[00:00:03]
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER KOFF, IF, IF YOU CAN COME ON CAMERA.
JOHN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE COMMISSIONER COFF'S CELL PHONE NUMBER? WANNA TEXT HIM AND ASK HIM TO, UH, GET ON CAMERA?
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY COULD CALL HIM, REALLY? OR TEXT HIM TO DIANA'S CAMERA.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS HIS PHONE NUMBER.
MAYBE IF WE ALL WISH REALLY HARD, JOHN WILL HEAR US.
WE NEED EVERYBODY TO STAY ON CAMERA.
YOU CAN'T HEAR? WHAT'S THAT? CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ANYTHING? OH, OKAY.
SO NOBODY ON CAMERA CAN HEAR US.
I, I HEAR YOU, BUT I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING ELSE.
YOU GOT THAT? I THINK HE'S WORKING ON IT.
SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
IS THERE A TIME WHEN WE SHOULD TEST THIS OUT? IS THAT
WELL, THERE'S, WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S AN ECHO NOW, NOW
UM, IS THAT, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME NOW? ALRIGHT, GOOD.
UH, I'M GONNA GET STARTED IF EVERYTHING ELSE IS OKAY.
[CALL TO ORDER]
TO THE FIRST AUSTIN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING OF 2023.UM, WE WILL, UH, START BY, I GUESS, CONVENING AND CALLING.
NOT REALLY CALLING THE ROLE, BUT YEAH.
UH, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? NO.
UM, VICE CHAIR, UH, RAMIREZ HERE.
[00:05:01]
UM, AND THAT SHOULD BE IT FOR TODAY.UM, SO I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND WE WILL START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, IS MR. LEON AVAILABLE? THAT'S, HE IS NOT THAT SPECIAL.ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S START WITH, UH, CHRIS HARRIS.
LET'S DO, UM, WILL IT BE BOTH CHRIS HARRIS AND MS. GONZALEZ? YES.
UM, CAN WE HAVE YOU GO OVER FIRST? YEAH.
YOU COULD EACH HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES, BUT NOT THAT'S FINE.
JUST SO WE WOULD CALL HER AFTER CHRIS.
UM, HI, UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS HARRIS, UH, AND I'M HERE, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION, UM, SUPPORTING, UM, THE FAMILY DEMANDS, UH, FROM, UH, THE FAMILY OF ALEX GONZALEZ JR.
UM, TO SEE THE OFFICERS THAT, UH, THAT KILLED HIM, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, UH, FIRED, UH, FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE FORCE.
UM, THESE OFFICERS WERE RECENTLY, UH, THE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FAILED TO SECURE AN INDICTMENT, UH, IN THE CASE, UH, AS OF, UH, LATE DECEMBER, DECEMBER 27TH.
AND THAT KICKED OFF, UH, A TIMER, UH, OF 30 DAYS UPON WHICH NOW THE CITY, IN PARTICULAR, THE POLICE CHIEF HAS TO IMPART INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE DISCIPLINE ON A PART OF THE CITY, UH, IN THE CASE.
UM, AND AGAIN, WHAT I'M HERE TO DO TODAY IS TO, TO ECHO THE CALL AND, AND BE IN SOLIDARITY WITH, UH, THE FAMILY OF ALEX GONZALEZ JR.
AND CALLING FOR CHIEF CHACON, UH, TO FIRE THESE OFFICERS.
UM, SPECIFICALLY, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE CASE, UM, THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO POLICIES THAT ARE CLEARLY, UM, NEED REVIEW AS IT RELATES TO, UM, AREAS WHERE IT'S LIKELY THAT, UH, IF NOT DEFINITE, THAT THE POLICE VIOLATED THOSE POLICIES AND, UH, SUBJECT TO THEIR, THEIR, THEIR FIRING.
UM, ONE IS THE, THE DUTY TO IDENTIFY, UH, FOR WHICH WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE GIVEN THAT THE INITIAL OFFICER WAS OFF DUTY.
HOWEVER, THAT DUTY TO IDENTIFY STILL APPLIES.
UH, WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT THE OFFICER DID IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AT ANY POINT, UH, IN THEIR INTERACTION WITH ALEX GONZALEZ JR.
AND THEN THE SECONDLY, OBVIOUSLY IS IN, IS IN THE RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE, UH, WHICH CALLS FOR THE LEAST RE USE OF FORCE NECESSARY TO SECURE COMPLIANCE FOR A PARTICULAR LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE.
AND WHAT WE SEE IN THIS CASE IS, IS OBVIOUSLY THAT, UM, THE OFFICERS, UM, TWO DIFFERENT OFFICERS, UH, UH, FIRED.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY FIRED UPON ALEX GONZALEZ JR.
AND, UM, AND, AND THE SECOND TIME, THE, THE SHOTS THAT KILLED HIM WERE, AS HE REACHED INTO THE BACKSEAT TO, TO CHECK ON HIS INFANT CHILD.
AND, AND SO AGAIN, THE CLOCK IS NOW TICKING.
WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER, A LITTLE LESS THAN THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE DEADLINE.
AND SO WE ARE CALLING UPON CHIEF CHACON AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO SEE THAT THESE OFFICERS ARE FIRED AND, AND OUR, IN OUR POSITIVE THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN.
UH, BECAUSE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THESE OFFICERS, UH, HAVE THE, THE IMMENSE POWERS OF POLICING AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
UM, AND, AND TO MY MIND, THIS INCIDENT MAKES CLEAR THAT THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH THOSE POWERS.
UM, AND, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE, UH, WHERE, UH, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, UH, PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, FAILED TO DISCIPLINE, UH, OFFICER TAYLOR, UH, FOLLOWING HIS KILLING OF MAURICE DESILVA.
AND LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, UH, OFFICER TAYLOR KILLED SOMEONE ELSE IN THIS, THIS CASE, MIKE RAMOS.
AND, AND WE CERTAINLY FEAR, UH, THAT, UH, ONE OR BOTH OF THESE OFFICERS, IF PUT IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, MIGHT VERY WELL DO SOMETHING AGAIN, UH, WHICH, UH, VIOLATES DEFINITELY THE POLICIES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO JUST THE MORALS AND VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THAT HAVE LEFT THE YOUNG MAN DEAD.
AND THE SIMPLE FACT IS HE SHOULD NOT BE DEAD.
AND, AND THIS IS OUR LAST AVENUE FOR REAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE RESPONSIBLE, UH, IS ENSURING THAT THE POLICE CHIEF FIRED THESE OFFICERS.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL, UH, I'LL END MY REMARKS AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
MS. GONZALEZ, I CAN'T GO TO EXPRESS HOW HURT I AM.
I CAN'T EVEN TALK CUZ I'M SO HURT.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BULLETS HE ADDED HIM? DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BULLETS I DO? I KNOW HOW MANY BULLETS.
I KNOW WHERE ALL THE BULLETS WERE IN HIS BODY.
[00:10:01]
GUTTI AND SOTO UNDER IT DOESN'T MATTER.MY SON PROBABLY THOUGHT THAT SORATO WAS, HE WAS IN GREAT BECAUSE THEY WERE PRO.
HE SAW THE COPS THAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS GETTING PROTECTED.
AND I WILL NOT QUIT SAYING THAT BECAUSE GUTIERREZ IS AALTO, THEY NEED TO LOSE THEIR JOBS AND NEVER HOLD A GUN EVER AGAIN IN THEIR LIFE.
THAT'S ONE OF MY, TWO OF MY DEMANDS.
NE THEY DON'T ALLOW IT TO BE COPS BECAUSE THE GUTIERREZ HAS GOTTEN IN TROUBLE BEFORE WITH THIS.
BUT AIN'T NOBODY SAYING NOTHING, OKAY? THIS IS, THIS TIME HE JUST WENT TOO FAR, TOO FAR AND MURDERED MY SON.
AND I WILL MAKE A BIG THING OUT OF IT.
I GOT A LOT OF COMMUNITY MORE THAN THE COPS DO RIGHT NOW.
HUH? I OWN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY THEY AIN'T CALLING Y'ALL.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY DON'T TRUST NO COPS.
Y'ALL HURT PEOPLE, INNOCENT PEOPLE, INNOCENT FATHER.
HE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THAT FEELS.
I'M MY SISTER SUPPOSED TO BURY ME, NOT ME.
I SHOULD NOT BE HERE RIGHT NOW IN FRONT OF YOU.
BUT I AM BECAUSE THEY MURDERED MY SON AND I'M GONNA BE HIS VOICE AND I WILL NOT SHUT UP.
I WILL POST THE OTHER VIDEOS THAT I GOT THAT Y'ALL DIDN'T PUT OUT.
I WILL PUT HIM OUT MYSELF AND SHOW THE PUBLIC WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHAT Y'ALL HIDING? CUZ Y'ALL HIDING OKAY.
FOR ONE, STEROIDS B WAS ON STEROIDS.
Y'ALL DIDN'T EVEN TEST HIM FOR THAT.
DO YOU KNOW THAT? I KNOW THAT THE WAY HE WAS ACTING, HE JUST CAME OUTTA THE GYM ALL PUMPED UP.
LIKE HE LIKE, OH, I JUST KILLED SOMEBODY.
REALLY? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MENTALLY HURT.
NOT JUST OOH, WALK AROUND LIKE, IT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW MY SON WAS NOT TRASH.
ANOTHER THING LET YOU KNOW, THEY HANDCUFFED BY, HE WAS, WHY DID THEY HANDCUFFED HIM THAT? WHY DID THEY HANDCUFF? HE WAS ALL, THEY HANDCUFFED HIM TO ON HIS BACK.
WAS PROTOCOL AT WHERE WAS HUH? WHERE WAS THAT? MY SON SHOOT.
IN MY LIFE, HE WAS MY PROTECTOR.
YOU DUNNO WHAT YOU DID TO MY FAMILY.
NOW I DON'T EVEN TRUST THE, AND THAT'S SAD.
CAUSE I USED TO BUY ALL THE, BUY ALL THE RULES AND ALL THE LAWS AND NOW Y'ALL CAN'T EVEN HELP ME.
I WILL HAVE NO FAITH IN THE LAW AT ALL.
SO Y'ALL GOTTA HELP ME AND PUT THESE GUYS AWAY OR TAKE THEIR LICENSE AWAY AND NOT BE TRIGGERED HAPPY OR ON STEROIDS.
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE TELL ME, AUSTIN A P D, ALL THE COPS ARE ON STEROIDS.
NO ANSWER BECAUSE I GUESS I'M RIGHT.
ALL THE ATTORNEYS, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID.
FROM NEW YORK, WHEREVER, ALL AUSTIN A P D, THAT'S HOW THEY SEE US AS ON STEROIDS.
IS THAT HOW YOU WANNA SEE THEM? TO SEE AUSTIN? A P D.
WELL I WILL PUT IT OUT TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT JUST, NO, I MIGHT NOT BE A NOBODY, BUT GUESS WHAT? I KNOW MORE THAN YOU OUT THERE IN THE STREETS TELL YOU THAT MUCH
AND IF YOU DON'T FIX THIS BECAUSE Y'ALL MESSED UP.
JUST CAUSE HE WAS A FELON THAT DAY.
GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH IT AT THE MOMENT, AT THE TIME, WHAT HE DID WAS MURDERED MY SON INTO AN ONGOING VEHICLE.
