[Austin Chief of Police Community Engagement on August 19, 2021]
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WE'RE ABOUT TO START OUR PROGRAM.
ONE BRIEF BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING FOR THOSE IN OUR AUDIENCE.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, TO GET SOME EQUIPMENT IN ORDER TO HEAR WHAT WE'RE SAYING IN SPANISH, WELCOME TO THIS EVENING'S EVENT, WHERE YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM OUR CHIEF OF POLICE FINALIST.
MY NAME IS OLGA CAMPOS, AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING, WHETHER YOU ARE JOINING OUR MEETING HERE IN PERSON AT THE PALMER EVENTS CENTER, OR IF YOU'RE TUNING IN FROM ONE OF OUR OTHER PLATFORMS TONIGHT, WE'RE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE FINALISTS FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE OF AUSTIN.
LIKE TO BEGIN THE EVENING WITH OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WHO'S GOING TO SHARE WITH US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
GREAT ARIANA, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.
AND WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU BOTH PRESENT HERE AND JOINING US IN OTHER WAYS TONIGHT'S COMMUNITY SESSION AND YOUR FEEDBACK IS CRITICAL, CRITICAL TO INFORMING ME AND THE CITY MANAGER WHO SHOULD BE OUR NEXT POLICE CHIEF.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A CITY MANAGER, SPENCER CRONK, WHO IS HERE WITH US AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER, MACKENZIE KELLY FROM THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX.
THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS HAS BEEN A THOROUGH SEARCH THAT HAS BROUGHT US THE BEST CANDIDATES WHO ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR COMMUNITY VALUES AND ARE COMMITTED TO EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT ALONG WITH OTHER CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU HAVE HELPED US IDENTIFY.
LET ME BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS THAT BRINGS US HERE TODAY.
WE ENGAGE THE SEARCH FIRM OF ROB ANDERSON AND ASSOCIATES WHO ADVERTISE THE CHIEF OF POLICE POSITION AND RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 46 APPLICANTS FOR THE JOB AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, THE INITIAL POOL WAS NARROWED DOWN TO SEVEN CANDIDATES IN JULY.
THOSE CANDIDATES INTERVIEWED WITH PANELS THAT INCLUDED COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, AND A CITY OF AUSTIN EXECUTIVES FROM THOSE PANELS.
THREE CANDIDATES EMERGED INTO THE FINALIST.
THOSE CANDIDATES ARE JOSEPH CHUCK ON INTERIM POLICE, CHIEF AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AVERY MOORE, ASSISTANT CHIEF DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND
FOLLOWING THESE MEETINGS, THE CITY MANAGER, AND I WILL CAREFULLY ASSESS WHO SHOULD BE AUSTIN'S NEXT POLICE CHIEF, AND BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONFIRMATION, WHOEVER IS SELECTED WILL BEGIN THEIR DUTIES DURING A PERIOD OF INTENSE CHANGE FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ULTIMATELY WE BELIEVE THE NEW CHIEF OF POLICE CAN HELP APD AND THE CITY ADAPT AND EMERGE FROM RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY IN A MANNER THAT MEETS OUR SAFETY, STRATEGIC OUTCOME OF BEING SAFE IN OUR HOME AT WORK AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENING'S EVENT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CANDIDATES WHO I KNOW ARE KEEN TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, UH, AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU GET TO KNOW THEM BETTER.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT BACK TO OLGA.
SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO OUTLINE JUST A FEW THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO OUR FORUM TONIGHT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT WE VALUE YOUR FEEDBACK.
WE ASK EVERYONE TO LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO THE ANSWERS THAT OUR FINALISTS ARE SHARING WITH US AND BE PREPARED TO SHARE SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG FORWARD SLASH YOUR NEXT POLICE, CHIEF.
YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT EACH CANDIDATES, STRENGTHS AREAS OF CONCERNS, AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS ARE VERY MUCH WELCOME.
EACH CANDIDATE WILL BE JOINING US INDIVIDUALLY FOR 25 MINUTES IN NO SPECIFIC ORDER.
THEY WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS THAT ALLOW THEM FIRST TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SHARE WITH US WHY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SERVING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY AND THEIR INTERESTS AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS FOR LEADING THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWED BY THAT WE HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED.
COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER BY THE CONSULTING FIRM OF RALPH ANDERSON AND ASSOCIATES WITH OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
THE REMAINING QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED WILL BE FROM YOU OUR COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT THE QUESTIONS
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BEING ASKED MAY NOT BE IN EXACTLY THE WORDING THAT YOU SUBMITTED, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN SUMMARIZED.AND IN CASE WE NEEDED TO WRITE IT WHERE I CAN READ IT A LITTLE BIT, CLEARER HANDWRITING.
SO WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY, LET'S WELCOME OUR FIRST CANDIDATE JOINING ME NOW ON THE PODIUM IS OUR INTERIM POLICE CHIEF OF AUSTIN, JOSEPH CHUCK ON WELCOME BACK.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE FIRST QUESTION.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AS WELL AS EXPERIENCE IN POLICING AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THIS POSITION IS OF INTEREST TO YOU, WHY YOU WANT TO SERVE, THANK YOU, OLGA.
UH, GOOD EVENING, AUSTIN, UH, FOR EVERYONE THAT IS HERE AND WATCHING ONLINE, I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE A PART OF THIS IMPORTANT DECISION FOR THE CITY.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
MY NAME IS JOSEPH CHUCK ON I, UM, YOU KNOW, I BEGAN MY POLICE CAREER, UH, 29 YEARS AGO IN THE CITY WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN EL PASO, TEXAS WITH THE EL PASO POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1992, UH, IN 1998, I MOVED HERE TO AUSTIN AND JOINED APD.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE AND WORKING FOR THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, THERE REALLY IS NO, UH, ASPECT OR PART OF POLICE WORK THAT I HAVE NOT EITHER WORKED IN DIRECTLY OVERSEEN AND THAT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, OVER THOSE YEARS, UH, AND PARTICULARLY HERE, UM, WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'VE BEEN LEADING AN EFFORT TOWARDS CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION, UH, WORKING IN THE AREA OF MENTAL HEALTH, PARTICULARLY ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AS WELL AS SERVING ON THE CITY'S SOBERING CENTER EXECUTIVE BOARD BETWEEN THOSE TWO, UH, EXPERIENCES.
