[00:00:01]
IS NOVEMBER 8TH.[CALL TO ORDER]
THAT IS 6:02 PM.I AM SUKI MCMAHON, THE OUTGOING VICE CHAIR OF THE CPRC.
AND I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, WE'LL JUST GET RIGHT INTO IT.
[a. Discussion and possible action on the selection of a chair.]
UH, OUR, UM, WE HAD SEVERAL OUTGOING COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, SO ARE NEW BUSINESSES TALKING ABOUT NEW FOLKS.THERE'S LOTS OF NEW FACES HERE.
SO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR NEW LEADERSHIP FOR THE COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION.
SO, UM, AGENDA ITEM ONE A IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE SELECTION OF A CHAIR.
AND WE HAVE, UM, NOMINATED, UM, FORMER COMMISSIONER, UM, FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, UM, JESSICA GONZALEZ BRICKER, UM, TO BE OUR NEW CHAIR AND, UH, THAT NOMINEE STAND.
I WILL PUT THAT TO A VOTE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT OUR FORMALITIES AND OUR BYLAWS SAY.
UM, SO ALL IN FAVOR OF ELECTING JESSICA, CAUSE ALL THIS BRICKER TO BE THE NEW CHAIR OF THE CPRC, PLEASE STAY.
I THINK WE HAVE TO RAISE HANDS SO THAT IT'S A VISIBLE VOTE.
UM, IT'S, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO OPEN THIS TO DISCUSSION AND THEY, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BEFORE THE VOTE, BUT I THINK THAT WE ALL HAD CONSENSUS ON THIS.
I JUST WANT TO WELCOME JESSICA GONZALEZ, BRICKER, WHO HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL COMMISSIONER.
UM, AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING, UH, INTO GOOD HANDS, AMANI C WHO HAS, UH, BEEN OUR FORMER CHAIR IS GIVING YOU HER BLESSINGS.
AND I THINK THAT WE ALL DO, UM, AND IT IS MY DUTY NOW TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU, CHAIR GONZALEZ, BRICKER TO TAKE OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING.
[b. Discussion and possible action on the selection of a vice chair.]
OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM IS TO SELECT A VICE CHAIR.AND SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER MCMAHON FOR ALL OF HER HARD WORK AND HER EFFORT THIS YEAR, SHE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUPPORT TO ALL OF US AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IS THAT AT THIS COMMISSION, UM, THE CURRENT NOMINATION IS COMMISSIONER ERICA FLORES.
WHO'S ALSO BEEN A PHENOMENAL SUPPORT AND LET US UP COMMITTEE THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
IN THAT CASE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
UM, AND THIS IS THE VOTE TO CONFIRM.
ERICA FLORES IS VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION.
WE HAVE TO RAISE OUR HANDS ALL IN FAVOR.
UM, WELL THEN ERICA IS OUR NEW VICE CHAIR.
[c. Introduction of new commissioners]
AND NOW IT'S THE TIME FOR US TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS OR A LOT OF NEW FACES DRAIN US HERE THIS YEAR.UH, WE'LL START FROM THE TOP OF MY SCREEN IF YOU WANT TO JUST SAY HELLO AND TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.
SCOTT, MICK WILLIAMS, UH, BEEN LIVING IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS.
I LIVE IN THE CENTRAL REGION AND AROUND CENTRAL MARKET AREA.
UM, OH NO, I THINK WE'VE ALL DONE THIS ONCE OR TWICE NOW UP TO THIS POINT.
I HOPE YOU WATCHED THE GAME YESTERDAY.
KAREN LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY.
WELL, GO AHEAD AND KICK IT OVER, OVER TO CARE.
AND THEN I TURNED JUST, I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS NOW.
UM, I'M IN THE HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY.
I'VE WORKED FOR A COMPANY CALLED JUNIPER NETWORKS AND EVERYTHING ABOUT, UH, NETWORKING IS WHAT WE DO BIG TIME INTO RUNNING AND FOOTBALL.
SO ANYTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL? GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR 19 YEARS NOW.
I LIVE IN THE NORTH CENTRAL AREA AND EXCITED TO JOIN THIS TEAM.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR WELCOMING ME.
I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN SINCE 2008, AND I LIVE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN NEAR WHERE THEY'RE BUILDING THE NEW TESLA FACTORY.
AND SO I HAVE ENJOYED LIVING IN AUSTIN AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE WITH Y'ALL AND RICHARD.
UM, LIVE IN SOUTH BOSTON IN HERE THIS TIME 29 YEARS.
UM, LEFT CAME BACK, MADE, TOUCHES MY HOME, AUSTIN, MY HOME AND BIG FOOTBALL FAN AS WELL.
I'M DOING GREAT SECOND PLACE IN A FANTASY FOOTBALL
[00:05:01]
LEAGUE.I'M WEARING THIS LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE TEAM.
WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD.
[d. Introduction of Chief Joe Chacon]
OUR NEXT ITEM AND FRANKIE, I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S READY, BUT IS, UH, A DISCUSSION WITH THE NEW CHIEF.UM, I JUST HEARD THAT THEY ARE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY WITH THE LINK, BUT WE RE SENT IT.
SO, UM, I WILL LET YOU KNOW IF I HAVE AN UPDATE IF HE DOESN'T SHOW UP SOON.
