* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          OH, YEP. 
          WE'RE 
          [00:00:01]
NOT READY. 
          GOT IT. 
          BY THE WAY, YOU'RE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE I DON'T FORGET THAT. 
          WATER BOTTLE. 
          . 
          [Police Ordinance News Conference]
THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE PROSPECT OF FALLING OUT OF CONTRACT, UH, WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND WITH THE UNION. 
          AND WE HAVE NOW PASSED AN ITEM THAT CREATES STABILITY AND OVERSIGHT IN THE EVENT THAT THAT HAPPENS. 
          UH, I SET IT ON THE DIAS, I MEANT IT THEN, AND I MEAN IT. 
          NOW. 
          EVERYONE IS BETTER OFF IF WE HAVE A CONTRACT, AND IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THE UNION WILL COME TO THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, UH, FOR THEIR MEMBERS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          BUT SHOULD THAT NOT HAPPEN, UH, WE WERE ABLE TODAY TO, TO PASS AN ORDINANCE. 
          UH, AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND, AND REALLY STARTING THE CONVERSATION AND, AND, AND HELPING ALONG THE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT SHOULD WE NOT HAVE THAT CONTRACT AND SHOULD WE REACH MARCH 31ST, THAT WE CONTINUE TO VALUE OUR POLICE OFFICERS COME APRIL 1ST. 
          THEY DON'T LOSE ANY VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY JUST BECAUSE THEY FALL OUTTA CONTRACT. 
          AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TODAY IS PRESERVE THEIR PAY, PRESERVE THEIR BENEFITS TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWABLE UNDER LAW, WHILE ALSO PRESERVING OR OVERSIGHT THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WANTS WHEN IT COMES TO POLICING. 
          SO I THINK THIS IS THE RESPONSIBLE STEP FORWARD. 
          I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO STOP TALKING PAST EACH OTHER AND JUST TRYING TO BLAME EACH OTHER AND INSTEAD COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD. 
          AND HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS BOTH SIDES COME TO THE TABLE AND REACH AN AGREEMENT. 
          BUT SHOULD THAT NOT HAPPEN, WE ARE TAKING THE RESPONSIBLE STEP TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY, UH, CONTINUES TO BE SERVED AND THAT, AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO VALUE, UH, THE OFFICERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND, AND WITH THAT, UH, I'D LIKE THE MAYOR TO, TO COME UP AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          UM, AND I, I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. 
          UM, I, I WANNA TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS. 
          I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, UH, WHAT HAPPENED TODAY, UH, BECAUSE TODAY WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT EVENT. 
          UH, BUT I ALSO WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT CITY HALL BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT AND IT SOMETIMES GETS MISSED WHEN WE GO FROM COUNCIL MEETING TO COUNCIL MEETING ITEM TO ITEM. 
          UH, I RAN FOR MAYOR LAST YEAR SAYING THAT IN MY VIEW, UH, THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AT CITY HALL. 
          I EVEN LIKENED IT TO, YOU KNOW, A CAR WHOSE TIRES ARE OUT OF ALIGNMENT. 
          IT'S STILL MOVING FORWARD, BUT IT, IT'S SHIMMIES AND IT MAY PULL ONE DIRECTION OR THE OTHER. 
          UM, AND IT'S NOT MAKING THE PROGRESS THAT YOU WANT TO SEE MADE. 
          UM, AND, AND WE INHERITED A, A GOVERNMENT THAT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES AND, AND SOME THAT, THAT ARE VERY FRUSTRATING TO US AND THAT ARE FRUSTRATING, UH, TO THE PUBLIC, UH, WHO WANT IMMEDIATE REACTION. 
          UH, AND, AND, AND I GET THEIR LACK OF PATIENCE ON THINGS. 
          BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE THINGS. 
          JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHERE THE LACK OF ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE CITY COUNCIL WAS VERY PROFOUND, UH, EVEN UP TO AND INCLUDING, UH, UH, MANAGER, UH, REFUSING TO TAKE SPECIFIC DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL. 
          UH, WE WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE WAS A LACK OF ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE ELECT, THE, THE PEOPLE ELECTED BY THE, THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN AND THOSE CITIZENS IN THE SENSE THAT THERE WAS AN EFFORT THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO BLOCK THOSE CITIZENS FROM BEING ABLE TO USE THE PETITION SYSTEM. 
          SOMETHING THAT OUR CHARTER SAYS THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO IN ORDER TO PETITION THEIR GOVERNMENT AND HAVE AN ELECTION ON THAT. 