I FEEL THAT I HAVE A VERY SOLID BACKGROUND IN HOW WE CAN MOVE OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION.
I'VE BEEN THE INTERIM CHIEF FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS.
AND DURING THAT TIME, I HAVE BEEN LEADING CULTURE CHANGE AT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M DOING THAT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, UH, INCLUDING THE WAY THAT WE ARE TRAINING OUR CADETS AT THE ACADEMY AND THE WAY THAT WE HAVE RE-IMAGINED OUR TRAINING ACADEMY, AS WELL AS HOW I AM WORKING WITH OUR SWORN AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IN THE DEPARTMENT AND BRINGING A PROCEDURAL JUSTICE TO ALL LEVELS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I, THAT I MENTIONED THAT I SPEAK SPANISH AND I HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING REGULARLY WITH OUR SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THE CHIEF TO BE ABLE TO BUILD TRUST WITH OUR LATINO AND LATIN X COMMUNITY DIRECTLY IN, IN, UH, IN THAT LANGUAGE, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE AREA OF DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION, I HAVE BEEN LEADING EFFORTS.
I MENTIONED THE ACADEMY, BUT ALSO EVEN BEFORE THAT, UH, THE RECRUITING DIVISION, UH, THAT WE HAVE BUILT IS THE MOST DIVERSE UNIT ON OUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT AND IS EMBLEMATIC OF WHAT WE WANT TO BUILD IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A DEPARTMENT THAT MIRRORS THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
I'LL JUST ROUND OUT MY OPENING COMMENTS, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT I SAID LAST NIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS, UH, LIVING HERE AND SERVING HERE.
I LOVE THIS CITY AND I LOVE THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO BE ABLE TO ENGENDER AND BUILD THE TRUST THAT I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IN THE, IN THOSE, UH, CULTURE CHANGING EFFORTS THAT I DESCRIBED AS WELL AS IN THE RE-IMAGINING, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE QUESTIONS WELL, ON THAT NOTE, AND YOU JUST MENTIONED AUSTIN'S RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE.
SO TELL US WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT IT, ABOUT THE INITIATIVE OVERALL AND WHAT YOUR APPROACH WILL BE TO MAKING IT SUCCESSFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS SINCE IT BEGAN, AND PARTICULARLY OVER THE LAST FIVE MONTHS AS THE INTERIM CHIEF, I'VE BEEN LEADING EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MOVING THAT EFFORT FORWARD.
THE BEST EXAMPLE THAT I CAN GIVE OF THAT IS THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AT OUR TRAINING ACADEMY, UH, WORKING WITH THE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN PROVIDING, UH, THAT DIRECTION AND THE GUIDANCE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS GO IN.
WE HAVE REALLY, RE-IMAGINED THE
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WAY THAT WE ARE TRAINING OUR CADETS.WE HAVE, WE ARE TRANSITIONING FROM THAT, UH, WARRIOR MINDSET TO A GUARDIAN MINDSET, A PARAMILITARY MODEL OF INSTRUCTION TO ONE THAT IS AN ADULT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AND THROUGH THAT, WE ARE BUILDING, UH, OFFICERS THAT HAVE COMPASSION THAT HAVE EMPATHY THAT ARE TRULY INTERNALIZING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ACADEMY, WE DID SOMETHING WE'D NEVER DONE BEFORE.
WE HAD A PROGRAM CALLED COMMUNITY CONNECT.
WE SPENT TWO WEEKS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED AND DISENFRANCHISED.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS INSTILL IN OUR CADETS THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT KIND OF INNATE, UH, DRIVE THAT IS GOING TO GIVE THEM FOR THIS PROFESSION SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS THAT THEY CHOSE IT.
WE'RE ALSO DOING TWO OTHER CLASSES, THIS, UH, ACADEMY THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
THE FIRST ONE IS OUR GROUNDWATER ANALYSIS OF SYSTEMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL INEQUITIES, WHICH REALLY LOOKS AT, UM, AT RACISM IN INSTITUTIONS.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE HISTORY OF RACE AND POLICING IN AUSTIN, SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND HEAR THE HISTORY OF POLICING, THE GOOD AND THE BAD CHIEF TOOK ON.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE ONE TO THREE OF AUSTIN'S BIGGEST POLICE CHALLENGES AND WHAT ARE YOUR PROPOSED SOLUTIONS? YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE, THAT THAT WE'RE FACING, UH, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS A STAFFING.
SO BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT EFFECTIVELY, UH, IN THE CITY IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR CHALLENGES.
UM, I FEEL THAT IT'S, UH, VERY STRONGLY THAT WE NEED TO RECRUIT FROM OUR OWN COMMUNITY, NOT NECESSARILY FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY.
UM, I JUST, THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE IN RECRUITING TELLS ME THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE FEEL A STRONG, UH, CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THEY STAY HERE, THEY DON'T GO BACK TO WHEREVER THEY CAME FROM.
LIKE WE'VE SEEN WITH, UH, PEOPLE COMING FROM OTHER CITIES AND THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY.
AND SO WE WANT TO, WE WANT IT NOT ONLY TO RECRUIT LOCALLY, BUT TO RECRUIT FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND TO REALLY INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, SO THAT IT MIRRORS THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
I THINK THAT TRUST IS ANOTHER BIG ISSUE, UH, THAT, UH, IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK ON.
UM, I THINK THAT TRUST IN OUR PROFESSION HAS BEEN SHAKEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, NOT JUST HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT WHAT HAPPENS HERE LOCALLY IS IMPORTANT.
AND I AM LISTENING TO OUR COME TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I AM CONDUCTING OUTREACH WITH OUR ADVOCACY GROUPS, OUR FAITH LEADERS, UH, OUR ACTIVISTS AND THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHO ARE OUR STRONGEST CRITICS TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH THEM, LISTEN TO THEM.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING REALLY THROUGH THE RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, TASK FORCE IN THAT WORK.
