* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [City Manager Announces Joseph Chacon as Austin Police Chief] [00:00:15] WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY. AFTER AN EXTENSIVE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, THAT INCLUDED SIGNIFICANT INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY. I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE SELECTION OF JOSEPH CHACONE AS THE NEXT CHIEF OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, CHIEF CHACONE HAS SERVED WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, INCLUDING THE PAST SIX MONTHS SERVING AS THE INTERIM CHIEF PRIOR TO HIS INTERIM APPOINTMENTS, HE SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS, OVERSEEING PATROL, SPECIAL OPERATIONS, SPECIALIZED PATROL, INVESTIGATIONS, INTELLIGENCE, PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, AND TRAINING AND RECRUITING. I FIRST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT HELPED US REACH THIS IMPORTANT DECISION, NOT ONLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR OUR WORKFORCE AS WELL. MAKING THESE MAJOR DECISIONS IS NEVER EASY, BUT BECAUSE OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS WAS DRIVEN BY FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND INVOLVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I AM COMPETENT THAT WE HAVE SELECTED THE RIGHT CHIEF TO CONTINUE LEADING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. CHIEF CHACAN IS SOMEONE THAT I HAVE FAITH IN THAT WILL FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AND RELATIONAL POLICING. HE WILL BUILD TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY AMONG ALL OUR PARTNERS AND RESHAPE HOW WE APPROACH AND HANDLE TRAINING AT ALL LEVELS. IN MY EXPERIENCING WORKING WITH CHIEF TACOMA, I SEE HE UNDERSTANDS AND IS COMMITTED TO RE-IMAGINING, HOW WE PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AND IS ABLE TO INSTILL TRUST AMONG OUR DEPARTMENT STAFF AND IS WILLING TO PUT IN THE HARD WORK TO ACHIEVE RESULTS. I KNOW THAT HE VALUES CREATING A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WHICH ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO LEADING THIS DEPARTMENT TOWARDS PROVIDING EQUITABLE PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES. FOR ALL. THESE ARE JUST A HANDFUL OF THE TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT I HEARD FROM COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AND THEY ARE ALSO THE TRAITS THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND WORKFORCE CRITICALLY NEED. THEREFORE, ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, I WILL ASK COUNCIL TO CONFIRM INTERIM CHIEF JOSEPH MCKOWN AS OUR NEXT POLICE CHIEF. WE HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE AND DEDICATED POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR OFFICERS COME TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY UNDER CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES, STRIVING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT SO MANY IMPRESSIVE CANDIDATES BECAUSE OF THE GREAT WORK OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS. I AM ALSO A FIRM BELIEVER IN CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS, AND I RECOGNIZE WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US. WE KNOW THAT WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH CHIEF TACOMA, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT IF WE ALL CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, LISTENING TO EACH OTHER AND PUTTING IN THE HARD WORK, WE WILL GET THERE BEFORE WE HEAR FROM CHIEF TACOMA. AND I WANT TO ASK, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, RAY ARIANO TO PROVIDE A BRIEF RECAP OF THE HIRING PROCESS. ACM ARIANA, THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US CHIEF TACAN CONGRATULATIONS. LET ME BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS THAT BRINGS US HERE TODAY. WE ENGAGE THE SEARCH FIRM, RALPH ANDERSON AND ASSOCIATES WHO ADVERTISE THE CHIEF OF POLICE POSITION AND RECEIVE 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 CITY OF AUSTIN EXECUTIVES FROM THOSE PANELS. THREE CANDIDATES EMERGED INTO THREE FINALISTS INTO FINALISTS OF WHICH CHIEF JACK COHEN WAS ONE. THE FINAL STEPS OF THE PROCESS INCLUDED PUBLIC FORUMS HELD ON AUGUST 18TH AND 19TH CANDIDATES RESPONDED TO PREARRANGED QUESTIONS AS WELL AS IMPROMPTU QUESTIONS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THIS PROCESS ALSO ALLOWED OUR COMMUNITY TO VISIT ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE CANDIDATES. ALL OF THESE STEPS COLLECTIVELY ALLOWED US TO CAREFULLY ASSESS WHO THE BEST POLICE CHIEF, UH, WILL BE FOR OUR CITY. THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS INVOLVED A THOROUGH SEARCH THAT BROUGHT US THE BEST CANDIDATES WHOSE COMMUNITY VALUES INCLUDED A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT ALONG WITH MANY OTHER CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU, OUR COMMUNITY, [00:05:01] OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HELPED US IDENTIFY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS. CHIEF MCALLEN. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU, YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY'S STRATEGIC OUTCOME OF EVERYONE BEING SAFE IN OUR HOME AT WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY IS CLEAR. I'M CONFIDENT THAT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE ANY CHALLENGES AHEAD. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. AND I INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND SAY A FEW WORDS. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. AND, UM, THANK YOU. I'M INCREDIBLY HONORED TO BE STANDING HERE TODAY AS THE CANDIDATE FOR THE NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE IN AUSTIN, IT HAS BEEN A ROAD, BUT ONE THAT I FELT A PASSION TO TRAVEL. I'M EXCITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THIS JOURNEY. I WANT TO THANK CITY MANAGER, SPENCER CRONK, UH, AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, RAY ARIANO FOR THEIR KIND WORDS, AND FOR HAVING THE CONFIDENCE IN ME, UH, TO BE ABLE TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION. I WANT TO THANK MY AMAZING TEAM THAT HAS HELPED ME TO RUN THE DEPARTMENT DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD. AND THEY MAKE ME BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND I WOULD CERTAINLY BE REMISS IF I DID NOT. UH, THANK MY AMAZING WIFE, YVETTE, UH, AND MY FAMILY, UM, WHO HAVE BEEN BY MY SIDE THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS AND HAVE OFFERED THE RIGHT WORDS AT THE RIGHT TIME TO REALLY KEEP ME GOING AND MOTIVATED. YOU KNOW, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS AT A CROSSROADS AS ARE MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THIS COUNTRY. AND IT FACES UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES, APDS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS A RESET. I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE FEELINGS THAT SOME IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE TOWARDS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS OF A LACK OF COMMUNICATION, A LACK OF TRUST, A LACK OF COLLABORATION THAT IS NECESSARY TO ENGENDER THE RELATIONSHIP THAT ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TO HAVE WITH THEIR POLICE. ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS THE WAY THAT ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY FEEL. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE IN OUR COMMUNITY FEEL THAT WAY. I HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY AND TRULY LISTEN SO THAT WE MAKE DECISIONS AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT MEET THE ENDS OF DELIVERING POLICE SERVICES IN THE WAY THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESIRES OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS AS THE INTERIM CHIEF OF POLICE, I'VE MADE A NUMBER OF CHANGES THAT I BELIEVE ARE IN LINE WITH THESE EXPECTATIONS. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I CHANGED APDS POLICY REGARDING THE RELEASE OF VIDEO. WHEN OFFICERS ARE INVOLVED IN CRITICAL INCIDENTS. I MOVED US FROM A 60 DAY RELEASE TIMELINE TO UNDER 10 DAYS, AND WE HAVE ALREADY RELEASED VIDEO UNDER THIS NEW POLICY. THIS CHANGE REPRESENTS A STRONG COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY THAT I FEEL IS IN LINE WITH COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS. WE ALSO RESTARTED OUR TRAINING ACADEMY WITH A NEW TRAINING PARADIGM MOVING FROM ONE THAT IS PARAMILITARY IN NATURE TO ONE THAT IS BASED IN ADULT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. WE'RE TRAINING OUR CADETS IN A NEW WAY, STARTING THEIR POLICE CAREER JOURNEY WITH A PROGRAM AS COMMUNITY CONNECT SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND FROM THE FIRST DAY WHY THEY HAVE CHOSEN THIS LINE OF WORK. AND THEY GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WILL SERVE. WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN OUR ANTI-RACISM TRAINING WITH PROGRAMS SUCH AS GROUNDWATER ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURAL AND INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND THE HISTORY OF RACING AND POLICING AUSTIN. IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, I INSTITUTED AN EFFORT KNOWN AS THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT RISE IN GUN VIOLENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND THAT PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF CRIME FROM BOTH A REACTIVE AND A PROACTIVE PERSPECTIVE AND ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY'S NEW OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION TO SEE HOW THE POLICE CAN AID ITS EFFORTS. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS REPRESENT CHANGES AND UPDATES TO THE APD MODEL OF POLICING. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE AMAZING WORK THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES AND HAS BEEN DOING [00:10:02] ON A DAILY BASIS. WE'VE SEEN A RECENT SPIKE IN THE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES IN THE CITY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, OUR HOMICIDE UNIT HAS BEEN DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF SOLVING THOSE CASES AND HOLDING THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE TO JUSTICE. WILL YOU REMAIN ONE OF THE SAFEST BIG CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES? AND THIS IS IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE DAILY EFFORTS OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS DEPARTMENT WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY WITH COURAGE, RESPECT, PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY, AND A HEART FOR SERVICE. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I SAVE MY LAST AND GREATEST SENSE OF THANKS FOR THEM. THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS DEPARTMENT. THEY KEEP THIS CITY SAFE. EVERY SINGLE DAY. THEY WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO ANSWER EMERGENCY CALLS. THEY INVESTIGATE THE HEINOUS CRIMES THAT OCCUR HERE. THEY ARE HERE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, APD. I HOPE TO MAKE YOU PROUD AS YOUR NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE AND I COMMIT TO BE AS RESPONSIVE TO YOU AS I AM TO ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYONE. UH, THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SHARES IN THIS COMMON VISION AND FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF IT. I PROMISE NOT TO LET YOU DOWN ON WEST, THE STORY YOU UNRAVEL THAT SAYS WHO HAVE THEIR POLICIA GHETTO ESSAY WOULD ADELAIDE ON YOU GET THE ESCUCHAR BUT I WILL SAY THIS. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. IT'S A QUESTION THAT I THINK THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO ARE ALSO SEEING SPIKES AND HOMICIDES AND GUN VIOLENCE, ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT IS WHY I STARTED THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM. WE SAW THAT GUN VIOLENCE WAS DRIVING. OUR HOMICIDE RATE, GUN VIOLENCE WAS DRIVING OUR ARC AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND VIOLENT CRIME RATE. AND WE ARE ADDRESSING IT. WE HAVE EXPANDED THE PROGRAM INTO OUR DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY, AND WE CONTINUE TO TAKE EACH ILLEGALLY OWNED WEAPONS OFF THE STREET EVERY SINGLE DAY. I THINK THAT IS HOW WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS IT, AS WELL AS WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, TO LOOK AT SOME PROACTIVE MEASURES THAT WE CAN INSTITUTE IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M HOPEFUL OF IS THAT REMOVING THE INTERIM TITLE AND PROVIDING STABILITY FOR THIS DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO SHOW OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE THE STRONG COMMITMENT THAT APD HAS TO PROVIDING IT SECURITY AS WELL AS THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL AND JUST RESPECTED POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHILE WE HAVE SEEN RECORD NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING, I ALSO HAVE RECORD NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE APPLYING, AND WE HAVE MORE APPLICATIONS COMING IN FOR OUR POLICE ACADEMY THAN WE HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE. SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE CONTINUE TO WANT TO SERVE, CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE HOW GOOD THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS. UM, AND WE WANT TO TURN IT AROUND AND THAT'S MY JOB TO DO THAT. YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND AS WE ANNOUNCED THE PROCESS OF THIS RECRUITMENT, WE DID MAKE IT A NATIONAL SEARCH INTENTIONALLY. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE BEST CANDIDATE FROM NOT ONLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT FRANKLY, AROUND THE WORLD, WE GOT 10 MINUTES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE GETTING THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD THIS DEPARTMENT OF THE FUTURE. UH, USUALLY, UH, AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE MAY HAVE A LEG UP IN A PROCESS. UM, BUT THAT, AS YOU NOTED IS NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE [00:15:01] HERE IN AUSTIN WHEN THAT STARTED. AND MANY OF YOU HAVE REPORTED ON THAT AS WELL, BUT THE PROCESS PLAYED OUT AND THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE HAD WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PANELS THAT VETTED DIFFERENT CANDIDATES AS ACM ARIANO NOTED. WE HAD SEVEN CANDIDATES THAT WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE BY PANELS. UH, WE HAD OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDE FEEDBACK THROUGH 3, 1, 1. UH, WE MIGHT MAKE SURE THAT THROUGH SPEAK AUSTIN, WE HAD ADDITIONAL CONTEXT OF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WAS EXPECTED. THAT FEEDBACK WAS CRITICAL IN MAKING THIS DECISION BECAUSE EACH OF THE CANDIDATES, YOU KNOW, ROSE TO THAT LEVEL, THAT THEY COULD BE OUR NEXT CHIEF, BUT IT WAS CLEAR AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE END OF THIS PROCESS, THAT CHIEF CHICONE WAS GOING TO BE THE NEXT CHIEF OF AUSTIN. HE BRINGS THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THIS ROLE. HE BRINGS THE STABILITY THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AT THIS POINT IN TIME. AND HE REALLY BRINGS THE REFORM MINDEDNESS THAT HE SPOKE OF EVEN IN THIS INTERIM CAPACITY THAT HE WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN THOSE SIX MONTHS, I WAS NOT ANTICIPATING NECESSARILY TO, UH, SELECT AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE. UM, BUT AGAIN, THE PROCESS PLAYED IT OUT AND THIS WAS THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB. YEAH, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND TO GIVE YOU THOSE SPECIFICS. UM, BUT TODAY IS REALLY ABOUT REALLY CELEBRATING THE APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF CHECON YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT IT'S ALWAYS KIND OF BEEN UNDER A MICROSCOPE TO SOME RESPECT. UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE PROCESS CERTAINLY PLAYS OUT VERY PUBLICLY THROUGH OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MANAGER COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND THE APPROVAL OF THE APPROVAL OF, OF OUR BUDGET ANNUALLY. UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY MONEY. AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN STATE LAW CHANGES AND, AND CERTAINLY, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT THAT HAS ALL COME INTO THE PROCESS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT IN THAT AND GET THOSE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, UH, THROUGH THE, THE MANAGER, UM, AND IN MYSELF PRESENTING THOSE ITEMS, UH, DURING BUDGET TIMES. UH, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, ARE REALLY ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS DRIVING US IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL AND, AND BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF CITY OF CITY RESOURCES. CERTAINLY AFTER RECEIVING THE, UM, THE INITIAL CONCERNS THAT CAME OVER, UH, SPECIFICALLY FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UH, AND, AND TO SOME EXTENT, UH, FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AS WELL, I PUT OUT A DEPARTMENT WIDE MESSAGE, UH, TO OUR OFFICERS TELLING THEM THAT, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER MIGHT HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD WITH PROSECUTION OR THE INDICTMENT OF CASES, THE ACCEPTANCE OF CHARGES THAT IS OUTSIDE OUR PURVIEW AND OUTSIDE OUR AUTHORITY, WHAT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THE COMMUNITY SAFE. WE'LL MAKE ARRESTS WHEN IT'S NECESSARY. WE WILL ALWAYS LOOK WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO SEE WHERE WE CAN, UH, DO APPROPRIATE DEFERRALS, UH, WHEN THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO THAT. BUT IN THOSE MOMENTS, WHEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE IN CRISIS AND OFFICERS SHOW UP THE EXPECTATION FROM ME IS THAT THE OFFICERS ARE GOING TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND MAKE ARRESTS IF NECESSARY. SO IF I HAVE SPECIFIC INSTANCES THAT I COME TO FIND OUT ABOUT WHERE WE HAVE OFFICERS WHO MIGHT'VE DONE, THAT I WILL LOOK INTO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE ARE NOT DOING THAT. UM, I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY INSTANCES, UH, THAT HAVE, THAT WOULD, UM, I'M SORRY. CORROBORATE, IS THAT THE WORD? YEAH. THAT, THAT WOULD CORROBORATE THOSE, UH, [00:20:01] YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DEFINITELY LOOKED INTO IT AND WHEN THEY HAVE PROVIDED SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, WE'VE LOOKED INTO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL. NUMBER ONE, ABOUT COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY. AND THAT MEANS THAT WE DO THAT THROUGH OUR OFFICE OF COMMUNITY LIAISON. THAT MEANS THAT I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES WHO CAN SPEAK SPANISH THAT ARE ABLE TO, UH, TO MAKE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES. UM, AND THEN TO FIND TARGETED PROGRAMS THAT HELP EDUCATE HOW THE LATINO COMMUNITY CAN KEEP ITSELF SAFE. UM, ONE OF THE GREATEST CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR FROM THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS A LACK OF, BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND NECESSARILY, ESPECIALLY OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, HOW THINGS ARE DIFFERENT IN THIS COUNTRY. THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE OF THAT IS HUGE. AND SO I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MEXICAN CONSULATE OFFICE AND OUR OFFICE OF COMMUNITY LIAISON TO HELP EDUCATE AND HELP BUILD THAT TRUST SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A STACK OR A RESPONSE PROTOCOLS THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE STAFFING TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE EITHER A CIVILIAN UNIT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, GO AHEAD AND HANDLE IT AS OPPOSED TO SENDING A UNIFORMED OFFICER TO THE SCENE, DEPENDING ON THE CRITICALITY. SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND IF SOMEBODY IS IN DANGER, WE'RE STILL GOING TO SEND A MARK UNIT AND A, AND A UNIFORMED OFFICER TO GO AND HANDLE IT. BUT FOR CRIMES THAT MAYBE HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED AND ARE NOW BEING REPORTED, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE MEASURES AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, UH, TALKING TO OUR OFFICERS ON AN ONGOING AND CONSTANT BASIS DURING THIS INTERIM PERIOD. AND I THINK THAT THE, UM, THE, THAT IS PART OF THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE INSTABILITY THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT NOT HAVING A PERMANENT POLICE CHIEF IS THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH OUR DEPARTMENT. I THINK WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN RESTARTING OUR POLICE ACADEMY, GETTING NEW OFFICERS COMING IN THE DOOR, THEY'RE IN TRAINING. NOW, WE, WE ARE WE'RE RECRUITING AND PREPARING FOR FUTURE CLASSES. UM, AND SO REMINDING THE OFFICERS THAT ARE HERE HELP IS ON THE WAY WE HAVE MORE OFFICERS THAT ARE COMING AND, UH, THINGS ARE GOING TO GET BETTER AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO JUST DO THE THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY RIGHT NOW, UH, TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET TO UNDER 1600 NOW, RIGHT? THAT IS GONNA, THAT IS GONNA TAKE SOME TIME. UM, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW LONG IT DEPENDS ON OUR ATTRITION RATE, THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT WE'RE LOSING EVERY SINGLE MONTH. UH, WE NEED TO SLOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SLOWING THAT. UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THIS IS GOING TO BE, UH, MAYBE A YEAR, MAYBE TWO YEARS, MAYBE LONGER. YOU KNOW, I, I'M TRYING TO TAKE ALL OF THIS IN RIGHT NOW, JUST REALLY THE NEW POSITION. UM, I HAVE NOT PUT ANY NEW INITIATIVES THAT I'M READY TO ANNOUNCE TODAY ON THE TABLE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING ALWAYS TO INNOVATE. WE'RE LOOKING TO BE RESPONSIVE, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO, YOU KNOW THAT, UM, I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO GET, UH, IDEAS BOTH FROM MY OFFICERS AND FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER. I BEG YOUR PARDON. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BALLOT ITEM AND NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M, THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO CITY MANAGER. I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON. AGAIN, THIS IS A IMPORTANT DECISION THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR COMMUNITY. UH, AND I AM PROUD TO HAVE SELECTED JOSEPH TO CONE AS OUR NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE AUSTIN [00:25:01] POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.