          AND I SAID JUST LAST WEDNESDAY, THAT WE WERE IN A VERY SIGNIFICANT AND SOLEMN DAY BECAUSE WE WERE DEALING WITH TWO THINGS THAT DAY, OF COURSE, PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS, UH, PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST RESPONSIBILITY. 
          AND SECOND, WHO WAS GOING TO BE MANAGING OUR CITY TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THINGS RIGHT IN TWO WEEKS SINCE IN, 
          [00:05:01]
SINCE TWO WEEKS AGO. 
          TODAY, IN TWO WEEKS, THIS COUNCIL AND MAN AND AND MANAGER'S OFFICE AND CITY HALL HAVE DONE A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          ONE, WE HAVE PROTECTED THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS TO HAVE THEIR SAY AS THE CHARTER GUARANTEES THEM THAT RIGHT NOW, I WANNA PAUSE A SECOND BECAUSE WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT A LENGTH OF A CONTRACT. 
          A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT WOULD BLOCK THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR SAY AS THE CHARTER ALLOWS. 
          THAT IS THE CONTEXT WE INHERITED, AND THAT IS A CONTEXT THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED IF YOU WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE. 
          SECOND, WE HAVE LIFTED UP OUR POLICE, WE HAVE LIFTED UP OUR PUBLIC SA SAFETY SERVANTS WHO, WHO DO THE WORK THAT WE ASK THEM TO DO TO KEEP US SAFE AND HELP US FEEL SAFE WITH THE ACTION WE TOOK TODAY. 
          LAST WEEK, THE, THE RESOLUTION SAID WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT WE WOULD LIFT THEM UP. 
          THIS WEEK WE DID THAT, THAT RESOL, THAT THAT ORDINANCE THAT JUST PASSED ON A UNANIMOUS VOTE BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, NOT ONLY GUARANTEES THE SALARIES WILL STAY IN PLACE EVEN IF WE HAVE NO CONTRACT AT ALL. 
          BUT IT, WHAT IT ALSO SAYS IS WE ARE DIRECTING THE, THE, THE CITY MANAGER TO COME UP WITH A PACKAGE AND IMPLEMENT A PACKAGE THAT WILL KEEP OFFICERS HERE AND HELP US RECRUIT OFFICERS. 
          SO WE ARE LIFTING UP OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS IN A WAY THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED BEFORE. 
          AND I'LL JUST SAY IT, WE DID IT BY SHOWING HOW A COUNCIL MANAGER, FORMER OF GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. 
          THE COUNCIL GAVE DIRECTION ON POLICY AND THE MANAGER WILL NOW CARRY IT OUT. 
          UH, WHAT, WHAT HE'S BEEN DIRECTED TO DO, AND HE WILL CARRY OUT, IS TO MAKE SURE OUR P UH, POLICE OFFICERS RECEIVE FAIR AND APPROPRIATE PAY RAISES THIS YEAR, CREATE INCENTIVES TO RECRUIT NEW OFFICERS TO WORK, UH, TO ENSURE THE POLICE FORCE IS FULLY STAFFED. 
          AND WE DO ALL WE CAN TO RETAIN OFFICERS. 
          UM, I WOULD SAY EXACTLY WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER JUST SAID, HAVING A CONTRACT WOULD BE BETTER, BUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WAS A GOOD FAITH ACT BY THE, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO A, A GOOD FAITH ACT TO GET US WHERE WE'RE LIFTING UP OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND TO SEND THEM THE MESSAGE THAT WE CARE ABOUT THEM AND WE WANT TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM. 
          WHAT I'M HOPEFUL IS THAT WHAT THIS WILL DO IS HAVE THE P THE APA BE WILLING TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND LET US TRY TO NEGOTIATE A, A, AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL HAVE THE NUANCE IN IT THAT IT NEEDS TO HAVE, WHERE WE CAN ALLOW PEOPLE TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS AND SPEAK THEIR VOICES THE WAY THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN WANT US TO DO, AND ALSO ASSURE THE PUBLIC SAFETY THEY ALL DESERVE. 
          WITH THAT, I WANT TO INTRODUCE, UM, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER, JESUS GARZA, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. 
          UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR. 
          I, UH, WE TAKE, UH, THE CHARGE SERIOUSLY. 
          I THINK THAT WHAT, UH, WAS DEMONSTRATED JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID TO ME WHEN, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED INTERIM, AND THAT THERE'S NOT A HIGHER PRIORITY THAT THIS MAYOR AND COUNCIL PLACES THEN ON PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          AND THE VOTE TODAY ASSURES OUR OFFICERS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE CONTRACT, THAT THEIR PAY IS PROTECTED. 
