Aug 02, 2021 Public Safety Commission

I BELIEVE WE ARE MISSING COMMISSIONER LANE AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER BARNHART.

I BELIEVE YOU'RE ON MUTE.

UM, WE HAVE NOTED COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT IS HERE, EVEN THOUGH WE COULD NOT AUDIBLY HEAR HER.

SHE IS HERE ON VIDEO AND SHE IS RAISING HER HAND AND I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER SIERRA, OUR VOLO, UH, HAS NOTIFIED US THAT WOULD NOT BE PRESENT.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

THIS IS CITY HALL, AAV COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.

IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, UM, WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING YOU INTO THE MEETING.

UM, IT'S MOST LIKELY YOUR SOURCE THAT YOU'RE JOINING WITH.

SO IF YOU'RE JOINING FROM YOUR BROWSER, YOU'LL NEED TO ACTUALLY JOIN FROM THE APP.

IF THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WORKS FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN ALSO CALL IN AND I CAN UNMUTE YOU.

SHALL WE WAIT UNTIL THE ISSUES WITH COMMISSIONER AUSTIN OR TAKEN CARE OF? I SEE HER ON THE FULL ATTENDEES LIST.

COMMISSIONER CHAIR GETS ALL THIS.

COMMISSIONER BURNER.

YOU CAN, YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW.

THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO FIND OUT.

MY, OKAY.

WE HAVE NOTED, UH, COMMISSIONER AUSTIN IS PRESENT.

AND I APOLOGIZE, UH, FOR THE ISSUES YOU ARE HERE.

AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH, UH, THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR, UH, STAFF LIAISON, UH, MS. JANET JACKSON.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK YOU'RE PUTTING IN TO COORDINATE US ON AND OFF SCREEN, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE COORDINATION.

I APPRECIATE IT.

YOU ARE VERY WELCOME CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER AUSTIN.

WE CAN SEE YOU AS WELL.

OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

UM, WE WILL THEN MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS

[Citizen Communications 3:05-3:20pm (from speakers signed up to speak)]

DO WE HAVE MR. LAEL ON WARNING SITTING HALL? WERE WE ABLE TO PATCH IN MR. LEONE FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? YES.

AND ANOTHER ONE STARTING IN 18 NINE.

HI THERE.

UM, WE NEED THE CORRECT PHONE NUMBER BECAUSE I HAVE TWO, ONE STARTING IN A SEVEN, FOUR.

UM, EXCUSE ME A SECOND.

I, WHAT? I'M SORRY, ONE STARTING AT 9, 7, 4

[00:05:02]

I CAN UNMUTE BOTH UNLESS SOMEONE WANTS THE EXACT NUMBER.

I'M SORRY, WHICHEVER YOU'LL HEAR ME.

SO AT CARLOS LEONE FIRST AND FOREMOST, BECAUSE THAT'S OUTSIDE THE RULES FOR LETTING ME SPEAK FOR EVIDENCE-BASED LEGAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND AGAINST COVID-19 MASK AND VAX MANDATES THREATENING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CAP.

METRO BUS VIDEO SHOWS GUILTY DRIVER, DAVID R. HARRIS OPERATOR ID 300 TO THREE ZERO LOOKING DIRECTLY AT ME WHEN MAKING THE THROAT SLASH GESTURE ON MAY 7TH, APD BODY CAM VIDEO DOCUMENTS, HARRIS REPEATEDLY TO THE ON-SCENE OFFICER INVESTIGATING THE CRIME HARRIS DENIED THE DEATH THREAT.

HE MADE CLAIMING HE ONLY MADE A BOLD MOTION FROM HIS CHEST OUTWARD WHILE TELLING ME, GET ON OFF THE BUS AND JUST STAY OFF THE BUS.

HOWEVER HARRIS DID NOT DO OR SAY THAT HARRIS REPEATEDLY AND ABUSIVELY YELLED SHUT UP, MAN, YOU HAVE TO BE QUIET TO TRY ILLEGALLY SILENCING ME.

WHEN I WAS ALREADY OFF THE BUS, TRUTHFULLY TELLING HIM YOUR, THE PROBLEM YOU NEED TO BE FIRED YOUR, THE CRIMINAL ALSO BECAUSE HARRIS HARRIS POINTED HIS FINGER AT ME, 51 TIMES, I KEPT POINTING THREE FINGERS BACK AT HIM, TURNING THIS EVIDENCE OVER TO AN APD DETECTIVE AND OR FILING A COMPLAINT WITH AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT.

OUR NEXT STEPS NEXT, FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE AND DATA OF MY COVID-19 BACKUP MATERIALS IN FRONT OF YOU NOW, AND ONLINE FOR THIS MEETING, COVID 19 PCR TESTS ARE A FRAUD MASKS DO NOT STOP COVID-19 TRANSMISSION.

AND COVID 19 VACCINES ARE REALLY EXPERIMENTAL M R N A SPIKE PROTEIN SHOTS NOT APPROVED BY THE FDA.

THE CDC SAYS THREE FOURTHS OF THOSE INFECTED WITH THE DELTA VARIANT IN CAPE COD WERE FULLY VACCINATED TO SCARE YOU INTO AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF BOOSTER SHOTS FOR ENDLESS COVID-19 VARIANTS.

THE VACCINATED ARE CREATING SHEDDING AND SPREADING TRANSMOGRIFYING THE REAL WORLD, ORGANIC BODY'S NATURAL IMMUNE SYSTEM INTO AN ARTIFICIAL MACHINE OPERATING SYSTEM NEEDING CONSTANT PATCHING TO FUNCTION IN THE MATRIX THOUGH.

CORONA VIRUSES ARE REAL AUSTIN'S HEALTH RANGER, MIKE ADAMS CLAIMS. THERE ARE NO PHYSICAL SPECIMENS OF ISOLATED COVID AVAILABLE FOR TESTING INSTRUMENT, CALIBRATIONS AND QUALITY CONTROL AS IF COVID-19 EXISTS ONLY BY DIGITAL DEFINITION.

YET THE INJECTED SPIKE PROTEINS ARE REAL TOXIC NANOPARTICLES DESTROYING YOUR BODY FROM THE INSIDE OUT BECAUSE HCQ IVERMECTIN VITAMIN D VITAMIN C AND ZINC APPEAR MUCH SAFER ANTIDOTES AGAINST CORONA VIRUSES.

ANTI-HUMAN BIG TECH MISLABELED THAT TRUTH MISINFORMATION TO SENSOR IT, TO PUSH YOU TO HARM OR KILL YOURSELF BY INJECTION, THEREFORE USING PHYSICAL FORCE TO NOT BE JABBED AGAINST YOUR WILL TO PREVENT IMMINENT PHYSICAL HARM IS MORAL AND LEGAL.

SELF-DEFENSE IN JESUS' NAME.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONSTITUTIONAL LAW TRUTH AND ABOVE ALL CUOMO CM.

PRAY GOD'S WORD OUT.

THANK YOU, MR. LEON.

AND I WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WE DID RECEIVE ALL OF YOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTATION BEFORE THIS MEETING.

SO EACH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAS THEIR, UM, THE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION.

UM, WAS, IS THERE ANOTHER PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO ONE ELSE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JANET.

ON TO OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

I'M MOVING

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – July 6, 2021 3:20pm-3:25pm]

SO WE ARE GOING TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JULY 6TH MEETING.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? UM, I HAD A COUPLE CORRECTIONS.

I THINK IT STARTS WITH AN SOME KIND OF EIGHT ACCURACY RATES OR SOMETHING IN THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE IS CLEARANCE RATES.

MR. BARRETT, GO AHEAD.

FIRST.

I THINK THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WEBER, HIS NAME MIGHT BE LISTED TWICE AS ATTENDING.

UM, AND I THINK ONE OF THOSE MIGHT HAVE INTENDED TO BE MY NAME INSTEAD.

IT WAS JUST TWO REBECCA WEBER'S.

I THINK WE GOT THAT.

UM, AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS THERE'S A LIST OF QUESTIONS, UM, FOR, UH, CHIEF GAY.

AND, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT LANGUAGE FOR THE QUESTION FOR ME, BUT

[00:10:01]

UM, AND I WAS ASKING THE CHIEF TO PROVIDE US WITH CLEARANCE RATES.

I WILL CERTAINLY REVISIT THAT COMMISSION UPON HOW IT FOR A CORRECTION ON THAT.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BARNHART, ANYONE ELSE? ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS OR QUESTIONS TO THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH? OKAY.

UH, WITH THE, UM, CORRECTIONS LISTED BY COMMISSIONER BURNHAM, I WILL, UH, COUNT THOSE MINUTES AS APPROVED, ALL RIGHT ON TO OUR OLD BUSINESS, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE.

OUR OLD BUSINESS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER, UH, PANEL ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROP B THAT WAS, UH, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION FOR LAST MONTH BY COMMISSIONERS BERNHARDT, POSSUM FLOP.

UH,

[2.a. Implementation of Proposition B Ordinance (sponsors: Commissioner Bernhardt and Hausenfluck) 3:25pm-3:40pm Speaker(s): -Dianna Grey, Homeless Strategy Office, City of Austin -Community Member – Homeless Advocate]

AND I KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONER, I'M SORRY.

UH, VICE CHAIR.

RAMIREZ ALSO HAD A, UM, RECOMMENDATION FOR FURTHER ACTION.

UM, JUST GO AHEAD.

I JUST WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT, UM, CARLY CHOKE DICKSON IS LISTED AS ATTENDEES AND SHE WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS DURING THIS, UM, PORTION.

SO THIS IS CITY HALL.

UM, CARLY, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, WE'LL NEED YOU TO, UH, REJOIN IF YOU'RE JOINING FROM YOUR BROWSER AND THE APP, OR YOU CAN JUST TRY LOGGING OUT AND LOGGING AGAIN.

UM, AT THIS POINT WE CAN NOT MAKE YOU A PANELIST.

UH, I CAN TRY THAT.

I LOGGED IN THROUGH THE LINK Y'ALL SENT ME, SO I CAN DO THAT AGAIN.

GREAT.

AND, UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, VICE-CHAIR RAMIREZ, DO YOU MIND INTRODUCING, I KNOW COMMISSIONER WITH BERNHARDT CON AND GLAAD, UH, SPONSORED THIS, BUT I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK GETTING, UH, THESE, UH, ATTENDEES.

SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GIVING US A LITTLE, A QUICK LITTLE INTRO, THAT'D BE GREAT IF YOU COULD.

UM, WE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION TO SORT OF ADDRESS JUST MORE OF THE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPERTY.

WE HAVE SASHA ROSE AND CANDICE SWARM FROM AUSTIN MUTUAL AID AND CARLY JO DICKSON FROM THE TEXAS DEFENSE PROJECT, KIND OF SPEAKING FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE DIANA GRAY HERE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HEAL INITIATIVE AND THE INTENTION BEHIND THAT WAS TO SORT OF JUST SHOW THE CONTRAST BETWEEN SOME DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THIS IS BEING DEALT WITH ACROSS THE CITY.

SO, PERFECT.

AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH MS. GRAY? YES.

US PARTICULAR ADDRESSES AT, UM, UH, TO WORK FROM.

MS. GREEN, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

DIANA GRAY HERE, A HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND SO I'M HAPPY TO, TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE ON THE HEAL INITIATIVE, UM, WHICH IS THE HOUSING FOCUSED ENCAMPMENT ASSISTANCE LINK, UH, WHICH WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.

I DID FORWARD A SLIDE DECK TO STAFF, UM, NOT TOO, TOO TERRIBLY LONG BEFORE THE MEETING.

SO IF I NEED TO GIVE IT A GO WITHOUT THAT, I AM HAPPY TO DO SO.

I'LL JUST KIND OF START GOING THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION AND NELLIE, IF YOU OR OTHERS ARE ABLE TO BRING UP THE PRESENT THE SLIDE DECK ALL THE BETTER, IF NOT, WE'LL JUST, WE'LL MAKE IT WORK.

SO, AS I SAID, THE HEAL INITIATIVE WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR OF FEBRUARY 4TH.

AND THE INTENT OF THE RESOLUTION AS STATED THERE IN IS TO IMMEDIATELY HOUSE PEOPLE, UM, OR IMMEDIATELY SHELTER PEOPLE AND WITH A PATH TO PERMANENT HOUSING, UH, FOR THE UNSHELTERED POPULATION AND HOUSING FIRST APPROACH SO THAT WE ARE GOING IN AND TARGETING AND CAMPUS, UH, FOR CLEARANCE.

BUT WE'RE NOT JUST ASKING PEOPLE TO LEAVE, BUT RATHER OFFERING CONCRETE RESOURCES FOR IMMEDIATE SHELTER AND, UM, HOUSING IN THE MIDTERM, UH, BUT WITH DEDICATED RESOURCES ATTACHED TO THAT.

AND SO THE, UH, AS I SAID, THE, THIS IS FRAMED AS PHASE ONE OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE.

UH, AND FOR THAT PHASE ONE COUNCIL ASKED US TO LOOK AT FOUR SITES ACROSS THE CITY, UM, IN NORTH AUSTIN, EAST AUSTIN, UM, SOUTH END IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH SOME PARAMETERS AROUND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE SITES, UM, ET CETERA, UH, BUT WITHOUT NECESSARILY, UH, GIVING

[00:15:01]

AND SO JUST IN TERMS OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE INITIATIVE, THE WAY IT HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER, FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS AN OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT.

SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING PREDOMINANTLY WITH OUR HOST TEAM, WHICH IS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM, UM, AS YOU KNOW, A MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE, UH, MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM, UH, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, STAFF FROM THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS, INTEGRAL CARE, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, COMMUNITY COURT, SOCIAL WORKERS AND APD, AND IN SOME CASES, PATH TEAM, WHICH IS ANOTHER OUTREACH TEAM THAT IS, UH, STAFF SOLELY OUT OF, OF INTEGRAL CARE WORRIES OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.

SO THAT OUTREACH OCCURS, UM, TAKE ASSESSMENT OF WHO IS AT THE SITE, MAKE AN OFFER OF SHELTER AND OF HOUSING.

UM, AND, UM, AT THAT POINT POINT, USUALLY THE MOVE WOULD HAPPEN FAIRLY QUICKLY THEREAFTER.

UM, AT THAT POINT, THEN FOLKS ARE OFFERED SHELTER.

WE OPENED UP IN JUNE, UH, THE SOUTHBRIDGE SHELTER, WHICH WE CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, HERE IN A MOMENT, BUT IT'S A CONVERTED HOTEL.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NON CONGREGATE SHELTER, VERY, UM, DIFFERENT AND OFTEN EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ACCEPT, UH, GOING INTO A HOTEL ROOM RATHER THAN A COT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH VERY LITTLE PRIVACY AND CONGREGATE SHELTER.

AND, BUT THE IDEA OF THAT SHELTER IS THAT IS TRULY BRIDGE SHELTER THAT EVEN AS PEOPLE ARE ENTERING, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN WHAT WE HAVE A SERVICE PROVIDER WAITING AT THE READY TO ENROLL THEM IN THEIR PROGRAM WITH BOTH CASE MANAGEMENT AND HOUSING, UM, HOUSING RENTAL SUPPORTS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

SO THAT IT IS REALLY JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THEM ENROLLED, FINDING THE HOUSING, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WORKING THROUGH THE APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE PROCESS, UH, BUT FINDING THEM PERMANENT HOUSING SO THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE STAYING IN THE BRIDGE SHELTERS RELATIVELY BRIEF.

UH, AND THEN I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS, YOU KNOW, HE'LL WAS PASSED BEFORE PROP B PASSED.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF VERY VIGOROUS DISCUSSION ON THE DIOCESE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SPIRITED, UH, COMMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO BE DOING THIS WORK, UM, AND, UH, SEEKING VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE AT THE TIME.

IT DID NOT, WE WERE, WE WERE POTENTIALLY RELOCATING SITES OR PEOPLE WHO ARE AT SITES WHERE IT MAY HAVE AT THAT TIME BEEN, UM, TO BE CAMPING IS NO LONGER THE CASE, BUT WE ARE STILL REALLY, UM, FOCUSED ON, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BELIEF AND, AND OUR EXPERIENCE SO FAR, UM, UH, REITERATE THIS, THAT PEOPLE WANT SHELTER AND HOUSING.