AND IF YOU WANNA SEE THE VIDEOS, I'LL SHOW YOU THE ONES I GOT THAT AIN'T CUT OUT.
I'LL TELL YOU FROM BEGINNING TO END WHAT HAPPENED.
I'LL TELL YOU CUZ I SAW IT ALL.
I SAW IT ALL BECAUSE THE WITNESSES CAME UP TO ME AND GAVE ME THE VIDEOS.
WHAT YOU GOT? THAT'S ALL YOU GOT.
I GOT MORE THAN YOU, SO YOU BETTER TAKE ME SERIOUS.
I'M NOT PLAYING AND I'M NOT GONNA STOP.
I'M THE VOICE OF MY SON AND I WILL NOT STOP.
I'M SO F*****G THANK YOU MRS. GONZALEZ.
[1. Approve the minutes of the PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING on November 7, 2022 and December 5, 2022. ]
GONNA MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.UM, WE ONLY HAVE THE, UM, MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 7TH, 2022.
[00:15:01]
Y'ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM.UM, ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE NOVEMBER 7TH MINUTES? UM, SO WE WE CAN TAKE THEM AS DEEMED.
OH, WE HAVE TO CALL FOR A VOTE.
UM, SO WE GONNA VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? YES.
UM, EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES? UH, I THIS IS A ROLL CALL.
I FORGET HOW MUCH FUN IT IS EVERY TIME.
UH, VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ? UH, YES.
OH, THAT MEANS WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, RIGHT? HE'S ABSTAINING FROM THE VOTE, BUT THEN WE DON'T HAVE SIX VOTES.
UM, OKAY, WE'LL JUST POSTPONE, UM, UH, BOTH SETS OF MINUTES UNTIL NEXT TIME.
[2. Public Safety Quarterly Report, Austin Police Department]
LET'S MOVE ON TO, UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY QUARTERLY REPORT FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? FAIRLY, IS THAT, UH, A LITTLE BETTER? CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, THAT'S BETTER.
UM, I, UH, KNOW THERE'S A, UH, LOT ON THE AGENDA, SO I WILL BE BRIEF, UH, GETTING THROUGH THE SLIDES, BUT, UH, DEFINITELY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, SHOULD THERE BE ANY, UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK, UH, TOWARDS A PROPOSAL FOR A, UH, UPDATED, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, THAT, UH, STAFF IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
AND WE WILL HAVE TO THE CHIEF, UH, FOR REVIEW.
AND, UH, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE BEING, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR CURRENT FORMAT.
SO, LOOKING AT, UH, YEAR END, UH, FOR 2022, UH, THERE WAS AN OVERALL 5% DECREASE IN CRIME, UM, 16%, UH, LESS HOMICIDES FOR THE YEAR.
UH, BUT WE DID SEE A, UH, INCREASE IN, UH, NEGLIGENT, UH, MANSLAUGHTER, UH, BY THREE CASES.
OVERALL THOUGH, CRIME, UH, AGAINST PERSON WAS DOWN, UH, 6%.
IN CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY, WE SAW A SIMILAR TREND, UH, THAT, UH, BEING DOWN ABOUT 6% OVERALL FOR 2022 AS COMPARED TO 2021.
UH, THE, UH, CRIMES OF NOTE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE, UH, YEAR THOUGH WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, UH, IN PARTICULARLY THE THEFT RELATED CRIMES THEFT FROM BUILDING, WHICH WAS A OVERALL 77%, UH, THEFT FROM COIN RELATED, I'M SORRY, COIN OPERATED MACHINES AS WELL AS, UH, VEHICLE BURGLARIES.
UH, THOSE WERE, UH, THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY, BUT STILL, OVERALL WE WERE DOWN, UH, 6%.
UH, CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY, UH, WE SAW AN OVERALL INCREASE OF, UH, 16%, UH, 23%, UH, BEING DRIVEN BY DRUG VIOLATIONS AND, UH, OVERALL WEAPONS VIOLATIONS UP AT 18% CAUSING THE OVERALL CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY INCREASE OF 16%.
OVERALL, YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, CASE CLEARANCES FOR CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS.
UH, 719 CASES, UH, WERE CLEARED.
UH, SIMILAR, UH, FOR CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY OVERALL CRIMES, WE HAD 419 CRIMES CLEARED.
AND CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY, THERE WAS A TOLL, UH, OF 540.
UH, LOOKING AT OUR OVERALL, UH, RESPONSE TO P ZERO AND P ONE, WHICH ARE EMERGENCY AND URGENT CALLS, UH, WE DID, UM, SEE A CITYWIDE TARGET OF, UH, 10 MINUTES, 44 SECONDS.
UH, OVERALL FOR THE THREE, UH, TWO OF THE THREE MONTHS, WE WERE RIGHT, UH, NEAR OR A LITTLE BIT BELOW THAT CITYWIDE TARGET.
UM, THE, UH, LOWEST MONTH WAS THAT OF OCTOBER, WHERE WE WERE A LITTLE OVER OUR CITY TARGET, UH, CITYWIDE TARGET AT 11 MINUTES AND 11 SECONDS.
THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND THE CALL VOLUME AND OVERALL
[00:20:01]
RESPONSE TIMES.AND THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT THE VOLUME, UH, FOR EMERGENCY CALLS AT P ZERO AND OUR URGENT CALL P ONE, WHICH WAS RELATIVELY CONSISTENT THROUGH ALL THREE MONTHS OF THE QUARTER.
THIS IS OUR A, UH, OVERTIME BUDGET, UH, AS COMPARED TO BUDGETED VERSUS ACTUAL OVERTIME.
AND YOU CAN SEE OUR EXPENDITURES WERE, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT UNDER BUDGET FOR THE QUARTER.
OVERALL PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 AT 338 MILLION.
UM, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING AT ABOUT 23% OF OUR BUDGETS BEEN AT 77 OR JUST SHY OF 77 MILLION.
AND THIS IS JUST AN OVERALL LOOK AT OVERTIME EXPENDITURES FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, UH, TO WHICH YOU CAN SEE A CONTINUED OVERTIME EXPENDITURE AS COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED FOR BUDGET.
OVERALL, WE ARE SITTING AT 249, UH, OPERATIONAL VACANCIES, AND THAT IS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL, I'M SORRY, AT THE END OF THE YEAR FOR 2022, UH, WITH, UH, 1,577 FIELD POSITIONS OUT OF UNAUTHORIZED COMPLIMENT OF 1812.
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE, UH, 520, UH, NINE POSITIONS FIELD, WHICH DO INCLUDE OUR CADETS IN OUR TEMPORARY POSITIONS.
WE ARE SITTING WITH THE, UH, VACANCIES OF 140 POSITIONS, WHICH INCLUDE FOUR AUTHORIZED INTERN POSITIONS FOR A TOTAL, UH, COMPLIMENT OF 669.
UH, WHAT COULD, UH, CONTINUES TO BE A FOCUS IS TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS FILLING OUR STAFFING LEVELS, PARTICULARLY IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
UH, YOU CAN SEE OVERALL WE HAVE 223 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING AT 69 VACANT POSITIONS WITH THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE BEING OUT OF OUR 9 1 1 OPERATORS AND OUR POLICE DISPATCHERS.
AND, UH, THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT THE, UH, END OF, UH, 2022 AS WELL AS BEING A 2023, UH, CADET CLASSES.
THE HUNDRED 45TH CLASS WE GRADUATED ON NOVEMBER 18TH.
UH, WE STARTED OUT WITH 84 AND WE GRADUATED 55, UH, CADET CLASS 1 46, WHICH WAS OUR TRANSITIONAL OFFICER PROGRAM, ALL DID GRADUATE, UH, BEING OUT OF EIGHT OFFICERS, UH, HIRED AND EIGHT OFFICERS GRADUATED.
THE 147TH ACADEMY IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, WHICH STARTED IN LATE OCTOBER WITH 55 CADETS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 41, AND THEN WE ARE GETTING READY AT THE END OF THIS YEAR TO START, UH, I'M SORRY, THE END OF THIS MONTH WITH ACADEMY 1 48.
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 38 CADETS, UH, PREDICTED TO START ON THE 30TH OF THIS MONTH.
UH, LOOK AT OUR SWORN COMPLIMENT AUTHORIZATIONS.
AND LOOKING AT OUR SEPARATIONS, UH, WE WERE PRETTY CONSISTENT BETWEEN FISCAL YEAR 20 20, 20 21 AND 2022.
UM, BUT WE DID SEE A SLIGHT DECREASE AS COMPARED ON FIF, UH, SORRY, FISCAL YEAR 2022 AS COMPARED TO 2021.
AND FOR THE, UH, FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2023, WE HAVE CURRENT, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE 24 SEPARATIONS FOR THE QUARTER.
AND YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THOSE ARE BEING DRIVEN BY RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS.
ZERO, UH, TERMINATIONS OR ZERO DEATHS.
AND THAT WAS A, UH, VERY FAST, UM, BUT TRYING TO BE CONCISE FOR, UH, PRESERVATION OF TIME.
SO I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
UM, YEAH, I HAD A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
I, WELL, I HOPE THEY'RE QUICK.
UM, THE, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE OVERTIME BUDGETED VERSUS ACTUAL OVERTIME,
[00:25:01]
THAT'S $6,378,624.I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS FIGURE NOW, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MANY HOURS OF, UM, POLICE TIME THAT ACTUALLY IS AND OVER HOW MANY OFFICERS, UM, THAT TIME WAS SPENT.
UM, IT JUST, I THINK IT WOULD JUST HELP PUT SOME, SOME, SOME BODIES AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, HELP THE PUBLIC AND ME IN PARTICULAR JUST GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT REPRESENTS.
I KNOW WE, WE'VE GOT DOLLARS, BUT JUST LIKE HOW MANY BODIES THAT REALLY REPRESENTS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, WAS WITH REGARDS TO THESE CADET CLASSES, UM, AND THE SIZES OF THESE CADET CLASSES, I REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE WERE REAUTHORIZING OR WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL WAS REAUTHORIZING, UM, THE CADET CLASSES TO GET STARTED AGAIN, THERE WERE ESTIMATES OF ABOUT 75 CADETS PER CLASS.
IS THERE A REASON WHY THE, THE, THE CLASS SIZES ARE, ARE SMALLER? THAT I MEAN BY, I MEAN BY A THIRD AT LEAST IT SEEMS SOME OF THEM.
SO IS IT, IS THERE AN EXPLANATION FOR THE SMALLER CLASS? MA'AM, THIS CHIEF HENDERSON? I CAN ANSWER THAT.
YEAH, SO THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING FOR EACH CADET CLASS HAS NOT BEEN WHAT IT WAS PRIOR TO OUR PREDICTIONS.
AND SO WE'RE ONLY RECEIVING ABOUT MAYBE THREE QUARTERS TO ABOUT, YEAH, THREE QUARTERS TO MAYBE A HALF OF THE APPLICANTS THAT WE WOULD STANDARDLY HAVE FOR CADET CLASS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE RUNNING CADET CLASSES MORE OFTEN.
AND SO THEREFORE THE APPLICANT POOL DOESN'T BUILD AS MUCH BECAUSE WE ARE STARTING A CLASS ESSENTIALLY EVERY FOUR, FOUR MONTHS.