          THE SECOND THING IS, IS THAT THEY'VE ASKED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EVALUATE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US TO ENSURE THAT WE GET TO FULL STAFFING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND I THINK SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THIS PACKAGE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO HAVE PEOPLE RECRUITED AND COME INTO THE, UH, COME INTO THE, UH, CADET ACADEMY SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME FULL FLEDGED POLICE OFFICERS. 
          AND FINALLY, ALSO, THE, THE INCENTIVES FOR THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT BE THINKING OF RETIREMENT, WHAT INCENTIVES CAN WE PUT IN PLACE TO HAVE THEM STAY ON THE FORCE? AND FINALLY, UH, SOME PEOPLE WANTED TO SAY THESE THINGS ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE OVERSIGHT AS WELL AS TAKING CARE OF OFFICERS. 
          AND I THINK WHAT'S BEEN DEMONSTRATED TODAY IS THAT YOU CAN HAVE BOTH. 
          IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S NOT EITHER OR, BUT IT'S BOTH AND, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT, UH, GETTING ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE, UH, THIS CITY CAN, UH, DO THAT IT NEEDS TO DO TO ENSURE THAT WE'VE GOT PO UH, SAFETY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY. 
          SO JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, 
          [00:10:01]
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT A CONTRACT, IF, UM, APA DOESN'T WANNA COME BACK TO THE TABLE, DO YOU MEAN REGARDING THAT ONE YEAR EXTENSION? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE EVENTUAL LONG-TERM TALKS REGARDING THE FOUR YEAR? WELL, MY HOPE, MY HOPE IS THAT AT SOME POINT WE, WE HAVE AN ELECTION IN MAY, AND WE CAN ENTER INTO A LONG YEAR CON LONG TERM CONTRACT. 
          UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR US TO PUT INTO PLACE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT THAT IS NEGOTIATED, UH, IN ADVANCE OF, OF, OF THE, THE MAY ELECTION. 
          THE PROBLEM, A BIG ISSUE, AND, AND I SAID THIS THE OTHER NIGHT, THERE ARE MULTIPLE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. 
          ONE PRINCIPLE OR VALUE IS THAT THE CHARTER ALLOWS PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET A PETITION AND IT'S BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE CLERK AND THE COUNCIL PUTS IT ON THE BALLOT, THE CHARTER SAYS THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO PETITION THEIR GOVERNMENT THAT WAY. 
          WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION, I BELIEVE, TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THAT. 
          AND SO THE DIFFICULTY WITH A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT IS THAT IT WOULD BLOCK THAT, IT WOULD STEP IN FRONT OF THAT. 
          SO WHAT WE'VE SAID IS WE WANT A CONTRACT WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS, BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DEAL WITH THESE INTERTWINED PRINCIPLES. 
          WHAT WE DID TODAY, WHICH MAY BE YOUR QUESTION, BUT WHAT WE DID TODAY IS WE SAID, EVEN IF THERE IS NO CONTRACT, WHETHER THERE'S A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT OR ONE YEAR CONTRACT OR WHATEVER, NO CONTRACT, WE ARE PROTECTING THE PAY OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS. 
          SO SORRY TO SAY THIS IS A SAFEGUARD AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFEGUARD. 
          NOT ONLY IS THAT FAIR, THAT'S A A VERY GOOD WAY OF DESCRIBING IT. 
          IT IS A SAFEGUARD AND IT IS AN INCENTIVE. 
          THE SAFEGUARD IS THEIR SALARIES ARE PROTECTED. 
          THAT'S THE, THAT'S, UH, IN, IN PART TWO OF THE ORDINANCE. 
          MM-HMM. 
          . 
          BUT THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, IS WE'VE DIRECTED THE MANAGER TO GO BEYOND THAT TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN INCREASE PAY, HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO STAY ON THE FORCE WITH, WITH PAY, HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO COME AND BE PART OF OUR FORCE. 
          THIS IS A DEMONSTRATION OF HOW STRONGLY WE FEEL WE'RE GOING TO SAFEGUARD OUR POLICE OFFICERS, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ENHANCE THE SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN HA BE FULLY STAFFED. 
          YOU HAD A QUESTION, MAYOR WATSON? YES. 
          I KNOW THAT YOU CALLED THIS PRESS CONFERENCE SPECIFICALLY TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICE CONTRACTS. 
          RESPECTFULLY, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE STREET TAKEOVER INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND. 