SEE IN THE ATTENDEES, START IN THE PANELISTS ON THE Q AND A THINGS HE'S NOT ABLE TO TURN ON HIS CAMERA.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROMOTE TO A PANELIST.
I'M SURE SOMEONE ELSE DOES THERE.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TURN YOUR CAMERA NOW.
HEY EVERYBODY, CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO DID THAT, BUT YOU WORKED THE MAGIC AND GOT ME OUT OF PROMOTED ME TO A PANELIST AND YEAH, I WAS SITTING HERE GOING, I JUST THINK I SHOULD BE ABLE TO TURN ON MY CAMERA.
UM, WELL THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR THE INVITE.
UM, AND TH I THINK THIS MIGHT BE, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I'VE MET WITH, UM, THE CPRC BEFORE, I THINK MAYBE ONE TIME, BUT CERTAINLY I KNOW THERE'S NEW, UH, GROUP MEMBERS AND HEARD THE, I WAS ABLE TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION, SO THAT'S GOOD.
UM, AND JUST COMING, YOU KNOW, JUST COMING INTO THE MEETING, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FARRAH AND, UM, TRYING TO KIND OF, UH, LOOK AT AT HOW, YOU KNOW, THE APD AND, AND OPO ARE WORKING A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY ON SOME OF OUR POLICY ITEMS ON SOME OF THE CASES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION.
AND CERTAINLY SOME OF THE CASES THAT YOU'LL BE SEEING, UH, MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN GOOD COMMUNICATION AND THAT WE CAN HELP ANSWER AS MANY QUESTIONS AS WE CAN.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, FARRAH INVITED ME TO THIS.
I SAID, I'M GLAD TO COME AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ANSWER ANY INITIAL QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THAT THE GROUP MAY HAVE.
UH, I SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES AND SOME FACES.
I THINK THAT I MIGHT BE SEEING MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE, BE HERE AS YOUR NEW, AS THE NEW CHIEF FOR, FOR AUSTIN.
UH, AND, UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THIS GROUP AND OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT.
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME MEET WITH US TODAY.
WE HAVE A FEW INITIAL QUESTIONS THAT WE THOUGHT UP, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO A LITTLE BIT DISCUSSION AMONG ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT FIRST I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT WHAT YOUR TOP PRIORITIES ARE, AS YOU ASSUMED THE ROLE OF CHIEF OF APD.
SO, UM, TOP PARTIES RIGHT NOW, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF, STAFFING IS A HUGE ISSUE RIGHT NOW SINCE WE, UM, HAVE ABOUT 200 VACANCIES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, THAT CURRENTLY UNFILLED, WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MANY CA UH, ACADEMIES, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SCHEDULED AND IN THE PROCESS, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE ONE 44TH RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS OUR FIRST KIND OF A PILOT CLASS UNDER THIS NEW, UH, TRAINING MODEL THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED THAT, UH, IS DESIGNED TO, UM, BE MORE IN LINE, I THINK WITH COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS AND CERTAINLY MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THAT RIGHT AT THE, YOU KNOW, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT, UM, KROLL IS THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR FOR THAT CLASS AND HAS ALREADY ISSUED A MID CLASS REPORT THAT WE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND GENERALLY WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK SPOKE VERY WELL ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON AND CERTAINLY SOME, SOME AREAS THAT WE NEEDED TO SHORE UP, WHICH WE'RE DOING NOW, BUT THE HOPE IS, IS THAT COME END OF JANUARY WHEN THE CLASS GRADUATES THAT WE'LL GET THAT VERY FAVORABLE REPORT, THAT SHOWS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THE THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF MOVE AND, YOU KNOW, FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH CLASSES,
[00:10:01]
UH, INTO, INTO NEXT YEAR, UM, WITH REGARD TO, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR CRIME IN THE CITY.UH, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS THAT OUR, OUR OVERALL VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIME, UH, HAS DECREASED A LITTLE BIT FROM 2020, BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN SPIKING IS HONESTLY THE NUMBER OF MURDERS.
UH, I JUST HAD MURDER NUMBER 81 OCCURRED TODAY.
UM, SO THAT IS, UH, AN ALL TIME HIGH FOR OUR CITY.
IT'S NOT A STATISTIC THAT OBVIOUSLY WE SHOULDN'T BE VERY PROUD OF AT ALL.
UH, AND THAT, UH, CERTAINLY WE WANT TO START TO, TO, UH, DECREASE.
UH, IT'S ALSO, UH, THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS IN THE CITY ARE INCREASING AND, AND WHAT I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY COMMON DENOMINATOR IN THERE, IT HAS BEEN OUR GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, GUNS ARE JUST MUCH MORE PREVALENT.
UH, RIGHT NOW I'M NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR WHY WE'VE SEEN SO MUCH MORE GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE'VE SEEN THAN WE'VE SEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
THERE ARE CERTAINLY A LOT OF CONJECTURE AND RESEARCH THAT'S BEING CONDUCTED IN THE COUNTRY TO TRY AND DETERMINE WHY, UH, LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE COVID LOOKING AT, UH, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC ANXIETY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT I'M SEEING IS INTERPERSONAL ARGUMENTS THAT ARE BECOMING DEADLY BECAUSE WE'RE INTRODUCING FIREARMS INTO THE EQUATION AND IT'S JUST NOT GOOD.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, I, I HAD INSTITUTED A VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM IN APRIL.