NEXT QUESTION, HOMICIDES IN AUSTIN ARE THE HIGHEST THEY'VE BEEN IN 20 YEARS.
WHAT'S YOUR PLAN TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME IN THE CITY.
SO I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO BEGIN, UH, ANSWERING THIS QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, ONE HOMICIDE IS, IS TOO MANY.
I REALIZED THAT AND, AND, AND I'M UNEXPLAINED THE THINGS THAT I'M DOING TO ADDRESS IT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, YOU KNOW, AUSTINITES TO REALIZE THIS IS STILL ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE THE FIFTH SAFEST CITY, BIG CITY IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE ARE GOING, AND, AND W WE'RE MAKING EFFORTS TO, TO MAINTAIN AND STAY, UH, STAY AHEAD OF THAT.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING, WHAT OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE CD, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SEEING IS AN INCREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE AND AN INCREASE IN THEIR HOMICIDES.
UM, I VERY QUICKLY AFTER I TOOK OVER, UH, BEGAN A PRO UH, PROGRAM KNOWN AS THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM, UH, WORKING THROUGH OUR ORGANIZED CRIME DIVISION, UH, AND OUR VIOLENT CRIME UNITS, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR SPECIALIZED, UH, TACTICAL UNITS, UH, TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT WAS GOING TO LOOK AT TARGETING VIOLENT OFFENDERS, UH, TO THIS WAS, THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE A, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF A DRAG NET OR ZERO TOLERANCE PROGRAM THAT WAS LOOKING AT A HOTSPOT.
THIS WAS LASER FOCUSED ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE USING GUNS TO COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMES AND TO DATE WE'VE SEIZED, UH, WELL OVER A HUNDRED WEAPONS, UH, WE'VE, UH, ARRESTED, I BELIEVE, 62 INDIVIDUALS AND HAVE FILED ABOUT 150 VIOLENT CRIME CHARGES.
SO, UH, I FEEL LIKE THE PROGRAM IS WORKING.
IT CONTINUES, UH, AND THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MAKING ARRESTS.
IT'S ABOUT ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING AS WELL.
HOW WOULD YOUR SUBORDINATES DESCRIBE YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE AND ANOTHER,
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THERE'S PROBABLY A FEW HERE IN THE ROOM.UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I LIKE TO HOPE THAT THEY THINK THAT, UH, THAT I'M WALKING THE WALK OF THE SERVANT LEADERSHIP STYLE.
UM, I THINK THAT SERVANT LEADERSHIP IS A TERM THAT'S USED A LOT, UH, IN OUR PROFESSION RIGHT NOW.
UH, I'M NOT AS SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF LEADERS THAT ACTUALLY ARE, ARE PRACTICING IT, SERVANT LEADERSHIP.
WHAT IT MEANS TO ME IS THAT I TREAT MY EMPLOYEES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT I GIVE THEM.
I TAKE TIME TO EXPLAIN THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE DEPARTMENT.
ANY DEPARTMENT YOU GO TO IS GOING TO TELL YOU ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS IS COMMUNICATION THAT THEY ARE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY HEAR SOMETHING FROM THE MEDIA OR FROM SOME OTHER SOURCE.
SO I MAKE A POINT TO GO OUT IN FRONT OF MY OFFICERS, UH, PERSONALLY, UH, IN VIDEO MESSAGES, IN EMAIL COMMUNICATION ON A CONSTANT BASIS, LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT I'M SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING THEM.
AND THESE ARE REALLY AROUND THE, THE TENANTS OF PROCEDURAL JUSTICE.
SO I'M TRYING TO BUILD THAT INTERNALLY, AND THAT'S HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE MY LEADERSHIP STYLE.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS COMMUNICATING WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND COUNTY ATTORNEY TO SUPPORT EARLY CASE REVIEW? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UH, THAT HAS BEEN, UH, AN ISSUE IN OUR DEPART, UH, IN OUR CITY HERE RECENTLY, AND CERTAINLY HAS BEEN HIGHLY FOCUSED ON, UH, BY, UH, MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IS THAT I'VE BEEN IN ONGOING AND CONSTANT DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH THE TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND COUNTY ATTORNEY.
SINCE I TOOK OVER THE INTERIM CHIEF POSITION, I FEEL THAT, UM, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE CAN CERTAINLY, AND I TALKED ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION JUST A MOMENT AGO.
WE CAN LOOK AT LOW LEVEL OFFENSES, AND GENERALLY THOSE ARE IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS PER VIEW THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR, UM, FOR DIVERSION.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS, IS BUILD THOSE SYSTEMS OUT.
AND I KNOW THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS TRYING TO DO THIS BY BUILDING A DIVERSION CENTER.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WE CANNOT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT GET INTO AN AREA WHERE WE ARE AT ODDS OVER IT.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND I, UH, MAKE A COMMITMENT TO KEEP HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AROUND THOSE TYPES OF EFFORTS.
HOW WILL YOU, OR DO YOU SUPPORT YOUR OFFICERS SO THAT WHEN THEY MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, DESPITE PERHAPS THE OPTICS, THEY WILL BE INTERNALLY AND PUBLICLY SUPPORTED, AND DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLES TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE ALWAYS TRY TO HOLD OUR OFFICERS UP AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IN A PROFESSION RIGHT NOW THAT IS EMBATTLED, UH, THAT IS UNDER A LOT OF SCRUTINY.
AND, UM, AND WE ARE EXPERIENCING RECORD NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT ARE LEAVING OUR DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE NOT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT LIKE THAT.
THERE'S DEPARTMENTS ALL ACROSS THIS REGION AND ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES.
IT IS MY JOB TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OFFICERS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY DO THE RIGHT THING, THAT THEY FEEL SUPPORTED AND THEY KNOW, UH, THAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE GOING TO, UM, BE UPHELD, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THOSE ACTIONS FALL SHORT, I HOLD OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A BALANCE IN THAT, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I FEEL THAT I HAVE, UH, STOOD UP, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE AMAZING THINGS THAT OUR OFFICERS DO.
THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND IMMEDIATELY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CRITICAL INCIDENTS WHERE I HAVE DESCRIBED THE BRAVERY WITH WHICH THEY ENTERED THOSE, UH, THOSE SCENARIOS, UH, AND, UH, AND SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
UH, ON JUNE 12TH, WE HAD A MASS SHOOTING ON SIXTH STREET WHERE I WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY PRAISING THE OFFICERS FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THEY DID TO SAVE LIVES THAT DAY.
AND SO I WILL DO THAT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY I HAVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF CHECK ON FOR YOUR ANSWERS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE THIS EVENING.
AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR OUR NEXT CANDIDATE TO COME FORWARD, I JUST WANT TO REMIND THOSE
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WHO ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, THAT WE WILL ALLOW YOU TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS AND SPEAK WITH AND INTERACT WITH OUR THREE FINALISTS AT THE END OF THIS PROGRAM.SO THE ONLY THING WE ASK IS THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WEAR YOUR MASK AND MAINTAIN A SOCIAL DISTANCE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEXT FINALIST ASSISTANT CHIEF OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, A REMORSE
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ENJOYING YOUR TIME IN THE CITY SO FAR? MA'AM I HAVE GREAT CHIEF MOORE.
WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH, UM, LIKE WE DID LAST NIGHT.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE POINTS THAT WOULD HELP YOU BE SUCCESSFUL AS OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF.
AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY YOU'D LIKE TO SERVE IN THIS POSITION.
UM, OLGA, BUT FIRST, UM, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE TODAY THAT THERE WAS AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT OR NOT, BUT THAT'S A TRAGIC INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TODAY.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE OR A MOMENT RATHER JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SHOW SUPPORT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS TO THE VICTIM.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST BOW YOUR HEADS JUST FOR A SECOND.
UM, SO AS SHE SAID, I'M AVERY MORE FROM DALLAS, TEXAS THAN A DALLAS POLICE OFFICER FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
UM, ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, COMMUNITY LOVE, POLICING, AND THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO JOIN THIS PROFESSION.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN GROOMED TO BE A CHIEF IN A MAJOR CITY.
UM, DAVID BROWN, MY FORMER CHIEF IS A CHIEF IN CHICAGO.
MY FORMER CHIEF, SHE GROOMED ME IN MY CURRENT CHIEF.
EDDIE GARCIA HAS TAKEN ME UNDER HIS WING AS WELL TO PREPARE ME FOR A TIME LIKE THIS.
I BELIEVE WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THE CHIEF OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING YOU ASKED FOR, I POSSESS AS IT RELATES TO REDUCING CRIME BUILT IN TRUST AND LEGITIMACY WITH THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH, WHICH IS DEALING WITH THE MORALE OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO ACTUALLY HAVE A TOUR OF THE CITY, ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL CITY.
UM, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE PROUD OF THIS CITY.
UM, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT, GOT TO VISIT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS, GOT TO TALK TO A FEW RESIDENTS, GOT TO SEE A MAGNIFICENT, BEAUTIFUL PARK.
UM, REDDICK FELT KIND OF JEALOUS CAUSE THEY WERE OUT RUNNING AND I WAS KIND OF COOPED UP IN A VAN.
NOW I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE JOIN THEM, WENT BY THE DOG PARK.
UM, SO JUST A GREAT TIME ENJOYING THE CITY.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE CAN BUILD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER.
WE CAN BUILD A GOOD TEAM TOGETHER AND WE CAN MAKE AUSTIN, AS YOU KNOW, FROM YESTERDAY IS MY GOAL TO BE THE BEST CITY IN AMERICA TO LIVE IN, TO WORK IN AND TO PLAY IN.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING YOUR CHIEF.
AUSTIN'S RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE WILL BE THE CENTERPIECE FOR THE NEXT CHIEF'S TENURE.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE OVERALL AND WHAT WILL YOUR APPROACH BE TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL? AND IF YOU DO HAVE AN EXAMPLE THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH US ON SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, THAT YOU WILL HELP LEAD US AFFECT THAT CHANGE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, OLGA, ACTUALLY JUST THAT CONCEPT RE-IMAGINING POLICE EXCITES ME.
I WAS THINKING TODAY CAUSE I'M A MARTIAL ARTIST TOO.
SO I SPEND A LOT OF TIME STUDYING OTHER STUFF.
AND THOSE ARE WORDS IN THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE CALLED KAIZEN.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT REIMAGINING POLICING, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE HAVE TO EXAMINE EVERYTHING ABOUT POLICING THAT WE DO AS IT RELATES TO TRAINING.
AND I'VE DONE THAT SUCCESSFULLY IN DALLAS, AS IT RELATES TO BUILD IN MORALE, I'VE DONE THAT SUCCESSFULLY IN DALLAS, AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNITY POLICING.
I'VE DONE THAT SUCCESSFULLY AS WELL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO GET TO WHERE WE EXAMINE OUR GENERAL ORDERS, OUR SLPS, AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EXERCISING BEST PRACTICES.
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT RE-IMAGINING POLICING.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ALWAYS CHANGE AND TO ALWAYS GET BETTER.
THIS IS A PROGRESSIVE CITY, AS WE WERE DRIVING THROUGH, SEEING THE CRANES EVERYTHING'S
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BEING BUILT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS TO BE PROGRESSIVE AS WELL.AND YOU DO THAT WHEN YOU SEARCH OUT BEST PRACTICES OR YOU CREATE THE BEST PRACTICES AND BECOME THE ROLE MODEL FOR POLICING.
DO YOU HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT YOU HAVE INITIATED OVER YOUR TENURE IN DALLAS THAT YOU WOULD SHARE WITH US? YES.
MA'AM OR WILL? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, I MENTIONED YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO EXAMINE YOUR GENERAL ORDERS.
I DID THAT HAD THE PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE DUTY TO INTERVENE.
