[News Conference on Phase 2 of Camping Ban Implementation ]
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APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON PROPOSITION B AND THE NEXT STEPS THAT THE CITY WILL BE TAKING IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VOTER APPROVED ORDINANCE.
BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEEP ANGUISH AND CONCERN THAT, THAT WE'RE ALL FEELING ABOUT THE CENSUS GUN VIOLENCE THAT OCCURRED IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE WEEKEND, 13 PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND ONE PERSON HAS PASSED AWAY.
DOUGLAS JOHN CANCER, AGE 25, WAS THERE A VISITOR TO AUSTIN.
HE WAS AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER AND A VICTIM OF THE HORRIFIC GUN VIOLENCE.
WE ARE CERTAINLY THINKING OF HIS FAMILY AND ALL THOSE SUSTAINED INJURIES DURING THIS EVENT, THOSE WHO ARE TRAUMATIZED BY THE INCIDENT, OUR COMMUNITY STANDS WITH EVERY PERSON THAT WAS IMPACTED BY THIS TRAGIC VIOLENCE SITUATION.
I WANT TO THANK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND ALL THOSE WHO RESPONDED TO THE INCIDENT TO SAVE AS MANY LIVES AS POSSIBLE.
BUT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS WE DO SO WE RECOGNIZE THE COMPLEX PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL ISSUES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN MAKING STRIDES FOR THE LONGTERM.
A SUCCESSFUL APPROACH EXTENDS BEYOND JUST THE REACH OF GOVERNMENT.
IT INVOLVES COMMITTED NONPROFITS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TO MAKE LONG-TERM DIFFERENCES FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE AS MANY COMMITTED PARTNERS AS WE DO IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS I SHARED EARLY IN MAY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTING THE BAN ON CAMPING IN A SAFE AND HUMANE MANNER.
OUR PLAN WAS DEVELOPED IN COORDINATION WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS, OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION, OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM, AUSTIN RESOURCE, RECOVERY, PARKS, AND RECREATION, AND COUNTLESS OTHER DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT OUR ENTERPRISE.
ON MAY 10TH, WE SHARED OUR PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ORDINANCE AND FOUR PHASES WITH PHASE ONE CONCLUDED AND PHASE TWO THAT BEGAN ON SUNDAY.
WE ARE SHARING NEXT STEPS TODAY.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR MULTIPLE PARTNERS TO ADDRESS BOTH THE SHORT AND LONG-TERM NEEDS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THOSE NEXT STEPS AND TO PROVIDE A FEW MORE DETAILS.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO OUR INTERIM CHIEF JOSEPH CHICAGO, CHIEF.
UH, SO WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, UM, OUR, OUR STRATEGY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPOSITION B AS WELL AS JUST A RECAP OF THE FIRST PHASE AND WHAT PEOPLE CAN EXPECT IN THE SECOND PHASE.
UH, THE FIRST PHASE, AS YOU RECALL, BEGAN ON MAY 11TH, UH, WHEN, UM, THE ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT AND CONCLUDED ON JUNE 12TH INCLUDED 30 DAYS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, WITH OUR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE COMMUNITY, EDUCATING THEM ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES AND THE HOMELESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM OR HOSTS WERE BOTH HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT EFFORT.
AND, UM, DURING THAT TIME WE HAD NO CITATIONS OR ARRESTS THAT WERE MADE.
UH, HOWEVER WE DID ISSUE 390 WARNINGS.
UM, OUR, UH, OUR OFFICERS ENGAGED WITH, UM, ALMOST 400 PEOPLE IN 70 DIFFERENT CAMP SITES ACROSS THE CITY.
WE ALSO CONNECTED WITH AT LEAST 12 VETERANS, UH, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT TO VA SERVICES AND AT LEAST 85 INDIVIDUALS, UH, TO DIFFERENT SOCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING, UH, CONDUCTING A HOUSING ASSESSMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED A PLAN THAT IS BOTH, UH, ACCOMPLISHING THE OBJECTIVE ACTIVE.
THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS PUT FORWARD BY PROPOSITION B WHILE ALSO ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THAT'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN A HUMANE AND COMPASSION, UH, COMPASSIONATE MANNER.
PHASE TWO BEGAN ON JUNE 13TH AND WE'LL RUN THROUGH JULY 10TH AS WE CONTINUE IN THIS PHASE.
OUR EFFORTS WITH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, UH, REMAIN AND OFFICERS WILL BE ISSUING IN THIS PHASE, BOTH WRITTEN WARNINGS.
AND FOR THOSE THAT, THAT ARE, UH, THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN WARNED, UH, THEY MAY ISSUE CITATION IF THEY COME ACROSS ANY, UM, SITUATIONS IN WHICH, UH, THE PERSON WHO IS CAMPING IS AN IMMINENT DANGER, UH, OR THEY, THEY PRESENT A IMMINENT PUBLIC SAFETY RISK.