IT'S GETTING READY TO END, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A NEW PROGRAM TO STAND UP IN ITS PLACE, TO SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE NUMBER OF ILLEGALLY OWNED FIREARMS THAT ARE ON OUR STREETS.
UH, BUT THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER BIG CONCERN.
AND THEN WHAT I WOULD TOUT AS MY THIRD HIGHEST PRIORITY RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO BE, UH, POLICE COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAD STARTED WORKING ON, UH, RIGHT AWAY, UH, AS AN INTERIM CHIEF BACK IN APRIL.
AND, UH, AND, AND NOW EVEN MORE, UH, REALLY INVESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT I'M COMMUNICATING WITH ALL SEGMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE, UH, THAT THEY ARE PART OF OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS WHEN IT COMES TO INSTITUTING A POLICY AND PRACTICE, UH, AND THAT WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT WITH THOSE, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, SEGMENTS AND THOSE, THOSE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ON EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE, WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO, UH, WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.
THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR, UM, I REVIEWED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT REPORT THAT YOU MENTIONED WELL PUT OUT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITING STUFF THAT THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING IN THE NEW CADET ACADEMY THIS YEAR.
UM, I THINK ONE OF MY PRIMARY QUESTIONS, OR ONE OF MY PRIMARY TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT IS WHAT STEPS ARE YOU TAKING TO ENSURE THAT, THAT, THAT THOSE CHANGES LIKE THE INCREASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY CONNECT, RACIAL EQUITY TRAINING ARE ADAPTED FOR ALL OF APD? WELL, WHAT'S GOOD IS I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS THE CHIEFS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT STAYS IN THERE.
AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS, UM, WE ARE GOING TO PIVOT JUST A LITTLE BIT ON COMMUNITY CONNECT.
FOR INSTANCE, WE, UM, FOR THE 1 44 DID THAT RIGHT OUT OF THE RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE BEFORE THEY EVEN SET FOOT IN THE ACADEMY, THEY HAD TWO WEEKS OF COMMUNITY CONNECT.
UM, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS TIME, IT IS GO AHEAD AND HAVE ONE WEEK OF ACADEMY TO DO SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UM, UH, EXPLAINING A LITTLE BIT OF THE PROCESS OF, OF WHAT THE ACCOUNT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ACADEMY STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT FOR THE NEXT EIGHT MONTHS, EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO SOME ADMINISTRATIVE PAPERWORK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF AT THE FRONT END, SO THAT, THAT ONE WEEK WILL REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCE THEM TO THEIR INSTRUCTOR, COUNSELORS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THEN WE'LL JUMP INTO COMMUNITY CONNECT, UH, AND HAVE TWO FULL WEEKS OF COMMUNITY CONNECT.
THE, THE GROUNDWATER ANALYSIS COURSE, WHICH IS OUR ANTI, YOU KNOW, OUR ANTI-RACISM TRAINING AS WELL AS CLASSES LIKE, UH, THE HISTORY OF RACE AND POLICE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND, UM, AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW ARE ALL GOING TO BE HARDWIRED INTO OUR TRAINING MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UH, A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF COURSES.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THE, THE REVIEWS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN BACK FROM THE CADETS HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.
UM, THEY'VE TAKEN TO THE TRAINING VERY WELL.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF IT, AND THEY'RE FULLY BOUGHT IN AS WELL AS FROM THE INSTRUCTORS, UH, BOTH DR.
FOSTER, AS WELL AS, UH, YOU KNOW, MS. JAMES WITH JOYCE JAMES CONSULTING, THAT'S DOING THE GROUNDWATER COURSES, UH, HAS TOLD US THAT THEY WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THIS CONDUCT GROUP.
AND THEY WERE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IT JUST REALLY, UH, GOT A LOT OF VALUE OUT OF IT.
SO, UH, I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED BY THAT.
[00:15:05]
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GO NEXT.UM, SO I KNOW THAT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT, UM, JUST IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY, UM, EVENTS, A LOT OF STUFF WITH THIS LAST ELECTION, UM, JUST ON NEXT DOOR, KIND OF EV ON EVERY LOCAL NEWS STORY, UM, HAS BEEN ABOUT, UM, POLICE RESPONSE TIME AND, UM, POLICE RESPONSE IN GENERAL.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, THE APA PRESIDENT, KEN CAST DAY WAS ON RECORD AS SAYING, UH, I JUST TOLD MY GUYS TO ANSWER THEIR CALLS AND THAT'S IT.
AND, UH, I WAS WONDERING KIND OF HOW YOU AIM TO, UH, ADDRESS THAT DISCONNECT.
UM, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME, UH, SOME OF IT WAS KIND OF, UM, THEY WERE THINKING IT WAS HAVING TO DO WITH THE, UM, ATTORNEYS GARZA, UH, BOTH KIND OF CHOOSING NOT TO PURSUE SOME OF THE MORE PETTY CRIMES, BUT, UM, KIND OF WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH IN, WITHIN APD TO ADDRESS THAT DISCONNECT AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE FEELING THAT THEY HAVE THEIR TRUST RESTORED IN APD RESPONSE? SURE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, A FEW THINGS I'M GOING TO ADDRESS FIRST, UH, COMMENTS BY, UH, KIM CASSIDY.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT HIS GUYS.