          OUR TEAM AT CBS AUSTIN REACHED OUT TO YOUR OFFICE EVERY DAY THIS WEEK AND HOPE TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION FOLLOWING THAT STATEMENT. 
          AND EVERY REQUEST WAS DECLINED. 
          NOW YOU HAVE THE GOVERNOR STEPPING IN AND SAYING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A TASK FORCE TO LOOK INTO WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK. 
          I WANNA READ TO YOU A QUOTE, UH, THAT YOU HAD SAID FOLLOWING THE WINTER STORM. 
          YOU SAID, QUOTE, I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED IN THE COMMUNICATION THAT I FEEL LIKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY. 
          YEAH. 
          A PRESS CONFERENCE LIKE THIS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE NOW, BUT WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE WHEN WE GET PAST THE LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUES THAT WE STILL FACE. 
          WE'RE PAST THOSE LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUES. 
          WHY HASN'T A PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THAT FROM YOUR OFFICE BEING CALLED SO FAR? WELL, BECAUSE COUPLE OF REASONS. 
          ONE IS THAT IT'S A POLICING INCIDENT, AND I RELIED UPON THE CHIEF, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AT ALL TIMES, AND I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE CHIEF AT ALL TIMES, INCLUDING IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE BECAUSE INTELLIGENCE MIGHT BE UTILIZED IN ORDER TO MAKE ARRESTS THAT WE, THAT ULTIMATELY WERE MADE. 
          IT'S A POLICING INCIDENT. 
          AND I'M, UH, WHILE I'M, UH, AWARE OF WHAT, WHAT MAY BE GOING ON, I THINK IT'S BETTER FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS TO BE THERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND SPEAK ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. 
          I WILL ACTUALLY TELL YOU THAT, THAT I'M PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS STEPPED IN BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT LOST IN THIS, UH, AND, AND IS THE FACT THAT THESE STREET TAKEOVERS, THAT'S NOT JUST AN AUSTIN DEAL. 
          I KNOW WE, WE, WE, BECAUSE IT'S AN AUSTIN, WE SOMETIMES, UM, FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT'S, IT IS JUST AUSTIN, BUT THAT'S NOT AN AUSTIN DEAL. 
          AND IN FACT, YOU'RE SEEING THAT HAPPEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. 
          AND SO SOME HAD CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR TO STEP IN AND DO SOMETHING ON A STATEWIDE BASIS TO HELP, UH, WITH THESE INCIDENTS. 
          AND SO, UM, I'M PLEASED HE DID THAT. 
          I'M GLAD HE DID THAT. 
          UM, BECAUSE AS I SAID IN MY STATEMENT, UH, AT THE TIME, UH, IT WAS LAWLESS AND WRONG AND WE NEEDED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. 
          AND THE GOOD NEWS IS SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE, HAVE BEEN ARRESTED. 
          AND, UM, I THINK YOU'LL SEE ADDITIONAL ACTIONS, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD TO, TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE THIS. 
          BUT I, I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD FOR THAT TASK FORCE TO BE IN PLACE BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL BE A, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THE STATE CAN 
          [00:15:01]
HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENT. 
          UM, AND I'M, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THEY'RE DOING IT. 
          IF I CAN ASK YOU A QUICK FOLLOW UP TO THAT, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM, BUT OUR COVERAGE OF THIS HAS KIND OF BLOWN THROUGH THE ROOF, YOU KNOW, THREE OR FOUR TIMES AS MANY PAGE VIEWS AS WE WOULD NORMALLY GET. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS TOP OF MIND FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IN AUSTIN. 
          IS THERE ANY CONCERN ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO TELL THEM IN THE NEXT COMING DAYS? YOU KNOW, SHOULD ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID HAPPEN LIKE THIS THIS WEEKEND AS WELL, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANNA TELL THOSE FOLKS? WELL, TO, TO ALWAYS BE VIGILANT, ALWAYS BE ALERT. 
          AND, BUT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAVE A, THEY, I I, I EMPATHIZE WITH, UH, THE FEAR THAT, THAT WHEN WE HAVE, UH, PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE THAT COME IN FROM OUT OF THE CITY, UH, TO ENGAGE IN ACTIVITY THAT WE KNOW THEY'RE ENGAGING IN, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THEIR, THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THAT CAUSE OF THIS, UH, THE, THE CHIEF HAS PUT INTO PLACE, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE, THE MANAGER AND, AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH ME, THE CHIEF HAS PUT INTO PLACE MECHANISMS FOR IF THE INTELLIGENCE IS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS MIGHT HAPPEN, THERE WILL BE, UH, THERE'LL, THERE'LL BE RESOURCES PUT TO THAT SO THAT, THAT PEOPLE WILL BE KEPT SAFE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SURE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          UH, GOING BACK TO THE ORDINANCE FOR A SECOND HERE, MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME, AND ULTIMATELY THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. 