UM, AS WE DO IN ALL PHASES OF THIS APPROACH, UH, THEY CAN TAKE IMMEDIATE ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
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AND, UM, THAT INCLUDES REMOVAL OF THAT CAMPSITE, UH, CITATIONS OR, OR ARRESTS AT THIS POINT, WE'RE STRONGLY INDIVIDUALS, UH, THAT ARE IN THESE CAMPSITES TO DOWNSIZE THEIR AREA TO RIGHT-SIZE FOR MOVEMENT AND MOBILITY, UH, AS THE CLEANUP OF THE CAMPSITES CONTINUE IF WE HAVE TO MAKE AN ARREST, UH, FOR VIOLATION OF THE CAMPING ORDINANCE.UH, WE'RE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO HAVE TO DO THAT, TO TAKE THAT ENFORCEMENT ACTION WHILE THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT IS OPEN SO THAT WE CAN, UH, WHENEVER POSSIBLE TAKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS STRAIGHT TO THAT COURT, UH, TO BE MAGISTRATED AND TO LOOK TO SEE HOW, UH, SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED VERY BRIEFLY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT CITY HALL.
UH, YESTERDAY WE, UH, ALONG WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, WENT TO CITY HALL IN ORDER TO CLEAN OUT, UH, UH, SOME OF THE AREA THAT NEEDED TO BE CLEARED FOR, UM, FOR A UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY PLANNED AS WELL AS, UH, THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS ON ONE PART OF THE PROPERTY THAT WERE NOT IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY, BUT ACTUALLY WE'RE ON CITY HALL PROPERTY AND HAD BEEN WARNED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THEY WERE TRESPASSING.
UM, FOR BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS, WE CONDUCTED NUMEROUS, UH, TIMES OF GOING OUT AND CONDUCTING OUTREACH AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE EXPECTATION WAS AND THAT WE WOULD BE RETURNING AT W AT SOME POINT TO GO AHEAD AND ASK THEM TO MOVE.
UH, YESTERDAY WE ARRIVED IN THE MORNING, UM, AND ISSUED THOSE, THOSE WARNINGS ONCE AGAIN.
AND, UM, WE DID UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO MAKE SEVERAL ARRESTS.
SEVEN INDIVIDUALS WERE ARRESTED, UH, DURING THAT CLEANUP, THE CHARGES INCLUDED INTERFERENCE WITH PUBLIC DUTIES, UH, FAILURE TO OBEY A LAWFUL ORDER.
AND ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS HAD AN ACTIVE WARRANT, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, EXECUTED AS WELL.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND NOW TURN IT OVER TO OUR HOMELESS, UH, STRATEGY OFFICER DIANA GRAY, UH, FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THE OVERALL STRATEGY.
THANK YOU, CHIEF PECAN AND CITY MANAGER PROMPT DIANA GRAY HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I THINK WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE PHASES OF PROP B, THAT WE REALLY STAY FOCUSED AS OUR COUNCIL IS ON ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS WITH REAL SOLUTIONS AS THE FIRST PRIORITY OF THE CITY.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE ROLLOUT OF THE NEW ORDINANCES THAT WE KNEW.
ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES WAS THAT WE DID NOT AT THAT TIME HAVE ADEQUATE SHELTER CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE WHO MIGHT NEED TO MOVE.
UH, COUNCIL OF COURSE, HAS GIVEN STAFF DIRECTION AND WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON NOT ONLY THE POSSIBILITY OF SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS, BUT REALLY ANY GOOD OPTION THAT PROVIDES FOLKS WITH A SAFE AND DIGNIFIED PLACE TO GO.
THAT INCLUDES, UH, ASSESSING WHETHER OUR CONGREGATE SHELTERS, UH, SUCH AS THE ARCH OR SALVATION ARMY, UH, MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESTORE SOME OF THEIR CAPACITY AS OUR COVID RISK DECREASES AND LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVERTING SOME OF OUR EXISTING PROTECTIVE LODGES INTO BRIDGE SHELTERS.
SO THOSE ARE THE VERY SHORT-TERM APPROACHES WE'RE TAKING, BUT WE ARE ALSO, UH, CRITICALLY FOCUSED ON LONGTERM, UH, SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRESS THERE AS WELL.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT THE HEAL INITIATIVE AND EXPECT TO, BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, UH, GO INTO OUR FIRST PRIORITY ENCAMPMENT, OFFER THOSE PEOPLE LONG-TERM HOUSING RESOURCES AND PROVIDE THEM ACCESS TO BRIDGE SHELTER SO THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE THAT ENCAMPMENT, THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE SOMEPLACE TO GO AND A COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM HOUSING.
WE HAVE OVER 300 UNITS OF HOUSING DEDICATED TO THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR PIPELINE, UH, THAT WILL BE COMING ONLINE OVER THE NEXT MONTHS.
AND OF COURSE, LAST THURSDAY COUNCIL APPROVED THE FRAME, UH, THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT THAT DEDICATED, UH, STORIC OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TOWARD ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH THE MANAGER.
UH, SO THERE WAS A PRETTY TENSE SCENE YESTERDAY OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL.