AND WE DID THAT WHEN I WAS TAUGHT 30 YEARS AGO, WE WERE TAUGHT THE DUTY TO INTERVENE.
IT WAS JUST NEVER WRITTEN DOWN IN OUR GENERAL ORDERS.
SO I MADE THE RECOMMENDATION TO CHIEF RENEE HALL AND WE GOT THAT PUT IN.
ALSO ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS NO-KNOCK WARRANTS FOR NARCOTICS.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT BEST PRACTICES, WHAT I BELIEVED WAS IS THAT NARCOTICS UNIT WASN'T TRAINED SUFFICIENTLY ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE THOSE DYNAMIC ENTRIES.
SO I HAD THAT CHANGED AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE DID ALSO.
I USED TO BE A TRAINER AT THE ACADEMY AND I TAUGHT DEESCALATION.
SO WE BOUGHT THAT BACK TO THE FOREFRONT.
IN WHAT I BELIEVE DEESCALATION IS, IS NOT A TOOL THAT OFFICERS USE.
EVERY CALL YOU GO TO IT SHOULD BE WITH THE IDEA OF DEESCALATION THAT KEEPS THE OFFICERS SAFE.
IT KEEPS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAFE, AND IT'S REALLY JUST THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE EVERY CALL.
IF WE GO WITH THE IDEA THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THE PERSON THAT WE'RE ENGAGED WITH TO COMPLY IN, EVERYBODY'S SAFE, THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF DEESCALATION.
SO AGAIN, IT'S A MINDSET, NOT JUST THE TOOL AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BRING HERE, CHIEF MOORE.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE 1, 2, 3 OF AUSTIN'S BIGGEST POLICE CHALLENGES AND WHAT ARE YOUR PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO THOSE CHALLENGES? SO, UM, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM AN ORDER OF SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, CAUSE I WAS TALKING TO AN OFFICER ON YESTERDAY AND I WAS TOLD THAT MORALE WAS REALLY LOW.
UM, AND MORALE IS LOW IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE THERE'S A DISCONNECTION BETWEEN LEADERSHIP USUALLY AND THE RANK AND FILE WHETHER THAT'S COMMUNICATION, UM, WHETHER THAT'S PROCESS, UM, WHATEVER THAT IS.
SO YOU HAVE TO START WITH RECONNECTING WITH YOUR OFFICERS.
UM, YOU HAVE TO INVITE THEM TO YOUR TABLE.
YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM, UM, SHOWING THEM THE RESPECT AND DIGNITY THAT THEY DESERVE AND INVITE THEM IN.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE FOUND IS SUCCESSFUL IN MY CAREER IS THAT IF YOU GIVE THEM THE ISSUE, YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT THE RESOLUTIONS.
THEY COME UP WITH, OFFICERS ARE SMART AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE THE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU BUILD MORALE.
UM, NUMBER TWO, I NOTICED THAT AUSTIN IS HAVING A CRIME IN INFLUX.
UM, AND WE CAN ADDRESS THAT IN MY OPINION, BY DOING COMMUNITY POLICING CORRECTLY.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, IT'S NOT ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHERE YOU JUST GO OUT AND ENFORCE LAW IN A DRAGNET MATTER.
IT REALLY IS ABOUT A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN BOUGHT TO THE TABLE AND COLLABORATED WITH.
AND YOU AFFECT THOSE SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS WHERE THE VIOLENT CRIME IS OCCURRING.
UM, SO WE'D GET A COMPREHENSIVE CRIME PLAN AND IT WOULD BE ONE THAT EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE AN INPUT IN AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD EXECUTE.
UM, AND JUST NUMBER THREE, I THINK THAT THERE'S A AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO UNIFY THIS ENTIRE CITY.
UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU JUST HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE A SAY SO AND GIVE CALL TO ACTIONS, WHICH I WILL, BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN DO THIS, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE A WE CONCEPT.
AND NOT JUST TO ME CONCEPT, UM, ASIDES HERE IN AUSTIN ARE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THEY'VE BEEN IN 20 YEARS, WHAT'S YOUR PLAN TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR CITY.
LIKE I JUST SAID, WE'RE GOING TO NEED A COMPREHENSIVE, VIOLENT CRIME PLAN.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THE MINDSET OF HOW WE DO THINGS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I BELIEVE IN IS THAT IF YOU'RE HIGHLY VISIBLE, WHEREVER THEIR VIOLENT CRIME IS, THAT'S THE WAY THAT YOU CAN DETER A CRIME.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY VISIBILITY IS NOT ENFORCEMENT.
UM, JUST BEING VISIBLE, GOING OUT, TALKING TO PEOPLE, INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO PEOPLE.
UM, WHAT WE DO IN DALLAS IS WE HAVE 15 MINUTES OF VISIBILITY FOR EVERY HOUR THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT VIOLENT CRIME HAPPENS.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.
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I'M SORRY, 700 FEET GRIDS ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH IS ABOUT EIGHT FOOTBALL FIELDS.AND WE HAVE OFFICERS ASSIGNED THERE AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE HIGHLY VISIBLE.
UM, MOST OF THIS HAPPENS IN THE EVENING, SO THEY JUST TURN YOUR RED LIGHTS ON AS PEOPLE APPROACH, THEY TALK TO THEM, THEY SAY HI, SO IT'S NOT ABOUT ENFORCEMENT.
IT REALLY IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO POLICE IN A PEACEFUL WAY.
WE OFTEN HEAR FROM POLICE THAT THEY ARE ASKED TO DO TOO MUCH.
DO YOU AGREE? AND WHAT FUNCTIONS WOULD YOU PROPOSE SHIFTING TO OTHER PERSONNEL IF AT ALL? YES, MA'AM I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.
I THINK THAT'S A ISSUE THAT'S ACROSS THE NATION.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, MENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN MENTAL HEALTH WAS ROLLED OUT TO US AND THE THING THAT GOT ME WAS WE WENT TO A 40 HOUR CLASS.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT DOESN'T MAKE US AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD, WHICH WE'RE NOT.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE, UM, RE-IMAGINED IN POLICING IS WE'VE CREATED, WHAT'S CALLED RIGHT CARE IN DALLAS.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, SOCIAL WORKERS, DFR, UM, AND THE POLICE.