UM, THERE ARE CERTAINLY MEMBERS OF THE APA, BUT, UM, IN FACT, THEY WORK FOR SUPERVISORS, UH, SERGEANTS, LIEUTENANTS, UH, THAT ARE OVER THOSE PATROL SHIFTS AND ARE MONITORING ON THE RADIO ON A, ON A DAILY IN THE EVENING AND NIGHTLY BASIS, UH, THE, THE CALLS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN AND THE ACTIVITY OF THEIR OFFICERS.
SO I CAN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, KEN AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED BY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY'VE, THEY'VE CERTAINLY PUT OUT THERE, BUT FOR ME, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE STILL HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARE RESPONDING TO CALLS.
UM, ONE OF MY, YOU KNOW, REALLY TALKING ABOUT STAFFING HAS BEEN OUR RESPONSE TIME TO, UH, OUR, OUR PRIORITY CALLS, WHAT I WOULD CALL P ZEROS AND P ONES EMERGENCY AND URGENT CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE RESPONSE TIMES ARE AS, AS LOW AS WE CAN MAKE THEM.
WE'D BEEN TRYING TO HIT THAT EIGHT AND A HALF MINUTE MARK FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, UH, AS AN AVERAGE FOR CITYWIDE.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE JUST NOT DOING IT.
WE'RE THE NINE AND A HALF TO 10 MINUTE RANGE.
AND ONE OF THE DECISIONS THAT I MADE WAS TO HAVE OFFICERS STOP RESPONDING TO CERTAIN TYPES OF CALLS, AND INSTEAD REFER THOSE CALLERS TO 3, 1, 1 TO MAKE AN ONLINE REPORT.
SO THAT REALLY WAS THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, RE THE THINGS I REMEMBER AS A YOUNG PATROL MEN, OR, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT AND HANDLING A BURGLARY CALL FOR INSTANCE, AND YOU WOULD SHOW UP ON SCENE, AND SOMETIMES YOU WOULD MAYBE TAKE SOME PHOTOS OR COLLECT FINGERPRINTS, MAKE A REPORT AND PROVIDE THE REPORT TO A HOMEOWNER OR A BUSINESS OWNER OR WHATEVER, THE TYPE OF BURGLAR IT WAS.
UM, WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO RESPOND WITH SWORN OFFICERS TO THOSE INSTEAD, WE'RE GOING TO START, UH, AND RIGHT NOW I'M LOOKING AT INCREASED SERIOUSLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY CRIME TECHNICIANS THAT I HAVE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVILIAN ROLE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND, BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THINGS, TAKE PHOTOS, COLLECT FINGERPRINTS.
UM, AND THEN WE REFER THE HOMEOWNER ONLINE, UH, OR TO 3, 1, 1 TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN ONLINE REPORT.
WHAT THAT DOES IS KEEP THAT, THAT SWORN OFFICER FREE FOR THAT, FOR THE PS HEROES AND THE P ONES, AND HELP ME IMPROVE THOSE, THOSE RESPONSE TIMES.
SO, UM, THAT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF CHANGES THAT, UM, THAT I'M LOOKING TO MAKE AND REALLY KIND OF INCREASED, UH, CIVILIAN ROLE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT WHERE, WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE AND WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND CERTAINLY THERE STILL IS A VERY STRONG NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL COMMUNITIES FOR SWORN OFFICERS AND KEEPING THEM, UH, AVAILABLE AND REALLY HANDLING THOSE CALLS THAT ARE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THEM.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION, JESSICA, YOU MENTIONED ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE TRAINING CHIEF, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MEASURE THAT? AND WILL YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COURSE CORRECT.
AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED? YEAH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION YOU'RE TALKING WITH THE CADETS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, YES.
WITH THE CADETS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A TRAIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID, AND I THINK IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN THE REPORT WHEN, WHEN WE SAW THAT THERE WERE PERHAPS SOME CONCERNING COMMENTS, AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE CONCERNING COMMENTS, UH, THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN MADE BY STAFF ABOUT, UH, REIMAGINATION AND, AND WHAT IT REALLY, WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS.
UH, WE CONDUCTED A SURVEY, UH, ANONYMOUS SURVEY WITH ALL OF OUR CADETS, UH, I THINK, UM, ALL BUT ONE OF THEM PARTICIPATED IN IT, UM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT ONE DIDN'T, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT LIKE A 99% RETURN ON THAT.
[00:20:01]
UM, INDICATING WHAT IS YOUR OWN, NOT JUST ABOUT THE COMMENT, BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR OVERALL EXPERIENCE IN THE ACADEMY? HOW ARE YOU FINDING, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING TO BE, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT LOTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS, INCLUDING HOW WE CAN, UM, ENHANCE NOT ONLY ENHANCE THEIR EXPERIENCE, BUT REALLY THEY'RE BRINGING IT TO LIGHT.SOMETIMES THE THINGS THAT THEY THINK WOULD BE VALUABLE TO HELP THEM, UH, TO BE A BETTER POLICE OFFICER DOWN THE ROAD, JUST WITH UNDERSTANDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE A, UM, UH, A CIVILIAN, UH, UH, TRAINING MANAGER THAT'S OVER OUR ACADEMY, DR.