PARTLY IT SEEMED LIKE LACK OF CLEAR INFORMATION ON THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE.
SO CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT STEPS THE CITY CAN TAKE TO KIND OF ENSURE THAT DOESN'T REPEAT AS OTHER, UH, CAMPS OR ARE ASKED TO, TO VACATE AS WE GET CLOSER TO AUGUST EIGHT? YEAH, I THINK TO
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YOUR POINT, COMMUNICATION IS SO IMPORTANT.AND AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN DOING ONGOING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, UH, TO NOT ONLY ALL THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH, UH, BUT ALSO THE, THOSE THAT WERE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
AND SO, UH, AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED, THIS WAS MORE SPECIFIC TO A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AND TO PEOPLE THAT WERE VIOLATING A TRESPASS, UH, UH, UH, ORDINANCE.
AND WE HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH AS MANY INDIVIDUALS AS WE WERE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH.
AND DURING THAT MONTH, LONG PERIOD OF TIME ABOUT THEIR VIOLATION.
AND SO, UH, IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE THOSE OUTREACH EFFORTS.
UH, THE CHIEF SAID THAT THAT WILL NOT BE CHANGING AS WE MOVE TO PHASE TWO AND PHASE THREE.
THAT WILL BE A KEY PART OF HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT ENCAMPMENTS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT OPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AND WHAT SUPPORT SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE.
I KNOW THAT THAT WORK IS ONGOING.
IT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING AT SPECIFIC ENCAMPMENTS AS DIANA GRAY MENTIONED.
AND SO, I DUNNO IF THERE'S SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OR OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT OUTREACH.
UH, BUT THAT IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SUCCESSFUL GOING FORWARD.
I THINK IF YOU COULD DETAIL WHAT THAT OUTREACH LOOKS LIKE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
CAUSE I KNOW BEING DOWN THERE YESTERDAY, THE PEOPLE WE TALKED TO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS COMING, SOME SERVICE PROVIDERS, CANDIDLY SAID, THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
AND THEN YOU SEE A SMALLER END OR SIZE OF A CABINET THAT GETS CLEARED OUT AND YOU HAVE OFFICERS GETTING CUSSED OUT.
PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE ON CAMPUS TO GET THROUGH IT.
YEAH, I'LL SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF.
UH, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THIS STARTED AS A PROTEST.
I MEAN, THIS WAS RIGHT IN DIRECT, UH, REACTION TO WHAT HAPPENED ON MAY 1ST, UH, ON THE ELECTION.
AND SO INITIALLY IT WAS MORE AKIN TO WHAT WE SAW DURING THE OCCUPIED MOVEMENTS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
AND SO AS IT WAS PART OF THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE WANTED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE INTERACTED WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
UH, BUT THIS ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY WOULD HAVE HAPPENED REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENED ON MAY 1ST.
AND SO PEOPLE IN VIOLATION OF TRESPASSING OR, UH, THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MOVED BECAUSE OF CRITICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REASONS, LIKE A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, THAT ACTION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.
BUT CHIEF, IF YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE OUTREACH, THANK YOU.
UM, SO OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES, I MENTIONED AS WELL AS OUR HOST TEAM HAVE HAD, UH, NUMEROUS INTERACTIONS WITH, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS, UH, NOT JUST THESE INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE KIND OF CAMPED OUT AROUND CITY HALL EXPLAINING, UH, WHAT OUR PHASED APPROACH LOOKS LIKE, TELLING THEM WHAT THE TIMELINES ARE.
WE'RE BEING VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND WE HAVE GONE AT DIFFERENT TIMES REALIZING THAT WE MAY MISS SOMEBODY AT ONE PARTICULAR TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT THERE TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GET WORK OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER ELSE WOULD THEY MEANING TO DO AND ARE NOT THERE AT THAT TIME.
SO WE'VE GONE AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY, MORNING, NOON, AND NIGHT, UH, TO, UH, TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE.
AND THIS WAS OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS.
SO THIS WAS NOT JUST OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW DAYS THAT WE HAVE HAD JUST KIND OF CONSTANT AND ONGOING.
AS I'VE MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE BEEN TO, UH, LITERALLY DOZENS OF CAMPSITES ACROSS THE CITY, UH, HAVING THESE SAME CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AND AS A CITY MANAGER, UH, MENTIONED, UH, THIS ONE KICKED OFF AS A PROTEST.
SO THE, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, THINGS THAT OFFICERS WERE ENCOUNTERING, THERE WERE VERY DIFFERENT THAN ANOTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
UH, AND I THINK, UH, THAT, THAT PROBABLY WAS A LOT OF WHAT PLAYED OUT YESTERDAY.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WARNING PROCESS? ONE, WHAT DO THOSE WRITTEN WARNINGS ACTUALLY SAY? AND THEN TWO, HOW COULD YOUR OFFICERS AND POSSIBLY KEEP TRACK OF IT? THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS LIVING, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED A WRITTEN REQUEST BECAUSE A CITATION OR ARREST IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
YOU GET A NAME DOWN, BUT RETAKEN NAMES WHEN YOU HAND OUT OF IT, YOU WANT IT.