AND SO PEOPLE ARE TYPICALLY VOLUNTARILY RELOCATING.

UH, I THINK THAT IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE THREE, I THINK IS NEXT.

SO, UH, ACTUALLY WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO FOUR.

SO ESSENTIALLY, AS I SAID, THERE WERE THREE SITES THAT WERE, THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, UM, THROUGH THIS FIRST PHASE OF THE INITIATIVE SHOULD HEAL.

SHOULD THERE BE A PHASE TWO OF HEAL? AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK.

ONE OF THE TASKS SETS WILL BE, WE WILL BE CHARGED WITH IS IDENTIFYING A PROCESS OR, UM, PRIORITIZING AND CAMP MINUTES, UH, WITH A REAL EYE TO HEALTH AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS EQUITY IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE TARGET THESE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, AT THE BEN WHITE SITE, WHICH I'LL DESCRIBE HERE IN A MOMENT WE'D HAD, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE PEDESTRIAN VEHICLE FATALITIES, RIGHT.

AND ACCIDENTS.

SO REALLY LOOKING AT FLOOD RISK, FIRE RISK, YOU KNOW, VEHICLE RISK, ET CETERA.

THE REALITY IS THAT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT IS NOT, UH, HEALTHY, NOR SAFE FOR PEOPLE TO BE LIVING OUTDOORS FOR THE MOST PART IN GENERAL.

SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT, DANGEROUS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL BE DOING AS WE COMPLETE THIS INITIAL BAYS IS REALLY LOOKING TO DEVELOP A DATA-DRIVEN WAY TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE DO THE WORK.

SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO W ONE OF THE REASONS, YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT COUNSEL DID NOT EXPLICITLY IDENTIFY THE LOCATIONS OF THE SITES, UM, UH, BOTH TO GIVE STAFF SOME LATITUDE TO ADJUST AS NEEDED, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE, UH, TO HAVE AN ORDERLY PROCESS AND NOT HAVE THE PERVERSE SORT OF IMPACT OF DRAWING PEOPLE INTO A SITE THAT WE WERE SEEKING TO CLEAR, AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO SHELTER ANY OF THEM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A SPACE IN SHELTER, BUT WE HAVE NOW COMPLETED TWO SITES BEGINNING, UH, IN, IN JUNE.

SO OVER

[00:20:01]

THE LAST TWO MONTHS, WE RELOCATED, UH, OCCUPIED PEOPLE WHO WERE ENCAMPED AT THE TERASA LIBRARY THAT WAS ABOUT 20 PEOPLE.

AND THEN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UH, WORKED ON THE ENCAMPMENT AT THE UNDERPASS AT BEN WHITE AND MANSHACK, AND THAT WAS ABOUT 50 PEOPLE.

SO, UM, WE STILL HAVE TWO SITES TO DO.

I ANTICIPATE US COMPLETING THE THIRD SITE THIS MONTH, UH, AND THEN ARE STILL HOPING THAT WE CAN COMPLETE THE FOURTH SITE, BUT BY THE END OF THE SUMMER, THAT REALLY WILL WE DO AT THAT POINT, IT BECOMES DEPENDENT ON HAVING ENOUGH ROOM IN SHELTER, UH, THROUGH PERMANENT HOUSING PLACEMENTS, AS PEOPLE MOVE OUT OF SHELTER AND INTO HOUSING THAT WE HAVE SPACE IN SHELTER.

UM, I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT JUST IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, UH, OVER 90% OF PEOPLE WHO WERE OFFERED SHELTER AND HOUSING TOOK IT.

SO THE SORT OF IT SORT OF BELIES THE THING THAT WE HEAR SOMETIMES IT, WHICH IS PEOPLE JUST REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO TO SHELTER.

THEY DON'T WANT HOUSING.

THEY WANT TO LIVE OUTSIDE.

THAT HAS NOT BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THUS FAR, UM, OF THE 70 PEOPLE WHO WERE TRANSFERRED TO SOUTH BRIDGE, 67 IS SHUT LAST COUNT.

AS OF LAST FRIDAY, AT LEAST REMAINED.

UM, WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO, UM, WHO HAVE INTERACTION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTER, UH, ENVIRONMENT AND, AND, AND, AND GO TO JAIL.

OR WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED, UH, FOR PRIMARY CARE NEEDS, UH, ET CETERA.

AND THEN WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO LEAVE OR WHERE, UM, WHERE, WHERE THERE COULD BE A BEHAVIORAL ISSUE, UH, AND ARE ASKED TO LEAVE.

I WILL SAY THAT THAT IS GENERALLY LESS OF AN ISSUE WHEN YOU HAVE A NON CONGREGATE SHELTER AND PEOPLE CAN BE IN A PRIVATE SPACE.

UM, SO, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH, UH, TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS.

I THINK IT WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND I'M VERY ENCOURAGED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING YES, AND COMING IN DOORS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE ATTRITION LOOK LIKE? WHAT'S OUR REAL, OUR REAL SUCCESS IS GETTING PEOPLE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING AND THEM STAYING THERE.

UM, SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF ENROLLING THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO, UH, HAVE MOVED FROM BOTH THE TERASA AND THE BEN WHITE SITES INTO, UH, THE PROGRAMS OF THEIR SERVICE, THEIR HOUSING SERVICE PROVIDERS, WHICH IN THIS CASE ARE, ARE INTEGRAL CARE AND FAMILY ELDER CARE.

UH, THEY'RE, I'M, I'M GETTING, I'M ACTUALLY GUESSING THAT THE NUMBER IS HIGHER THAN 50, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN, UH, SEVERAL DAYS SINCE I GOT AN UPDATE FROM THEM, BUT, YOU KNOW, REALLY THEY'RE READY TO ENROLL PEOPLE AS THEY COME INTO SHELTER AND START SERVING THEM.

WE DO HAVEN'T HAD HOUSING PLACEMENTS YET, BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WOULD BEGIN THIS MONTH.

UM, SO WE WOULD BEGIN TO SEE THAT MOVEMENT INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.

NEXT SLIDE.

THE PREVIOUS ONE.

CONCERN THAT WHAT WE'RE FEATURING IS THE BEFORE AND AFTER OF THE SITE AND NOT THE, UH, THE, THE IMPACT ON THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BEING RELOCATED.

SO THIS IS THE SOUTHBRIDGE SHELTER, AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT.

UM, YEAH, I, I'M PROUD THAT WE STOOD IT UP AND GOT IT RUNNING.

IT IS NOT FULLY, THE RENOVATION IS NOT FULLY COMPLETE YET.

SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO DRIVE BY IT'S AT IT'S, UH, ON NORTHBOUND, UH, FRENCH ROAD NEAR OLTORF, UM, THAT IT STILL HAS CONSTRUCTION FENCING AROUND IT FROM WHEN THE RENOVATION WAS HAPPENING.

UH, WE SAW SOME WORK TO DO ON THE EXTERIOR LANDSCAPING AND FENCING, ET CETERA.

BUT I THINK THAT OVERALL, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN A NON CONGREGATE SHELTER AND HAVING THEIR OWN ROOM IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE VALUING.

I WANT IT TO LOOK EVEN BETTER, UM, UH, OPENED IN JUNE.

WE, UH, OUR, OUR CONTRACT, UH, CONTRACTING WITH FRONT STEPS TO OPERATE THE SHELTER.

THEY WERE NOT QUITE READY TO OPERATIONALIZE IN JUNE.

AND SO WE ACTUALLY STOOD IT UP WITH, UH, CITY STAFF AND TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.

UH, WE HAD SOME KIND OF A POOL OF AVAILABLE FOLKS WHO HAD, EXCUSE ME, THEN INVOLVED IN THE OPERATIONS OF PROLOGIS ACROSS THE CITY.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.

THIS IS JUST SORT OF DRESSES IMMEDIATELY AFTER, OR AS PEOPLE WERE STILL MOVING, WE STILL HAD A FEW FOLKS THERE.

UH, AND THEN AFTERWARDS, AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS A PHOTO OF THE BEN WHITE SITE BEFORE AND AFTER I DO WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE SAID, AND I SHARE

[00:25:01]

UH, HOWEVER, WE ALSO DON'T TAKE PICTURES OF INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION AND RIGHT, AND, AND, AND CONSENT.

AND SO THERE'S SOME PRIVACY ISSUES THERE, BUT I WANT TO JUST, I THINK BE CLEAR THAT WHILE I THINK IT, THIS VISUAL, YOU KNOW, IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OUT OF SIGHT AFTER THE CLEARANCE, THE, THE REAL, THE REAL VALUE HERE IS FOR THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE SHELTER AND ULTIMATELY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE AND BELIEVE PERMANENTLY HOUSED THAT I THINK THAT, THAT MIGHT GO, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF WE HAVE ANY OTHERS.

THIS IS JUST, UM, UH, ONE OF OUR PARTNERS AT, AT, UH, AT INTERVAL CARE, UM, WHO IS, UH, IS HELPING US WITH BOTH.

WE DO HAVE ONSITE, UH, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UH, WORKERS, UM, AT, UH, AT SOUTHBRIDGE.

UM, WE ARE MOVING TOWARD, WE BELIEVE OPENING UP A SECOND, UH, SHELTER, WHICH WILL ALSO HAVE THAT ONSITE, UH, SUPPORT IS CURRENTLY DURING BUSINESS HOURS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WE PROBABLY CAN IMPROVE HAVE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF SUPPORTS ONSITE, UH, OVER TIME.

UH, BUT WITH THAT, I WILL JUST TAKE QUESTIONS.

I'M SURE YOU'VE GOT A FEW.

DO YOU MIND TAKING THE SLIDE DOWN SO I CAN SEE THE DYESS AGAIN, PLEASE? AVA.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, DO WE WANT TO, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS FOR MS. GRAY, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE OUR FRIENDS FROM AUSTIN MUTUAL AID PRESENT.

WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES.

SO I THINK WE'RE, UM, IF IT'S BETTER, IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO HAVE OTHER FOLKS PRESENT AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS, THAT'S FINE, TOO.

WHATEVER WORKS.

UM, LET'S, LET'S SEE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT OFF THE BAT, AND THEN MAYBE WE'LL GO, WE'LL GO THROUGH IT AGAIN.

UH, COMMISSIONER KIRKOFF, GO AHEAD.

AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, DIANA FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND I THINK IT'S GREAT.

THE 90%, UH, THING, UH, THE OFFER TO BE HOUSED.

THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING.

UM, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT KIND OF REASON DID THE 10% GIVE THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO ACCEPT YOUR OFFER? YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T HAVE A SHORT LIST.

IT IS ONLY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT FIVE PEOPLE AT THIS POINT.

UM, SOMETIMES WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS PEOPLE WON'T GIVE A REASON, BUT THEY MAY JUST LEAVE THE SITE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE HAD THE COUPLE OF DAYS OF OUTREACH AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE RELOCATING, ET CETERA, THEY MAY NOT GIVE A REASON.

THEY MAY JUST GO FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND IT'S ONE THAT I CAN POSE TO OUR STAFF AND THE HOSTS TEAMS ABOUT WHAT ARE YOU HEARING? THE OTHER PIECE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMITMENT IS THAT SO LONG AS WE HAVE SPACE AT A SHELTER, IF ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS COMES BACK AND SAYS, I'VE CHANGED MY MIND, YOU KNOW, I I'D LIKE TO GO INTO SHELTER, YOU KNOW, WE, THAT, THAT OFFER STANDS.

GOOD.

AND DO YOU ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER HUDSON FLUFF, PLEASE.

GO AHEAD.

HI.

THE TIMELINE, UH, IS WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING THROUGH THE PRO LODGES, WHERE WE ALSO HAD A RAPID REHOUSING PLACEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING THERE.

I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THE PERMANENT, PERMANENT, PERMANENT HOUSING PORTION AND HOW, WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE FOR THEM.

AND I KNOW YOU SAY YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BE STARTING IT THIS MONTH, BUT WE'LL KIND OF WORK WITH THEM ON, ON HOW, HOW YOU ANTICIPATE TO MOVE THEM IN THERE AND QUICKLY HOW QUICKLY.

SURE.

SO THE PERMANENT HOUSING RESOURCE THAT THE LARGEST PROGRAM HOUSING RESOURCE ATTACHED TO THIS, UH, INITIATIVE, OUR RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAMS AND RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAMS OFFER A PRETTY ROBUST, BUT TIME LIMITED CASE MANAGEMENT AND RENTAL SUPPORTS.

AND SO THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM THREE MONTHS UP TO TWO YEARS OF ASSISTANCE WITH RENT AND CASE MANAGEMENT, SHOULD PEOPLE NEED IT? UM, RAPID REHOUSING IS ALMOST ALWAYS SCATTERED SITE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO ONE OF THE ROLES OF THE SERVICE PROVIDER AND, AND, AND THEIR STAFF IS TO HELP PEOPLE FIND AN APARTMENT, RIGHT.

THAT, AND, AND THAT IS DONE OFTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH ECHO AND SOME OF OUR OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDLORDS WHO WILL ACCEPT A NON, YOU KNOW, CONVENTIONAL APPLICANT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT PEOPLE MAKE COMING INTO HOUSING ARE GOING TO HAVE CREDIT SCORES OR GREAT RENTAL HISTORIES OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

SO THERE THEY'RE REALLY SOME, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDLORDS, BUT THOSE, THOSE NON-PROFITS ARE WORKING ALL THE TIME TO PLACE PEOPLE.

WHAT WE KNOW.

I SAID, I THINK PROBABLY OUR BEST MARKER FOR

[00:30:01]

AND THAT THE AVERAGE, UM, FROM THE TIME SOMEONE WAS ENROLLED WITH THAT SERVICE PROVIDER TO HOUSING WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 60 TO 70 DAYS.

SO, UM, RIGHT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE OVER TWO MONTHS, UH, WHICH IS WHY I SAY, BECAUSE WE MOVED OUR FIRST 20 FOLKS IN, IN JUNE, WE WOULD EXPECT TO BEGIN TO SEE PLACEMENTS, UH, SOMETIME RELATIVELY SOON.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS NOT EXPLICITLY PART OF THIS, UH, CONTINUUM, UH, IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, EVERGREEN, IF YOU WILL, LONG-TERM NON TIME LIMITED HOUSING SUBSIDY AND ONGOING VERY ROBUST SOCIAL SERVICES.

UM, AND THAT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE IT TENDS TO TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO CREATE BOTH FROM A, EITHER FROM A, A LOCATIONAL STANDPOINT, CAUSE THAT WE DO SOMETIMES BUILD RIGHT CREATE UNITS, UM, THROUGH OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS. UH, BUT THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TO BRIDGE AND FIND, FIND LINKAGES FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.

WE SEPARATE CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY, WE HAVE A PIPELINE OF PSH UNITS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN NURTURING AND CULTIVATING.

AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT FAIRLY SOON WE'LL BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'LL BEGIN TO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S SCATTERED SITE, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO, YOU'VE GOT A HOUSING SUBSIDY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT YOUR, THAT IS LONG-TERM, IT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY AND THAT YOU HAVE CONTINUED CASE MANAGEMENT OR THAT WE, UM, WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO OPEN UP ONE OR MORE OF OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

WE ACTUALLY JUST CLOSED ON, UH, ON A HOTEL TODAY, UH, THE BUNGALOWS, UM, ON MOPAC, UH, WHICH WE'LL BE WORKING WITH INTEGRAL CARE TO CONVERT TO PSH, SO SUPER EXCITING.

AND THAT WILL, I THINK, ADD TO THAT SORT OF PORTFOLIO OF PLACEMENTS THAT WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE MAY NEED.

ENCAMPMENTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE ANYTIME SOON.

THANK YOU, ACTUALLY, UM, COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO GET A COMMENT FROM A COLLEGE OF EXTENDED SOFTWARE, ROSA, THIS POINT, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU AND THEN WE CAN.

PERFECT.

UM, DO YOU WANT TO SET UP, OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND HAVE CARLY JO AND SASHA MAKE THEIR, UH, COMMENTS HIGHLY? YES.

YOU GUYS JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES BRIEFLY BEFORE YOU SPEAK AND, AND, AND THAT'S IT.

I THINK, YEAH, THAT'LL BE GREAT.

AND YOU ARE BOTH ON MUTE.

I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO START.

UM, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME TODAY.

UH, MY NAME IS CARLY JO DIXON.