ANN KREEGAN, UH, THAT BRINGS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA OF TRAINING OVERALL, AS WELL, AS WELL AS CURRICULUM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM THAT COMMUNITY CONNECT PART TO THE IN-CLASS PART THAT THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THOSE, UM, CADET INSTRUCTORS ARE DELIVERING THE TRAINING.
AND SO SHE'S PROVIDING A FEEDBACK TO THEM AS WELL.
ALL OF THAT IS BEING CAPTURED BY KROLL.
AND SO THAT IS KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE MEASURING KIND OF METRIC THAT WE'RE USING RIGHT NOW TO SEE, UH, HOW EFFECTIVE WE'RE BEING AND WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
AND, UH, WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEP THAT GOING AS CLASSES GO ON, UH, IN THE FUTURE IN, AND WE JUST, WE'RE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY GETTING BETTER.
UM, AND WE'RE KIND OF DEVELOPING THAT PIECE RIGHT NOW.
UH, ANOTHER QUESTION, UM, FIRST OFF, I MEANT TO MENTION THIS AT THE BEGINNING.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR APPOINTMENT.
UM, SECOND QUESTION IS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE OPEN CARRY LAW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, AS YOUR OFFICER HAS BEEN TRAINED ON THE, ARE YOU CHANGING YOUR APPROACH, UM, WITH THE CIVILIANS ON HOW THEY WILL ADDRESS THOSE SITUATIONS AND WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING ARE THEY DOING? BECAUSE I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE A SPIKE IN MURDERS.
WE HAVE A SPIKE IN GUN VIOLENCE, SO THIS MAY BE A CONTRIBUTOR.
IT MAY NOT, I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO SUPPORT IT EITHER WAY, BUT JUST LOGICALLY THINKING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE A CONTRIBUTOR.
SO ALL OF OUR OFFICERS ARE, HAVE RECEIVED A TRAINING ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY, YOU KNOW, LIKE KIND OF THE, UH, HOW THAT, HOW THAT FITS INTO STATE LAW, UH, HOW IT FITS INTO THE OVERALL TEXAS AND US CONSTITUTION AND, AND HOW THEY SHOULD HANDLE THOSE CALLS IF THEY RECEIVED THEM.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL, I THINK MAYBE Y'ALL SOME OF Y'ALL MAY KNOW, I, I ACTUALLY TESTIFIED AT THE LEGISLATURE AGAINST THAT BILL.
UM, I DID NOT THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT EASIER TO CARRY, CARRY GUNS.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT MAKES US ANY SAFER.
UH, AND CERTAINLY IN SOME, IN SOME CASES CAN PUT OUR OFFICERS KIND OF IN THIS NO WIN SITUATION, IF, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, UH, SHOTS RINGING OUT AND WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE HOLDING GUNS.
WELL, WHO'S THE GOOD GUY, WHO'S THE BAD GUY, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
AND, UH, AND SO I, I HATE THE THOUGHT OF OFFICERS HAVING TO MAKE THOSE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS LIKE THAT.
THAT COULD BE SO TRAGIC FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO DO A GOOD THING.
SO, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY OUR OFFICERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED ON IT.
UH, THIS, THIS TO ME IS WHAT'S SO KIND OF DANGEROUS ABOUT THE LAWS THAT THE CIVILIANS DON'T REALLY HAVE TO HAVE ANY TRAINING.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS HAVE A CLEAN RECORD AND BE ABLE TO LEGALLY POSSESS A WEAPON AND THEY CAN, UM, THEY CAN CARRY A FIREARM.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING OVERALL THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS AS THE, AS THE, THE ISSUE OF OPEN CARRY COMES UP.
TEX HAS BEEN AN OPEN CARRY STATE FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UM, AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S BEEN A PROCESS TO, UH, UNDER, AND THIS IS WHAT I ADVOCATED FOR WAS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PROCESS TO BECOME, UH, UM, LICENSED TO CARRY, UH, YOU KNOW, LICENSED, YOU KNOW, HOLDER THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE, THEY'RE ABLE TO SHOW THAT TO OFFICERS AND SAY, HEY, I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE RECEIVED THE TRAINING AND, AND SAY FIREARMS HANDLING AND ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, UM, THAT, THAT ARE GONNA MAKE THEM A RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNER.
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THE ISSUE IS THAT WE HAVE SO MANY FIREARMS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE BEING STOLEN OUT OF VEHICLES AND OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY'RE NOT SECURE ENOUGH.
UH, AND THAT HAS LED, YOU KNOW, IN MY, IN MY OPINION, TO A GREATER NUMBER OF FIREARMS OUT THERE ON THE STREET THAT ARE ILLEGALLY OWNED.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, REALLY, UH, EDUCATE OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THEY CAN, HOW THEY CAN
[00:25:01]
MAKE THEMSELVES SAFER, HOW THEY CAN BE RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH MY DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES, UM, AND OTHER OFFICERS, UH, BUT THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS.UM, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, I THINK IT WAS EIGHT APRIL.
WE GOT, UM, A LETTER OF RESPONSE TO ME REGARDING SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT WAS, UM, AROUND A MOVING VEHICLE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR GENERAL ORDERS.