SO GIVEN THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THEM MORE OFTEN, ARE WE STILL ON TRACK IN TERMS OF THE PROJECTIONS OF OFFICERS? CUZ LIKE I SAID, I REMEMBER THIS WAS MONTHS AGO, SIX MONTHS AGO, A YEAR AGO, THAT THERE WERE ESTIMATES OF ABOUT 75 PER CLASS.
AND SO IS THAT STILL TRACKING LIKE TIME WISE IN TERMS OF THE BUILDING UP OF PERSONNEL OR IS THAT DIFFERENT NOW MA'AM? I WOULD SAY WE PROBABLY HAVE TO ADJUST THOSE NUMBERS JUST BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GETTING THE STANDARD AMOUNT OF APPLICANTS THAT WE, THAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING AT THE TIME THAT WE MADE THOSE PROJECTIONS.
AND SO WE ARE BEING AGGRESSIVE WITH OUR RECRUITING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE JUST AREN'T SEEING THE NUMBERS THAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UH, ALRIGHT.
UM, IF NOT, THEN WE WILL MOVE ON
[3. Discussion and possible action on Recommendation regarding counsel at first appearance for all criminal charges in Travis County.]
TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS DISCUSSION IMPOSSIBLE ACTION ON A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE FOR ALL CRIMINAL CHARGES IN TRAVIS COUNTY.UM, COMMISSIONER WEBER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS OR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO, UM, GO AHEAD? SURE.
UM, SO AT OUR LAST MEETING, UH, WE HEARD SEVERAL SPEAKERS, UM, TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT, UH, COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE IS, UM, AND THAT TRAVIS COUNTY DID A PILOT PROJECT, UM, YOU KNOW, EXPERIMENTING OR TRYING OUT COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, UH, I DRAFTED A RECOMMENDATION THAT Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN ONE OF THE PACKETS.
OH, IN THE FIRST? NO, THAT FRIDAY EVENING.
UM, REGARDING, UM, THE REASONS WHY, UM, COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE, UM, IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, POLICY CHANGE FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO MAKE, UM, AND HOW IT WOULD BENEFIT PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, AND THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
UM, SHOULD WE OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION? ARE THERE ANY, UM, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE, THE RECOMMENDATION OR COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE? I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND IT IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
UH, YOU MEAN SECOND THE MOTION? I DON'T THINK WE'VE, ANYONE'S MOVED, UM, TO VOTE ON IT YET.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN WAIT ON THAT
UM, VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ HAS MOVED TO VOTE.
COMMISSIONER WEBBER HAS MOVED A SECOND.
[00:30:01]
NOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A MOTION FOR A VOTE, UM, SHALL I CALL THE ROLL? ALL RIGHT.UH, COMMISSIONER CIERA ALO ABSTAIN.
OH, THEN WE DON'T HAVE THE VOTES.
UM, I I DON'T THINK AN ABSTENTION RUINS QUORUM.
OH, DO WE JUST IT DOESN'T, BUT WE CAN'T GET SIX VOTES.
YOU ONLY NEED A, YOU NEED A MAJORITY OF QUORUM.
A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT.
I VOTE YES ON THE STAFFER RECOMMENDATION.
CHAIR, DO WE NEED TO VOTE TO PUT THIS ON COUNSEL'S AGENDA? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE THAT VOTE ALSO.
SO THIS IS A VOTE, UM, TO PUT THE RECOMMENDATION ON CITY COUNCIL'S AGENDA.
AND I WOULD, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE DO THAT.
IS THERE A SECOND? UM, VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ SECONDS TO THE EXTENT THAT I CAN SEE THROUGH MY FOGGY GLASSES.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO ANOTHER VOTE.
UH, COMMISSIONER CIERA ABADO? YES.
UM, SO, UM, I AM GONNA, UM, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, UH, AND BECAUSE I HAVE SOME CONCERNS, I'M GONNA SKIP THE DISCUSSION IMPOSSIBLE ACTION ON THE AUSTIN POLICE OVERSIGHT ACT.
UM, AND WE WILL BRING IT UP ON A SUBSEQUENT AGENDA, UM, SO WE CAN MOVE
[5. Discussion and possible action on Austin Police Department Towing Fee Study.]
ON TO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE, UH, TOWING THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOWING FEE STUDY.UM, FINANCIAL DIRECTOR SCHMIDT CALL.
OH, AND I GUESS WE CAN START WITH, I'M SORRY.
UM, WE CAN START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE TOWING STUDY.
UM, SO, UM, JAIME ROCHA, IT'S NOT ON YET.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JAIME ROCHA.
I'M WITH, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, UH, ROCHA TOWING AND SPECIAL AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
WE'RE, UH, TOWING COMPANY AND FAMILY OWNED TOWING COMPANY.
UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, IN THE CITY SINCE, UH, 1997 AND HAVE, UH, PROUDLY BEEN, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, HERE IN IN AUSTIN IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
AND I'M HERE TO, UH, SPEAK ON BEHALF, UH, UH, THE SUPPORT FOR THE PRICE INCREASE FOR
[00:35:01]
THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOW, UH, TOW RATES.AND, UM, THAT, UH, I'M HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD, UH, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UH, A STRAIN ON, UH, ON CONTINUING, UH, TO DO BUSINESS, UH, WITH, UH, INFLATION, UM, FUEL COST, UH, LABOR COST OF EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, EQUIPMENT COST, UH, MAINTENANCE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE, UH, WITH THE EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOB AND, UH, AND DO IT, UH, THE AUTO INSURANCE, UH, LIABILITY, UH, COST, UM, RENT TO, UM, TO TO HAVE AN OFFICE, UH, MAINTAIN THE VEHICLES, UH, STORED.
AND, UH, THE PROPERTY TAXES AS WELL HAS GONE UP.
UH, I'M SURE WE CAN ALL RELATE TO THAT, UH, THE CONTINUING TRAINING ON THE DRIVERS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HAVE GOOD, COMPETENT DRIVERS.
AND, AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE INFLATION FEW COST THEMSELVES.
UH, BACK IN 2019 WHEN WE WERE FIRST, UM, UH, WHEN WE GOT OUR LAST, UH, UH, TOW, UH, RATE INCREASE, UH, WAS ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF $3, UH, OR UNDER $3 THAT HAS GONE UP AND LOOKED AT MY, UH, LAST, UH, INFORMATION THAT I GOT, UH, FROM MY OFFICE.
AND IT'S ABOUT A 69% INCREASE ON OVERALL, UH, ON THE FUEL.
UH, BACK WHEN THE, UH, JUST COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, UH, WHEN THE PRICE WOULD, UH, WAS AT ITS HIGHEST ON THE, UH, PRICE, UH, FOR DIESEL EMPLOYEE.
UH, COMPENSATION IS STILL SOMETHING THAT, UH, ARE STRUGGLING WITH, UH, BEING ABLE TO, UH, HIRE, UH, DRIVERS, UH, STAFF THAT ARE, UH, CAPABLE TO, UH, DO, UH, THESE, UH, UH, THE JOB IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, UH, WE SERVICE THE CITY, UH, ACCORDINGLY.
UH, EQUIPMENT COST, UH, EQUIPMENT COSTS FOR THE TOW TRUCKS AND THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO DO THE JOB, UH, TO DO IT.
THE SAFEWAY, UH, POSSIBLE HAVE, UH, RECENT, UH, TRUCKS THAT DO NOT BREAK DOWN OR THAT HAVE, UM, UH, GOOD EQUIPMENT ON THEM HAS INCREASED FROM 30 TO 40%, UH, TO BUY A, UH, A NEW TRUCK.
THE INSURANCE INSURANCE, UM, BACK, UH, FROM UH, 2019 TO 2020 HAD INCREASED THAT A 20%.
UM, THE INSURANCE FROM 20 TO 21, UH, YEAH, IT HAD, UH, INCREASED A 15%, UH, FROM 21 TO 22 HAS INCREASED FROM, UH, A 10%.
THAT'S AN OVERALL 45% INCREASE.
UH, ACCORDING TO MY, UM, REPRESENTATIVE THAT DOES THE INSURANCE FOR US.
UH, ALL OF THESE COSTS, UH, WEIGH HEAVILY ON US BEING ABLE TO PERFORM AND CONS AND HAVE, UH, AND HAVE GOOD STAFF TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THE JOB.
UH, WOULD LIKE, COULD YOU CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS, PLEASE? YES.
IF YOU WOULD, THEN I WAS ABOUT TO DO SO.
UM, ANY CONSIDERATION TO THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
UM, TASHA MORA, THIS FINE? SURE.
IS THE MICROPHONE ON? GOOD, GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS TASHA MORA, AND, UM, I OWN, I CO-OWN WITH MY HUSBAND ANA AND RECOVERY.
WE, UH, ALSO PROVIDE, UH, TOWING SERVICES FOR THE AUSTIN AREA.
UM, WE ARE A SMALL FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED, UH, BUSINESS.
UM, WE CELEBRATED OUR 20 20TH YEAR IN BUSINESS, SO WE STARTED IN 2002.
UM, WE PROVIDE THE DON CONSENT, TOWING CONSENT, TOWING, UM, WINCH OUT ALL THINGS RELATED TO TOWING.
UM, AND I, UM, I'M ALSO HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE RATE ADJUSTMENT, UH, AND THE TOFI STUDY.
[00:40:01]
WHAT, UM, MR.SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A 40% TO A 65% INCREASE IN OPERATIONAL COSTS ALONE, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT SERVICE IS.
SO WHETHER IT'S THE TRUCKS OR THE INSURANCE AND SUCH.
BUT I'D LIKE TO ALSO ADD THAT, UM, IT'S GETTING EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
MR. ROCHA DID SPEAK TO EQUIPMENT COSTS.
SO A TOW TRUCK, UM, HAS GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY, LIKE 40% AN INCREASE ON HOW MUCH THESE TRUCKS ARE COSTING.
BUT NOW YOU CAN'T FIND A TRUCK, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO BUY NEW EQUIPMENT.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE CAN PLACE AN ORDER FOR EQUIPMENT, BUT WITH THE PANDEMIC HAPPENING AND SUCH, THERE'S JUST A BACKLOG.
YOU CANNOT FIND THE CABIN IN CHASSIS, OR PERHAPS YOU CAN'T FIND THE TOWING UNIT.
AND SO WE ARE ALSO MAINTAINING THE CURRENT UNITS.
AND SO MAINTAINING, UM, UH, THOSE MAINTENANCE COSTS HAVE, HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED AS WELL.
THE INSURANCE ABSOLUTELY HAS INCREASED, AND ACCORDING TO A VERY CREDIBLE, UM, SOURCE, THERE ARE MANY, THE VERY FEW INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT WE'RE COVERING, TOW COMPANIES ARE NOW PULLING OUTTA THE MARKET.
SO THERE'S FEWER AND FEWER INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT WILL BE COVERING THE TOWING INDUSTRY.
SO ONE, IT'S HARD TO FIND AND IT'S VERY TO PURCHASE.
UM, THE TOWING COMPANY HAS JUST BEEN A, A, A LIABILITY.