          WHY DO YOU THINK MAYBE WE'RE HERE RIGHT NOW AND WHY IS THERE AN ORDINANCE TAKING PLACE OVER A CONTRACT DIFFICULTY COMING TO THE TABLE, POTENTIALLY? HAS THIS BEEN BREWING YOU THINK, FOR A LONG TIME AND KIND OF COME TO A HEAD NOW POTENTIALLY? LOOK, I, I THINK IT'S A COUPLE THINGS. 
          UH, ONE IS, UH, THAT I DO THINK THAT SOME ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN, UH, IN THE PAST THAT, UM, UH, I WASN'T ON THE COUNT. 
          I WASN'T MAYOR AND WASN'T ON THE COUNCIL. 
          UH, BUT SOME ACTIONS IN THE PAST HAVE CREATED A HEIGHTENED, UH, DIVISION, IS THE WAY I WOULD TALK ABOUT THAT. 
          I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, THAT I, I, I THINK WE SOMETIMES ON THINGS WE GET VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, WE START LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF IT'S ALL OR NOTHING. 
          UH, WE HAVE BINARY CHOICES. 
          CAN WE HAVE OVERSIGHT AND ALSO HAVE A FULLY STAFFED POLICE DEPARTMENT? CAN WE HAVE A, A CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WORTHY, UH, POLICE FORCE THAT VAL IS, REACHES OUR VALUES AND IS JUST, AND ALSO HAVE A FULLY STAFFED POLICE FORCE? AND ABSOLUTELY WE CAN, BUT THE DEBATE SOMETIMES GETS TO WHERE IT FEELS LIKE IT'S A BINARY CHOICE. 
          AND THE FINAL THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT IS THAT SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS WITHIN. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY, I MAY NOT LIKE SOMETHING, BUT IT'S THE CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH I MUST GOVERN. 
          SO WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE LIKE THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND I START TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK EVEN WITH THE CONTEXT THAT WE FIND OURSELVES. 
          THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          UM, SO MY HOPE IS, MY HOPE IS THAT WE WILL GET TO A SITUATION WHERE, UH, WE'LL ALL OPERATE IN GOOD FAITH AND, AND, UH, TRY TO GET BACK TO THE TABLE AND DO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO. 
          I'VE HAD A, A, A, A LONGSTANDING BELIEF THAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY DESERVE TO BE SAFE AND THEY DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE. 
          AND THAT MEANS WHETHER YOU'RE IN YOUR HOME AND WHEREVER YOU, YOU RESIDE AND IT'S TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, YOU THINK SOMEBODY'S BREAKING IN, OR IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY SITTING IN A CAR, UH, AND, AND POLICE OFFICERS ARE APPROACHING YOUR VEHICLE, NOBODY SHOULD FEAR THE POLICE IN THIS TOWN. 
          AND I BELIEVE WE CAN DO THAT, BUT WE CAN ONLY DO THAT IF WE GET TOGETHER AND IN GOOD FAITH AND NEGOTIATE AND COME TO AN AGREEMENT. 
          THANKS EVERYBODY FOR KIND OF APPRECIATE, I'LL DO ONE MORE AND THEN ONE MORE. 
          THANK YOU, JIM. 
          BUT ONE MORE. 
          WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          DO YOU FEEL THAT AUSTIN IS A SAFE CITY? YEAH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AUSTIN, UM, IS A SAFE CITY. 
          UH, IT'S A SAFE CITY BY COMPARISON. 
          BUT LET ME BE CLEAR. 
          IF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE, WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION. 
          AND JUST BECAUSE THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT WE'RE A SAFE CITY IN A LOT OF WAYS, THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND THERE'S LITTLE QUESTION, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS. 
          THERE IS LITTLE QUESTION THAT WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN, NOT ONLY IN WHETHER WE'RE A SAFE CITY OR HOW, HOW SAFE WE ARE, BUT ALSO IN THE WAY OUR PEOPLE WILL FEEL ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE 
          [00:20:01]
TODAY WAS A STEP BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MANAGEMENT SIDE OF OUR CITY TO TAKE ACTION THAT WILL GET US MORE POLICE. 
          AND THAT MEANS WE WILL BE A SAFER CITY. 
          AND IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO FEEL SAFER IN BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, I FEEL IN MY GUT. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK ALL Y'ALL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.