AND WE GO OUT AS A UNIT TO THESE TEAMS OR TO THESE CALLS.
UM, THE POLICE ARE SECONDARY, MEANING THAT WE'RE ONLY THERE IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS.
BUT IDEALLY THE WHOLE CONCEPT IS TO GET THE INDIVIDUAL, THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED, WHETHER IT'S MENTAL HEALTH, WHETHER IT'S DRUG ADDICTION, ET CETERA.
UM, SO YEAH, I THINK POLICE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TOO MUCH, BUT I THINK THERE'S WAYS AS WE RE-IMAGINED IN THIS AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE TOTALITY OF IT THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT BETTER WAYS TO POLICE AND GET PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED.
HOW WOULD YOU HAVE HANDLED LAST YEAR'S PROTESTS AND RIOTS DIF DIFFERENTLY IF AT ALL? AND IF SO, EXPLAIN.
SO, UM, ACTUALLY I DID HANDLE THE, UH, PROTESTS IN DALLAS AFTER THE FIRST FEW DAYS.
AND WHAT I EMPHASIZED IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T HIDE BEHIND THE LAW.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE STREET.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS IF YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T EXPECT THEM TO BE ON THE SIDEWALK.
SO YOU REALLY GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO ENFORCE AND NOT.
SO WHAT WE DID IS SAID, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO LET THE PROTESTERS HAVE THE STREET.
AND THEN BEFORE WE EVEN MAKE AN ARREST, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE ARRESTED FOR RIGHT NOW? AND IF IT DOESN'T, THEN WE CAN MAKE THE ARREST LATER.
I'M IN A BETTER ATMOSPHERE AT THE PERSON'S HOME AT THEIR JOB, ET CETERA, NOT BRINGING A LOT OF ATTENTION BECAUSE WHAT I SAW IN THE PROTEST IS THE POLICE WERE ACTUALLY THE ONES BEING PROTESTED AGAINST.
AND I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY WHEN I WATCHED IT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHY OFFICERS WERE TOLD THE LINE UP IN THE STREET AND JUST STAND THERE TO ME THAT PUT THEM IN A HORRIBLE POSITION.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THINGS WENT BAD.
WHEN IN ESSENCE, WHAT I HAD MY TEAM DO IS WE HAD A STAGE, AN AREA CALLED THE OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND.
AND WE ONLY RESPONDED WHEN WE ABSOLUTELY HAD TO.
AND THAT SYSTEM WORKED AND WE DID TRAIN IN ON IT WITH THE COMMAND STAFF.
IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING AN ARREST ALL THE TIME.
NOW, IF IT'S AGREGIOUS, YOU HAVE TO ABSOLUTELY DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
BUT IF IT'S A MINOR OFFENSE, THERE'S NO REASON TO GO IN AND JUST REALLY ANTAGONIZE AND ESCALATE A SITUATION THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ESCALATED.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BRING HERE.
IT'S ABOUT GIVING CLEAR DIRECTION AND CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PURPOSE IS OF THE PROTEST.
HOW CAN A POLICE CHIEF IMPART AND IMPACT ATTRITION RETENTION AND ATTRACT NEW OFFICERS? WELL, I THINK, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT I CALL GOOD CHARACTER, I THINK CHARACTER IS WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE.
UM, AND IT HAS TO BE A CHARACTER THAT YOU DON'T COMPROMISE.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO RETENTION, NUMBER ONE, I BELIEVE THAT IF IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO RETIRE, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE RIGHT TO, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO TALK YOU OUT OF RETIREMENT BECAUSE THIS JOB IS REALLY TOO IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S TOO DANGEROUS FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE BN AND HALF BE OUT.
BUT IF YOU'RE LEAVING, BECAUSE YOU THINK THERE'S A BETTER PLACE OR GREENER PASTURES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN ADDRESS.
AND WE ADDRESS THAT ONE BY SEEING WHAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER AS IT RELATES TO THE MEET AND CONFER.
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AND IF WE CAN DO BETTER IN THAT SPACE, WE WILL, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT US, THE COMMAND STAFF, THAT'S RUNNING PEOPLE AWAY.BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE DISCONNECTED AND YOU DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU, THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK FOR YOU.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SO WE CAN FIX THAT AS IT RELATES TO RECRUITMENT.
I THINK THAT'S A MINDSET AS WELL.
AND WHAT I MEAN IS EVERY OFFICER IS A RECRUITER FOR THIS DEPARTMENT.
THE MINUTE YOU PUT THAT UNIFORM ON, EVERYBODY SEES YOU.
AND THIS REALLY HIT HOME FOR ME.
ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, I GET A TEXT FROM AN OFFICER AND IT'S A PICTURE OF AN OFFICER AND A KID.
AND HE SAYS, HEY CHIEF, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT YOU WERE MY SRO, WHICH IS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER WHEN I WAS IN THE SEVENTH GRADE.
AND WE TOOK THIS PICTURE TOGETHER.
AND YOU'RE THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.
AND THE POINT IS, IS I HAD NO IDEA.
I HAD THAT TYPE OF AN IMPACT ON HIM BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF A THOUSAND KIDS, BUT I WAS ONE OFFICER THAT TOOK THE TIME TO TALK TO HIM.
DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION.
BUT WHEN I SAW THE PICTURE, I COULDN'T DENY IT WAS ME.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING WE WOULD DO.
WE WERE STRESS THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS RECRUITING BECAUSE PROFESSIONALISM, CHARACTER, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND YOU'RE ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR THIRD AND FINAL FINALIST, PLEASE.
WELCOME AMADA TICKER READINGS.
SHE'S THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO COME OUT FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT IN CRITICAL SELECTION THAT OUR CITY MANAGER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE SPEAKS VOLUMES.
I AM IN MY 26 YEAR IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND I HAVE BEEN WITH THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL 26 YEARS.