THERE ARE VEHICLES THAT ARE ASSISTING ON THE ROADWAYS AND THEY'RE BEING STRUCK, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
IT'S JUST THE INSURANCE COST OF JUST INCREASED OR IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO SECURE IT.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WOULD TALK ABOUT COMPENSATION.
UM, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN, UM, OUR CURRENT TRAINED TOW OPERATORS, WE HAVE TO BE SURE THAT ONE, THEY'RE TRAINED, BUT TWO, NOW THEY'RE TRAINED IN THE EVER-CHANGING DYNAMICS OF THE VEHICLES.
SO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND SUCH, UM, HANDLING OF THOSE IS VERY CRITICAL.
UM, THERE'S CASES OF THOSE, UH, VEHICLES CATCHING FIRE ON THE BACK OF TOW TRUCKS, BUT ALSO RECRUITING.
RECRUITING AT OUR CURRENT RATES, AND I WILL WRAP UP.
RECRUITING AT THE CURRENT AVAILABLE RATES IS VERY DIFFICULT, MUCH LESS TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT EVERY ONE IN SIX DAYS, A FIRST RESPONDER OR A TOW OPERATOR IS HIT AND STRUCK AND KILLED.
THOSE ARE MASSIVE STATISTICS TO BE ABLE TO SAY, AND YOU HIRE, UM, BY THE WAY, CAN YOU DO THIS WORK WITHOUT AN ADJUSTMENT TO YOUR RATES THE LAST ROUND THAT WE WERE ALLOWED? UM, AND AFFORDED AN ADJUSTMENT.
UM, MY COMPANY SPECIFICALLY PUT THAT RIGHT BACK INTO TRAINING AND TECHNOLOGY AND OUR STAFF, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO DO THAT AS WELL.
OUR NUMBERS ARE COMING UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE INFLATION AND THE LACK OF, OF JOB CANDIDATES AND ALSO, UH, EQUIPMENT.
UM,
ARE YOU ABLE TO PULL UP THE PRESENTATION PLEASE? AND I'M MICHELLE SCHMIDT.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WITH ME TODAY I HAVE SERGEANT LUER AND LIEUTENANT LICHTER FROM THE HIGHWAY ENFORCEMENT, UM, RECORD DIVISION TO ASSIST WITH ANY, UM, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO, TOWING IS VITAL TO MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR CITY.
WITHOUT TOWING SERVICES, AUSTIN WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME FUNCTIONING, AND THE ROADWAYS, UM, TOWING SERVICES ARE NECESSARY FOR ALL OF THE REASONS LISTED HERE.
UM, TOWING DISABLED CRASHES AND BROKEN DOWN VEHICLES, IMPOUNDING VEHICLES LEFT AFTER ARREST, REMOVING JUNKED VEHICLES AND ABANDONED VEHICLES, TOWING ILLEGALLY PARKED AND TOW AND HOLD IMPOUNDED VEHICLES INVOLVED IN POLICE INVESTIGATIONS AT A SECURE FACILITY.
UM, I, PER THE CITY OF AUSTIN ORDINANCE, UM, THE RECORD COMPANIES ARE ABLE TO REQUEST A TOWING FEE STUDY.
THE TOFI STUDY IS A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF NON-CONSENT TOES ORIGINATING IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, INCLUDING THE CONSIDERATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE CITY BY THE TOWING COMPANIES THAT REQUESTED THE STUDY.
THE HISTORY OF OUR NON-CONSENT TOWING FEES.
UM, IN JANUARY, 1989, THE NON-CONSENT TOWING FEE WAS $55.
THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN 1996 IN 2001 IN 2006, AND
[00:45:01]
THE LAST ONE WAS IN 2019 WITH A 23% INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR FEE, BRINGING THE NON-CONSENT TOWING FEE SINCE OCTOBER OF 2019 TO $185.CONSENT VERSUS NON-CON, OH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
CONSENT VERSUS NON-CONSENT TOWING FEES.
CONSENT MEANS A TOW TOWING OF A MOTOR VEHICLE INITIATED BY THE OWNER OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE, OR BY A PERSON WHO HAS POSSESSION, CUSTODY, OR CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
NON-CONSENT TOES MEANS A TOW THAT'S NON, NOT A CONSENT TOW.
AND THE TOWING FEE REQUEST IS FOR THE FOLLOWING NON-CONSENT TOES, ANY TYPE OF POLICE IMPOUND WHERE A TOW TRUCK IS SUMMONED TO THE SCENE.
CRASH SCENES, PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUND, AND OTHER THAN PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUNDS.
TYPES OF VEHICLE TOES AND ASSOCIATED FEES.
WE HAVE LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES, WHICH IS OUR STANDARD VEHICLE WITH A TOTAL GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT OF 10,000 POUNDS OR LESS.
MEDIUM DUTY VEHICLE, WHICH IS AN EXCESS OF 10,000 POUNDS, BUT LESS THAN 25,999 POUNDS AND HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES, WHICH ARE IN EXCESS OF 25,999 POUNDS.
SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN UTILIZED FOUR DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES AS PART OF THIS TOWING FEE STUDY.
ONE, WE CONSIDERED FINANCIAL INFORMATION FROM THE TOWING COMPANIES PER THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ORDINANCE TWO, WE CONSIDERED THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.
THREE, WE DID A SURVEY OF THE AUSTIN METROPOLITAN AREA FOR FEE COMPARISONS, AND THEN FOR THE TEXAS LARGE CITY FEE COMPARISON, WHERE AUSTIN IS THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THIS SURVEY.
FOR THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION FROM TOWING COMPANIES REQUESTING THIS STUDY.
UM, AS YOU HEARD FROM THE TOWING COMPANIES TODAY, THEY REQUESTED THE FEE INCREASE, UM, INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF THE EXTENUATING COST INCREASES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH FUEL COSTS, LABOR COST, EQUIPMENT COST, MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT, INSURANCE, RENT, PROPERTY TAXES, TRAINING AND INFLATION.
THIS IS THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION FROM THE TOWING COMPANIES REQUESTING THE STUDY.
SO THE FIRST COLUMN, AND I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO READ ON THE SCREEN, SO THIS WAS PROVIDED AS BACKUP DOCUMENTATION AND, UM, HOPEFULLY PUBLISHED THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, IT DOES SHOW THE LIST OF ALL OF THE NON-CONSENT TOWING FEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FEE SCHEDULE.
THE NEXT COLUMN IS THE CURRENT FEE, AND THEN THE COLUMN IN GREEN IS THE AMOUNT THAT THE TOWING COMPANIES WILL RISK THOSE FEES TO BASED OFF OF, UM, THE REQUEST IN THE TOW FEE STUDY REQUEST.
THE SECOND METHODOLOGY USED WAS THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, UM, ALSO KNOWN AS CPI.
CPI IS A MEASURE OF THE AVERAGE CHANGE OVER TIME IN THE PRICE PAID BY URBAN CONSUMERS FOR A MARKET BASKET OF CONSUMER GOODS AND SERVICES.
THE CPI FROM JANUARY, 2019 TO NOVEMBER, 2022 INCREASED 13.8584% AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF 4.45% PER YEAR BASED ON DATA FROM THE US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
USING THE CPI INCREASE SINCE 2019, AUSTIN'S $185 NON-CONSENT TOWING FEE WOULD NOW EQUAL $215.
THIS IS THE SAME CHART THAT WE SAW, UM, UNDER METHODOLOGY ONE WHERE THE RECORD COMPANIES REQUESTED THEIR PROPOSED FEE INCREASE.
THIS IS, UM, WHAT THE PROPOSED FEE WOULD BE STRICTLY BASED OFF OF AN INCREASE IN CPI FOR THOSE SAME FEES, UM, ALONGSIDE THE CURRENT FEE.
SO THE GREEN HIGHLIGHTED COLUMN IS THE PROPOSED FEE BASED OFF OF THE INCREASE IN CPI.
THE THIRD METHODOLOGY USED WAS THE AUSTIN AUSTIN METROPOLITAN AREA.
UM, TRAVIS COUNTY, THE, IN 2018, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT OF TRAVIS COUNTY APPROVED AN INCREASE IN NON-CONSENT TOWING FEES FROM 1 75 TO 2 75 WILLIAMSON COUNTY IN JUNE OF 2013, INCREASE THEIR NON-CONSENT TOWING FEE FROM ONE 10 TO 1 95.
AND IN THE MOS AUSTIN METRO AREA, KYLE, THE CITY OF KYLE, HAS THE HIGHEST TOWING FEE AT $300.
ROUND ROCK HAS THE LOWEST AT ONE 30, AND THE AVERAGE FEE FOR THE MO AUSTIN METROPOLITAN AREA IS $205.
THIS SHOWS THAT DATA KIND OF IN CHART FORM, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO SEE STARTING WITH THE LOWEST FEE AND ROUND ROCK AT THE TOP AND GOING DOWN THE CHART TO THE HIGHEST FEE, UM, OF KYLE AT $300.
SO AUSTIN, UM, IS AT THE 180 5 CURRENTLY, AND THIS IS PRIME, THIS IS SPECIFIC TO THE LIGHT DUTY TOES.
THIS IS THAT SAME DATA FOR THE MEDIUM DUTY TOES.
[00:50:01]
YOU SEE AUSTIN HAS, UM, THE LOWEST FEE.AND THIS IS THAT SAME DATA FOR HEAVY DUTY TOES WHERE AUSTIN IS AT $800.
THE FOURTH METHODOLOGY IN THE TOPEE STUDY IS THE LARGE TEXAS CITIES.
OUT OF THE 10 LARGE TEXAS CITIES, AUSTIN HAS THE HIGHEST TOWING FEE OF 180 5.
LAREDO HAS THE LOWEST AT ONE 10, LOWEST AT ONE 10.
THE AVERAGE FOR THE LARGE TEXAS CITIES IS 1 55.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE CHART FORM, JUST IF YOU'RE A VISUAL PERSON.
UM, THE LOWEST CITY IS AT THE TOP, THE HIGHEST CITY IS AT THE BOTTOM, UM, AGAIN WITH THE AVERAGE BEING ONE 10.
THIS IS THE SAME CHART FOR LARGE TEXAS CITIES AT THE MEDIUM DUTY TOE.
AUSTIN IS THE THIRD, UM, LOWEST AT THREE 50.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE SAME LARGE TEXAS CITIES FOR THE HEAVY DUTY TOES.
AND AUSTIN, IS IT $800 HIGHLIGHTED THERE? NEXT SLIDE.
UM, IN 2015, THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECORD ORDINANCE WAS UPDATED TO ACCOMMODATE THE USE OF AUTO RETURN APDS CONTRACTED TOWING DISPATCHER VENDOR AS PART OF THIS CONTRACT.
THE TRAFFIC INCIDENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND USED TO RAPIDLY CLEAR DISABLED VEHICLES FROM HIGH SPEED ROADWAYS DURING THE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT TOWING RULES STATE THAT A TOWING COMPANY MUST PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM IF IT IS ON A NON-CONSENT ROTATION LIST.
THE PROGRAM REQUIRES TOWING COMPANIES TO STAGE TOW TRUCKS IN A ZONE AND CLEAR HIGH SPEED ROADWAYS AT NO CHARGE.
ON AVERAGE, AUSTIN TOWING COMPANIES REPORT REMOVING APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FOUR VEHICLES OFF OF AUSTIN ROADWAYS FREE OF CHARGE DURING THEIR REQUIRED SIX HOUR SHIFTS IN THIS PROGRAM.