I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE TEXAS FAIR DEFENSE PROJECT, UM, AT TFTP WE AIM TO STOP THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS PRACTICALLY FOR MY WORK IS THAT I STAND IN THE GAP WITH DIRECT SERVICES FOR FOLKS WHO ARE ENTANGLED IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM, BUT DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPOINTED COUNSEL.

SO THAT INCLUDES FOLKS WHO ARE ACCUSED OF AND CHARGED WITH CLASS C MISDEMEANORS, UH, SUCH AS THE OFFENSES UNDER CLASS B, I MEAN UNDER PROP B, UH, THAT CRIMINALIZE THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

SO WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOW USING TICKETS, ISSUING TICKETS TO ENFORCE, UM, THE CAMPING BAN.

UM, LAST WEEK I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND SPEAK WITH SOME OF OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.

WHO'VE ACTUALLY RECEIVED TICKETS FOR USING THEIR BASIC SURVIVAL GEAR, UH, SUCH AS TENSE.

UM, I WANT TO PAUSE AS WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, JUST TO, JUST TO REITERATE THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING UNDER OUR BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES CONTINUES TO BE A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND THE PROCESS OF SENDING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHERS TO PUSH PEOPLE INTO THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM IS AN ADDED CRUELTY.

UM, PREVIOUS PHASES OF PROP B ENFORCEMENT HAVE INCLUDED OUTREACH.

UM, APD HAS BEEN HANDING OUT OUTREACH MATERIALS.

THEY ARE, IT IS A LIST OF PHONE NUMBERS.

THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE FOLKS.

I KNOW WHO'VE RECEIVED THOSE MATERIALS AND TRY TO CALL THOSE NUMBERS TO GET ASSISTANCE.

THEY HAVE BEEN DEAD ENDS, UM, OUTREACH DOESN'T WORK IF THERE'S NO CAPACITY.

AND RIGHT NOW THERE IS NOWHERE TO GO.

UM, I KNOW WE JUST HEARD ABOUT THE HEAL INITIATIVE.

UM, MOST OF THE CAMPS AND THE ENCAMPMENTS IN THE CITY DO NOT FALL UNDER THAT PLAN.

UM, AND UNDER PROP B, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

LAW ENFORCEMENT IS SUPPOSED TO DO THREE THINGS.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO ADVISE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY ISSUE TICKETS OF WHERE IT IS LEGAL TO CAMP.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE NO LEGALIZED

[00:35:01]

UM, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE PEOPLE RESOURCES OF AVAILABLE SHELTER, BEDS, AND HOUSING.

THERE ARE NO SHELTER BEDS.

THERE IS NO HOUSING AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE RIGHT NOW.

UM, AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT SOMEONE FROM THE CITY TO TRANSPORT THEM TO SERVICES.

THAT ALSO IS NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHAT WE ARE SEEING AS LAW ENFORCEMENT IS GIVING TICKETS TO PEOPLE.

I CANNOT FIND IN TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THESE CAMPS, WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING TICKETS FOR CAMPING AND OTHERS ARE NOT IN THE SAME ENCAMPMENT.

UM, WHAT I CAN SAY IS TWO OF THE MEN I TALKED TO WHO RECEIVED TICKETS FOR CAMPING IN JULY HAD VISIBLE PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.

THEY HAD TROUBLE STANDING WALKING.

ONE OF THEM COULD BARELY GET OUT OF HIS TENT BECAUSE OF HIS MOBILITY ISSUES.

AND IN THEORY, PROP B HAS, YOU KNOW, A CATCHALL FOR THIS.

IT SAYS THAT IT'S AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE TO PROSECUTION IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, BUT THAT ASSUMES THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO COURT.

THE CAMPING BAN IS NOW CITYWIDE.

AND SO IS DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURTS JURISDICTION.

IF SOMEONE RECEIVES A TICKET FOR CAMPING AT SLAUGHTER CREEK OR UP NORTH, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIND THEIR WAY TO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, VERY SHORTLY WON'T EVEN BE HOUSED IN DOWNTOWN ANYMORE.

UM, I DID SOME PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST, UM, AND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO ME BY DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT SAID THAT PEOPLE ARE WAITING A YEAR TO GET SERVICES FROM THEM.

DURING THAT TIME PEOPLE ARE GETTING WARRANTS AND THEY'RE GETTING FURTHER ENTRENCHED IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.

WE HAVE FUNCTIONALLY TURNED THE CONDITION OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY INTO A CRIME.

UH, WE'RE ALLOWING THE REMOVAL OF OUTDOOR SHELTER AND PROP ME MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO FIND ACTUAL PERMANENT HOUSING, SUSTAIN EMPLOYMENT, GET TRANSPORTATION, GET MEDICAL CARE.

UM, IF OUR AIM IS TO NOT ENTRENCHED PEOPLE IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM, WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT PERSON CENTERED LONG-TERM HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

THE PEOPLE I TALK TO ARE SCARED AND THEY'RE CONFUSED.

MANY PEOPLE SAID I'M GOING TO GO.

THE POLICE HAVE COME TO THE CAMP.

THEY'VE TOLD ME TO LEAVE.

I'M GOING TO LEAVE, BUT THEY'RE NOT MOVING INTO HOUSING.

THEY'RE GOING FURTHER INTO HIDING.

THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT GOING TO THE RIVER TO CREEK BEDS, TO WOODS PLACES WHERE THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO INTERACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

UM, AND THERE WAS A REAL FEELING OF DESPERATION.

ONE WOMAN WHO HAS CANCER TOLD ME SHE'S BEEN ON THE WAITING LIST FOR HOUSING, BUT SHE WILL PROBABLY DIE ON THE STREETS BEFORE SHE'S HOUSED.

SHE PLED WITH ME.

SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHY ISN'T SHE A PRIORITY.

SHE'S NOT IN A HEEL CAMP.

SHOULDN'T THE FACT THAT SHE'S SICK.

THAT SHE'S A HIGH RISK OF COVID MEANS SOMETHING TO GET HER INTO HOUSING INTO ONE OF THESE PRO LODGES.

UM, SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S GOING TO DO WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT COMES TO ARREST HER.

THANK YOU, MR. MS. ROSE AB CAN YOU UNMUTE MS. ROSE FOR HER? THERE YOU GO.

REALLY SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY ABLE TO OFFER.

HI.

YES, I'M UH, THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN MUTUAL AID.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF US AS WE STEPPED UP.

THEN WE'RE A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION.

WE'RE REALLY A COLLECTION OF SMALLER GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT STEPPED UP DURING THE FREEZE.

DURING THE FREEZE, WE WENT VIRAL AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET NEARLY 500 PEOPLE INTO HOTELS TO SHELTER THEM DURING FREEZE.

UM, THEY ALL WENT BACK ONTO THE STREETS, OF COURSE, AND MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW, AND THE CONCERN THAT I'M HEARING FROM MANY OF US WHO DO CAMP SUPPORT.

AND FOR THOSE OF THEM WHO ARE IN CAMP SUPPORT IS THAT A LOT OF THESE CAMPS DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE HEAL INITIATIVE I'VE HEARD.

UM, UM, I FORGET HER NAME NOW I'VE HEARD HER SHARE, UH, THAT THERE WERE 70, MAYBE 70, 20, MAYBE A HUNDRED PEOPLE WHO WERE OFFERED, UH, SERVICES THUS FAR.

WE'RE HEARING FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN THOSE MAIN CAMP AREAS THAT ARE WONDERING WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

THEY HAVE A LOT, THEY'VE SEEN ALL THE SIGNS THAT SAY THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER LEGALLY ABLE TO CAMP THERE AND THEY ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED.

THEY'RE NOT BEING PROVIDED THE RESOURCES AND ALTERNATIVES THAT THEY WERE TOLD OR THAT THE, UH, SAVE AUSTIN NOW PROGRAM WAS SHARING THAT WAS GOING TO BE NEEDED OR GOING TO BE HAD.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED.

WE NEED AT LEAST ONE OTHER GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED CAMP.

UH, WHAT HAPPENED WITH, UH, THE ONE DOWN BY ESPERANZA WAS THAT, UH, THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION WAS ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.

[00:40:01]

WHAT INTEGRAL CARE HEAL AUSTIN IS ABLE TO OFFER.

AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE STEPPING IN.

WE REALLY NEED TO BE SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THESE SERVICES.

SO RIGHT NOW, AUSTIN MUTUAL AID HAS A HOUSING INITIATIVE OF OUR OWN.

UH, WE HAVE, UH, AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE THAT WE PUT BACK INTO HOTELS.

WE'RE ACTUALLY JUST PRIORITIZING THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT, AT THIS POINT, BEEN OFFERED ANY SERVICES.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED ANY ALTERNATIVES.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, UNSAFE.

SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR MORE SUPPORT AND WAYS TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT AS GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, UH, LET'S SEE.

WHAT WE'RE FINDING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WE'RE PUTTING IN HOTELS IS THAT MANY OF THEM ALREADY HAVE SOME TYPE OF CRIMINAL RECORD.

THEY HAVE CRIMINAL TRESPASS.

UH, THEY HAVE TICKETS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY.

SO EVEN IN OUR OWN SMALL LITTLE GRASSROOTS, UH, UM, INITIATIVE, WE'RE REALLY STRUGGLING TO FIND THEM PERMANENT HOUSING, AND WE'RE NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THE SAME RESOURCES THAT YOU ALL DO.

SO WE'D REALLY LIKE TO BE WELCOMED TO THE TABLE.

I APPRECIATE BEING INVITED TO THIS MEETING.

THANK YOU, REBECCA.

UH, WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE WELCOMED TO THE TABLE IN ORDER TO HELP BRIDGE THIS GAP OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE.

WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ON THE STREETS, AND WHAT I'VE HEARD IS WE'VE OFFERED A HUNDRED PEOPLE HOUSING.

SO WE REALLY NEED SOMETHING TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS EARMARKED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR THAT.

UH, F ROUNDS IS A GOOD, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALLOWED TO AND SUPPORTED IN STEPPING UP AND HELPING BRIDGE THAT GAP.

UM, I THINK THAT'S IT, I'D LIKE TO REALLY, UH, YEAH, REALLY GIVE, PASS IT OFF TO CANDACE, WHO IS ONE OF OUR PEOPLE WHO IS CURRENTLY, UH, IN OUR PROGRAM.

UM, CANVAS, ARE YOU, UM, CAN WE HEAR YOU? I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HEARD, UM, OKAY.

I DON'T WANT TO USE MY CAMERA AS I'M NOT ON MY HAIR, BUT, UM, SASHA GROUP HAS REALLY LIKE REALLY, REALLY HELPED ME.

UM, I WAS IN THE WOODS ACTUALLY UNTIL SASHA PUT, YOU KNOW, A HOTEL ROOM AND BEING OUT IN THE WOODS, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY VULNERABLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BEING PUSHED TO AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF PROPOSITION READING.

UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

UH, NOT I'M A PRETTY STRONG WOMAN.

I'VE BEEN ON THE STREETS HERE IN AUSTIN FOR TWO YEARS.

UM, AND I HAVE GOOD SURVIVAL SKILLS, BUT I KNOW NOT EVERYBODY HAS THAT.

LIKE I WAS WORKING ON A DOCUMENTARY TO, UH, SHINE SOME EDUCATION ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE FENCE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I FOUND SOME NUMBERS THAT WERE REALLY DISTURBING TO ME.

UM, ECHO REPORTED LAST YEAR THAT THERE WAS 3,100 PEOPLE IN AUSTIN THAT ARE DISABLED, BUT THE NUMBER IS CLOSER TO 5,000 AND OUT OF 5,000 PEOPLE, 70% OF THAT ARE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OUT OF 5,000 PEOPLE, 34% OF THAT OVER 34% OF THAT IS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, YOU KNOW? AND SO OVER 70% OF THE PEOPLE HAVE A DISABILITY AND WE WANT TO CRIMINALIZE IT, YOU KNOW? UM, I JUST THINKING ABOUT THE CHILDREN THAT ARE NOT EVEN COUNTED IN THAT HEAD COUNT, LIKE IT'S, IT'S, IT BLOWS MY MIND.

UM, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYBODY LIKE ACTIVELY GOING OUT AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO HOUSING.

AND IT JUST, I JUST HAPPENED TO STUMBLE UPON THE AUSTIN MUTUAL AID GROUP.

YOU KNOW, IF IT WASN'T FOR SOME THIRD, TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MY OWN NONPROFIT THAT I'M TRYING TO GET STARTED.

IT LED ME TO ONE PERSON WHICH LED ME TO ALSO MUTUAL AID AND, YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY HAVE SAVED MY LIFE.

MY BOYFRIEND JUST PASSED AWAY.

AND SO ME BEING IN A MOTEL ROOM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN LIKE A HUGE GODSEND FOR ME, BUT, UM, CAN, CAN, IS, CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THE, UM, THE COVID, UH, UH, UH, THING THAT YOU FOUND PLEASE ABOUT THE LOOPHOLE ESSENTIALLY? OH, YES.

ARE UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY OR IF A STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED THAT THE LAND OWNER HAS THAT RIGHT TO DEEM IT AN EMERGENCY SHELTER.

SO, UM, HOUSE BILL 1925 GOES INTO EFFECT, UM, IN SEPTEMBER AND I WAS LOOKING AT IT, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF HOURS AFTER IT WAS PASSED.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOOPHOLE IN HOUSE BILL 1925, UM, WHICH WOULD GIVE MAYOR ADLER THE, UM, THE RIGHT TO DEEM EVERY CAMP IN AUSTIN AS AN EMERGENCY SHELTER SITE.

UM, I THINK IT IS IN SECTION G OR H OF THE BILL, BUT IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, IF THE, IF WE

[00:45:01]

SO I HAD, UM, HAD MY BROTHER LOOK AT IT AND HE TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, HE THINKS IT'S A VALID THE POLL.

AND THEN SOMEBODY WITH THE APPLESEED, UH, LEGAL GROUP ACTUALLY LOOKED AT IT AND SHE SAID, YES, MA'AM.

I MEAN, IT IS A VALID, ACTUAL LOOPHOLE, AND THAT WOULD BUY SOME TIME AS LONG AS WE ARE UNDER THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, WHICH WE'RE ACTUALLY UNDER TWO RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF COVID AND BECAUSE OF THE WINTER STORM.

WELL, THANK YOU, CANDACE.

WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR SOME TYPE OF PRIVATE LAND OR GOVERNMENT LAND ACTUALLY TO BE DEEMED AS SAFE CAMP ROUNDS.

WE REALLY NEED THIS, UH, THAT NEXT STAGE OF CA UH, OF CAMPING PROPOSITION B IS, UH, HAPPENING IN SIX DAYS.

UH, SO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THESE ENCAMPMENTS ARE NOT, IT DOESN'T EVEN SOUND LIKE THE HEAL INITIATIVE WHILE IT SEEMS VERY SUCCESSFUL, IS PREPARED TO OFFER PEOPLE ALTERNATIVES TO WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO, UH, AS A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION WHO SPEAKS FOR A LOT OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, WE REALLY ARE REQUESTING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP IN PROVIDING MORE OF A, AN ALTERNATIVE.

WE JUST NEED CAMPGROUNDS WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE ARRESTED RIGHT NOW.

WE REALLY NEED SAFE CAMP ROUNDS.

WE HAVE CAMP SUPPORT.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL FEED THEM.

UH, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO DO DONATIONS.

WE WORKED WITH SEVERAL CHURCHES, BUT WE REALLY NEED AN ALTERNATIVE.

WE ARE NOT READY TO MOVE INTO STAGE FOUR OF THE CAMPING BAN.

UH, THERE JUST AREN'T ENOUGH RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT REALLY SHARES.

IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M HAPPY TO HELP.

YOU CAN EMAIL ME AUSTIN, UH, MUTUAL AID@GMAIL.COM AND WE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY ASKING FOR MORE OF YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE OUT OF TIME, BUT WE WON'T HAVE, WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE DO HAVE A, UH, RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION TO GET IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL THAT HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER BY VICE CHAIR, RAMIREZ AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT.

UH, I'D LIKE TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THAT, UM, UH, VICE CHAIR.

RAMIREZ, CAN YOU TAKE IT? YES, OF COURSE.

MUTED.