SO THE WAY OUR WRITTEN WARNING PROCESS WORKS IS VERY SIMILAR TO, UH, SAY A DRIVER WHO GETS A WRITTEN WARNING FOR A WHATEVER MOVING VIOLATION THEY COMMITTED, UH, THAT IS ACTUALLY A WRITTEN WARNING WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL IS IDENTIFIED.
THEY RECEIVE A COPY OF IT, AND WE TAKE A COPY, WHICH GETS ENTERED INTO OUR SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM IS SEARCHABLE BY OUR OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO TELL, UM, THE, IF, IF, WHEN THEY RUN THE INDIVIDUAL'S NAME, WHERE THEY WERE, WHAT THEY RECEIVED A WARNING FOR.
UM, AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE USING TO TRACK, WHETHER SOMEBODY HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY WARNED OR NOT.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE PASSING OUT A SMALL PAMPHLET, WHICH IS A LIST OF RESOURCES.
UH, SO THAT WE'RE NOT, THIS IS NOT OBVIOUSLY NOT MEANT TO BE PUNITIVE.
WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE PEOPLE THE, THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND, AND, UH, AVAILABILITY OF DIFFERENT, UM, THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO TO IMPROVE THEIR SITUATION.
AND SO THAT IS A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE LIST THAT, OF, OF, YOU KNOW, NON NON-PROFITS NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS CITY RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE,
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KEEP IT, THAT LIST OF RESOURCES INCLUDED A PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GO TO RIGHT NOW.NO, THAT'S THE PART THAT IS WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, AND THAT MS. GRAY WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT AS PART OF THE OVERALL STRATEGY AND THE LONG-TERM EFFORT IS MAKING SURE THAT AS WE DISPLACE, UH, FOLKS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEPLACE THAT WE CAN POINT THEM TO, UH, DIANA, IF YOU COULD TALK TO THAT BECAUSE IT'S GETTING STUPID, HOT OUT AND PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THEY CAN GO.
AND OBVIOUSLY MOST OF THOSE CAMP MOVEMENTS WILL HAPPEN UNTIL AUGUST, BUT AS THE CHIEF NOTED, IF PEOPLE ARE A DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR TO PUBLIC SAFETY AT THIS MOMENT, IT COULD GET MOVED IMMEDIATELY.
UH, SO CERTAINLY FOLKS HAVE BEEN OUT AND CAMPING, UH, LEGALLY, UH, IN MOST CASES OR MANY CASES, UH, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF PROPPY AND THE ROLLOUT OF THIS ORDINANCE, UH, WE CERTAINLY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH AND SAFETY, UH, OF OUR INDIVIDUALS, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS ARE PART OF THE HOST TEAM AND ARE OUT IN THE FIELD ADDRESSING THOSE HEALTH ISSUES, UH, AS THEY APPEAR.
BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO BE FRANK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE RESOURCES, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO GO, UH, WE ARE BUILDING THOSE, AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE DEI RESOURCES AVAILABLE AS WELL FOR FOLKS TO GET OUT OF THE HEAT, UM, THROUGH VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT FOLKS HAVE DONE, UH, IN AN ONGOING WAY, UH, BEFORE OR AFTER THE, THE PASSAGE OF PROP B, YOU NAMED THOSE THREE SOURCES IN NAME A COUPLE OF THOSE, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE I WILL BE MISSING SOME, SO SUNRISE COMMUNITY NAVIGATION CENTER, UH, DOWN SOUTH.
AND WE HAVE THE TRINITY CENTER HERE IN DOWNTOWN THAT OPENS UP DURING THE DAY, UH, FOR FOLKS WITH THOSE OF COURSE, HAVE SOME OF THOSE HAVE BEEN LIMITED DUE TO COVID, BUT WE EXPECT TO SEE EXPANDED AVAILABILITY.
YOU MENTIONED GOING TO FIRST PRIORITY IN CAMPUS AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE BRIDGE SHELTER.
SO CAN YOU, UH, SAY WHICH ONE IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AT THIS POINT? I WOULD NOT.
AND HERE'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT CONNECTING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS AND OFFERING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE IN A SMOOTH WAY.
UH, NOT SORT OF, UM, CREATING A SCENARIO IN WHICH WE HAVE SUBSTANTIAL IN-MIGRATION OR OUT MIGRATION FROM THOSE CAMPS.
COUNCIL DID GIVE GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE AREAS IN THE RESOLUTION THAT CREATED THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
UH, AS SOON AS WE COMPLETE, UH, OUR PROJECT AND, AND BRINGING FOLKS INTO SHELTER, UH, AT EACH OF THOSE LOCATIONS, UH, Y'ALL WILL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WE'LL BE VERY EXCITED TO SHARE.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHERE THE CITY'S AT WITH SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS? I MEAN, MAYOR, I LEARNED CANDIDLY SAID THAT IT'S BEEN DANCED AROUND, BUT WE'VE HEARD THIS TOPIC COME UP FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES.
