WILL GATHER, UM, NOT ONLY FEEDBACK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT JUST GENERAL INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, DIRECTLY IMPACTED FOLKS MAY HAVE.
[01:10:01]
NEXT WEEK.SO BOWEL OUT OR BRIAN, I ACTUALLY WANTED TO ASK TASKFORCE MEMBERS FOR YOUR WORKING GROUP.
UM, WOULD YOU MIND, UH, US BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY POST YOUR DRAFT RECOMMENDATION ON THE RPS WEBSITE AND IF YOU ALL SEND US TO LINK, I THINK MOSTLY EVERYONE IS USING GOOGLE DOCS, BUT IF YOU COULD SEND US THE LINKS, WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THOSE POSTED UP ON OUR RE-IMAGINED AND PUBLIC SAFETY WEBSITE.
AND SO THEN THAT WAY COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THE DRAFT OF YOUR PROPOSALS, UM, BEFORE THE SATURDAY LISTED IN SESSION.
I THINK THAT THIS IS BELLA, SHE, HER AIDEA REPRESENTATIVE WITH CCU AND CO-CHAIR, UH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, BRIAN.
I THINK PART OF WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO IS HAVE A TEMPLATE FOR THE WORKING GROUPS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME, UH, KIND OF A FORMAT, SIMILAR FORMAT BETWEEN ALL OF THE WORKING GROUPS.
AND I THINK WE CAN GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR EVERYONE BY TOMORROW.
UH, AND THEN WE COULD PUT THEM UP ON THE WEBSITE, UM, IN THAT FORMAT MAYBE BY THE END OF TOMORROW.
I THINK, UM, OTHER IDEAS, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE FACEBOOK LIVE STREAMING HAS BEEN A CHOPPY FROM WHAT I'M HEARING.
UM, SO I WONDER IF THERE'S CAPACITY WITHIN THE CITY TO TAKE THE RECORDING AND, YOU KNOW, SPLICE UP SOME OF THE EDIT, EDIT SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO A, A SHORTER PIECE THAT COULD BE POSTED ON FACEBOOK, UM, BY THE CITY, AS WELL AS BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S CAPACITY TO DO THAT ON THE CITY SIDE, BUT, UH, I THINK SO THAT FOLKS WHO, UH, PREFER OR NEED TO, TO VIEW A VIDEO VERSUS READING, BECAUSE SOME OF THIS IS REALLY DENSE AND THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF LITERACY.
UH, IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD ALSO HAVE A VIDEO, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE US TWO MORE MINUTES, UM, FOR ANY TASK FORCE MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FELICIA.
UH, SO YES, THE QUESTION AND ALSO JUST, UH, ONE AMPLIFIED THINK THAT, UM, AS TASK MEMBERS, UM, WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN A LOT OF WORK AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE, UH, WE STILL HAVE TO BE WORKING OFF OF THIS DRAFTS.
SO I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR THE CITY TO HELP US OUT TO DO THEIR PART IN ENSURING THAT THIS