AND THANK YOU SAID THAT YOU FOUND THAT YOU CONCURRED WITH LIKE 75% OF THOSE.
AND I GUESS OUR EXPECTATION WAS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE WOULD APPEAR, UM, OR WE WOULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT BE INCORPORATED INTO THE GENERAL ORDERS.
UM, I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT AND SEE SOME ACTION TOWARDS THOSE BECOMING A REAL CHANGES.
UM, AND YOU MIGHT REMEMBER IT WAS JUST A SHOOTING AT A MOVING VEHICLE.
UH, I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS STRUCK BESIDES POSSIBLY THE VEHICLE, BUT EITHER WAY WE HAD SOME THINK I'M PRETTY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
AND I THINK THAT YOU AGREE WITH THAT.
IT'S ONE OF THE FOLLOW BECAUSE I'M THE OUTGOING VICE CHAIR, AND I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE MY SUCCESSORS HOLDING THAT BAG.
SO IF YOU CAN, UH, LET US KNOW, LIKE HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? YEAH.
UH, I DO REMEMBER, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL PART OF THE EIGHT CAMP.
IT CAN'T WAIT CAMPAIGN, I THINK OVERALL FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UM, POLICY CHANGES THAT I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE BEING ASKED TO HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS COUNTRY.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TOUGH PART, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT OFFICERS, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS JUST KIND OF TRICKY IS IF WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S USING, UM, THE, THE VEHICLE AS A WEAPON, UH, WHEN WE'VE SEEN THOSE VEHICLE ATTACKS ON, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT CERTAINLY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT, UM, THAT SOMEBODY USES A VEHICLE TO, TO CAUSE HARM TO OTHERS.
UH, AND, AND WE'VE HAD PEOPLE GET KILLED BECAUSE OF IT.
AND SO TRYING TO, UM, ESSENTIALLY, UH, CARVE OUT A PIECE OF POLICY THAT EFFECTIVELY, UM, YOU KNOW, SAYS, HEY, IN THE, IN THESE VERY LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES, DEADLY FORCE MAY BE AUTHORIZED, BUT IN THE VAST MAJORITY, UH, OF CIRCUMSTANCES, IT REALLY IS NOT.
AND, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE USED TO SEE, AND WE, WE ACTUALLY PUT POLICY IN PLACE TO PREVENT IT WAS OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, PLACING THEMSELVES IN THE PATH OF A VEHICLE AND THEN NECESSITATING THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE, UH, BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME A DEADLY FORCE SITUATION.
AND, AND SO OUR POLICY ACTUALLY PROHIBITS OFFICERS FROM DOING THAT.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE LARGE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND YOU'LL ALL RECALL OUR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UH, I THINK IT WAS IN 2014, MAYBE WHERE WE HAD A VEHICLE THAT RAN THROUGH BARRICADES AND WAS RUNNING PEOPLE OVER.
AND WE HAD A NUMBER, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT DIED FROM THAT INCIDENT.
AND SO OUR OFFICERS CERTAINLY ARE HYPERVIGILANT TO THAT.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS CREATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW AT BARRICADES THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO, TO PUT, UM, IN OUR DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE REALLY THAT'S, IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY, RIGHT.
IT LITERALLY COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE, BUT IF THERE'S LIKE A HIGH PROBABILITY OF SOMEBODY CHOOSING IT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT ON A WEEKEND NIGHT WHEN IT'S PACKED DOWN THERE.
AND THAT'S, THAT BECOMES A, TO EVERYONE WHO WANT TO DO SOMETHING BAD TO TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT BARRICADES RIGHT NOW, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AREA COMMANDER, UH, COMMANDER GREENWALL IS LOOKING AT, AT THESE, UH, THESE BARRICADES THAT ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN STOPPING, UH, VEHICLES THAT ARE MOVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WOULD IT, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST OR WHAT ARE THE LOGISTICS OF PLACING THOSE EVERY, EVERY NIGHT, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BLOCKING STREETS OFF WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
AND THE REASON I BRING THIS UP SPECIFICALLY AROUND THIS ISSUE IS I WANT TO CREATE, I WANT TO TAKE AWAY THE POSSIBILITY THAT AN OFFICER IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION IN A PLACE LIKE DOWNTOWN.
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT WHEN WE'VE SEEN THAT, GENERALLY WHEN WE SEE A SHOOTING MOVING VEHICLES, IT'S BEEN DOWNTOWN, IT'S BEEN OUR DOWNTOWN OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THAT SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE HAVING TO MAKE A, A SPLIT SECOND DECISION.
SO CAN I REMOVE THAT ALTOGETHER SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN EFFECTIVE POLICY AND ONE WHERE WE JUST DON'T SEE OFFICERS SHOOTING AT VEHICLES.
UM, SO, UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH IT.
I WISH THAT, UM, I COULD TELL YOU THAT WE'RE, WE'RE REAL CLOSE TO IT.
I'VE I HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO, UM, DIRECTOR MUSKET TO RE-ENGAGE ON THAT AND OTHER POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SHE'S MADE NOW THAT I'M SITTING IN THE PERMANENT SEAT.
AND, UM, AND I PLAN TO HONOR THAT COMMITMENT.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.