SO WHERE ARE YOU GUYS AT AND FINDING SOME SPOTS? SO, UM, THE, UH, REQUEST FOR STAFF TO LOOK AT SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS, UH, OCCURRED JUST OVER A MONTH AGO.
AND SO, UH, WE, UH, W PARTICULARLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, HAVE ASSESSED OVER SIX 70 CITY PROPERTIES.
UH, AND WHAT WE SEE AS WE LOOK AT THOSE IS THAT BECAUSE MOST OF THE, IF NOT ALL OF THE PROPERTY THAT THE CITY OWNS IS PURPOSE SPECIFIC, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, AS WE LOOK FOR AN ADEQUATE SITE, UH, THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY NARROWED.
UH, AND THAT IS PART OF THE REASON THAT WE ARE PURSUING NOT ONLY SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS, BUT LOOKING AT EXPANDED SHELTER CAPACITY, BECAUSE FUNDAMENTALLY WHAT WE WANT IS A PLACE FOR FOLKS TO GO.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT, UH, OVER COUNCIL RECESS, UH, AND, UM, WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE AN UPDATE TO COUNCIL, UH, IN MEMO FORM, UH, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS SAID THAT IF A CALLED MEETING IS NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE CREATION CREATION OF, OF SHELTER OR SANCTION ENCAMPMENT, THEY'RE WILLING TO DO SO REALISTICALLY, DO YOU THINK YOU'LL HAVE AN ANSWER BEFORE AUGUST ONE MORE PEOPLE HAVE, UH, REALISTICALLY, YES.
I THINK THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO INDICATE THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE TAKING, WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE READY TO OPEN DOORS ON DAY ONE A WILL REMAIN TO BE SEEN, BUT WE WILL CONFIRM THAT AS WE'RE ABLE TO SOLIDIFY RELATIONSHIPS, ET CETERA, UM, AND, AND DEFINE THAT DATE FOR YOU.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT CAPACITY IS CURRENTLY AT AT SORT OF THE ORIGIN SALVATION ARMY, AND THEN ALSO WHO'S MAKING THE FINAL CALL, WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE EXPANDING MORE? IS IT THE ACTUAL ORGANIZATIONS OR IS THE CITY HELPING? UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DECREASED CAPACITY, I BELIEVE ROUGHLY BY 50%, BUT WE CAN GET A HARD NUMBERS FOR YOU ON, UH, ON THAT FRONT.
SO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, I WOULD SAY IS TWOFOLD FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE OWNED
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BY THE CITY.UH, WE, FIRST OF ALL, ALL, UH, ALL SHELTERS WILL BE LOOKING TO OUR HEALTH AUTHORITY, UH, DR.
WACHS TO, UM, GIVE ORDERS ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWABLE UNDER OUR CURRENT RISK STAGE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT NOW, IN SOME CASES WHERE WE HAVE A PRIVATE FACILITY, UH, THAT IS NOT A CITY CITY OWNED NOR NECESSARILY CITY FUNDED, OF COURSE THEY WOULD BE IN A POSITION OF MAKING THOSE DECISIONS AT THEIR OWN DISCRETION.
DO YOU NEED IT AS AN UPDATE IF EVERYONE IS ALL RIGHT WITH IT, I'D LIKE TO, I WILL ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS, BUT I'D KINDA LIKE TO FINISH THIS PART, UM, THAT HAS TO DO AROUND PROP B IN AN UPDATE ON THAT.
AND THEN, AND THEN I CAN STEP BACK UP AND TAKE QUESTIONS IN SPANISH, SOME NUMBERS THAT YOU GAVE US IN ENGLISH, WE'LL DO IT BE ABLE TO GIVE US THAT IN SPANISH, UM,
UH,
I SAID IN OWN MONETA CASE LA LA LA
AND IF THERE'LL BE IN PLACE TO, YOU KNOW, PROCESS INDIVIDUALS, UH, BROUGHT IN CLASS B MISDEMEANOR ON FAITH, THE SHORT ANSWER IS THEY WILL BE READY.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON TRANSITIONING A TEMPORARY LOCATION OF THE COMMUNITY, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT FROM THE TRUSTLESS LIBRARY, UH, TO ONE TEXAS CENTER.
UH, WE'VE PROVIDED THAT UPDATE TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL YESTERDAY.
AND WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS OF HOW THAT TRANSITION AND THE TIMEFRAME OF WHICH THAT IN WHICH THAT WILL HAPPEN.
UH, THIS IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE LIBRARY.
UH, AS OTHER LIBRARIES HAVE OPENED UP THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE VALUABLE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, ACCESS TO THE INTERNET ACCESS, TO, UH, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, USE THOSE RESOURCES THAT ARE SO VITAL THROUGH OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM.
SO, AS A RESULT OF OPENING UP THE PROCESS LIBRARY, WE LOOKED FOR ADDITIONAL SPACE AND FOUND THAT THE ONE TEXAS CENTER WOULD, WOULD PROVE TO BE, UH, AN OPTION, UH, FOR A TEMPORARY LOCATION.
UH, AND WE ARE WORKING TO HAVE THAT ACCOMPLISH, UH, BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.
I KNOW THAT THAT WILL NOT BE THE PERMANENT HOME.
UM, I KNOW THAT ACM ARIANA WAS HERE AND HE COULD FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC DETAILS AROUND THAT TOPIC.
SO WE CAN TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION ON PROPERTY, AND I BELIEVE CITY MANAGER CRONK HAS SOME CLOSING REMARKS, AND WE'LL TRANSITION TO UPDATES ON THE SHOOTING INVESTIGATION.
DOES THE SCENE YESTERDAY A CITY HALL, DOES THAT NECESSITATE A CHANGE IN THE APPROACH AS ABD AND HOSTS CONTINUE TO GO TO THESE OTHER CANDIDATES? SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO HAVE THE LEAST IMPACTFUL, UH, INTERACTIONS THAT WE CAN WITH PEOPLE AND, UM, TO EDUCATE, TO HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION TO DEESCALATE SITUATIONS WHENEVER WE CAN, ULTIMATELY, IN SOME CASES WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME ARRESTS.
UM, THIS IS PART OF THE OVERALL PLAN, UH, AND WHENEVER POSSIBLE, UH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THOSE PEOPLE WITH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, UH, IN THE CASE YESTERDAY WHERE IT ISN'T, IT DOESN'T FALL WITHIN THAT PURVIEW.
UM, THEN, THEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE TO GO TO JAIL, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A MINORITY OF THE CASES AND, UH, THAT WE SEE A GREATER NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY VOLUNTARILY COMPLYING, UH, WITH WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, OR THE ORDINANCE IS, IS, UH, IS, THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO PLACE IS,
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IS BEING ENACTED FOR, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, I'M STILL LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY.UH, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE OFFICERS, UH, DID A GOOD JOB AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SO JUST BASED ON WHAT I KNOW RIGHT NOW, NOT AT THIS TIME, MAYBE HAVING TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ON THAT FRONT.
SO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE ACTIONS, UM, THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY WERE NOT WHAT WOULD BE TYPICAL UNDER THE ROLLOUT OF THE NEW CAMPING ORDINANCE? UH, THERE WERE TWO, UH, SITUATIONS.
ONE WAS A, A CASE OF CRIMINAL TRESPASSING, WHICH OF COURSE, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, UH, A CRIME OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC CAMPING.
AND THEN SECONDARILY, WE HAD A CONSTRUCTION SITE THAT WAS COMING IN, AND IN THOSE CASES, IT MAY BE COMMON, UH, THAT WE'D HAVE TO MOVE A LITTLE MORE QUICKLY ON A SITE, BUT TYPICALLY, UH, APD AND HOSTS ARE MAKING MULTIPLE CONTACTS WITH ENCAMPMENTS, PEOPLE IN ENCAMPMENTS, UH, PRIOR TO A REQUEST TO MOVE.
SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR, UH, THAT WHILE THERE WAS A SPECIFIC NEED TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY YESTERDAY, UH, WE WILL HAVE ONGOING OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION, SO THAT FOLKS, UH, HAVE SOME TIME IN ANTICIPATION OF, DO YOU NEED TO, I GOT WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THESE UPDATES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPOSITION B.
UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS IS A COMPLEX, UH, CHALLENGE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE WORLD FACE.
I'M SO PROUD OF AUSTIN FOR HAVING THE PARTNERSHIPS, THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS, THE WAYS IN WHICH WE ALL COME TOGETHER TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL SAYING, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP BE PART OF THE SOLUTION? AND I'M GRATEFUL OF OUR CITY STAFF ARE OUR PARTNERS THAT REALLY WORK COLLABORATIVELY, UH, WITH, UH, THE NONPROFITS, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT REALLY LEAN INTO NOT ONLY THOSE SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT ARE THOSE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING TO ACHIEVE? WE'LL BE BACK SOON WITH ANOTHER UPDATE AS WE CONTINUE THE PHASE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPOSITION B, BUT AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE CHIEF, UH, GIVE SOME COMMENTS ADDITIONALLY, ON THE SITUATION FROM LAST WEEKEND.
SO KIND OF TRANSITIONING TO JUST GIVE A SHORT UPDATE ON, UM, THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE, UM, THE MULTIPLE SHOOTINGS THAT WE HAD THAT THAT OCCURRED ON SATURDAY MORNING.
UM, YESTERDAY, UH, WE ARRESTED A 17 YEAR OLD, UH, MALE IDENTIFIED AS JEREMIAH RASHAUN LELAND JAMES TAB, UM, IN OUT OF COLLEEN.
UH, HE WAS AT A SUMMER SCHOOL CLASS, UM, WHEN COLEEN ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT.