UM, SO I SORT OF PUT TOGETHER THE BROAD STROKES FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO SORT OF ADDRESS, UM, THE MOST IMMEDIATE THING, WHAT FELL, WHAT FELL MOST UNDER OUR PURVIEW.

I THOUGHT, UM, JUST TO ADDRESS THE GAP, THIS, THIS GAP THAT EVERYBODY KEEPS TALKING ABOUT THE CAPACITY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ARREST, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S NOWHERE TO SEND PEOPLE YET.

SO, UM, I SENT OVER THE RECOMMENDATION EARLIER TODAY, BUT BASICALLY IT'S AT THE PUBLIC.

THE DRAFT THAT I PUT TOGETHER SAYS THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT SEE CITATIONS AND ARRESTS SET FORTH BY THE RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH WAS THE PLAN THAT WE WERE PRESENTED WITH LAST MEETING, UNLESS THE DIVERSIONS BEING OFFERED TO PERSONS, EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED, HOMELESSNESS INCLUDE A HOUSING OPTION.

UM, THERE ARE MYRIAD REASONS LISTED FOR WHY, UM, THIS FEELS APPROPRIATE.

UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, IT'S, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO AT THIS POINT SAY TO SAFELY AND HUMANELY RELOCATE PEOPLE.

UM, AND THERE JUST ISN'T CAPACITY AT THIS POINT.

SHOULD I READ THROUGH THE WHOLE RECOMMENDATION COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? UM, IT WAS SENT OUT TO EVERYONE.

WAS IT NOT? YES, EVERYONE HAS IT IN FRONT OF THEM, SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY, BUT I WOULD, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND THEN TAKE A VOTE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES.

SO LET'S OPEN TO DISCUSSION, UH, COMMISSIONER LEWIS.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION AND THOUGHT, I MEAN, I, I, I'M SO GLAD THAT Y'ALL ARE, UM, PUTTING THIS FORWARD.

I'M DO WONDER JUST THINKING ABOUT THE MUTUAL AID, UM, PIECE, UH, LIKE IF THERE'S MONEY OR, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S, UH, A GOAL TO MAYBE PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR MUTUAL AID SPECIFICALLY, OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BE, I, MY, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN JUST LIKE, IF WE CAN BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE, UM, THEN THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY POSITIVE.

SO, I MEAN, AND THIS IS KIND OF, KIND OF CHEATING.

I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE WOMAN THAT CAME TO TALK ABOUT MUTUAL AID, LIKE HOW MUCH OF A GAP IS THERE.

CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE CITY NEEDS TO OPEN UP MORE SPACE FOR CAMPING, BUT WITH THEIR WORK, UM, AND WHAT THEY'D BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH MUTUAL AID LOVE TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT, UM, FINANCIALLY, BESIDES BEING AT THE TABLE, WHAT FINANCIALLY WOULD BE, UM, WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL FOR THAT ORGANIZATION OR THAT COLLECTIVE.

UH,

[00:50:01]

I KNOW THAT IT COST US.

WE WERE ACTUALLY IN CONVERSATIONS WITH REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE HOTEL COSTS AND THAT COST US $635,000 FOR TWO WEEKS, FOUR FOR 467 PEOPLE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HOUSE IN THOSE, UM, HOTELS.

UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING HOTELS AS, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE NEED ID IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

BUT I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD START IF WE COULD BE GIVEN SORT OF LAND FOR PUBLIC CAMPING AND THEN SOME RESOURCES TO SUPPORT US.

I THINK THAT WE COULD REALLY HELP BRIDGE THE GAP, THE GAP, UH, BUT RIGHT NOW THE, THE COST OF WHAT IT TOOK US FOR 600, FOR, FOR TWO WEEKS WAS SIX AND 467 PEOPLE WITH $635,000.

SO THAT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, WHAT I CAN RECALL.

UM, WE DO GET A LOT OF DONATIONS.

WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE OVER $2 MILLION DURING THE FREEZE, BUT OF COURSE THAT'S GONE QUICKLY THAT THAT'S REALLY GONE BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND IS CONTINUING TO GO BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

SO YEAH, I THINK FINANCIAL SUPPORT WOULD BE A HUGE, UH, THAT EFFECT BENEFIT BENEFIT TO US AS A GROUP.

UM, CAN WE COME OVER? I THINK YOU HAD SOMETHING.

UM, I GUESS I WANTED TO ASK NOW HE AND BECKY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER SOMEONE IS BEING OFFERED, A HOUSING OPTION SEEMS TO BE IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER BECAUSE I'M HEARING, YOU KNOW, FROM MS. GRAY, THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING OFFERED OPTIONS.

AND THEN I'M HEARING FROM CARLY JO THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT RIGHT.

SO, UM, JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, NELLY, IF YOU WOULD JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU WERE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THAT, BECAUSE, UM, I WONDER, I THINK CHIEF HENDERSON IS ON, YOU KNOW, I THINK I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR HER, BUT SHE MIGHT SAY THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE WE SHOULD HEAR FROM HER AND YOUR, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TELL HIM.

UM, I THINK MY THOUGHT WAS THAT THE HEAL INITIATIVE AND THE PROP B IMPLEMENTATION ARE INHERENTLY DIFFERENT PROCESSES.

AND, UM, THE HEAL INITIATIVE IS OFFERING HOUSING.

AND WHAT PROP B IS CURRENTLY DOING, THE PLAN THAT APD IS MOVING FORWARD WITH IS NOT ACTUALLY PROVIDING HOUSING OPTIONS.

THEY'RE PROVIDING INFORMATION, UM, THAT ARE, IT SOUNDS LIKE DEAD ENDS.

UM, AND SO MY IDEA WAS THAT AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, WE'RE ADDRESSING WHAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISIONS ARE DOING WITH REGARDS TO PROPERTY IMPLEMENTATION.

AND MY HOPE WAS TO GET SOME OF THE ARRESTS AND CITATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UM, AND THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO START HAPPENING AS SOON AS AUGUST 8TH, UM, TO GET SCALED BACK, TO GET PULLED BACK UNTIL THEY CAN START OFFERING AND SCALING THINGS LIKE THE HEAL INITIATIVE OR, AND, OR PROVIDE AN ACTUAL PLACE TO GO WHERE THEY CAN BE TRANSPORTED.

SO THAT WAS MY INTENTION, I THINK, AROUND THE SPIRIT OF THE, OF THE RECOMMENDED, UM, UM, THIS IS COUNCIL MEMBER BERNHARDT.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A, OF THINGS.

I WANT US TO WRITE SOMETHING THAT, UM, LIKE HEADS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN A DIRECTION THAT'S LAWFUL, UM, LIKE THAT DOESN'T GET IT SUED, UM, FOR NOT FOLLOWING PROP B, BUT ALSO KEEPS EVERYBODY FROM GETTING TICKETS BECAUSE THE TICKETS ARE WHAT'S DRIVING, UM, THE CRIMINALIZATION OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE HOUSES.

UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THE HARD THING IS THAT JUST ON THE FLY IN THIS CONVERSATION, I AM NOT SURE HOW TO DO THAT.

UM, THE CITY HAS, AS IT USUALLY DOES PICK THIS SORT OF CONSERVATIVE COURSE, YOU KNOW, THAT INVOLVES JUST DRIVING RIGHT BACK INTO THE CRIMINALIZATION SYSTEM THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN COMFORTABLE WITH.

UM, AND, UH, IT SEEMS THAT WE SHOULD BE SUGGESTING THAT THEY, UH, YOU KNOW, DON'T GIVE ANYONE TICKETS UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A STANDUP SYSTEM WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE HOUSED, UM, THAT THEY, THEY JUST NOT, THEY JUST NOT BE GIVING PEOPLE TICKETS UNTIL THE PROMISE OF ANOTHER OPTION EXISTS AND IT, AND IT REALLY EXISTS NOT IN SOMEBODY'S LIKE IMAGINATION EXISTS.

UM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT SUPER HELPFUL IF WE'RE TRYING TO GET THIS DONE IN THREE MINUTES.

UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

WE JUST SHOULDN'T BE HANDING OUT TICKETS IF WE AREN'T PROVIDING PEOPLE ACTUAL HOUSING, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION.

IF I, YOU KNOW, I DID WANT TO HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANT CHIEF HENDERSON, IF SHE CAN SPEAK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY A LIST OF PHONE NUMBERS AS BEING GIVEN TO PEOPLE THAT LEADS TO DEAD ENDS, YOU KNOW, LIKE JUST IF SHE COULD RESPOND TO THAT, PLEASE.

I JUST,

[00:55:01]

YES, MA'AM HELLO, EVERYONE.

I'M ASSISTANT CHIEF HENDERSON.

AND, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY SOME OF THOSE ITEMS, WE JUST HAD ANOTHER MEETING TODAY WITH OUR, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICERS.

AND SO I DON'T HAVE OUR CURRENT NUMBERS FROM WHAT ACTIVITY TRANSPIRED LAST WEEK, BUT IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS THAT WE'VE ISSUED AS 14 AND WE'VE MADE ZERO ARRESTS.

AND SO AS WE WERE INITIALLY GOING THROUGH OUR IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF PROPERTY, WE WERE GOING THROUGH A SERIES OF EDUCATION AND AWARENESS AND IDENTIFYING PROPER RESOURCES AS IT HAS PROGRESSED.

AND WE'RE ABOUT TO INTERSTAGE FOR THE INFORMATION THAT WE WERE PROVIDED FOR THOSE SERVICE PROVIDERS IS WHAT WE ARE THEN SHARING WITH THOSE WHO ARE WE'RE MAKING CONTACT WITH.

SO BY ALL MEANS IF THERE'S INACCURATE INFORMATION OR THOSE NUMBERS ARE LEADING TO DEAD ENDS, WE WILL, I'LL JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICERS CIRCLE BACK BACK WITH THOSE RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE WHEN WE'RE MAKING THOSE CONTACTS.

THANK YOU, CHIEF HENDERSON.

IT YOU'RE WELCOME MR. WEBER QUICK.

FOLLOW-UP I WONDERED, UH, CHIEF HENDERSON, IF, IF WE COULD, UM, GET THOSE MATERIALS, LIKE WHATEVER PAMPHLET OR WHATEVER IS BEING HANDED OUT AS RESOURCES, IT, UM, DURING THE WARNING PHASE, IF, IF WE COULD SEE THOSE.

MA'AM.

SO, UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE AT A TIME WHERE WE NEED TO WRAP UP THIS CONVERSATION.

SO, UH, IF WE ADDRESS THE MONEY, I THINK WE HAVE A, UM, A ROUND NUMBER THAT WE CAN PUT IN THERE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FEW FIGURES THAT WE'RE TALKING, AND THEN IF WE COULD SPEAK TO THE POINT ABOUT, UH, COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT'S ADMISSION OF THE FACT THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT THE WAY THE CITY MOVE FORWARD IS OBVIOUSLY ILLEGAL.

IT KEEPS US OUT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, REINFORCES THE POINT THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THESE, UH, CITATIONS, UH, BE HALTED UNTIL WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, UNTIL WE ACTUALLY VOTE TO HELP THESE PEOPLE, UM, HELP THESE UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS OF OURS THEN WOULD, WOULD YOU BE OKAY WITH THAT COMMISSIONER BERNHARD AND COMMISSIONER ROAMING RAMIREZ? YES.

THOSE TWO ADDITIONS.

SO, UH, I WILL TAKE IT TO A BOAT AND THEN WE CAN, UM, MAKE SURE THOSE, WE CAN SEND IT OUT VIA EMAIL TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S OKAY.

BEFORE WE SENT IT OFF TO THE COMMISSION, I MEAN, TO A CITY COUNCIL.

ARE WE OKAY WITH THAT? SOUNDS GOOD.

UM, MAYBE IF YOU COULD TAKE DOWN THE SCREEN SO I COULD SEE THE PANEL AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.

AND WE HAVE TO TAKE A VERBAL VOTE IF YOU SUPPORT OR DO NOT SUPPORT THIS CURRENT RECOMMENDATION.

I WILL START WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ.

COMMISSIONER WETTER.

COMMISSIONER BARNHART.

MA'AM COMMISSIONER LEWIS.

COMMISSIONER CARICOM.

NO COMMISSIONER PAULSON FLOP.

GOT EVERYONE AND MYSELF.

I AM ALSO A YES.

SO THE SUPPORT OF THE RECOMMENDATION PASSES ONE, NAY SEVEN EYES.

AND WE WILL SEND THAT VIA EMAIL ONCE IT IS UPDATED AND COMMISSION, UM, IT'S INTERIM CHIEF BROWN.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF WE COULD PUT YOU TILL THE END SO WE CAN GET THROUGH OUR OTHER POINTS, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THREE B ON THE 87TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH, UH, DIRECTOR FRANCO.

UH, THAT WILL TAKE US TO NEW BUSINESS.

[3.b. Update on 87th Legislative Session 3:55pm -4:20pm Speaker(s): -Brie Franco, Director, Intergovernmental Relations, City of Austin]

ARE YOU THERE? ALL OUR, OF OUR OTHER SPEAKERS? I APPRECIATE IT.

I PROMISE WE'RE RUNNING LATE.

NO, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

BRIEF FRANCO.

I'M THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, UH, OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

I'M HERE TO

[01:00:01]

GIVE YOU THE POST-OP ON THE 87TH STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE REGULAR SESSION, AND JUST A QUICK COMMENTARY ON THE SPECIAL SESSION.

I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION RATHER QUICKLY, CAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY ASTUTE ON THESE ITEMS. UM, AND THEN I'LL OF COURSE ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, BUT OUT OF THE BILLS THAT PASSED, UM, THESE WERE OUR LARGER BILLS THAT WERE NEGATIVE FOR THE CITY.

IT'S NOT THE FULL EXTENT OF THE BILLS OR NEGATIVES FOR THE CITY, BUT MANY OF THESE ARE FAMILIAR TO YOU.

ALL THE HB 1900 RICH RELATES TO HOW WE CAN FUND CITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS, UH, HB 1925, THE CAMPING BAN, WHICH WE JUST HEARD DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, THE DISASTER ROLLBACK THAT HAS TO DO WITH HOW THE, HOW PROPERTY TAX RATES CAN BE RAISED DURING DOES IT DURING, UH, DECLARATIONS AND DISASTER AND SO FORTH.

GAS PREEMPTION HAD TO DO WITH PREEMPTING, UM, CITIES FROM NOT ALLOWING FOR GAS, HOOKUPS AND SO FORTH.

AND THEY HAD A MINIMAL EFFECT ON WHAT WE DO.

UM, AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM, MORE OF, UM, PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THIS GROUP IS THAT THERE WAS NO CONTRACTS FOR OUR BOYCOTT THAT BASICALLY SAID THAT STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES CAN NOT CONTRACT WITH COMPANIES THAT HAVE A FIREARM SPARKPOINT CAUGHT.

SO FOR INSTANCE, BANK OF AMERICA, UM, THEY DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH FIREARMS DEALERS AND THE CITY ACTUALLY DOES HAVE A CONTRACT WITH BANK OF AMERICA.

AND THIS LAW WOULD PROHIBIT OUR ABILITY TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH BANK OF AMERICA, UM, GOING FORWARD.

AND THEN YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH PERMITLESS CARRY WILL NOW BE THE LAW OF THE LAND, UM, WHICH SAYS YOU DON'T NEED TO GET A PERMIT TO HAVE A GUN IN A STATE OF TEXAS.

UM, THIS JUST PROVIDES MORE DETAIL ON THE CITY POLICE FUNDING BILL THAT IT APPLIED ONLY THE CITIES OVER 250,000.

IT DIDN'T APPLY TO EVERY, UH, TEXAS CITY.

IN FACT, IF YOU COUNT THE NUMBER OF CITIES OVER 250,000, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NO LESS THAN 20 CITIES, UM, ROUNDING UP ON THAT NUMBER EVEN.

UM, AND THEN IT GAVE THE, THE SEVERE PENALTIES.

IF A CITY HAS DECLARED THE FUNDING, THE DEFUNDING IS AS DETERMINED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OFFICE.

UM, THERE'S NO ABILITY TO APPEAL THAT DECISION.

UM, AND THEN IF HE DETERMINES THAT A CITY HAS DEFUNDED POLICE BASED ON THE, UH, COMPARISON OF POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS, THEN THERE, UH, IT WILL ALLOW FOR PARTS OF THE CITY TO DISADVANTAGE FROM THE CITY.