WHEN I LOOKED AT WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS LOOKING FOR IN A POLICE CHIEF, I FELT LIKE I WAS READING A BOOK ABOUT MYSELF.
I HAVE VAST EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY, REDUCING CRIME AND SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND MOST IMPORTANT MOTIVATING AND BEING A LEADER TO THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, PROTECTING AND SERVING YOU ALL THE EXPERIENCE I HAVE GAINED IN OPERATIONS.
ADMINISTRATIVELY PATROL HAS BEEN VAST AND HELPED OUT IN MY CAREER, BUT WHAT'S BEEN MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, AS IT RELATES TO POLICING, I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND AND EMPATHIZE WITH THAT CONCERN IS TO ADDRESS THE VIOLENT CRIME IN A WAY WHERE WE DON'T, OVERSUPPRESS A COMMUNITY AND TO BRING TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS AND WORK ALONGSIDE OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE THAT CHANGE AND MAKE IT SAFE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS LOOKING FOR THAT.
I HAVE A TRACK RECORD I'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN IT.
AUSTIN ALREADY FEELS LIKE HOME TO ME.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF SERVING YOU AS YOUR POLICE CHIEF.
AUSTIN'S RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE WILL BE THE CENTERPIECE FOR THE NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE OVERALL AND WHAT WILL YOUR APPROACH BE TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL? AND PLEASE SHARE AN EXAMPLE OF A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE EFFORT THAT YOU HAVE LED THAT WILL HELP US REACH OUR GOALS.
UM, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WHAT IT IS, AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN RE-IMAGINING ITSELF FOR DECADES.
[00:40:02]
I CAME FROM A POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE HAVE THE CONSENT DECREE AND WE HAD TO PUT IN EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS AS IT RELATES TO USES OF FORCE IN OUR COMPLAINT PROCESS.BUT THEN THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY EVOLVE AND SELF-EVALUATE TO MAKE OURSELVES BETTER.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AUSTIN, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY RE-IMAGINING TASK FORCE.
AND A LOT THAT WAS IN THERE WAS REALLY BASED UPON RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, HAVING PROGRAMS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE INCARCERATION AS THE LAST RESORT, BUT RESOURCES TO PROVIDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, COUNSELING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND REALLY LOOKING AT THE ROOT CAUSES OF SOME OF THE ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FINDING THOSE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS IT RATHER THAN ADDRESSING IT WITH JUST POLICE OFFICERS.
RIGHT NOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THE ONLY ENTITY 24 7, 7 DAYS A WEEK THAT ARE CALLED A BOND TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.
RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY IS ABOUT HAVING A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.
SO I FULLY SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS.
I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, NOT JUST NOW THE PAST DECADE, RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY WITH THE PROGRAM THAT I'M CURRENTLY THE CHIEF OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
IT'S A TRUST BASED CULTURAL POLICING RELATIONSHIP POLICING MODEL, WHERE WE PLACED DEDICATED POLICE OFFICERS WHO JOINED THE JOB BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY AND MAKE IT SAFE TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND WHAT WE SAW WHEN WE PLACED OFFICERS IN THESE COMMUNITIES FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME TO GIVE THEM TIME TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, TRUST WAS BUILT.
WE HAD A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
THERE WAS A CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, AND WE BEGAN TO HUMANIZE ONE ANOTHER AND WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME AND INCREASED TRUST AND A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
NOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE 1, 2, 3 OF AUSTIN'S BIGGEST POLICE CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROPOSED SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE CHALLENGES? THERE, THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I BELIEVE THE CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE TOP THREE, I'D SAY FIRST IS THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS THAT WE HAVE ON HAND.
AND AUSTIN IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AS IT RELATES TO EVALUATING IT AND IDENTIFYING RESOURCES TO ADDRESS IT.
THE SECOND CONCERN IS THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE COUPLED WITH THE DECREASE OF POLICE RESOURCES IS QUITE VOLATILE.
AUSTIN IS NOW AT HIS 52ND HOMICIDE, I BELIEVE.
AND WE'VE HAD A LARGE AMOUNT OF OFFICERS LEAVE POLICING IN GENERAL BECAUSE THEY FELT UNSUPPORTED AND THEY FELT LIKE MAYBE THIS WASN'T THE PLACE THEY COULD MAKE THE CHANGE IN THAT THEY WANTED TO MAKE.
I READ AN ARTICLE TODAY WHERE 48% OF INDIVIDUALS WANT POLICE.
THEY WANT THEIR POLICE TO BE FUNDED, AND THEY ALSO WANT SAFETY.
WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS HOW WE COLLECTIVELY, AS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY ADDRESS THE VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY, WORKING ALONGSIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE IT SAFE.
SO STAFFING AND ENSURING THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE TRAINING THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL TO ADDRESS THE VIOLENT CRIME AND LOOKING AT OUR HOMELESSNESS ARE REALLY THE THREE TOP ISSUES THAT I SEE RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WELL, YOU JUST ANSWERED MY NEXT QUESTION.
AND IT WAS ABOUT SERIOUS, THE HOMICIDES IN AUSTIN BEING AT THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL IN 20 YEARS, AND WHAT YOUR PLANS WERE TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME IN GENERAL REDUCTION? YOU HAVE YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME.
AND I DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT IT IN NUMBERS BECAUSE IT'S PEOPLE'S LIVES, IT'S PEOPLE'S FAMILIES.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE VIOLENCE IN A COMMUNITY, IT CREATES STRESS AND IT CREATES TRAUMA.
AND YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN LIVING IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS.
AND THE TRAUMA THAT COMES AFTER THE CRIME, AND ALSO THE OFFICERS THAT CONFRONT, I DON'T WANT TO SAY CONFRONT THE OFFICERS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED.
SOME, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE ANGER THAT THEY HAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE REPEATEDLY TRAUMATIZED IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN LEFT BEHIND AND THEN GIVING THE OFFICERS THE TOOLS TO ADDRESS WHAT COMES AFTER THAT VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC IN OUR
[00:45:01]
APPROACH TO THE VIOLENCE.WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH FBI.
WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC IN WHERE THE CRIME IS OCCURRING.
LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE CRIME.
AND WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT TO THAT CRIME INCREASED FOOT BEATS IN AREAS WHERE WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME, HAVING EMERGENCY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE CRIME AND ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS AND WEIGH IN HOW THEY FEEL WE SHOULD ADDRESS THE VIOLENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
UH, WE'LL PIVOT FROM CRIME, BUT WE DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT STAFFING.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ENSURE THE APD STAFF REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF OUR COMMUNITY AND PARTICULARLY THE GROWING ASIAN AND HISPANIC DEMOGRAPHICS? IT'S SO IMPORTANT IN, I THINK EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY SAYS THAT THEY WANT THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MIRROR THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE AND RECRUITMENT IS SO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES EVERYWHERE TO RECRUIT BECAUSE OF A NARRATIVE THAT IS GONE ON OVER THE PAST YEAR, AS IT RELATES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND POLICING.
SO MY EXPECTATION AS A POLICE CHIEF IS TO ENSURE THAT MY OFFICERS ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND REACHING OUT TO OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY, REACHING OUT TO OUR ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY, OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND INVESTING TIME IN THEM AND TEACHING THEM ABOUT WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE A POLICE OFFICER.
YOU'RE GIVING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY, ALLOWING THE OFFICERS TO SPEND TIME IN THE COMMUNITY AND BUILD RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE HELPFUL IN SELECTING INDIVIDUALS TO JOIN A PD AND WANTING TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN, I HAVE DIRECTED THE OFFICERS IN MY PROGRAM TO GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT BEING A POLICE OFFICER.
WHEN WE HAVE DAYS OF DIALOGUE, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME ON, RIDE ALONGS AND BE PART OF THE PROGRAM, BUT THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR FORCE OPTIONS SIMULATOR PUT THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY POLICE ADVISORY BOARD SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO AND ENLISTING THEM TO HELP US RECRUIT AND MAINTAIN THE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO WORK IN.
HOW WILL YOU LEAD IN OUR CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT WITH A VOCAL CITY COUNCIL? I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND, UM, WE HAVE A VERY VOCAL, UH, COUNCIL AS WELL.
AND I HAVE THE BEST RELATIONSHIPS WITH, WITH ALL OF THEM.
UM, MY FORTE IS LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING AND COMING TO THE TABLE AND BEING BALANCED IN MY APPROACH AND MY RESPONSE.
I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN YOU SERVE A CITY WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS AND WE HAVE 10 DIFFERENT CONSOLE DISTRICT, NOT ONE VOICE IS IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND LISTEN AND DISCUSS AND ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR.
SO I'M GOING TO BE OPEN A GOOD LISTENER, A GOOD COMMUNICATOR.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS AND RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CITY LEADERS AND MAKING A CHANGE IN AUSTIN.
AND WE JUST HAVE A VERY SHORT TIME FOR THE ANSWER.
SO I HOPE THIS ISN'T TOO COMPLICATED AND I APOLOGIZE IF IT IS, BUT WHAT PERCENT OF THE POLICING ISSUES ARE INTERNAL ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES VERSUS EXTERNAL? CAN'T GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC PERCENTAGE, BUT I THINK OFTENTIMES IF YOU HAVE INTERNAL ISSUES, THEY BECOME EXTERNAL.
AND AS A POLICE CHIEF, IT'S MY ROLE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT, THAT WE COMMUNICATE, THAT WE HAVE EQUITIES WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION SO THAT THE OFFICERS FEEL SUPPORTED AND THEY HAVE A ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THAT THEY'RE HEARD.
AND WHEN THEY HAVE POSITIVE TEAMWORK AND POSITIVE LEADERSHIP, THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IN MIRROR AND EMULATE THAT YOU DID IT UNDER THE TIME LIMIT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
UH, DEPUTY CHIEF
OF COURSE, WE DID NOT GET TO ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT WE DO HAVE TIME AGAIN, AS I STATED FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO INTERACT AND VISIT WITH THE THREE FINALISTS AS WE WRAP UP OUR PROGRAM.
[00:50:01]
THAT YOU KEEP YOUR MASK ON AND MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING AS WE FOLLOW THE COVID REGULATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR WELLBEING.SO PLEASE JOIN US FOR FOLLOWING THE EVENT.
WE'VE RESERVED SOME EXTRA TIME SO THAT EVERYBODY HOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
IF THEY WERE NOT READ HERE FROM THE PODIUM, I'D LIKE TO THANK, OF COURSE, OUR THREE FINALISTS FOR JOINING US.
THIS HAS BEEN A, WE HOPE HELPFUL EXERCISE FOR THOSE AT, AT HOME AND ELSEWHERE, WHO ARE WATCHING ON ANY OF OUR PLATFORMS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TOOK THE TIME OUT TO JOIN US HERE IN PERSON, FOR THOSE OF YOU ATTENDING IN PERSON, AGAIN, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY, AND FOR EVERYONE, WHETHER YOU'RE HERE OR WHETHER YOU'RE AT HOME, WE ASK FOR YOUR FEEDBACK, THE CANDIDATE FEEDBACK FORMS CAN BE FOUND BY VISITING UP AUSTIN.ORG FORWARD SLASH YOUR NEXT POLICE CHIEF.
OR YOU CAN CALL THREE, ONE, ONE FOR THE FOLLOWING PHONE NUMBER FIVE ONE TWO NINE SEVEN FOUR, 2000.
AND ALL OF THOSE FORMS. WE HAVE A DEADLINE OF 8:00 PM, SUNDAY, AUGUST THE 22ND FOR TURNING IN YOUR FEEDBACK.
THIS IS A CRITICAL POSITION FOR OUR CITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND WE THANK EVERYONE WHO PLAYED A PART IN THE SELECTION PROCESS.
AND IN THIS FORUM TONIGHT, I'M HONORED TO HAVE SERVED AS YOUR MODERATOR.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING IN A PUBLIC ROLE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CITY.
SO PLEASE BE SAFE GOING HOME AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.