UM, THIS WAS AGAIN, PART OF THAT INVESTIGATION, THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION THAT WE HAD HAD BEEN WORKING AND, UM, OUR INVESTIGATORS HAVE, HAVE, UH, LITERALLY BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK ON THIS, UH, TO, TO IDENTIFY THESE FOLKS, GET WARRANTS IN PLACE TO EXECUTE SEARCH WARRANTS, UH, AS PART OF THE CASE AS WELL.
UH, AND, UH, AND IN THE END BRING JUSTICE FOR THESE FAMILIES.
UM, THE, UH, THE CHARGES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT, UH, WE'LL, WE ARE, WE ARE TALKING WITH, UH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY GARZA ABOUT WHAT THE CHARGE IS ULTIMATELY WILL BE.
UH, INITIALLY, UH, THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CHARGE IS WHAT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST, UH, THIS YOUNG MAN MR. TAB.
AND, UM, AND WE WILL BE CONTINUING THAT, THAT CONVERSATION IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
UM, BUT I, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT OUR INVESTIGATORS STEPPED UP ON THIS, LIKE THEY DO ON, UH, THE COUNTLESS CASES THAT WE WORK, WHERE WE HAVE, UH, VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME AND, UH, GETTING PEOPLE INTO CUSTODY.
WE'VE HAD VERY CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH THE FAMILY, UH, MR. KANTOR, AND HE HAS INDICATED, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF APPRECIATION FOR THE WAY THAT THE INVESTIGATORS TOOK CARE OF THIS CASE.
AND SO I AM VERY PROUD OF THEM.
CHIEF, YOU SAID THAT, UH, APD WAS BOTH FULLY STAFFED THAT NIGHT.
THEN YOU'VE ALSO SAID THAT A SHORTAGE PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS.
CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT YOU MEANT BY THAT? AND THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW POLICE OPERATIONS LOOK TO YOU THAT SATURDAY NIGHT, CERTAINLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET ME, LET ME START WITH JUST THE OVERALL PICTURE, WHICH IS THAT WE ARE, WE ARE IN A STAFFING, UH, YOU KNOW, PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, WE IN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, I HAVE A NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAT HAVE, UH, CONTINUING TO OCCUR WITH RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS.
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THAT WE STARTED A CADET CLASS, UH, LAST WEEK WITH A HUNDRED CADETS IN IT.AND WE ARE GOING TO, UM, REFILL THOSE RANKS, UH, AS QUICKLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TRAINING THE RIGHT WAY THAT WE ARE, UH, GETTING OUR OFFICERS, OUR YOUNG, THE CADETS AS A TRANSITION INTO OFFICERS, TRAINED IN THE MANNER THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPECTS.
WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY ON SATURDAY MORNING ARE KNOWING THAT THE ROT RALLY WAS IN TOWN.
WE, UH, SO ALL OF OUR NORMAL SHIFTS, I HAVE THREE EVENING SHIFTS AND A NIGHT SHIFT WERE ALL STAFFED TO 100%.
IN ADDITION, BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL, UH, CROWD SIZE THAT ROT RALLY BRINGS, WE BROUGHT IN AN EXTRA EVENING SHIFT TO WORK.
SO I ACTUALLY HAD AN EXTRA, I HAD FOUR EVENING SHIFTS TOTAL PLUS THE NIGHT SHIFT, ALL OF THOSE WERE STAFFED TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
MY NIGHT SHIFT HAD HAD TWO VACANCIES ON IT, BUT, UM, ALL OF THOSE FOLKS WERE WORKING WHEN AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS HAPPENS.
UH, A CALL IS GOING TO GO OUT CITYWIDE TO INDICATE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS INCIDENT.
AND OFFICERS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY ARE GOING TO RESPOND.
YOU KNOW, IN MY DOWNTOWN AREA, I HAVE A LOT OF OFFICERS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
THEY ARE NOW, THEY HAVE FEWER OFFICERS THAN THEY HAD BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED, WHICH MEANS THAT AS CALLS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A DELAY IN ANSWERING THOSE CALLS.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE OVERALL, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE, UH, ALL OF OUR SHIFTS STAFFED, UM, TO 100% SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE INCIDENTS HAPPEN, LIKE THIS OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY DON'T SUFFER.
UH, SO THAT, THAT REALLY IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WELL, WE HAVE, BECAUSE OF THE EMISSIONS MAKE CHARACTERS LIKE THIS WAS GANG RELATED, IS THAT ACCURATE? UH, THAT'S STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES TO PROVIDE ON THAT.
DO WE KNOW HOW OLD IS THE OTHER, UH, JUVENILE THOUGH WAS ARRESTED? THE FIRST ONE I CAN TELL YOU, HE IS UNDER, UNDER THE AGE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S UNDER THE AGE OF 17 AND, AND A JUVENILE, AND WE DON'T RELEASE THAT INFORMATION.
IS IT CLEAR THAT BOTH OF THEM WERE SHOOTERS? IT IS AT THIS POINT, HOW MANY SHOTS WERE FIRED AND WHERE YOUR SHOTS ARE FROM AND WHAT KIND OF WEAPONS AND HOW MANY READ? YEAH, THAT'S ALL PART OF THE INVESTIGATION AND THE INVESTIGATORS ARE NOT READY TO RELEASE THAT INFORMATION YET.