SO THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION, UM, FROM CITY STAFF ON THIS TOFI STUDY IS THAT AFTER EXTENSIVE REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF THE TOWING FEE STUDY RESULT, PARTICULARLY THE INCREASED CONSUMER PRICE INDEX OF 13.84%, THE AUSTIN FEE OF 180 5 COMPARED TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES IS BELOW AVERAGE.
THE TOWING FEE COMPANY REQUESTS TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TWO NEW FEES, WHICH IS A TOLL FEE TO COVER THE COST OF USING TOLL ROADS TO EFFICIENTLY TRANSPORT TOWED VEHICLES AND AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, EXCEPTIONAL LABOR FEE, UM, WHICH IS FOR EXCEPTIONAL LABOR RELATED TO CLEARING A TOWING SCENE OF AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, WHICH COULD INCLUDE ADDITIONAL DRYING SOLVENT, UM, IF THERE'S A BATTERY LEAK OR A BATTERY EXPLOSION.
UM, THIS IS THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION, UM, HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN FOR EACH OF THOSE, UM, NON-CONSENT TOWING FEES.
SO THERE IS, THE FIRST COLUMN IS THE TOWING FEE.
THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE CURRENT FEE.
THE HIGHLIGHTED COLUMN IS THE PROPOSED FEE BASED OFF OF AN PRIMARILY AN INCREASE IN CPI.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND TO THE LAST COLUMN IS THE TOWING COMPANY REQUESTED FEE INCREASE.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT ALL ON ONE PAGE HERE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY TOFI STUDY.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANY, UM, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
UM, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER KOFF? YES.
UM, ARE THESE FEES JUST FOR WHEN A P D CONTACTS AND NEEDS A VEHICLE TOWED OUT THE ROADWAY? THIS IS A, THIS IS THE TYPE OF TOWING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES.
AND DOES THAT FEE, DOES THE CITY PAY THE TOWING COMPANY THOSE FEES AND THEN IN TURN CHARGE THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE OR THE, THE CITY'S OUT THAT, THAT AMOUNT NO, THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WILL BE OUT THAT, AND THESE ARE ALL A P D TOWS ARE NOT CONSENT TO.
BUT THE CITY HAS TO GO AFTER THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE OR NO, SIR.
HE WOULD BE CHARGED THAT TO GET A VEHICLE OUT OF THE VEHICLE STORAGE LOT.
SO THE TOWING COMPANY THEN WOULD COLLECT FROM THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND I'M SERGEANT LUER WITH AUSTIN, PLEASE.
I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT.
UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF, IF ANYBODY THAT'S SITTING UP THERE COULD TELL US HOW MUCH IS IT NORMALLY COST FOR A CONSENT TOW? A CONSENT TOW WOULD BE ARRANGED BETWEEN THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TOW TRUCK THERE CALLING OR REQUESTING.
SO THAT'S A NEGOTIATED PRICE BETWEEN THOSE TWO PARTIES.
I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE, HOW
[00:55:01]
THE NON-CONSENT TOW IS COMPARING TO THE PRICE OF A CONSENT TOW.BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF AVERAGE NUMBER? I, I COULDN'T TELL YOU.
UM, I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT WHAT A TOW TRUCK COMPANY WOULD, YOU KNOW, GO INTO CONTRACT WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO REPAIRS CARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER WEBER, I WAS INTRIGUED BY THE EXTRA FEE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
IS THAT MANDATORY OR IS THAT ONLY CHARGED? IF THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE ROLL REQUIRES GREATER WORK, IT'S ONLY IF IT REQUIRES THAT WORK.
IT'S CONSIDERED EXCEPTIONAL LABOR IF IT'S REQUIRED.
AND SO IF ANY EXCEPTIONAL LABOR IS REQUIRED, THE ENTIRE ONE 50 GETS CHECKED ON THAT.
THAT IS THE MAXIMUM FEE THAT THEY COULD CHARGE IS THE ONE 50? YES.
WELL, WOULD THEY EVER CHARGE LESS? I WOULD NOT THINK SO.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE OUT OF WHACK WITH LIKE WHAT THE CITY'S TRYING TO DO AS FAR AS ENCOURAGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, IT JUST, I DON'T KNOW, JUST, IT DOESN'T REALLY SEEM LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO USE ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT TO THEN ADD $150 FOR EVERY TOW.
IT JUST, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT MESHES WITH OUR VALUES.
SO COMMISSIONER, I'M, I'M DEAN TER, LIEUTENANT.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES WHATSOEVER, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WHEN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THE, UM, THERE IS A VERY MUCH CONCERN THAT THE BATTERY WILL FAIL AND YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN UNTIL IT STARTS OFF GASSING.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TOW COMPANIES ARE TRAINED TO HANDLE THAT INCIDENCE CUZ UM, WHEN THOSE BATTERIES FAIL, THEY FAIL BIG AND, AND IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
SO, UM, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THIS $150 IS TO HELP MITIGATE THE TRAINING AND POTENTIAL LIABILITY ISSUES THAT ARE, ARE INVOLVED WITH DEALING WITH AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAT'S INVOLVED IN A CRASH.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY IMAGINING OF WHAT THE FEE WOULD BE.
I HAVE A, DIDN'T YOU, DIDN'T Y'ALL WRITE THIS STUDY? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WHY ARE YOU, LIKE, WHY ARE YOU IMAGINING, UM, DID Y'ALL NOT DO, DID Y'ALL NOT, DID THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WRITE THIS STUDY? COMMISSIONER, THIS IS, UH, MICHELLE SCHMIDT, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
UM, WE DID CONDUCT THE TOFI STUDY.
THIS WAS A NEW FEE REQUESTED, UM, BY THE TOWING FEE COMPANIES.
AND THEIR EXPLANATION FOR THAT WAS THAT IT WAS TO CLEAR THE, UM, THE EXCEPTIONAL LABOR TO CLEAR THE DEBRIS FOR THAT.
UM, I, THAT'S THE MOST THAT I KNOW ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT, I THINK IT NEEDS A SECOND LOOK BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAZARDOUS WASTE, WELL I DON'T THINK THAT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO THAT.
I THINK THAT THERE PROBABLY ARE OTHER MORE ENVIRONMENTAL WAYS OF DEALING WITH THAT.
UM, AND IF WE DON'T REALLY EVEN KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR, MAYBE IT NEEDS TO A SECOND LOOK NEEDS TO BE TAKEN AT IT.
VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ, JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT.
IF A F D IS THERE, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND THERE IS ACTUAL HAZARDOUS WASTE THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH, I WOULD, AS I'M ASSUMING THAT IT WOULD BE A F D THAT WOULD HANDLE THAT MATERIAL.
IS THAT WRONG? UM, IS AFD THERE? YES, MA'AM.
THIS IS BRANDON WADE, ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE NOT HANDLED ELECTRIC VEHICLES AS, UM, HAZARDOUS WASTE, UM, BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME THE BATTERY CELLS THEMSELVES ARE CONTAINED.
HOWEVER, THE HAZARD IS, UM, THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH IS ONCE THE ELECTRIC BATTERIES START TO SELF IGNITE BECAUSE OF DAMAGE OR A FIRE, IF SOMEBODY SET IT ON FIRE, IT CAN BE HOURS UPON HOURS TO EXTINGUISH.
AND, UM, COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
I THINK WE HAVE BEEN ON SCENE FOR HOURS JUST FLOWING WATER ON ONE ELECTRIC CAR AND OFTENTIMES WHAT WE HAVE TO TELL THE TOW TRUCK COMPANIES THAT PICK 'EM UP IS SET THE CAR COMPLETELY AWAY FROM EVERYTHING ELSE CUZ WE
[01:00:01]
BELIEVE IT'S OUT.BUT IT CAN REIGNITE ALL ON ITS OWN.
SO IT COULD IGNITE ON THE TOW TRUCK, IT COULD IGNITE BACK IN THE YARD.
SO THERE ARE SPECIAL, UM, PARAMETERS THAT THE TOW TRUCK COMPANIES HAVE TO DO WHENEVER THEY STORE IT BECAUSE ELECTRIC VEHICLE FIRES ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN A NORMAL FIRE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTEXT.
COMMISSIONER CIERA ARLO, UH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THERE IS AN ESTIMATE FOR WHAT THE INCREASE IN REVENUE WOULD BE, UM, IF THIS INCREASE IN THE AVERAGE FEE WERE TO PASS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR INDIVIDUAL TOW COMPANIES? SO THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX INCREASE IS RECOMMENDING A 13% INCREASE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY THAT WOULD BE THE TOP.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON IF THAT'S OFFSET BY THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS, UM, THAT WERE STATED IN THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE TOWING COMPANIES.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE, THE, THE DIFFERENTIAL THERE, BUT THE INCREASE IS 13%, 13.84, I THINK.
SO, TO, TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION, IF, IF THIS IS, IF, IF WE ASSUME THAT THERE IS A, A $50 MILLION, UH, BOTTOM LINE TAKE HOME FROM A COMPANY AND WE WERE TO RAISE THE AVERAGE PROPOSED FEE, ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE SHOULD JUST EXPECT A 13% INCREASE IN THEIR, THEIR BOTTOM LINE REVENUE? I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN ADEQUATELY ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT I, IF, IF I'M FOLLOWING THAT CORRECTLY, I THINK THE ANSWER WOULD BE YES.
UM, IF THIS IS A 13% INCREASE IN THESE SPECIFIC FEES, I DON'T KNOW THAT WOULD, IT WOULD INCREASE THEIR ENTIRE REVENUE LINE.
BUT THESE PARTICULAR FEES, WHICH ARE A SUBSET OF, OF THEIR, UM, SERVICES.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT ON THE, ON THE CONSUMER END, ON THE, ON THE CITIZEN END.
I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER KOFF ASKED, BUT I GOT A LITTLE BIT LOST IN THE RESPONSE.
SO A NON-CONSENT TOW HAPPENS THAT CHARGE, BUT FROM THE TOWING COMPANY GOES TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN OR TO A P D, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S A MUL.
UM, NO, THAT'S NOT, IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE CONSUMER.
AND THEN THAT IS, THAT FEE ISN'T, THAT FEE IS CHARGED WHEN THEY GO TRY TO PICK UP THEIR VEHICLE.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
DON'T GET YOUR CAR BACK UNLESS YOU PAY.
ALL OF THESE FEES, IT CAN BE QUITE ONEROUS TO NO.
AND I THINK THAT THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW MUCH THAT IT NORMALLY COSTS IS ENTIRELY RELEVANT.
AND SO THAT LEADS TO MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION, WHICH IS JUST IN TERMS OF THE TOWING FEE STUDY, WHO, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE TOWING FEE STUDY? LIKE WHAT COMPANIES WERE SURVEYED AND WERE THERE ANY CONSUMER FACING CONSENT TOWING COMPANIES INCLUDED IN THAT STUDY? OR WAS IT JUST CURRENT CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY? SO IT WAS JUST THE FOUR METHODOLOGIES THAT I PRESENTED TODAY.