UM, WE CAN'T RAISE OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE EFFECT OUR BUDGET AND OUR BUDGET OUTCOMES.

UM, IT WOULD AFFECT OURSELVES TEXTS DISTRIBUTION, SO THAT COULD BE REDUCED BY THE STATE AGAIN, AFFECTING OUR BUDGET.

UM, AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO CAP THE AMOUNTS THAT OUR UTILITIES COLLECT.

SO THE, THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEFUNDING ARE VERY SEVERE.

THIS SLIDE JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THE CAMPING BAN BILL, WHICH WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER TODAY, BUT ALSO THERE WERE OTHER INITIATIVES TO LIMIT, UH, INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.

UM, THERE WAS ALSO TWO BILLS FILED BY SENATOR SCHWERTNER AND IN THE HOUSE BY HO UH, REPRESENT WILSON THAT BASICALLY SAID THAT CITIES HAD TO GET APPROVAL FROM COUNTIES IN ORDER TO PURCHASE LAND AND COULD, OR CONVERT ALREADY OWNED CITY LAND TO USE BY, UH, 400 SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS.

SO THIS RELATES TO THE HOTEL PURCHASED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN CITY OF AUSTIN LIMITS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.

THOSE BILLS DID NOT PASS, UM, BUT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ALLOWED US TO NOT ONLY PURCHASE, BUT USE OUR EXISTING LAND CONVERTED TO USE FOR HOMELESSNESS.

AND THEN THE ANOTHER BILL THAT WAS FILED SIMILAR TO THAT RELATED TO, UM, WHO WE HAD TO, WE HAD TO NOTIFY ALL THE LAND OWNERS WITHIN A CERTAIN PROXIMITY OF THE PURCHASE OR CONVERSION OF THE INTENT TO USE IT FOR THOSE PURPOSES.

AND ALSO DIABETES AND VACCINATIONS AND SO FORTH.

UM, THERE WERE SOME BILLS WE PASSED THAT ARE POSITIVE FOR THE CITY.

THEY'RE NOT AS MANY, BUT A PARTICULAR NOTE TO THIS GROUP IS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PASS A BILL THAT WILL PUT THAT ONTO STABILITY.

THE AUSTIN POLICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM REPRESENTATIVE RODRIGUEZ WAS INSTRUMENTAL TO THAT EFFORT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN SO THAT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY AND CAN FULFILL ITS PROMISES TO THE POLICE OFFICERS OF THEIR RETIREMENT, BEING THERE FOR THEM WHEN IT, WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO RETIRE.

AND THEN THERE WERE SOME OTHER BILLS THAT ARE HELPFUL TO THE CITY RELATED TO HOW WE CAN SPEND MONEY FOR CLOUD COMPUTING.

THAT'S A VERY FINANCIAL TECHIE ONE, UM, BUT ALSO RELATED TO HOW WE CAN REIMBURSE FOR SERVICES, UH, THAT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES UNDER MEDICAID THAT'LL PARTICULARLY BENEFIT.

UM, THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE FOR WOMEN EXPERIENCING PREGNANCY

[01:05:01]

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IN THE BROADER SCHEME TOO, THERE WERE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT FAILED TO PASS AND THAT ENDED UP BEING GOOD FOR THE CITY.

UM, SO YOU'D LOOK AT THESE BILLS AND THERE'S TWO SLIDES, THESE BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS, AND THAT ENDED UP BEING GOOD FOR THE CITY.

UM, THEY RELATED TO THE MIDDLE ROW.

I'M GOING TO KIND OF STEP AWAY THAT MIDDLE ROW IS ALL DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN THAT ATTEMPTED TO DNX BY FILING LEGISLATION.

SO LAKE AUSTIN ARE THOSE HOMEOWNERS ALONG THE LAKE THAT WERE NOT PAYING TAXES.

ALL THOSE THESE YEARS, WEST REM AND THEN LOST CREEK ALL ATTEMPTED TO FILE BILLS TO DNX FROM THE CITY.

AND THOSE ALL WERE KILLED IN THE HOUSE BY MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION CALLING WHAT ARE CALLED POINTS OF ORDER ON THOSE BILLS.

THERE WAS ALSO, UM, AT THE BOTTOM, I TALKED ABOUT THE HOMELESS HOUSING ALREADY IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THERE WAS A BILL FILED THAT OF SOME INTEREST TO THIS COMMITTEE THAT WOULD HAVE CRAMPED IN OUR NOISE ORDINANCE.

IT WAS A BILL FILED BY BARTENDERS AND BAR OWNERS AND BROUGHT OUT BARTENDERS, BUT BAR OWNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WANTED TO, UH, DRIVE THE CITY'S NOISE ORDINANCE UP TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL ALLOWED BY STATE, WE WOULD HAVE HAD THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE.

IT WOULD HAVE ONLY APPLIED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

NO OTHER CITY WOULD APPLY TO.

AND IT WOULD SAID THAT THEY COULD HAVE HAD THE HIGHEST DECIBEL LEVEL ALLOWED, WHICH IS 85 DECIBELS.

I THINK THAT'S THE SOUND.

I, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, HAVE A MOTORCYCLE IN YOUR EAR OR RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR AIR IN ANYWHERE IN THE CITY WHERE THEY OPERATED, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES OR NOT, AND ALLOW THEM TO OPERATE AT THAT LEVEL FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

UM, AND SO THAT BILL WAS KILLED BY REPRESENTING A WHOLE SET, BUT THAT WAS ANOTHER EFFORT WE HAD TO, UM, BECOME EXTREMELY INVOLVED IN.

AND YOU ALL PROBABLY RECEIVED SOME EMAILS FROM ME ABOUT THAT ONE.

AND THEN THERE WERE BILLS RELATED TO COMMUNITY ADVOCACY.

THAT'S THE ABILITY FOR US TO HIRE STATE LOBBYISTS.

UM, THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO SAY THAT WE CAN NO LONGER USE STATE LOBBYISTS.

AND IN FACT, THEY EVEN WANT TO GO AFTER AREN'T MY OFFICE AND MY POSITION THAT YOU COULDN'T EVEN HAVE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UM, THAT COULD ADVISE YOU ALL COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENTS.

UM, AND SO THAT WAS A GOOD ROUTE RUBIN EMPLOYMENT PREEMPTION THAT HAS TO DO WITH PAID SICK, LEAVE WATER BREAKS, UH, FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, OR WOULD THEY WANT TO PREEMPT THAT? UM, AND I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT THE THIRD ONE IS IN THAT LANE, BUT THAT GOES TO EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS.

UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AGAIN, THERE'S ANOTHER WHOLE GROUP OF BILLS THAT WE TRY THAT WE DID END UP KILLING.

UM, AND SOME OF THESE ARE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, AND THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO SAY WHAT YOU CAN DO AND CAN'T DO WITH CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS OR ANY KIND OF CONFEDERATE NAMES, UM, ITEM THE ELECTION INTEGRITY BILL IS WHY WE'RE IN THE SPECIAL SESSION RIGHT NOW.

UM, AND OTHER BILLS HERE, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND THEN THERE'S, THERE'S SOME BILLS THAT PASS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, THAT YOU ALL MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.

UH, THE MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE POLICY.

THAT'S A GOOD BILL THAT REQUIRES THE D APD TO, UM, CREATE A MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE POLICY, WHICH WILL BE GOOD FOR EXPERIENCE IN TRAUMATIC EVENT.

UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE BILLS THAT PASSED, UM, REPRESENTATIVE HOWARD HAS THE SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS, BILL THAT FURTHER ASSIST THE PROCESS FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AS THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH REPORTING THEIR CRIME AND WORKING WITH PD, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THESE ARE THE BILLS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY THAT DID NOT PASS.

AND OF COURSE YOU ALL KNOW THERE WAS SOME ATTENTION ABOUT THE GEORGE FLOYD ACT BEFORE SESSIONS STARTED, BUT THAT DID NOT GO ANYWHERE, UH, REPRESENT, UH, GOODWIN IN OUR DELEGATION IS PARTICULARLY ACTIVE FROM HER OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ABOUT TRYING TO GET FIREARM BACKGROUND CHECKS ABOUT TRYING TO ADDRESS THE FIREARM ISSUE AND THE DEATHS FROM FIREARMS IN THE STATE.

UM, SO THAT BILL DID NOT PASS EITHER.

THESE PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE A PAYCHECK.

UM, REAL QUICK, WE ARE ALMOST AT THE END OF THE FIRST SPECIAL SESSION, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE STILL IN WASHINGTON DC, SO THAT'S WHY ONLY THE SENATE CAN CONDUCT WORKS RIGHT NOW.

THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE A QUORUM.

THE HOUSE DOESN'T HAVE A QUORUM.

UM, WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS SOON.

THERE'S SOME DEADLINES COMING UP, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE GOVERNOR VETOED ARTICLE 10 OF THE BUDGET AND THAT BUDGET, THAT PART OF THE BUDGET.

ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE MEMBER STAFFERS IT'S INCLUDES ABOUT 2,500 EMPLOYEES, WHICH MEANS IT INCLUDES THEIR BUDGET, THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD.

IT INCLUDES THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHICH ARE THE TEAM OF LAWYERS THAT WRITE THE BILLS.

IT INCLUDES THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE LIBRARY.

SO THOSE POOR FOLKS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY HAD TO DO WITH ANYTHING, BUT THEY THEY'RE ALSO IN THIS BUDGET THAT WAS VETOED.

AND SO COME SEPTEMBER 1ST, THOSE PEOPLE WILL NOT, UNLESS THIS IS FIXED BEFORE THEN

[01:10:01]

AND OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, THEY ALL LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, THERE'LL PROBABLY BE A SECOND SPECIAL SESSION, NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THOSE IN DC AND THOSE HERE.

AND THEN WE STILL HAVE REDISTRICTING OUT THERE ON THE HORIZON.

THERE WAS ALWAYS THE EXPECTATION.

WE WOULD COME BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER TO DO REDISTRICTING AND ALSO FOR THE STATE TO DISTRIBUTE THE FEDERAL COVID FUNDS.

IT REALLY SEE THROUGH THE AMERICAN RELIEF ACT SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN.

UM, AND I THINK THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE.

IT IS.

AND I'M HAPPY AT THIS POINT TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

AMY, CAN YOU TAKE THE SLIDE DOWN SO I CAN SEE THE PANEL AGAIN? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. FRANCO? NOPE.

UM, MS. PARKER, I DID HAVE ONE FOR YOU.

UM, AS WE LOOKED AT THE ONES THAT SPECIFICALLY GO AFTER PUBLIC SAFETY AND I TOOK FAST AND FURIOUS, NOT 12 TWO, IF I CAN BRING THOSE UP, UM, ON THE, UH, SO THERE WAS FIVE, THE MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE COVID PRESUMPTION, SEXUAL ASSAULT, VICTIMS DUTY TO RENDER AND REQUEST AID AND THE EXCESSIVE FORCE OF DUTY TO INTERVENE.

WHAT I WOULD LOVE, UM, BASED ON YOUR, UM, FEEDBACK IS IF WE COULD DO MAYBE A LONGER SESSION ON ONE OR TWO OF THESE, I THINK WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS AND THEN MAYBE THE EXCESSIVE FORCE IN DUTY TO INTERVENE AS, AND I WILL GO BACK WITH MY, UM, MY COMMISSION TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHERS.

THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT POPPED UP FOR ME AS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD DO A DEEPER DIVE INTO AND SEE HOW THOSE ARE GOING TO AFFECT THE CITY IN THE WAY WE RESPOND.

I'M HAPPY TO DO IS I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH AN EMAIL THAT PROVIDES MORE DETAIL, YOU KNOW, AT A HIGH LEVEL, BUT IT STILL PROVIDES MORE DETAIL ON ALL OF THOSE BILLS.

AND THEN YOU ALL CAN DETERMINE IF YOU WANT TO BRING US, BUT ME BACK OR ANYONE ELSE TO DISCUSS THOSE.

AND I THINK WE MIGHT PROBABLY HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.

THEN WE MIGHT WANT TO PUT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL IN THE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE THERE.

MOST OF THEM ARE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, SO WE ONLY HAVE A FEW WEEKS, BUT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.

UH, ONCE WE LOOK AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING.

I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS NOW, CAUSE IT'S, IT FEELS LIKE A REALLY LONG TIME AGO, BUT I DID WORK THE REGULAR SESSION ON, UM, LIKE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BILLS, UM, AND BOTH SB 68 AND SB 69, WHICH WERE THE TWO POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BILLS THAT PASSED.

UM, DON'T ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING.

UM, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE RULE IN, UM, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, PATRICK SENNETT.

THAT REALLY, IF, IF YOU WANTED TO PASS SOMETHING THAT HAD TO DO WITH POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, IT WAS GOING TO BE GARBAGE.

UM, THAT'S JUST HOW THE SESSION PLAYED OUT.

THE IMPACT OF THESE BILLS FOR THE CITY ITSELF IS, UM, PROBABLY I AGREE IS VERY MINIMAL, BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE OTHER LOOKS AT IT.

CAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDST OF IT, YOU SEE IT ONE WAY.

AND THEN I ALWAYS FIND THAT OUR COMMUNITY FINDS A WAY TO SEE THINGS THAT I MIGHT HAVE MISSED.

I MEAN, WE CAN LOOK AT IT, BUT NOT, NOT VERY MANY FOLKS WERE HAPPY WITH THOSE OUTCOMES.

THEY WEREN'T, THEY WEREN'T, UM, FUN.

THEY WEREN'T, UM, HUGELY TRANSFORMATIONAL BILLS.

YEAH, I AGREE.

AND THEN, THEN I THINK OBVIOUSLY THE, UH, THE OPEN CARRY, UM, WELL THE PASSED OPEN CARRY THE, UH, BILL THAT PASSED AND ALSO IN SEPTEMBER IS GOING TO BE ONE THAT WE WILL WANT TO, UM, KEEP TALKING ABOUT, UM, GET APDS, UH, REFLECTIONS ON WHAT THAT MEANS TO THEIR JOBS.

I KEEP THINKING OF WHEN WE SPOKE TO THE CHIEF GAY LAST TIME AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SEE A, A, UM, UH, A WEAPON IN A CAR, IT'S, IT'S A REASON TO STOP AND DO A FURTHER SEARCH.

AND I'M LIKE, WELL, EVERYBODY'S TO HAVE A WEAPON IN A CAR.

SO WHAT DOES THAT GOING TO MEAN? RIGHT.

WHAT DOES THAT GOING TO BE IN AFTER SEPTEMBER 1ST? SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S SKETCHY AND YOU HAVE A GUN IN THE CAR AND SKETCHY.

DOES THAT MEAN WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THE COPS NO LONGER CAN ASK FOR YOUR, UM, LICENSE TO CARRY AND KNOW WHO'S LEGITIMATELY LEGALLY CARRYING ANYMORE.

IT'S LITERALLY THE WILD WEST, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AWESOME FOR EVERYONE.

MOVING TO SEE OUR UPDATE ON THE INITIAL FINDINGS FROM THE EVALUATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATION RESOLUTION

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. FRANCO, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.

[3.c. Update on Initial Findings from Evaluation of Sexual Assault Investigation –Resolution #20190131-077 (sponsors: Commissioner Gonzales and Webber) 4:20pm -4:55pm Speaker(s): -Patricia Bourenane, Executive Assistant, ACM Rey Arellano, Public Safety -Sarah Mostyn – PERF (Police Executive Research Forum)]

[01:15:01]

0 7 7, WE HAVE, UH, PATRICIA BARNEY AND SARAH AND MUSTARD.

I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING AND I WILL JUST PREFACE THIS BY SAYING, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, UH, ALL AND OUR, UH, COMMISSIONED ON WOMEN HAD A LOT OF INPUT INTO, UH, WE WERE THERE FOR THE KICKOFF.

WE'VE BEEN, UM, RE VERY INVOLVED IN THIS AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO GET OUR FIRST, UH, UPDATE ON WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE FOUND SO FAR.

SO THANK YOU PLEASE.

UH, PATRICIA, GO AHEAD.

SO WONDERFUL.

AND, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THIS PROJECT.

MY NAME IS PATRICIA BORN NAME AND I PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, RAY ARIANO WHO OVERSEES THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS FOR THE CITY.