[00:30:02]
CHECK ON.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
I WAS CURIOUS EARLIER, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A NEW PILOT CLASS WITH THE NEW TRAINING CADETS COMING IN AND WANTING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, SHOULD THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT YOU'RE HOPING FOR FROM THE NEW TRAINING CLASS GO WELL, HOW YOU PLAN TO INCORPORATE THOSE NEW MODULES OR JUST NEW IDEAS THAT HAVE COME UP WITH, UM, FOR THE EXISTING OFFICERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT KIND OF WERE BROUGHT ON WITH THE LIKE OLDER AND MORE ANTIQUATED TRAINING THAT EXISTED BEFORE.
AND ONE THAT WE'RE TALKING A LOT AROUND RIGHT NOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR FOCUS BECAUSE OF STAFFING ISSUES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN ON, WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS ACADEMY, YOU KNOW, GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, MOST OF MY, I HAVE THE, THE, UH, THE ACADEMY IS SPLIT INTO ESSENTIALLY LIKE THREE DIFFERENT SMALLER UNITS ON THE TRAINING SIDE.
SO I'VE GOT THE CADET TRAINING, I HAVE LEARNED SKILLS, A UNIT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TEACHING LIKE DEFENSIVE TACTICS, FIREARMS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND THEN I HAVE A CONTINUING ED, UM, UNIT AND THE CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING ALL OF MY IN-SERVICE STUFF.
SO ALL OF MY OFFICERS AND WHAT I'VE, WHAT I'VE HAD TO DO, UH, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE CLASS, IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST WE'VE EVER PUT THROUGH.
UM, AND JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE ASKING RIGHT NOW IS I'VE HAD TO PULL CONTINUING ED OFF TO, TO REALLY DEAL, YOU KNOW, OFF OF THEIR NORMAL ASSIGNMENT TO REALLY DEAL ON THE CADET SIDE.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT LIGHTENING UP ANYTIME SOON, ESPECIALLY AS WE, IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND RUN LIKE TWO CONCURRENT CLASSES IN ANY FORMAT THAT'S GOING TO, THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, RESOURCE INTENSIVE.
UM, SO WHAT I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING TO DO IN THE SHORT TERM IS BRINGING ON ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS, MOVING PEOPLE FROM PATROL, OR EVEN HIRING SOME OUTSIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OUTSIDE, UH, INSTRUCTORS, UH, CIVILIANS TO COME IN AND TEACH SOME COURSES, UH, LOOKING.
AND, BUT IN THE LONGTERM, THE PLAN REALLY IS TO, TO DO THE SAME THING THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN THE CADET CLASS WITH THE CURRICULUM REVIEW TO, TO APPLY, YOU KNOW, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S, EVERYTHING IS GOING THROUGH THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, IS TO DO THAT SAME TYPE OF, UM, EXERCISE FOR ALL OF THE CLASSES THAT WE TEACH.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE PUTTING THAT DIVERSITY EQUITY, INCLUSION LENS OVER SINGLE COURSE AND DETERMINING, OKAY, ARE WE, YOU KNOW, ARE WE REINFORCING THINGS, THIS WORD GROUNDWATER? SO, I MEAN, IT'S SO AMAZING.
IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING COURSE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH IT.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, YOU SHOULD, YOU KNOW, LET ME KNOW, AND I CAN FACILITATE YOU GOING THROUGH ONE OF THE, THE COURSE, BUT FOR ME, IT WAS PRETTY GROUNDBREAKING BECAUSE IT TOOK THE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT TOOK THE FOCUS AWAY FROM THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICER AND REALLY PUT IT ON OUR PATTERNS AND PRACTICES AND HOW THOSE WERE REINFORCING THE NEGATIVE KIND OF BEHAVIORS THAT, THAT WE MIGHT SEE IN THAT AREA.
AND SO, UM, WHAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IS PUT THAT REALLY IS KIND OF PUT THAT, THAT LENS ON TOP OF OUR COURSES AND GO, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE DOING? AND ARE WE REINFORCING, UH, THINGS FROM A TRAINING PERSPECTIVE AND DO WE NEED TO CHANGE? UH, AND, AND THAT I THINK IS WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN OUR CADET TRAINING AND WHAT I PLAN FOR THE FUTURE FOR INSERVICE TRAINING.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A QUESTION OR, ALRIGHT, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO TELL US, SO HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR ROLE INTERACTING WITH THE COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION AS A FUTURE? NO, I THINK THAT'S, UH, Y'ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE, UH, CERTAINLY FROM A, YOU KNOW, UM, AN ADVISORY STANDPOINT, UH, HELPING TO ANALYZE, UH, THESE CRITICAL INCIDENTS.
SOMETIMES THAT OFFICERS UNFORTUNATELY FIND THEMSELVES IN AND WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF THEM.