SO THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMPANIES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, REQUESTED THE STUDY THAT WERE PART OF THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THREE METHODOLOGIES THAT, YOU KNOW, INCLUDED THE SURVEY OF THE SURROUNDING CITIES, THE LARGE CITIES IN TEXAS, AND THEN THE CPI.
SO I THINK I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST SAY OUT LOUD, I THINK EVERYBODY'S KIND OF ALREADY SAID IT AND IS HINTING AT IT.
I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED AT THE STAGGERING AMOUNT, UM, THAT THIS, THIS, THIS FEE, UM, HAS, HAS GOTTEN TO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE COPS COSTS AND I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE TOWING COMPANIES THAT ARE RUNNING THEIR BUSINESSES, UM, AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION AND THE COST AND FUEL AND EQUIPMENT AND ALL THAT STUFF.
BUT I'M REALLY CONCERNED, UM, QUITE FRANKLY WITH, UH, WITH THIS, THIS HUGE SORT OF SPIKE IN PRICES FOR PEOPLE THAT QUITE FRANKLY ARE IN ACCIDENTS AND ARE IN SITUATIONS THAT ARE SOMETIMES CONTROL.
SO, UM, THIS JUST, THIS IS, THIS IS PROBLEMATIC.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE, UM, ELECTRIC VEHICLE, EXCEPTIONAL LABOR FEE QUITE A BIT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE QUITE HELPFUL IF WE UNDERSTOOD WHETHER THE, THE SOLVENT THAT'S GONNA BE USED TO MAKE
[01:05:01]
ELECTRIC VEHICLES SAFER TO TRANSPORT OR WHATEVER OTHER MECHANISMS THE TOWING COMPANIES ARE UTILIZING WITH THIS ELECTRIC VEHICLE, EXCEPTIONAL LABOR HA IF THAT COST HAS ANY RELATIONSHIP TO THE $150 FEE.I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S INFORMATION THAT WE CAN GET.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AFTER WE GET DONE WITH THIS STUDY.
UM, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE IF WE COULD FIND THAT OUT.
WE CAN CERTAINLY FIND THAT OUT.
MY GUESS IS IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE COST OF THE MATERIAL AND THE LABOR FOR THE EXTENUATING TIME OF HAVING MANPOWER OUT, UM, WITH THAT VEHICLE.
UM, AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS PER THE ORDINANCE, UM, THIS TOFI STUDY IS PRESENTED TO THIS COMMISSION AND A VOTE IS TAKEN ON, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR NOT, AND THEN, UM, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PRESENTED TO COUNSEL AS WELL.
UM, DO Y'ALL KNOW THE TIMING OF WHEN IT'S GOING BEFORE COUNSEL? UM, IT'LL BE AT THE NEXT MEETING AVAILABLE AS SOON AS THIS VOTE IS TAKEN AND, AND THAT IN YOUR VOTE OR RECOMMENDATION WILL GO ALONG WITH THAT.
UM,
SO, UM, I ASSUME THAT COULD BE USED FOR LABOR RELATED TO AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
YES, I THINK I'M UNDERSTANDING.
SO I I, I WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME, AND SOMETIME ASSUMING IT'S BAD THAT THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE, EXCEPTIONAL LABOR FEE IS SOMETHING ELSE, ALTHOUGH IT'S CALLED A LABOR FEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALREADY A LABOR FEE.
SORRY, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
SO THE, THE, THE RECOMMENDED, THE PROPOSED FEE BASED ON INCREASED CPI IS, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE REQUEST BY THE TOWING FEE COMPANIES.
UM, ARE THESE TOWING FEE COMPANIES UNDER CONTRACT ALREADY? UM, DO THEY HAVE CONTRACT RENEWALS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT ARE CONTINGENT ON THIS RATE INCREASE? OR IS THIS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? JUST TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT GAP.
LIKE IF THEY'RE SAYING THEY NEED, AND I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE EXACT NUMBERS, A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WE TELL THEM THEY'RE ONLY GONNA GET 800, WHAT HAPPENS THERE? LIKE, AS FAR AS THE TOWING FEE COMPANIES? THE TOWING, THE TOWING COMPANIES ARE, ARE CONCERNED, LIKE WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR CONTRACTS? SO WE ARE NOT CONTRACTED WITH THE TOWING FEE COMPANIES.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES HAVE A MANAGED TOWING CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY VENDOR.
UM, SO ANY INCREASE TO THE FEE, UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY CHA YOU KNOW, BA VERSUS THEIR RECOMMENDATION OR THEIR REQUEST, IT JUST ALTERS THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
UM, AND SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THEIR BUSINESS MODEL TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THEM.
BUT THERE'S NO CONTRACT BETWEEN US AND THE TOWING FEE COMPANIES.
UM, SO I THINK, UM, THE COMMISSION, UH, NEEDS TO DECIDE WHETHER WE CAN VOTE, UM, UP OR DOWN ON THIS RECOMMENDATION OR IF WE WANNA MAYBE VOTE ON A MODIFIED VERSION OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
I AM OPEN TO PROPOSALS IF ANYBODY'S GOT ONE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I NECESSARILY HAVE A PROPOSAL, BUT, UM, AND I, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY IF WE, IT HAS TO BE A HARD UP OR DOWN BOAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ALL KIND OF SAYING THE SAME THING THAT MAYBE WE'RE SYMPATHETIC SOME SORT OF INCREASE, BUT NOT KNOWING WHERE THOSE NUMBERS REALLY COME FROM AND HOW IT'S GONNA AFFECT A, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE TOWING COMPANIES AND, AND THE, AND CONSUMER.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M PERSONALLY AM READY TO SAY YES, THIS IS THE EXACT, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT I'M COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GO FROM THERE, BUT I JUST, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE KIND OF DANCING AROUND.
I, I THINK I, I AGREE WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, UM, I'M READY TO TAKE AN UP OR DOWN VOTE.
UM, UH, UM, UH, I FEEL LIKE WE NEEDED MORE THAN, UH, A WEEK'S COUNCIL NOTICE OR HOWEVER FAR AWAY THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS TO, SO THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY COME BACK WITH MORE QUESTIONS, UM, AND GET MORE INFORMATION.
UM, COMMISSIONER WEBBER, UM, IF MORE, IF
[01:10:01]
ADDITIONAL WORK IS DONE ON THIS AND IT COMES BACK, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE, UM, SOME CONSIDERATION OF INCOME LEVELS OF, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S LIKE, SOME DATA ABOUT WHOSE CARS ARE GETTING TOWED MM-HMM.AND I WONDER IF THERE'S SOME DATA AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN ABOUT HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE ABANDONED AT THAT POINT.
UM, SO I JUST, I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER HOW THESE FEES AFFECT REGULAR PEOPLE.
I MEAN, AND I'M STILL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ANSWERS THAT I GOT ABOUT, UM, NON-SKILLED TOW TRUCK DRIVERS BEING TASKED WITH, UH, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
UH, I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE THERE MUST BE DATA ON HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE NOT BEING PICKED UP, HOW MANY VEHICLE VEHICLES ARE BEING ABANDONED, THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE A THING THAT CITI WOULD KNOW.
UM, WELL, UM, I, WE CAN JUST NOT VOTE ON THIS, UM, AND NOT GIVE THE CITY COUNCIL OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT I HAVE A FUNNY FEELING THE CITY COUNCIL WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND VOTE IT THROUGH WITHOUT OUR OPINION.
UM, COMMISSIONER WEBER, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT COUNSEL SEND THIS STUDY BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND NOT PASS IT NEXT WEEK OR WHENEVER IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
UM, SO WE ARE, UH, VOTING TO, UH, REJECT THE RECOMMENDATION AND, UM, HAVE ADDITIONAL, I GUESS, HAVE IT BE SENT BACK FOR ADDITIONAL WORK ON THE STUDY.
IS THAT SUFFICIENT? JANET
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT IS IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER SIERRA AVALO? YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER WEBER? I VOTE YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSE INFL? UH, YES.
SO, SO WHAT PRETAIL DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS WE MOVE TO ITEM SIX? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S TRUE.
UM, AND JUST A REMINDER THAT EACH OF US, YOU KNOW, CAN COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IMPOUND FEES AND TOWING FEES.
[6. Discussion and possible action on Kroll Report regarding Austin Police Department Training Academy]
LET'S DISCUSS THE CROW REPORT AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAINING ACADEMY.UM, IS IT GONNA BE, UH, MS. JAMES WHO PRESENTS THE REPORT? UM, MARK ONE AS WELL.
UM, MR. ELS? I JUST DON'T, AND OUR REPRESENTATIVE, I JUST DON'T SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN.
YEAH, THEY'RE ON OUR ATTENDEE LIST.
[01:15:03]
GOOD.THIS IS MARK AERS WITH KROLL, AND I WAS ALSO GONNA BE APPEARING WITH, UH, RICK BROWN, WHO MAY ALSO BE ON THE ATTENDEE LIST.
IF YOU COULD PERHAPS LET RICK IN.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I, I, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ASKED TO ATTEND, UH, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO.
UM, IT WAS UNCLEAR TO US WHAT THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION WAS.
UM, I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING YOU WERE DISCUSSING ABOUT THE TRAINING ACADEMY AND THE, UH, CURRICULUM PROCESS REVIEW ASSESSMENT THAT WE BEGIN, UH, JUST BEGUN WORK ON.
UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH TO REPORT ON THAT, BUT WE WILL EXPECT TO COMPLETE THAT WORK, UM, BY MARCH 1ST AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME BACK, UH, AT YOUR, AT YOUR MARCH MEETING PERHAPS TO, TO PRESENT OUR FINDINGS, UM, AT THAT TIME.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, IF, IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, I'D LIKE TO, UM, ASK, IS IT CHIEF BROWN OR RETIRED CHIEF BROWN? A QUESTION HERE.
UM, UH, YOU ARE PART OF THE TEAM THAT'S WORKING ON, UH, REVIEWING THE A P D ACADEMY, UH, THE, THE, UM, THE CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMITTEE PROCESS RIGHT NOW? YES.
UM, AND I AM JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR OPINION IS OF WHAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO, UH, REFORM THE CADET TRAINING PROGRAM, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, DECREASE, UM, U USE OF FORCE VIOLATIONS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, IN INCLUDING EXCESSIVE FORCE, INAPPROPRIATE USE OF WEAPONS, UM, O O OKAY, SO YOU, YOU KIND OF SWITCHED ON ME HERE.
YOU'RE BACK TO OUR PHASE B ASSESSMENT.
UM, I'M, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TRAINING AT THE CADET ACADEMY, UM, AND WHAT WE COULD DO DIFFERENTLY THAT MIGHT CHANGE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE STREETS.
UM, I, I ASSUME THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP THAT THE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS ARE NOT JUST DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT.
WELL, WELL, LET ME JUST, THIS, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW WHAT I THINK IT IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, OUR, OUR FAITH B ASSESSMENT TIES INTO THE ACADEMY.
WE, WHAT WE LOOKED AT, WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORS, SO THAT THE, WHAT WHAT'S TAUGHT AT THE ACADEMY IS, IS, IS TRANSLATES TO WHAT'S BEING DONE OUT IN THE FIELD.
SO, SO THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS THERE THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED THROUGH TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
UM, SO, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I, WHAT I CAN DO IS, IS, IS GO BACK TO THAT AND THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, GET INTO MORE DETAIL.