JOINING ME TODAY IS SARAH MOSTON.

SHE IS WITH THE POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM.

I WILL REFER TO THEM AS PERS DURING OUR PRESENTATION, UH, THAT IS THE CITY'S CONTRACTOR WHO IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR THIS PROJECT I SERVE AS THE CITY'S PROJECT INSPECTOR.

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SLIDE SHOW.

I WANNA MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THAT UP.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE TWO AT THIS POINT TO GIVE YOU SOME, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THE PROJECT IN JANUARY, 2019, COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO HIRE A CONSULTANT, TO PERFORM A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF HOW REPORTED SEXUAL ASSAULTS ARE INVESTIGATED AND PROCESSED BY THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THIS EVALUATION WOULD INCLUDE A REVIEW OF DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES, PROCEDURES, THE INVESTIGATIVE PRACTICES OF THE SEX CRIMES UNIT, AND THE CONTRACTOR WOULD ALSO PERFORM, UM, CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS.

SO THE INITIAL PROJECT SCOPE THAT THE CONSULTANT WOULD EXAMINE EITHER 200 ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES OR 50% OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES FOR EACH YEAR.

WHICHEVER NUMBER IS GREATER.

AND THIS WOULD REVIEW, WHICH SPAN BETWEEN 2012, THROUGH 2018, THE CONSULTANT WOULD ALSO DEVELOP A REPORT THAT WILL OUTLINE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 18.

SO IN THE FALL OF 2019, AFTER A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION PROCESS, A CONTRACT WAS EXECUTED WITH PERF AS THE PRIMARY CONTRACTOR, ALONG WITH THE WELL WOMEN'S LAW PROJECT AND WELLESLEY CENTER FOR WOMEN AS CO SUBCONTRACTORS, AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER CONTRACT EXECUTION, AGAIN, THEIR EXTENSIVE REVIEW.

SO I WILL NOW, IF YOU WOULD ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M GOING TO HAND OVER THE PRESENTATION TO SARAH WHO WILL OUTLINE SOME CHALLENGES THAT THEIR TEAM HAS BEEN FACED WITH THROUGH THIS REVIEW PROCESS.

AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

SO, AS PATRICIA MENTIONED, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME CHALLENGES IN PROCESS.

THE FIRST BEING THAT COVID 19 DELAYED, OUR ABILITY TO GET OUR REVIEWERS CJIS CERTIFIED AT THE STARTUP, STARTED THE PANDEMIC AS LOCATIONS TO GET FINGERPRINTED OR CLOSED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

THERE WAS ALSO THE ADDITION OF A LEGAL REVIEW IN WHICH THE CITY WOULD BE REVIEWING ALL OF THE TASTES THAT WE HAD REQUESTED HERMAN, WHETHER OR NOT THEY FELL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT.

AND PRIMARILY THEY WERE LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY JUVENILE VICTIMS IN THE CASES AT WHICH POINT THEY WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM OUR PROJECT, OR IF THERE ARE ANY JUVENILE SUSPECTS AT WHICH CASE THEY WOULD JUST LET US KNOW SO THAT WE COULD, UM, DO THOSE WITH MORE CONFIDENTIALITY.

THE CASES THEMSELVES ARE ALSO MORE COMPLEX TO REVIEW THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED.

UM, ALTHOUGH WITHIN THE VERSADEX SYSTEM, THE APD USES THAT THEY ARE MORE SEQUENTIAL WHEN THEY WERE EXPORTED TO US.

THEY ARE NOT IN A SEQUENTIAL ORDER.

SO WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING THE CASES, IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH AND NOTING THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO DO FROM THEM THEN JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER DURING THE COURSE OF OUR INTERVIEWS.

WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S BEEN SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER IN THE SEX CRIMES UNIT SO MUCH SO THAT NO ONE WHO IS CURRENTLY IN THE UNIT WAS IN THE UNIT DURING THE TIME OF OUR ORIGINAL REVIEW PERIOD.

AND REMOVING CASES FROM 2012 AND 2013 AT 30% PER YEAR, THE OPTION WAS TO FOCUS ON CASES FROM 2015 OR 2020 AT 50% PER YEAR.

SO WITH THESE CHALLENGES, WE PROPOSE SOME MODIFICATIONS FOR OUR PROJECT SCOPE TO ENSURE THAT THE PROJECT WOULD NOT BE SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED, BUT ALSO THAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE RELEVANT TO THE UNIT AS IT IS TODAY.

SO WE PRESENTED FOUR OPTIONS.

THE FIRST WAS TO KEEP OUR ORIGINAL SCOPE, WHICH WAS TO REVIEW CASES FROM 2012 TO 2018 AT 50% OF CASES PER YEAR.

THE SECOND OPTION WE PROPOSED WAS TO LOOK AT CASES 2014 THROUGH 2020.

SO ADDING CASES FROM 2019 AND 2020

[01:20:01]

AND THE FOURTH OPTION WAS TO REVIEW CASES FROM 2014 THROUGH 2020, AT 30%, FOR THE YEARS, 2014, THROUGH 2018 AND 50% FOR THE YEARS, 2019 IN 2028.

WE'RE GOING TO HAND IT BACK TO PATRICIA TO GO OVER SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE SOLICITED ON THE SCOPE CHANGES.

SO AFTER RECEIVING THE PROPOSED SCOPE, WORK OF WORK ADJUSTMENTS FROM PERF ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ARIANO, AND I DETERMINED THAT THE BEST NEXT STEP WAS TO BRIEF THIS COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SPONSORED THIS RESOLUTION TO RECEIVE THEIR FEEDBACK.

SO THIS PAST MARCH PERF AND I MET AN UPDATED COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALTERNATIVE COSAR KITCHEN, WE ALSO UPDATED, AND YOUR ADLER'S OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER REQUESTED THAT WE NEED WITH THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESOLUTION TO GET A SENSE IF THERE WERE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS.

SO IN APRIL PERF AND I MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SURVIVOR JUSTICE PROJECT, SAFE ALLIANCE OF AUSTIN AND THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND REESE FORCE TEAM, EXCUSE ME.

SO THE START, UM, SO THAT WE COULD DETAIL THE CHALLENGES THAT SARAH DESCRIBED AND ALSO OUTLINED THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

UM, THE MEETING WAS, WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO HEAR FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS OF THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, AND ALSO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR AREAS OF INTEREST AS TO WHAT TYPES OF TRAINING THAT THE SE YOUR DETECTIVES RECEIVE, AND TO OUTLINE THE TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT THE CONSULTANT IS REVIEWING DURING THIS EVALUATION.

SO FOLLOWING OUR MEETING, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STAKEHOLDERS PREFERENCE WAS TO MODIFY THE ORIGINAL PROJECT SCOPE TO INCLUDE A REVIEW OF 2019 AND 2020 SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE FILES.

AND TO DECREASE THE REVIEW OF CASE FILES EACH YEAR TO 30%, RATHER THAN THE 50%.

IN ADDITION TO THESE MODIFICATIONS, PERF IS ALSO PLANNING TO REVIEW A SAMPLE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT INFORMATION AND SUSPECTED SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES, WHICH WAS NOT A PART OF THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK.

THEY WOULD ALSO REVIEW AUDIO AND VIDEO FROM ATDS INTERVIEWS WITH SURVIVORS.

SO WITH THOSE CHANGES, WE MODIFIED THE CONTRACT AND THE TOTAL COST FOR THE PROJECT WAS AMENDED FROM THE ORIGINAL COST, WHICH WAS 762,000.

AND IT INCREASED TO 950,000.

SO THAT ALSO MODIFIED THE TIMELINE.

SO THE, THE FINAL REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY IN MAY OF 2022, RATHER THAN FEBRUARY OF 2022.

SO I WILL PASS IT BACK TO SARAH TO FURTHER OUT LOAD LINE, UM, THE SCOPE ADJUSTMENTS AND, UH, PROJECT STATUS AND PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS BASED ON THEIR REVIEW TO DATE.

SO, AS PATRICIA MENTIONED, OUR ADVICE SCOPE OF WORK IS TO REVIEW CASES FROM 2012 THROUGH 2020 AT 30% PER YEAR.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, THIS MEANS WE WILL BE REVIEWING A LITTLE OVER 1400 CASES, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A FEWER NUMBER OF CASES IN THE ORIGINAL SCOPE, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE INFORMATION WE'RE GOING TO GLEAN FROM THESE 1400 CASES WILL BE EQUIVALENT TO WHAT WE WOULD HAVE GLEANED FROM REVIEWING THE 1900 CASES.

ADDITIONALLY, WE FEEL THAT ADDING 2019 AND 2020 CASES IS REALLY IMPORTANT SO THAT WE ARE ENSURING AGAIN, THAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE RELEVANT TO THE UNIT AS IT IS TODAY.

AND JUST TO REITERATE, OUR TIMELINE IS NOW REVISED WITH AN END DATE OF MAY, 2022.

TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH SURVIVORS IN AUSTIN.

SO WE ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE SOME UPDATES ON SOME OF THE MAJOR MILESTONES OF THE PROJECT.

AND AGAIN, THE KICKOFF MEETINGS WERE THE FIRST MAJOR MILESTONE THAT WERE COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER OF 2019, AND NEXT IS A POLICY AND PROCEDURE REVIEW.

THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.

THE INITIAL PHASE WAS COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER, 2020, AND THAT WAS OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS WE HAD REQUESTED.

HOWEVER, SINCE THEN, AS WE ARE REVIEWING CASES AND CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR REVIEW THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED.

THE CASE REVIEW PROCESS WAS INITIALLY SCHEDULED TO END IN MAY, 2021.

AND WE ARE NOW PROJECTING THAT TO END NOVEMBER, 2021 FOR THE INTERVIEWS AND SITE VISIT THAT IS ALSO ONGOING, BUT LARGELY FINISHED.

WE HAVE INTERVIEWED DETECTIVES FROM THE SEX CRIMES UNIT AND OTHER PERSONNEL WITHIN THE SEX CRIMES UNIT.

WE HAVE INTERVIEWED INDIVIDUALS IN THE VICTIM SERVICES UNIT.

WE HAVE TALKED WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DA'S OFFICE AND OTHERS, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON PROTOCOLS

[01:25:01]

WE'RE ALSO HOPING TO PLAN A SITE VISIT FOR THE FALLS JUST SO WE CAN HAVE SOME IN-PERSON CONTACTS WITH INDIVIDUALS AND OUR FINAL REPORT AND PRESENTATION ON FINDINGS ARE ESTIMATED FOR MAY, 2022 TO COINCIDE WITH THE END DATE OF THE PROJECT.

SO WE WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER SOME OF OUR PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THESE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY.

UH, WE WANT TO GET ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN BEFORE WE PROVIDE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO APD.

AND WHEN WE DO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE WITH MOST SPECIFIC GUIDANCE.

UM, THESE ARE BASED PURELY ON THE CASES THAT WE'VE REVIEWED SO FAR IN SOME OF OUR INTERVIEWS AS WELL.

SO THESE OBSERVATIONS INCLUDE THAT TRAINING, BUT THE SCU DETECTIVES RECEIVE A PUNCHING, JOINING THE UNIT SHOULD BE FORMALIZED.

A NEED TO TALK TO US SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THAT TRAINING BEFORE BEING ASSIGNED CASES.

THIS TRAINING SHOULD INCLUDE A THOROUGH OF HOW TO PROPERLY CLEAR AND CLASSIFY CASES, INCLUDING AN EXPLANATION OF WHEN TO SUSPEND VERSUS EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAR CASE.

NONE OF THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE ARE TASKED TO LOOK AT.

DETECTIVES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO ALL SCENES.

WHEN A SEXUAL ASSAULT RECENTLY OCCURRED, DETECTIVES SHOULD ALLOW VICTIMS FLEXIBILITY AND THE TIME AND LOCATION OF THEIR FORMAL INTERVIEWS AND DETECTIVES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT A VICTIM BEFORE SUSPENDING A CASE DUE TO VICTIM NON-COOPERATION OR PENDING VICTIM READINESS.

APD SHOULD ENSURE THAT VICTIM SERVICES PERSONNEL ARE INVOLVED IN THIS, IN THE TRAINING FOR THE UNIT AND POLICY, AS WELL AS POLICY DISCUSSIONS.

NEXT FIVE WEEKS, I SEE YOUR DETECTIVES AND PATROL OFFICERS SHOULD RECEIVE TRAINING ON PROPER REPORT WRITING AND DOCUMENTATION ESSAYS.

SUPERVISORS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING THE CONTENT OF EACH CASE FILE.

AND FOLLOWING UP WITH DETECTIVES ON ANY ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIVE STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN LIEUTENANTS SHOULD ENSURE, UM, SHOULD BE REVIEWING A SAMPLE OF CASES ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.

FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE TO ENSURE CASES ARE BEING PROPERLY INVESTIGATED, DOCUMENTED, AND CLEARED.

DETECTIVES SHOULD ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED ALL POSSIBLE INVESTIGATIVE STEPS BEFORE PRESENTING A CASE TO THE DA TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SUPPLYING THE DA WITH ALL AVAILABLE INVESTIGATIVE INFORMATION, WHEN CASES ARE PRESENTED TO THE DA'S OFFICE, THE ADA'S QUESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND DECISIONS REGARDING THE CASE SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED IN WRITING.

AND WHEN POSSIBLE INCLUDED IN THE CASE FILE AND STE DETECTIVES SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH LAPTOPS THAT THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTERS WHILE NOT IN THE OFFICE.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR INITIAL PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

UM, AND NEXT SLIDE IS JUST FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SARAH.

SO I DO WANT TO UPDATE THE QUESTION THAT OUR NEXT STEPS, WHAT I PLAN ON DOING, WE PLAN ON BRINGING SANE UP PROGRESS, UPDATE MEMO, MARIN COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE COMMISSIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN ONCE THE FINAL REPORT IS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY, WE WILL THEN PRESENT THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, PLEASE.

GREAT.

UM, THANK YOU AB UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND START.

SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRIPPED ME ON THE PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON WHAT YOU'VE PULLED TOGETHER ARE WE TO ASSUME THAT THE OBSERVATIONS THAT YOU WERE MAKING OR TO RECTIFY SOME HOLES IN POLICE PROCEDURE THAT YOU HAVE UNCOVERED FROM YOUR INVESTIGATION, THAT IS CORRECT.

OUR OBSERVATIONS ARE BASED ON THE CASES THAT WERE VIEWED IN THE INTERVIEWS THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED AS WELL AS OUR REVIEW OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

SO I PERSONALLY AM A LITTLE SHOCKED AT SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT SEEMED BASIC TO ME, UM, UM, GOT KNOCKED DOOR.

DO, DO I CLAIM TO BE A POLICE OFFICER LIEUTENANT OR A MEMBER OF THE POLICING SYSTEM, BUT SOME OF THESE SEEM VERY, UM, VERY BASIC.

AND I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS DID WAS YOUR WORK WITH THEM? WHAT CAUSED THE SCOPE OF WORK TO CHANGE OR WAS IT FINDING INTERNALLY FOUND? OKAY.

VERY, UM, BASIC, UM, COMMISSIONER HAS A FLAG, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

UH, JUST QUICKLY THE CHANGE OF SCOPE OF WORK, IS THAT A RESULT, MORE OF FINDINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN UNCOVERING, OR IS THAT MORE FROM FEEDBACK FROM THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'VE TALKED WITH? SO ARE YOU REFERRING TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE WOMEN'S LAW PROJECT, THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, WE SPEAK FOR THEM.

WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION.

THEY HAVE BEEN A PART OF EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THIS PROCESS.

THEY HAVE HELPED US CONDUCT INTERVIEWS.

THEY ARE VIEWING PLACES, THEY'VE REVIEWED ALL THE SAME POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

THEY REVIEWED ALL OF THESE OBSERVATIONS.

THEY HELPED US DEVELOP THESE OBSERVATIONS.

SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM.

[01:30:03]

SO IN COORDINATION WITH THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR IN THE CASES, WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE INTERVIEWS.