UM, I WANT TO FACILITATE, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE, UM, TO, TO THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT AND TO THE CPRC AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ALL RECEIVE THE INFORMATION, NUMBER ONE, THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THAT, UM, REVIEW AND THAT, AND THEN ULTIMATELY A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE LIKE THIS.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO COME BY, AND CERTAINLY THERE'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, UH, YOU BECOME AWARE OF AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT TO WHERE IT JUST WOULD BE NICE TO, TO GET THE CHIEF IN FRONT OF YOU TO, TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, I WILL, YOU KNOW, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO, TO CLEAR MY SCHEDULE AND GET ON
[00:35:01]
WITH YOUR MEETINGS, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT THAT IS THE CASE.UM, I THINK THAT IF WE CAN MAKE THE RELATIONSHIP BETTER AND BY MAKING THE RELATIONSHIP BETTER, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, HEY, I WANT TO WIN YOU OVER EVERY TIME I'M TALKING ABOUT GOOD COMMUNICATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND REALLY JUST, UM, I THINK THAT WAS WHAT WAS LACKING, UH, PREVIOUSLY.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF ANYTHING, IF ANYTHING THAT THAT FARRAH MIGHT SAY ABOUT HER AND MY RELATIONSHIP IS THAT THE COMMUNICATION IS A LOT BETTER.
UH, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THAT FOR THE LARGER GROUP FOR, SO THAT YOU, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AND I CAN HELP TO ANSWER THEM, THAT I MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO DO THAT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO TELL US OR THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD KNOW? NO.
I MEAN, I CA THAT WAS KINDA THE LAST THING WAS THAT I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU, WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, I HOPE, UM, THAT Y'ALL CAN, CAN JUST KIND OF TAKE THAT AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH AND, AND TAKE TO HEART A LITTLE BIT THAT, THAT I, I TRULY WANT TO, UH, WORK WITH THE OPO AND, AND CPRC, UH, CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP.
THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH FARRAH.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME PROGRESS THERE.
UM, I, I THINK JUST, YOU KNOW, THE UNDERSTANDING OF POLICE WORK AND HOW POLICE WORK IS CHANGING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT THE, IT'S NOT THE SAME.
AND EVEN FOR, FOR MY OFFICERS WHO WOULD LOVE FOR THE STATUS QUO, YOU KNOW, TO JUST KIND OF KEEP ON GOING ON.
UM, I CERTAINLY REALIZED THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO BECOME A 21ST CENTURY POLICING DEPARTMENT, WE'VE GOT, WE HAVE TO EVOLVE, WE'VE GOT TO GET BETTER IN THE WAY THAT WE TRAIN IN THE WAY THAT WE INTERACT WITH PEOPLE.
UM, AND, AND IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT BECAUSE, UM, OFFICERS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST A WHOLE BARREL FULL OF, OF ROTTEN APPLES.
UH, I CERTAINLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT I THINK THAT THE OFFICERS ARE TRYING AND DOING, BUT ARE WE GIVING THEM THE BEST TOOLS, UH, WHETHER, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PHYSICAL TOOLS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING, UH, AND GIVING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY RECEIVED THAT RIGHT MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE OR, UH, SOME, SOME, UH, SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS GOING TO ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE, UH, BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE.
THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO BE WORKING, WORKING TOWARDS.
SO AGAIN, I JUST HOPE THAT Y'ALL, UM, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WORK AND I'M HERE AS A RESOURCE FOR YOU ALL.
[2. PUBLIC COMMENT]
UP NEXT.WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M GOING TO SAY YOUR LAST NAME, WRONG.
UH, AM I IN THE MEETING NOW? IT'S BRITTANY, BABE.
UM, I'M A DIRECTOR AT FAMILY ELDER CARE.
AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR ORGANIZATION, FAMILY ELDER CARE HAS BEEN SERVING OLDER ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.
AND MANY OF OUR CLIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING OR HAVE EXPERIENCED.
WE'VE REGISTERED TO SPEAK AT TODAY'S MEETING TO CALL THE COMMISSION'S ATTENTION TO THE SAFETY OF OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY PERSON, REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE ABILITY, HOUSING, OR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS DESERVE SAFETY AND RESPECT FAMILY ELDER CARE CONDEMNS, THE EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE AND A VIDEO RECENTLY RELEASED BY KSAN WHERE A LOCAL WOMAN, SIMONE NICOLE GRIFFITH, SHOWING, BEING HELD DOWN BY ONE APD OFFICER WHILE ANOTHER REPEATEDLY PUNCHES HER.
AND A THIRD LOOKS ON WE'RE CALLING ON OUR COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION OR CITY LEADERS AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO JOIN US IN EXAMINING HOW CURRENT POLICIES, BEHAVIORS, AND COMMUNICATIONS CONTRIBUTE TO DEHUMANIZING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE DEMAND CONSEQUENCES WHEN ANYONE'S HUMAN RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED.
WE'RE ASKING THAT THE CPRC EXPLORE WHAT EXISTING RULES CAN AND SHOULD HOLD THESE OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE.
WHAT ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN ON AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION 95 AND THE EIGHT CAN'T WAIT REFORMS. AND HOW HAS APD IMPLEMENTING THE NEW LAWS PASSED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, SUCH AS SB 60 NINES USE OF FORCED AND SB 2212 DUTY OF A PEACE OFFICER.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THESE CONCERNS WITH YOU.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SAFETY OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, REGARDLESS
[00:40:01]
OF THEIR HOUSING STATUS.THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND CHAT WITH US TODAY.
UM, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE'LL START THINKING THROUGH SOME AGENDA ITEMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO PUT FORWARD, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP THESE VERY VALID CONCERNS IN MIND BECAUSE BRITTANY IS OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMENTER.
THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE DAY, SO IT IS 6:43 PM AND WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
WELCOME TO THE NEW COMMISSIONERS.