UH, I'M, I'M, TONIGHT I'M PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE CRC, BUT BASICALLY THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP, THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STREET AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ACADEMY, BUT ALSO WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH SUPERVISION MONITORING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WELL, I, YEAH, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPERVISION IS A KEY PART OF THIS.
UM, I, I THINK JUST TO, JUST TO, JUST TO TIE UP REAL QUICK, YOUR, YOUR QUESTION.
IF WHAT'S TAUGHT IN THE ACADEMY ISN'T MONITORED AND ENFORCED THROUGH POLICY AND SUPERVISION IN THE FIELD, THEN THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME OF THAT BREAKDOWN OCCURS THERE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE CADETS COMING OUT INTO THE FIELD IF THEY MAKE A MISTAKE OR IF THEY DO SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE, IT'S UP TO SUPERVISION AND, AND, AND THE FOLKS IN THE FIELD TO MAKE SURE THEY CORRECT THAT BEHAVIOR.
SO HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HERE HAS WATCHED THE VIDEO FROM THE AGENDA ITEM IN DECEMBER THAT PROCEEDED THIS, AND THERE WERE MANY PENDING QUESTIONS.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THERE WAS SOME FRUSTRATION BECAUSE COMMANDER LYONS WAS SO NEW AND COULD NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND DR.
[01:20:01]
A COUPLE OF ANSWERS THAT WERE BASICALLY, THAT IS ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.I DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IS TO HEAR ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND MOST OF THEM WERE, WERE POSED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE REVIEW COMMISSION, THE CITIZENS, I'M NOT, I'M NOT PRESENT IN THE ROOM THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THEM WERE ABLE TO SHOW UP AGAIN TONIGHT.
UM, SO I, I THINK CHAIR, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF CHIEF COULD ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT DR.
CRINGE AND COMMANDER LYONS WERE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER LAST TIME, IF I CAN DO THAT.
WELL, MA'AM, COMMISSIONER? YES.
IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ACADEMY PERSONNEL WERE GONNA BE PRESENTING ON AN ITEM THAT WE PUSHED FROM THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO ADDRESS IT, WHICH WAS DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM ON UPDATE AND REFORMS RECOMMENDED BY KROLL FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT CADET TRAINING ACADEMY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CADET TRAINING ACADEMY.
ARE WE ADDRESSING THE CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMITTEE, OR IS IT THE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE WERE ADDRESSING THE CROW RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS THE CADET TRAINING ACADEMY REFORM.
WELL, WE JUST HEARD FROM THE CROW FOLKS WHO TOLD US THEY WEREN'T PREPARED TO TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I NEED TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO'S NOT THERO FOLKS ABOUT THE KROLL'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY WERE CALLED TO SPEAK AT THE LAST AGENDA ON THE LAST AGENDA ITEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE IMPLEMENTATIONS.
UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT COMMANDER LYONS AND DR.
UM, I BELIEVE THEY'VE PREPARED SOMETHING FOR TODAY.
UH, IS THAT CORRECT, MA'AM? DR.
KK? ABOUT HOW LONG AND COMMANDER LYONS, ABOUT HOW LONG WILL IT BE AND CHIEF SANK, IS THAT CORRECT? Y WELL, WHAT WE BELIEVED THAT WE WERE COMING TODAY FOR WAS RELATED TO THE CRUEL RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND SO WE'VE PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE, UH, REPORT.
UM, I THINK LAST MONTH WE WERE ASKED ABOUT WHICH, UM, TO GIVE YOU THE REPORT FROM, I THINK THAT CAME OUT IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR.
UM, SO WE SUBMITTED THAT OUT AND SO WE THOUGHT THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD SOME QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE KRO, UM, REPORT.
UM, SO WE'RE PREPARED TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS CUZ WE, UH, KROLL IS COMING BACK FOR A CRC, UM, WHICH IS THE CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH IS AN, A COMPONENT OF THE ACTUAL REPORT, UM, BUT NOT ENCOMPASSING ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I, UM, I DON'T MEAN TO BE RUDE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A BETTER USE OF OUR TIME TO, UM, WELL, OKAY.
HOW LONG ARE YOUR REMARKS? I I THINK WE WERE MORE PREPARED TO ASK THE QUESTION, TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO WHERE WE SEE MOVING FORWARD.
SO ON THE PAROLE RECOMMENDATIONS, ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? N NO, I, I, ON THE AGENDA IT SAID THE CRUEL REPORT.
UM, AND SO THOSE WERE THE QUESTIONS THAT I'M PREPARED TO, WE HAVE THE KRY REPORT FOR US.
UM, SO, UM, CHIEF STANSKI, WE, WE HAD A POWERPOINT ON THE LAST MEETING YEAH.
THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE KRO RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO THAT WAS OUR PRESENTATION LAST WEEK.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I THINK WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE ABOUT THE POWERPOINT OR THE KRO RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, WELL, I'M JUST GONNA LET FOLKS ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
ARE WE FOCUSING IN ON THE CRAWL REPORT OR THE CRC? UH, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
WHEN YOU REFER TO THE CRC, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH KROLL IS DOING ANOTHER, UH, LOOK AT WITH JJC.
SO THEY'RE COMING IN AND THEY'RE GONNA CREATE A, A REVIEW OF WHAT THE CRC HAS DONE SINCE ITS BEGINNING, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW IT SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD.
SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT KROLL IS COMING IN TO REVIEW Y'ALL'S WORK? YES.
TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY SHOULD PROCEED, YES.
HOW THE COMMITTEE SHOULD RE, HOW THE COMMITTEE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN WORK TOGETHER MOVING FORWARD.
UH, AS A, AS A PUBLIC VOLUNTEER BOARD.
[01:25:02]
WE SHOULD WAIT FOR CRUEL TO ANALYZE A DIFFERENT PUBLIC VOLUNTEER BOARD'S WORK BEFORE WE CAN TALK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE WORK OF A PUBLIC VOLUNTEER BOARD.I, I DON'T THINK WE DO EITHER, MA'AM.
I THINK IT'S, UH, THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE AGENDA WAS THE THERO RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS REPORT THAT WE, THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA.
BUT WE, WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS.
YOU IF YOU, UH, HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU JUST RESTATE ANY QUESTION YOU HAD FROM THE LAST MEETING? WELL, I THINK, UM, AND I'M SORRY THAT MORE OF US ARE NOT HERE.
I KNOW THAT SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO AND BEYOND THE VIDEO, BUT I SUSPECT THAT, UH, IS THERE A WAY TO CHECK AND SEE IF ANYONE'S WAITING? WELL, PHIL HOPKINS, PHIL HOPKINS, NOELLE DAVIS, PHIL HOPKINS AND NOELLE DAVIS ARE BOTH ON THE CALL.
IF THEY COULD BE, UM, I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, LIKE I'M NOT THE
UM, IF, IF THE PANELISTS HAD BOTHERED TO WATCH PHIL'S VERY, UM, COMPELLING, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION FROM LAST MONTH, THEN WE COULD HAVE JUST JUMPED RIGHT INTO ADDRESSING IT.
BUT I GUESS HE HAS TO GIVE IT AGAIN.
WHICH CHAIR? I JUST, WHAT IS GOING ON
I DO, I SEE PHIL IS NOW ON, UM, I HAVE JUST BEEN GIVEN THANK YOU, MR. HOPKINS, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.
UM, YEAH, I DON'T, WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING YOU.
UH, I'LL TALK MORE DIRECTLY TO THE MICRO.
UM, I, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP LAST WEEK THAT, THAT I BELIEVE THE COMMISSION ASKED FOR SOME RESEARCH ON AND, AND, UH, TO HEAR BACK FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT WAS WHY, UH, THERE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE ACCESS TO THE TRAINING AT THE ACADEMY FOR PEOPLE ON THE, THE COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, ALSO, I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED LAST WEEK WAS ABOUT WHAT CHANGES HAD BEEN MADE IN ANY OF THE, WHAT, WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE ON ANY OF THE, OF THE MODULES IN THE ACADEMY HAD BEEN MADE, UH, IN SUBSEQUENT CLASSES OR WERE READY TO BE MADE FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, ACADEMY.
AS, AS FAR AS THE FIRST QUESTION, UM, MR. HOPKINS, WERE YOU REFERRING TO WA BEING ABLE TO WATCH THE CADET CLASSES? UM, BECAUSE GOING OUT AND WATCHING TRAINING MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M ANSWERING YOUR CORRECTLY.
I MEAN, THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION OF THE QUESTION LAST WEEK WAS, UM, I MEAN THE OVERARCHING, UH, I YEAH.
WAS TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AND INCREASE TRANSPARENCY.
SO THE QUESTION WAS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO, UH, VIEW THE TRAINING IN THE ACADEMY, BOTH IN THE BASIC CADET CLASSES AND PERHAPS IN SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, UH, TRAINING REGIMES, UH, IN ORDER TO SEE THE, HOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED IN THE TRAINING.
BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO SORT OF MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON A, ON A, A LESSON PLAN, AND IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SEE HOW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED DURING THE, UH, PROCESS OF TRAINING THE CADETS.
AND TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UH, I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE CHIEF, UM, A ABOUT THIS.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE GETTING WITH THE CITY LEGAL AND THEN ALSO WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO COME UP WITH, UH, POSSIBILITIES, UH, AND ANY PROCEDURES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
IT'S, UH, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
CITY LEGAL, RIGHT? WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CADETS IN THERE, WE HAVE INSTRUCTORS DURING THE CLASS, SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, WE, WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BEFORE IT HAPPENS.
SO THE CHIEF HAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DECISION HE CAN MAKE AND ALSO THE CITY MANAGER.
CAN YOU ARTICULATE WHAT YOU'RE AFRAID OF? WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE, WE'RE NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING.
[01:30:01]
JUST THE PROCESS WE GO THROUGH WITH, WITH EVERYTHING.WE, UH, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON LEGAL GROUND, IF ANYTHING WAS TO HAPPEN.
UH, WE, WE'VE GOT, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF CADETS IN THERE, AND WE NEED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IN IS, IS SAFEGUARDED, INCLUDING THE CITY OR THE CADETS OR, OR THE CRC.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SAYING IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE'RE THE CHIEF IS LOOKING INTO IT.
HE WANTS TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION AND, AND TALK WITH CITY MANAGEMENT BEFORE WE COME UP WITH THE POLICY AND PROCEDURE.
JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? UH, FOR THE MOST PART.
LIKE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A KUNG FU FOOD CLASS.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T REALLY SPECIFIED, OR YOU GUYS HAVEN'T SPECIFIED WHEN YOU WANT TO SEE IN THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A K FU CLASS, BUT WE DO HAVE DEFENSIVE TACTICS.
UM, COMMISSION COMMISSIONER WEBBER, PLEASE.
SO, A MONTH AGO WE HAD A MEETING WHERE MEMBERS OF THE C R C CAME IN ON THEIR OWN TIME TO, TO EXPLAIN TO US WHAT THEY HAD BEEN DOING.