SOME BAR OWNERS ON SIXTH STREET WHO FEEL LIKE DRUGS AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER BAD NEWS IS HAPPENING DURING THE DAY, WHICH THEN TRICKLES INTO THE NIGHT.
AND SO, UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU FEEL APD IS, IS DOING ENOUGH TO ENFORCE THIS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE DAY AND NOT JUST WHEN, UM, YOU KNOW, NIGHTTIME REVELERS COME OUT.
NO, OBVIOUSLY POLICING IS A 24 HOUR A DAY EFFORT.
AND SO WE DO HAVE OFFICERS THAT WORK DURING THE DAYTIME, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, MY, MY, UH, DAY SHIFTS, UH, THE EVENINGS ACTUALLY START IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, UH, AND GO INTO THE EVENING.
AND, AND ALL OF THOSE OFFICERS, WHETHER THEY'RE ON FOOT, THEY'RE ON BIKE, THAT WE HAVE MANY THAT ARE ON ATVS.
UH, AND THEN I HAVE, UH, SOME THAT ARE IN VEHICLES, IN CARS ARE ALL ENGAGED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, KEEPING AN EYE ON THE COMMUNITY AND RESPONDING MANY TIMES, UH, TO THESE KINDS OF CALLS.
AS THESE BUSINESS OWNERS, CDS, THINGS HAPPENING, OUR OFFICERS ARE GETTING THERE VERY QUICKLY ARE OUR BEST RESPONSE TIMES IN THE, IN THE WHOLE CITY OR DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE IT'S SO IT'S SO TIGHTLY KIND OF COMPACTED AND DENSE.
AND I HAVE SO MANY OFFICERS THAT ARE WORKING THERE AS COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
SO, UH, I DO FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR STAFFING 24 HOURS A DAY IN THAT AREA, HALO HERE IN, UH, AND USEFUL WHERE THEY IN APPREHENDING THE FUGITIVES HALO CAMERA'S ARE AMAZING.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVER 40 CAMERAS THAT ARE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT, UM, ARE, ARE HIGH DEFINITION.
UM, THIS, THIS INCIDENT WITHIN LITERALLY SECONDS OF IT OCCURRING, THE HALO CAMERAS WERE POINTED IN THE DIRECTION.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE CAPTURING EVIDENCE AND WE'RE, WE'RE REVIEWING ALL OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND SO THOSE, THOSE CAMERAS ARE REALLY, TRULY ARE INVALUABLE FOR OUR INVESTIGATION.
CAN YOU TELL US WHERE WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE LONGER RESPONSE TIME FOR OFFICERS? WHAT PART OF THE CITY REALLY IT'S ALL OVER THE CITY? UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE, UH, AGAIN, HAVING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN DIFFERENT SHIFTS TO EVEN OUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS IN THE PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE HIGHER PRIORITY CALLS, OUR P ZERO AND P ONE HIGH PRIORITY CALLS.
UM, WE ARE, ARE IN TURN, UH, HAVING TO RELOCATE SOME OFFICERS FROM SPECIALIZED UNITS BACK TO PATROL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT RESPONSE BECAUSE THE, UH, THE TIME HAS INCREASED.
UH, OUR AVERAGE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS FOR P ZERO CALLS
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IS SEVEN MINUTES.UH, APPROXIMATELY THESE AREN'T TO THE SECOND.
APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS.
UH, AND, AND WITHIN, UM, WITHIN THIS YEAR, OUR RESPONSE TIME HAS BEEN RIGHT AT NINE MINUTES.
SO IT IS, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF WHY WE ARE MAKING THESE REALLOCATIONS BACK TO PATROL BECAUSE A MINUTE AND A HALF, WHEN YOU'RE IN A CRITICAL SITUATION CAN SEEM LIKE AN ETERNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE CAN'T, WE JUST CAN'T HAVE THAT LAST QUESTION.
IS APD CONSIDERING ANY OTHER SUSPECTS? AND WILL YOU BE RELEASING THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS? UM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF THE, THIS, THE MASS SHOOTINGS ONE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SUSPECTS THAT Y'ALL ARE CONSIDERING? AND THEN TWO DOZENS OF PEOPLE WERE HURT, WE'D BE RELEASING THEIR NAMES, RIGHT.
SO WE WILL RELEASE THE NAMES AS PART OF OUR NORMAL PROTOCOL WHEN THE TIMING IS RIGHT FOR THAT BASED UPON THE INVESTIGATION, UM, THAT THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
I, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK TOO MUCH MORE ABOUT, UM, UH, UH, ABOUT HOW MANY OTHER SUSPECTS WE HAVE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DON'T AT THIS MOMENT.
I DON'T SEE IMMINENT ARREST COMING, UH, IN THE COMING DAYS, UH, AS THE INVESTIGATION UNFOLDS.
AND IF WE SEE OTHER OTHER, UH, CHARGES THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, UH, THEY MAY BE FILED AT THAT TIME.