AND AS WE WERE HAVING THOSE DEBRIEFS AND DISCUSSIONS, WE REALIZED THAT IN PARTICULAR ADDING THE 2019 AND 2020 CASES WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT, JUST SO THAT WE COULD GET A BETTER SENSE OF HOW THE UNIT IS OPERATING CURRENTLY AGAIN, GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER THAT THEY'VE SEEN.

AND WE ALSO WERE VERY MUCH IN AGREEMENT UPON REDUCING THE PERCENTAGE OF CASES PER YEAR.

AND RECOGNIZING THAT THAT DIFFERENCE IN THE PERCENTAGE WOULD NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE FEEL THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE FACES WE HAVE ACCESS TO NOW, IT'S REALLY GIVING US A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THESE OBSERVATIONS, UM, COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT.

SO YOU FIRST, I WANT, I WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHEN THE TURNOVER IN THE OFFICE OCCURRED.

UM, DID IT OCCUR AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL HAD AUTHORIZED THIS, UM, STUDY OF THE DEPARTMENT? I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME TURNOVER.

I THINK THERE ARE A FEW DETECTIVES THERE FROM 2019.

UM, I THINK THE MOST TENURED DETECTIVE WE HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.

UM, CAUSE IT, IT KIND OF SOUNDS LIKE THE, THE POLICE WERE UPSET THAT THEY GOT CRITICIZED AND THEY ALL LIKE, YOU KNOW, CRIED AND WENT HOME FROM THIS DEPARTMENT.

LIKE THEY ALL JUST UP AND LEFT.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S A FAIR ASSESSMENT, BUT I'M A, I'M A LITTLE BIT PEEVED RIGHT NOW AT THE BEHAVIOR OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UM, AND, UH, I, I THINK THEY'RE ACTING LIKE BABIES AND I'M, I'M OFFENDED.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT INCONSISTENT WITH A LOT OF MY UNDERSTANDING HOW POLICE BEHAVE.

UM, BUT I JUST, I WANT TO KIND OF CALL IT OUT HERE AS, UM, CHILDISH AND KIND OF RIDICULOUS.

DO YOU THINK W REAL QUICK, PATRICIA, DO YOU THINK WE COULD GET SOME MORE INFORMATION I CAN, I CAN AFFORD.

OH, SORRY.

APOLOGIES FOR TALKING OVER YOUR CHAIR COMES.

I WAS, YES.

I CAN COORDINATE A THROUGH APD TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON, UM, THE TURNOVER WITHIN THAT UNIT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WEBER, PLEASE.

GO AHEAD.

I JUST WANT TO ECHO YOUR COMMENTS, SHARE THAT, UM, THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ARE NOT THEY'RE UNDERWHELMING.

THEY'RE NOT BLOWING MY HAIR BACK.

PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE PROPER TECHNOLOGY.

PEOPLE SHOULD LEAVE A COUPLE OF MESSAGES FOR A SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM BEFORE THEY GIVE UP ON HER.

BUT LIKE A LOT MORE MONEY, UM, IS A LITTLE SHOCKING.

PEOPLE SHOULD DO EVERY STEP THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO BEFORE THEY GO TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO PAY TO BE TOLD THIS.

SO I AM, I, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO BE QUIET.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE IF THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY ON, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU WORKED SO HARD TO GET THIS, THIS AUDIT DONE.

UM, IS THIS WHAT YOU WERE EXPECTING, MR. LEWIS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, I WAS A PART OF THE, UM, GROUPS OF FOLKS THAT, UM, HELPED TO KIND OF RE ESTABLISH THE SCOPE OF WORK, RIGHT? SO THEY DID TALK TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND I DO FEEL LIKE A LOT OF IT, AT LEAST MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENTLY, UM, HAS BEEN WITH LIKE COVID AND NOT HAVING THEIR APPROPRIATE ACCESS TO CERTAIN DATABASES.

I HAVE REALLY PUSHED BACK THAT TIMELINE, UM, AND NOT GIVING THEM FULL ACCESS.

SO I DO FEEL LIKE INTERNALLY OFF, HONESTLY, I THINK THIS LEGAL REVIEW BY APD BEFORE GOING TO THE CONTRACTORS FOR THE CASE REVIEW, UM, WAS A BIG RED FLAG TO ME WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT A FEW MONTHS AGO.

UM, SO I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN, UM, BARRIERS.

UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY WENT TO ALSTON ALTERS OFFICE WITH THOSE BARRIERS AS WELL.

AND I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO CALL IT PUSHBACK OR, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WHAT I WOULD CALL IT, BUT IT FEELS LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES INTERNALLY FOR THE CONTRACTORS TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEEDED.

SO I'M HOPING, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE BACK ON TRACK, BUT I WILL SAY SEEING IT THIS WAY, UM, IS A LITTLE SHOCKING TO ME SEEING LESS CASES,

[01:35:01]

AND THEN, UM, TYING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO, TO ME, WHICH COULD BE MALFEASANCE, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THEY WEREN'T DOING ANY CASE REVIEW WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT, OR LIKE HOW MUCH, RIGHT.

LIKE IT'S SAYING, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS SAYING, OKAY, SOMEBODY SHOULD LOOK OVER YOUR, YOUR CASES TO ME IS ABOUT EVALUATION INTERFACE COULD HAVE TOLD THEM THAT.

AND PROBABLY DID AMANDA, BECAUSE LIKE, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS, RIGHT.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I HEAR YOU TO BE KIND OF MAKING AN EXCUSE FOR THE, THE VENDOR WHO'S DOING THE STUDY FOR BASICALLY, I MEAN, THOSE PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS, CAN WE GET THOSE BACKUP ON THIS THING? LIKE, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THEM, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UM, THEY HAVEN'T DONE WHAT WE HIRED THEM TO DO.

I'M SAYING THAT THIS IS, I CANNOT BELIEVE WE PAID FOR THIS FOR SOMEONE TO, CAN WE GET THE PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS BACK ON THIS THING, SLIDES EIGHT AND NINE.

IF THERE YOU GO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT'S IT LIKE, LIKE, DO WE REALLY NEED TO PAY? I MEAN, FOR PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE TO BE TOLD THAT THEIR SUPERVISORS SHOULD BE REVIEWING THEIR WORK.

I MEAN, THAT'S THAT AMANDA IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT HERE.

LIKE, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, VICTIMS NEED TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE JOBS AND FAMILIES AND NEED SOME FLEXIBILITY ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE INTERVIEWED.

I MEAN, IT JUST, I AM SO UNDERWHELMED.

UH, I WILL, I WILL INTERJECT AT THIS POINT.

THESE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS BECAUSE THE GROUP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO THESE FILES BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THIS.

UM, I DON'T THINK THE CASE REVIEW HAS EVEN STARTED YET.

SO POTENTIAL REVIEW HAS STARTED, OKAY.

HAS STARTED, BUT THESE ARE NOT REFLECTIONS ON THE CASE REVIEW.

THIS IS REFLECTIONS ON THE, JUST WHAT PERF KNOWS ABOUT POLICY PROCEDURE AND HOW TO RUN A SEXUAL CRIME SECTION.

I THINK IT'S BASED OFF A PRELIMINARY CASE REVIEW, I THINK IS THERE YES.

SO YES, WE HAVE REVIEWED, UH, UM, SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR, WE'VE RECEIVED CASES FROM 2012 THROUGH 2018, AND WE HAVE STARTED WORKING ON THOSE AND YES, THESE OBSERVATIONS ARE PRELIMINARY AND DID COME FROM OUR READING OF THE CASES THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR.

SO I KNOW THEY DO SEEM PRETTY SIMPLISTIC AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT.

UH, YEAH, I MEAN, THESE ARE RED FLAGS, BUT THINGS THAT WE ALREADY KNOW, AND I THINK HONESTLY IT'S HARD TO BE A PROPHET IN YOUR OWN VILLAGE.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE WANT TO PUT MORE THOUGHT AND MORE STRUCTURE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING THOSE OUT BEFORE WE HAVE SOME OF THE MORE RECENT PIECES SO THAT WHEN WE DO PRESENT THESE CASES, IT'S BASED ON A TOTALITY OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO.

WE DON'T WANT TO, UM, PUT OUT INFORMATION THAT IS NOT BASED ON EVERYTHING THAT WE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO.

AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE ASKED, RIGHT? WHEN WE STARTED THE PROCESS, WHEN WE DID KICKOFF, WE SAID, AS YOU'RE STARTING, AND YOU HAVE THINGS THAT YOU SEE THAT ARE, THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED, WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO REPORT ON THOSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NOW, NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS DID ONE OF THE RECOMMENDED WOULD RUN OR THE RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE, PEOPLE NEED LAPTOPS LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S SHOCKING TO ME THAT, THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE CALLED OUT IN A PRELIMINARY OBSERVATION.

I DON'T WANT TO GO YOU A DOLLAR REVIEW OF OUR APD SEXUAL CRIMES UNIT THAT PEOPLE NEED LAPTOPS.

I MEAN, THAT TO ME IS, OKAY, CHAIR GONZALEZ AS AN UPDATE.

UM, THIS PAST APRIL ATG DID PURCHASE 15 LAPTOPS AND THE DETECTIVES NOW HAVE THOSE, UM, AND ARE ABLE TO, TO FUNCTION IN USING THEM.

WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE? I COULD HAVE THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, NUMEROUS OTHER EXPERTS IN THIS SPACE, LIKE COMMISSIONER LEWIS.

I THINK THAT CHIEF CHECK ON HIM TO COME TO THIS COMMISSION AND EXPLAIN WHY HIS DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE TOLD HOW TO ACT LIKE PROFESSIONALS.

AND I THINK ALONG THAT LINE, COULD IT, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET AN UPDATE BASED ON THESE PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS? UM, LIKE WHERE A PD IS LIKE VICTIM SERVICE PERSONNEL, THE IDEA THAT THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED IN TRAINING AND POLICY DECISIONS IN THE SEX CRIMES UNIT IS SURPRISING TO ME.

UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S,

[01:40:01]

SO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS LOOK LIKE THIS, RIGHT.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK ACT, ACT ADVOCATES AND SURVIVORS HAVE BEEN SAYING THESE THINGS FOR A LONG TIME.

UM, I DID WANT TO SAY, UH, THAT, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS KIND OF DO START WITH, UM, AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONNEL, START WITH IT, THE IDEA THAT THEY COME AND THEY NEED TRAINING, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND HOW TO DECIDE IF A DETECTIVE IS A GOOD FIT FOR A SEX CRIMES UNIT.

UM, BECAUSE I I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT THINGS.

THERE'S SOME CULTURAL ISSUES AROUND PEOPLE NECESSARILY WANTING TO BE PUT IN THAT UNIT.

UM, AND USING THAT AS A STEP UP AND MAYBE THEREFORE NOT HAVING THE, THE RIGHT SKILLS.

SO I I'D LOVE TO HEAR IF THERE'S, UM, ANY BEST PRACTICES ON, YOU KNOW, EVEN BEFORE THEY GET TO VICTIMS BEFORE THEY GET TO THE SEX CRIMES UNIT, HOW THEY, UM, DECIDE IS, IS IT A BOARD PROCESS? IS IT SPECIFICALLY TO SEX CRIMES? UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S KIND OF THE STANDARD.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE WILL CONSIDER IT.

I MEAN, ONE, ONE THING THAT'S DEEPLY TROUBLING AND WHAT WE'RE LEARNING RIGHT NOW, I, I THINK, UM, IS JUST ANOTHER SORT OF POINT OF INFORMATION IN THIS BROADER PICTURE, UM, IS THAT APD HAS NOT PRIORITIZED SEX CRIMES FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND, UM, THEY ARE HIRING AND TRAINING POLICE OFFICERS IN A WAY FROM THE EVIDENCE WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT THEIR TRAINING PROTOCOLS, UM, IN A, IN A VERY HOSTILE WAY, IN A WAY THAT'S TRAINING WARRIORS.

SO HOW DO YOU GET SENSITIVE DETECTIVES OUT OF A PROCESS? THE TRAINS, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, WARRIOR SOLDIERS, UM, IS RIDICULOUS AND IMPOSSIBLE.

UM, I MEAN THE MOST RECENT PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT WE GOT OUT OF THE TRAINING MODIFICATIONS IS THAT THEY'RE TEACHING THEM THE CONSTITUTION BASED ON SOME DOCUMENT FROM SOME JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY MEMBER.

UH, SO THAT JUST TELLS YOU WHERE THEIR BRAINS ARE AT.

AND THAT WAS A REFORM THAT WAS NOT LIKE SOME OLD THING THAT THEY USED TO DO.

UM, SO I GUESS I'M JUST SOUNDING THE ALARM THAT THIS IS, THIS IS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN PAYS FOR IT.

AND EVERY TIME WE ASKED TO LOOK AT HOW THEY OPERATE, WHAT WE LEARN IS THAT THEY ARE GARBAGE.

THEY TALK ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE EXPERTISE AND WE SHOULDN'T QUESTION THEIR JUDGMENT BECAUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A SPECIALIZED AREA AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AND THE REALITY IS THAT IS FULL.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING THEIR JOBS REALLY POORLY IN A LOT OF AREAS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT.

AND IT'S OUR JOBS TO START REALLY HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR SYSTEMATIC FAILURES TO DO BIG PARTS OF THEIR JOB.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BURNER.

UM, AB DO YOU MIND TAKING DOWN THE SLIDES? I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN THE POINT ACROSS AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PANEL, PLEASE.

I HAD A QUICK FOLLOW QUESTION OR JUST POINT.

UM, ALTHOUGH I UNDERST I FIND IT VALUABLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT 2019 AND 2020.

I AM CONCERNED, UM, THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF OVERALL CASES BEEN REDUCED SO DRAMATICALLY TO 30% IS NOT EVEN HALF.

UM, AND, AND IT JUST, IT GIVEN JUST WHAT THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS HAVE FOUND IT HAVE SURFACED.

IT JUST SEEMS PROBLEMATIC, CREATE A REPORT WHERE, UM, ANYBODY CAN JUST SAY, YEAH, BUT THAT'S NOT MOST CASES LIKE QUITE LITERALLY JUST BY PERCENTAGE.

UM, AND SO AGAIN, I THINK IT'S VALUABLE TO BE LOOKING AT MORE RECENT CASES, BUT IT, I DO FIND IT PROBLEMATIC THAT IT WAS AT THE COST OF SUCH A LOWER PERCENTAGE OF CASES PER YEAR, BEING LOOKED AT.

I, I, I, I FEEL LIKE IF ANYTHING, THESE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUSHING US EVEN FURTHER, CAUSE IT'S THIS HAPPENING WITH 70%, IS THIS HAPPENING WITH 80%? UM, SO THAT WAS MY ONLY COMMENT.

CAN I, CAN I, UM, ADD ONTO THAT? CAUSE I REALLY HEAR YOU, UM, NATALIE, BECAUSE I DEFINITELY, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED THIS RECOMMENDATION WITH ALTO'S OFFICE, THE IDEA WAS WE WANTED TO LOOK AT AS MANY CASES AS POSSIBLE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF LIKE JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS.

SO THERE CAN BE SOME SYSTEM ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE AND THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE POSSIBLE.

UM, I THINK WHAT I'VE BEEN LEARNING

[01:45:01]

THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS I THINK PERF AND THE WOMEN'S LAW PROJECT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON DATA THAT CAN HELP THE DEPARTMENT MOVING FORWARD, WHICH REALLY, I THINK CAME AT THE EXPENSE IN MY VIEW OF INDIVIDUAL SURVIVORS, GETTING THEIR CASES LOOKED AT APPROPRIATELY.

SO I JUST WANTED A NAME THAT CAUSE I FEEL THAT AS WELL, YOU WOULD THINK THAT AS YOU DIG IN AND THINGS LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, GARBAGE, AS BERNHARDT SAID, UM, THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT MORE OF IT, RIGHT? LIKE IT IS SIMILAR WITH THE, UM, CITIZENS REVIEW PANEL FOR, FOR THE, COULD THE CURRICULUM REVIEW PANEL.

LIKE YOU, YOU, YOU REVIEW 10% AND THEY'RE ALL RACIST.

I WANT A FULL REVIEW.

SO I HEAR YOU ON THAT.

AND IT'S ALWAYS, AND I THINK MY STRUGGLE IS I DON'T WANT TO SPEND ANY MORE MONEY ON, ON THE, LIKE, THIS IS SO DISAPPOINTING.

UM, AND WE NEED A BROUGHT TO LIGHT, BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE, OKAY, WE NEED AN OVERHAUL.

AND I'D RATHER PUT THOSE RESOURCES TO SURVIVOR HEALING AND SUPPORT AND NOT TOWARDS A SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO FAIL OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

SO, BUT I, I, THAT'S A THOUGHT THAT I HAD AS WELL.

I THINK THAT THE REVIEW TEAM IS LIMITED.

UM, BUT I THINK THE LIMITATIONS ARE BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW FAR BEHIND ARE OUR DEPARTMENTS.

I HEAR THAT.

AND I DON'T MEAN IT TO BE A CRITICISM OF, OF WHAT HAS BEEN CHOSEN.

IT'S JUST, UM, AN AFTER AN AFTER EFFECT OF THE PROCESS IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT SO FEW CASES, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S HARDER.

LIKE WITH YOUR KID, YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING YOU DON'T, THEY DON'T DO SOMETHING ONCE.

AND THEN LIKE, YOU WANT TO SEE THAT THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING FIVE TIMES AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, YOU DID IT.

UM, OR, OKAY, YOU DIDN'T DO IT.

LIKE, IT'S JUST A CASE OF CREATING MORE ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND IF WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT THREE OUT OF 10 CASES, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN CREATE STRONGER ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND IF I CAN ADD, I'M MY CONCERN WITH ADDING THE NEW CASES IN IS THIS IS A WHOLE NEW TEAM.

THIS IS A WHOLE NEW DEPARTMENT.

AND BY ADDING THAT DATA INTO THE ORIGINALLY, UM, IDENTIFY DATA WHERE WE KNOW THERE WASN'T AN ISSUE, RIGHT? WE KNOW THERE WERE CLEARANCE ISSUES.

WE HAVE DOCUMENTED, WE HAVE, UH, CASES IN THE COURT RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT DOCUMENT, THESE ISSUES WITH THE CLEARANCES, AND THEN WE'RE PUTTING IN 20, 19 TO 2020 DATA, WHICH MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME DATA.

WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THOSE SAME CLEARANCE ISSUES.

SO THAT DATA, WHICH IS, HAS AS MUCH WEIGHT AS 20 12, 20 13, WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM, I'M CONCERNED THAT THAT DATA IS GOING TO SKEW WHAT YOU COME UP WITH FROM IT YET.

SO WE KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM FROM 2012 TO 2018, RIGHT? CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT AND ADDING IN ALMOST 300 CASES, WHICH IS MORE THAN 2013 IS MORE THOSE 2019 AND 2020 NUMBERS.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT ARE GOING TO HOLD THE SAME AMOUNT OF WEIGHT AS WHEN WE KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM.

NOW NOT SAYING THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY OVERNIGHT.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M JUST SAYING THAT, ARE WE ADDING DATA IN THAT'S GOING TO SKEW THE RESULTS? SO IF I COULD JUST INTERJECT, WE ARE TRACKING, UH, THE DATE, THE YEARS OF THE DATA AS WE'RE COLLECTING IT.

SO WE CAN LOOK AT EACH YEAR SEPARATELY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA.

AND I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT TO BRING UP THAT THINGS MIGHT HAVE CHANGED IN 2019 AND 2020.

AND WE'RE NOT PLANNING TO WRITE THE REPORT AS AN, EVERYTHING IS FIXED BASED ON THE 20, 19 AND 20, WE WILL WRITE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN 2019 AND 2020, THIS WAS A CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.

SO WE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT KEEP AND IDENTIFY THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE FOUND IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS AS WELL.

DESIGNATED AS BEING TRANSIENT, WE ARE NOTING THAT IF THEY HAVE, UM, DISABILITIES PHYSICAL OR MENTAL, WE ARE TRACKING THAT AS WELL, BASED ON THE NARRATIVES THAT WE ARE READING IN THE CASES.

I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION JUST ABOUT, UM, JUST INFORMATION FROM THE REPORTS.

UM, WHEN WE FIRST, UM, WROTE THE SCOPE OF WORK WE HAD, OR I'M NOT SURE IF WE WROTE IT, WE HELPED DO SOMETHING.

UM, WE'D ASKED ABOUT MAKING SURE WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE DATA BY TYPES OF VICTIMS. SO LIKE VICTIMS OF COLOR VICTIMS WITH DISABILITIES, UM, ARE YOU SEEING THAT KIND OF DETAIL IN THE REPORTS TO BE ABLE TO TRACK? SO WITHIN THE REPORTS THEY DO RE UH, REPORT VICTIM, GENDER ETHNICITY, AND WE HAVE ALSO MADE A POINT TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A VICTIM IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE ARE TRACKING THAT IF THEY ARE

[01:50:01]

AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION ARE Y'ALL IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO AT LEAST GET A SENSE OF WHERE THOSE CASES ARE OR ENDED, UM, THROUGH THAT, THAT PROCESS AS WELL.

SO WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE DATA OF WHERE THE CASES ENDED UP WITH THE DA'S OFFICE.

UM, WE JUST HAVE THE INFORMATION WITHIN APDS CASE FILE, WHICH, UM, WILL SOMETIMES REPORT WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT WE DID HAVE INTERVIEWS WITH INDIVIDUALS FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO KIND OF GET A SENSE FROM THEIR END, ANY ISSUES THAT THEY HAD SEEN AND ANYTHING THAT THEY WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROJECT.

YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S A REMINDER.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE BROUGHT UP DURING THE PROCESS IS THAT THIS WAS ONLY ACCESS TO APD DATA.

IT WASN'T ACCESS TO TRAVIS COUNTY DATA WASN'T ACCESS TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

IT WAS JUST APD DATA.

SO WE, I WAS HOPING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A NEW DA THAT MAY BE THERE EITHER.

THERE WAS SOME, SOME COLLABORATIVE WORK HAPPENING, BUT MILLIE HO WELL, THANK YOU.

UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

SO PATRICIA, WHAT I WOULD LOVE IS IF WE COULD TAKE THE PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS AND IF WE COULD GET THOSE BROKEN DOWN INTO, UH, EMAIL COMMUNICATION AND POWERPOINTS, SOMETHING ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, WHAT WE ALSO WERE KEY TO SAY IS LIKE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS COME OUT, THAT WE ARE ALIGNED AND SHE CAN UNDERSTAND, WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO, UH, GET CHIEF CHIEF OF CHICANA ASSISTANT, UH, INTERIM CHIEF CHICKEN.

UM, MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME OF HIS TIME FOR THE SEPTEMBER MEETING, CAUSE WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.

I'LL JUST, UM, TO GET THAT OUTLINE FOR YOU GUYS.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I THINK WE JUST, UH, IDENTIFIED ONE, GOT THE FOLLOWUP ON THIS WITH, UH, CHIEF THE NEXT MONTH.

UM, ONTO

[4. Future Agenda Items (4:55-5:00pm)]

AND BEFORE I FORGET, WE ALSO HAVE THE WIFI CODE UPDATE.

SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR SEPTEMBER, UH, COMMISSIONER WEBER.

ARE WE GOING TO HEAR FROM EMS JUST IN SEPTEMBER? UM, I WAS GOING TO TRY TO WRAP THIS UP AS SOON AS, AND GIVE HIM THE LAST FIVE, IF WE CAN, IF NOT, IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME, UH, CHIEF BROWN, INTERIM CHIEF BROWN, I CAN GET YOU IN SEPTEMBER FOR SURE.

WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SUGGEST AN AGENDA ITEM THAT FOR NEXT MONTH, THAT IS FOR EACH OF THE THREE DEPARTMENTS TO TELL US WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEIR SWORN AND UNSWORN ARE VACCINATED AND WHAT THEIR CURRENT, AS YOU KNOW, AS OF THE DATE OF THAT MEETING POLICY IS AS FAR AS REQUIRING VACCINATIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR FRONTLINE STAFF.

ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS? ALL RIGHT.

WELL, CHIEF BROWN, I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THESE LAST SIX MINUTES TO DO YOUR UPDATE.

AND IF YOU NEED MORE TIME NEXT MONTH, WE CAN ALSO ROLL THAT IN.

I CAN BE QUICK.

WE HAVE AN AUTHORIZED SCREEN, THE 643.

UH, UH, JASPER AROUND INTERIM CHIEF OF EMS. UM, SO, UH, THE CITY AVB PUT UP THE TWO DOCUMENTS OR WE CAN JUST TALK ABOUT THEM.

UH THERE'S I SENT TWO DOCUMENTS.

I DON'T SEE IT UP, BUT, UM, HERE WE GO.

UM, THIS IS OUR RESPONSE PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

I KNOW WE ONLY DO THE NORMAL QUARTER, UM, BUT THIS IS ALL THE WAY THROUGH JUNE OF 2021 BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

AND I'LL, UH, ANSWER QUESTIONS.

NOPE.

WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE STAFFING REPORT THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION.

POP UP, LOOKING FOR THE STAFFING OR EMS. HERE WE GO.

UH, ONE, UH, ONE MINUTE, PLEASE.

UH, YOU HAVE, UH, YOU HAVE TO THE FE QUARTERLY STAFFING.

I JUST SAYS, ITEM TWO, A

[01:55:01]

STAFFING.

I BELIEVE IT SAYS ITEM TWO, A EMS QUARTERLY IS WHEN IT STARTS WITH THEM.

STATS FOR STAFFING IS WHAT THE FULL NAME.

ONE SECOND.

I'M SORRY FOR THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES HERE.

OKAY, THERE WE GO.

[3.a. Public Safety Organizations Quarterly Report – ATCEMS (Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services Department) (sponsors: Commissioner Hausenfluck and Gonzales) 3:40pm-3:55pm Speaker(s): -Jasper Brown, Interim Chief of ATCEMS]

WE HAVE 528 CURRENT SWORN FTES.

THAT'S 115 VACANCIES THAT WAS OF A JULY 23RD.

I'VE BROKEN DOWN EACH OF THE VACANCIES BY RANK.

UM, 67 OF THESE SWORN VACANCIES WERE, WERE JUST, UM, GIVEN TO US AND THIS BUDGET YEAR, I'M JUST NOTATING THAT EVEN 24 OF THOSE WERE JUST FUNDED IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

UM, SO THEY'RE NOT ALL FROM ATTRITION.

WE HAVEN'T HAD THEM ALL, ALL YEAR LONG TO BE ABLE TO FILL THEM, BUT, UM, THAT IS 67 VACANCIES THAT WE'RE AT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE 33 CADETS AND THEN AN ACADEMY THAT STARTED ON JULY 19TH.

SO THEY'RE IN WEEK TWO OF THEIR ACADEMY.

UH, THOSE 33 ON OCTOBER 8TH, WE'LL FILL 33 OF THOSE, 115 VACANCIES.

SO THAT'LL REDUCE THIS DOWN.

OF COURSE, THERE WILL BE SOME ATTRITION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, BUT THEY'LL MAKE A LARGE DENT IN THE 115 VACANCIES.

AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE A HIRING PROCESSES OPEN BOTH IN COMMUNICATIONS AND OUR FIELD TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HAVE AN ACADEMY IN JANUARY.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER LARGER ACADEMY THAN EVEN THIS ONE DURING COVID.

WE WERE A LITTLE BIT RESTRICTED.

WE HAD TWO ACADEMIES MAINLY LAST YEAR, AND WE HAD TO REDUCE THE NUMBER IN CLASS DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING.

AND, AND THIS WAS ALL BEFORE THE VACCINATING BECAME AVAILABLE.

SO, UM, WELL WITH SOME OF THOSE CHANGES AND DIFFERENT THINGS, WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A LARGER ACADEMY AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING A LARGER ONE.

THAT'S OUR NEXT ACADEMY.

UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR STAFFING PLAN INTO COMMISSIONER, WHATEVER I KNOW AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT NEXT MONTH.

UM, BUT WE CURRENTLY DO NOT, UH, MANDATE VACCINE FOR ANYBODY.

I THINK WE'RE ABOUT 85% VACCINATED.

MY LAST NUMBER THAT I HEARD, WE'LL GET YOU A FINAL NUMBER ON THAT.

UM, I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS WERE STRICT.

SOME THINGS WE CAN DO WITH MANDATING VACCINES, BUT BECAUSE IT'S EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION, BUT I THINK LATER THIS MONTH THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MAYBE FDA APPROVAL OF IT.

AND SO THAT MIGHT CHANGE SOME OF THOSE.

BUT CURRENTLY AS MY DOG BARKS IN THE BACKGROUND, WE, UH, HAVE ABOUT 85% VACCINATED AND, UH, THERE IS NOT CURRENTLY A MANDATE FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINATION.

WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER VACCINES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT UPON ENTRY, BUT, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE STAND.

NOW, IF I COULD SHARE, JUST CALL OUT THE 85%, THAT IS, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST PERCENTAGE FROM OUR THREE DEPARTMENTS.

AND I THINK, UM, FIRE IS PRETTY CLOSE, BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY REALLY NEED TO GET THEIR PEOPLE BACK TO MAKE IT.

CAN WE HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR, UH, INTERIM CHIEF BROWN? JUST A QUICK QUESTION, NOTING THAT LIKE I WAS LOOKING AT JUST OVERALL VOLUME OF CALLS AND THEY'VE CLEARLY GONE UP.

ABILITY TO BE THERE FOR 24 HOURS.

UM, AND ARE YOU GUYS GIVEN THAT YOU, YOUR CURRENT CADET CLASS WON'T BE DONE TILL OCTOBER? HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING WITH STAFFING AS THIS, THE VOLUME INCREASES? SO, UH, STAFFING AND THE VOLUME IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE'RE STAFFING RIGHT NOW, THE AMBULANCE THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED, UM, IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, THERE IS A ADDITIONAL UNIT CURRENTLY SLATED FOR, UM, LOOP 360, WHICH WILL ADD TO THE SYSTEM.

AND THERE'S SOME OF THE MORE DISCUSSIONS AT COUNCIL I BELIEVE TOMORROW AND THROUGH NEXT WEEK THAT, UH, MAY CHANGE SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

UM, BUT WITH THE STAFFING, THE WAY WE ARE NOW, IT JUST MAKES IT KIND OF HARDER FOR US TO BACKFILL WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT ON SICK VACATION INJURY, MILITARY TIME, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE TAKE OFF.

SO PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO COME IN ON OVERTIME.

UM, SO WE CAN GET FULLY STAFFED THAT REDUCES THE OVERTIME.

PEOPLE ARE WORKING, WHICH THEN, UH, PROVIDES THEM SOME RELIEF.

AND, UH, FROM THE, UH, THANK YOU.

AND ABE, DO YOU MIND TAKING DOWN THE SLIDE SMITH AND SEE THE FULL PANEL, PLEASE? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER IN YOUR HOUSE AND SELECT IF YOU CAN MAKE IT QUICK? YES, NO.

I JUST GOT AN OFFER.

MAYBE THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT, UM, ADDING A DOWNTOWN EMS UNIT AND YOU KNOW, IN THE PRESS.

AND SO MAYBE IT'S FOR SOME TIME IN THIS, DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF MOVEMENT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS HERE, SOME MORE ON THAT.

UH, I CAN TELL YOU WE'LL BE MOVING A GOOD IT IN VERY SOON TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE HAS BEEN HOUSING OF A UNIT.

WE CURRENTLY MOVED TO 12 HOUR UNIT TO OUR HEADQUARTERS OVER ON 15 WALLER.

UM, THEY'RE ONLY THERE FOR 12 HOURS NOW, BUT IT'S, AND WE'RE RENOVATING SOME SPACE ON OUR SECOND FLOOR TO ALLOW

[02:00:01]

SO WE'LL, UM, ONE OF THE TWO UNITS THAT THE COUNCIL GAVE US THIS YEAR.

UH, WE SHOULD BE MOVING SOME RESOURCES AROUND IT, HAVING A UNIT PRESENCE THERE OVERNIGHT.

AND WE ARE AT TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH INTERVIEWED BRIAN.

APPRECIATE IT.

UH, SO I AM OPEN FOR A, UM, UH, MOVE TO ADJOURN MOVED.

UH, MR. RAMIREZ, BUT CAN I HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU.

AWESOME.

FUCK.

COMMISSIONER WEBBER? YES.

AND WE HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE TO ADJOURN.

SO LET'S START WITH YOU.

COMMISSIONER LEWIS.