AND WE ASKED A CLASS THAT CADETS TAKE, SAY, ON THE FOURTH AMENDMENT, WHY CAN'T, ARE THE, THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO REVIEW THE ACADEMY AND CURRICULUM WATCH SUCH A CLASS, A CLASS THAT IS ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND HOW IT IS APPLIED AT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I, I WOULD, I'M SKEPTICAL THAT ANYTHING HAS BEEN DONE ON THAT.
AND SO I THINK IT IS, IT'S INSULTING TO COME IN AND SAY THE CHIEF IS CONSIDERING IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE CHIEF IS CONSIDERING IT.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS CONSIDERED IT.
I THINK THAT WE HAD A MEETING A MONTH AGO AND NO ONE DID ANYTHING AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, MA'AM, THIS IS CHIEF HENDERSON.
THE REQUEST OR CONSIDERATION PASSED ON TO CHIEF JACON AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING EVALUATED.
SO YES, IT HAS BEEN PASSED ALONG TO CHIEF JACON.
IS THAT AN OPEN RECORD CHIEF HENDERSON? I, I'M UNCLEAR ON THE RELATION TO AN OPEN RECORDS.
I'M ASKING YOU IF THE MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS TRANSMITTED TO CHIEF CHACON IS AN OPEN RECORD.
IT WAS IN CONVERSATION, MA'AM.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
THAT, LIKE, THAT WHAT, THAT WHAT COMMISSIONERS AND CITIZENS ARE, ARE BRINGING TO YOU THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY TAKING IT UP.
WE JUST HAVE TO LIKE TRUST, I GUESS.
JUST A LITTLE HARD, MA'AM, I HAVE TAKE ALL OF YOUR CONSIDERATIONS OR REQUESTS SERIOUSLY, ALL HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED UP ON THIS ONE.
THIS MATTER IS STILL IN CONSIDERATION WITH THE CHIEF.
AS SOON AS WE HAVE A DECISION FROM CHIEF JACON, I'LL REPORT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
I HAVE A QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION, VICE CHAIR RAMIREZ.
UM, SO I, I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT THIS, THIS REQUEST, UM, SURFACED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME DURING OUR COMMISSION MEETING IN DECEMBER.
UM, CAN, UM, SOMEONE FROM THE CRC LET US KNOW, LIKE WHEN THIS REQUEST FIRST, I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING IT'S, IT'S AN EXPECTATION FROM SINCE THE CRC WAS FORMED.
SO JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF TIMELINE AND HOW LONG YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS.
ACTUALLY, THIS IS, UM, THIS COMES FROM RESOLUTION 37, WHICH IS PART OF THE CREATION OF THIS COMMITTEE.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY A PART OF THE RESOLUTION THAT SAYS THAT, THAT, UH, THAT CITY COUNCIL PASSED THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THIS ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THE CLASSES AND CO EVALUATE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WATCH THE CLASSES.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S A REQUEST BASED ON WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY, UM, SAID.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS ACTUALLY WHAT I SUSPECTED, WHICH IS WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION, UM, WHICH IS I HOPE, UM, CHIEF HENDERSON AND EVERYONE THAT'S THERE FROM THE ACADEMY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHY IT'S FRUSTRATING, UM, THAT IT IS BEING DEALT WITH AS A FIRST REQUEST A MONTH AGO DURING A COMMISSION MEETING.
IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN MOTION ALL THIS TIME.
I MEAN, TH THIS IS NOT A, A, THE CRC WASN'T FORMED LIKE SIX WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY CONCERNING THAT THIS FAR INTO THIS PROCESS, THE, THE QUESTION IS BEING ASKED.
UM, UM, AGAIN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE, WE SPOKE TO THIS FRUSTRATION LAST MONTH ABOUT HOW SERIOUSLY, UM, THIS, THIS, THIS, THE CRC IS BEING
[01:35:01]
TAKEN, HOW, HOW, HOW STRONGLY THEIR POSITIONS ARE BEING CONSIDERED.AND I HOPE YOU CAN SEE AND UNDERSTAND WHY WE GET FRUSTRATED WHEN WE HEAR THAT A REQUEST WAS MADE, UM, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN OUR DECEMBER AND JANUARY MEETING, OVER THE HOLIDAYS, OVER SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION.
THAT IS, THAT IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING.
UM, THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE, UM, HONORING THIS PROCESS, QUITE FRANKLY.
SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE, MM, TWO YEARS AGO, MAYBE LONGER, THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO RUN THIS CITY, PASSED A RESOLUTION, CREATING THE CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCESS AND PUT SOME CITIZENS ON THAT.
AND IN THAT RESOLUTION IT SAID YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LET THEM INTO TRAININGS, AND NOW WE'RE IN 2023 AND THEY STILL CAN'T GET INTO TRAININGS.
AND Y'ALL AND THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT SOME MORE.
I WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO READ THE RESOLUTION FOR THE WORDING, BUT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA.
CHIEF, DO WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? CAN WE MOVE ON? I THINK WE'VE, YES MA'AM.
WE'VE, WE'VE DONE THE ROLE ON THIS.
THERE, IS IT, UM, POSSIBLE, UH, THIS IS MARK TAYLOR AS ARO, IF I COULD JUST, UH, TRY TO ASK, UH, ADD A CLARIFYING COMMENT.
JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR, KIND OF WHAT PAROLE'S BEEN ASKED TO DO AND WHAT THE TIMELINE IS.
AND SO I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING, ANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AT THIS POINT BASED ON WHAT WAS DISCUSSED.
I DID, I DID, UH, WATCH THAT LAST MEETING SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE.
I JUST WANNA SAY FROM CARL'S PERSPECTIVE, WE WERE, WE WERE CONTRACTED BY THE CITY, UM, STARTING LAST MONTH TO WORK ALONG WITH, UH, JOYCE JAMES GROUP.
UM, AND TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH, YOU KNOW, INTERVIEWING AND SPEAKING WITH MEMBERS OF THE CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMI COMMITTEE, UH, SPEAKING WITH, UH, A P D STAFF, UH, AT THE ACADEMY WHO PARTICIPATED AND, UM, UH, ATTEMPTED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE TALKING AND LOOKING AT OTHER POTENTIAL, UH, COMMUNITIES AND AGENCIES AND WHAT THOSE MODELS ARE TO SEE IF THERE CAN BE SOME PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, BECAUSE CLEARLY I THINK EVERYBODY DID AGREE THAT WHATEVER HAPPENED IN 2022 WITH THE WORK AT THE CORRECT REVIEW COMMISSION COMMITTEE, IT, UH, SORT OF HIT A STANDSTILL, WASN'T AS EFFECTIVE AS I THINK EVERYBODY HAD HAD HOPED IT WOULD BE.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AND WE WILL BE ISSUING A REPORT HOPEFULLY BY, UH, THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, UM, WITH OUR KIND OF OVERALL, HOPEFULLY OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT AS TO KIND OF WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T WORK, AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UH, HOW THAT CAN BE IMPROVED.
SO THAT'S JUST IN THE PROCESS.
WE'RE REALLY JUST GETTING STARTED.
WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALREADY.
WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, UH, MEETING SCHEDULED WITH, UH, ACADEMY STAFF, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HOPE TO BE ON LINE TO COMPLETE THAT BY MARCH ONE.
WITH RESPECT TO THE CROW REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, IN OUR REPORT, THE REPORT THAT, THAT I BELIEVE EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT, THERE IS, UH, THE FINAL REPORT OF INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR OF THE A P D TRADING ACADEMY THAT WAS ISSUED BACK IN FEBRUARY 16TH, 2022, IS THE 120 PAGE REPORT WE HAD.
UM, AND FRANKLY IN THE WORK WE HAD DONE THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND A HALF IN LOOKING AT THE ACADEMY, UM, HAVE NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS.
I BELIEVE APPROXIMATELY THREE DOZEN RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAD ULTIMATELY MADE.
AND WE ASSESS IN THAT REPORT OF INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR, UM, WHICH OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAD BEEN COMPLETED, WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN INDEPENDENT, VERIFIED, AND WHICH NEEDS STILL FURTHER WORK NOW THAT WAS BACK IN FEBRUARY.
NOW, IN THE MEANTIME, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN ADDITIONAL CADET CLASSES AND, UM, UH, WHERE THE ACADEMY IS ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHETHER THEY'VE CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT THEM AND SO FORTH, I THINK IS AN OPEN QUESTION.
AND, UM, WE'RE IN SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY ABOUT POTENTIALLY, UM, LOOKING INTO THAT MOVING FORWARD.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT IN PLACE YET AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE SUBJECT OF, UM, UH, OF A FUTURE ENGAGEMENT WITH, WITH THE CITY AND ANDRO.
BUT JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY AND DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOSE, THOSE TWO ITEMS. AND WE'RE HAPPY AT ANY POINT IF,
[01:40:01]
IF YOU DO EVER WANT US TO COME AND ACTUALLY PRESENT ON OUR FINDINGS BACK FROM LAST, UH, LAST YEAR ON OUR EVALUATION OF THE ACADEMY, UM, HAPPY TO DO THAT.UH, JUST WE WOULD NEED SOME ADVANCED NOTICE SO WE CAN CAN FULLY PREPARE AND HOPEFULLY PRESENT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO YOU ALL, UM, IN THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT, UM, EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION, UM, CAN READ THE REPORT AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT DATED NOW BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, A P D HAS IMPLEMENTED QUITE A FEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK THE, I CAN SPEAK FOR THE COMMISSION OR MOST OF THE COMMISSION, UM, IN SAYING THAT IT, IT IS OUR DEEP FRUSTRATION THAT THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE THERE APPEARS TO BE LITTLE OR NO PROGRESS, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST A DEEP UNWILLINGNESS TO CHANGE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF PAYING CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE RETIRED POLICE CHIEFS ON THEIR STAFF IS THE WAY TO GET THROUGH THAT DEEP UNWILLINGNESS TO CHANGE OR NOT.
UM, BUT, UH, IT, IT'S DEFINITELY AN IMMOVABLE FORCE CURRENTLY.
UM, AND THAT IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING FOR THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN, UH, PARTICULARLY I WOULD SAY FOR THE PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES TO, UM, GUN VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ON THE COMMISSION WHO HAS ANY DIFFERENT NEW QUESTIONS, UH, FOR, UH, A P D? OKAY.
UM, WELL, I WILL, UH, WRAP THIS ITEM UP AND, UH,
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
MOVE ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU.UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO PUT A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, UM, FROM, UH, UH, ON THE AGENDA FOR SOME FUTURE POINT, LIKE TEXT LUNCH SESSION STARTS TOMORROW.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UM, THE, THE UPDATE, THE MARCH 1ST TRAINING ACADEMY UPDATE FROM KROLL, UM, BACK ON ONE THAT IS READY FOR US AS WELL.
I'LL THROW ANOTHER ONE ON THERE.
UM, UH, I KNOW IT'S NOT EXACTLY A P D, UM, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM CAP METRO AS, UM, TO GET SOME SORT OF UPDATE AS THEY ARE FORMING A NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NO EXCITING DESIRE TO LEARN ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, AMBULANCES.
UM, WELL THEN I GUESS WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT ANYMORE, RIGHT? I ALWAYS FORGET WHAT WE CAN VOTE ON.
ANYWAY, UM, THANKS Y'ALL FOR, UM, MAKING IT THROUGH THIS.
UM, AND THIS IS THE END OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING.