May 25, 2023 Downtown Commission Special Called Meeting

[00:00:05]

GOOD EVENING

[CALL TO ORDER]

IT IS 5:31 PM I'M CALLING THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION TO ORDER.

UH, FIRST THING IS TO CALL THE ROLL.

UM, WOULD AARON, WOULD YOU BE HAPPY TO DO THAT OR THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF AFTER I CALL ROLL, DID YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT WE HAVE? OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I HAVE CHAIR HARRIS HERE.

COMMISSIONER WEAVER.

COMMISSIONER RING.

COMMISSIONER COEL.

YES.

IS THAT, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR MIC ON.

COMMISSIONER ISHMAEL HERE.

COMMISSIONER CARDONA BAYLOR HERE.

I SEE YOU ON THE SCREEN.

COMMISSIONER LEVINE, COMMISSIONER LIGHT.

COMMISSIONER LEVINSON HERE.

AND COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.

UM, COMMISSIONER MOCK IS THE ONLY COMMISSIONER THAT HAS BEEN REAPPOINTED AND IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL AS A LIAISON TO THE COMMISSION.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND AS OF, I BELIEVE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, THE DESIGN COMMISSION APPOINTEE WAS ALSO, UM, MADE OFFICIAL, BUT HE'S NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY.

OKAY.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU.

WELL, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE ALL THOSE POSITIONS FILLED FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.

UM, I SENT OUT AN EMAIL, UM, WAS IT LAST WEEK OR THIS WEEK? IT WAS, IT WAS THIS WEEK ABOUT ATTENDANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND, UH, I MENTIONED THE ROLE THAT OUR LIAISONS PLAY.

THEY ARE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL WITH ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND PROVIDE GREAT FEEDBACK TO THIS COMMISSION.

AND, UM, WE HOPE THAT THEY TAKE SOMETHING BACK FROM THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION TO SHARE WITH THEIR PARTICULAR BOARDS AND COMMISSION.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THOSE POSITIONS.

UH, COM FILLED HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH.

UM, THE FIRST, THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO, NO ONE IS SIGNED UP.

OKAY.

UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

DID EVERYBODY HAVE

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

, WERE THERE ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS THAT ANYBODY NOTED? OKAY.

I'M NOT HEARING ANY.

SO THE MOTION, OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

CLERK WANTS ME TO HAVE A VOTE.

, UH, SO, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? THAT SO MOVED.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE, UM,

[2. Presentation on Large Events/Mass Casualty Preparedness to be given by Lt. Chris Juusola of the Austin Police Department (APD), Kevin Parker of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), William Manno of Austin Center for Events, and Tom Vocke of the Austin Fire Department (AFD). (Part 1 of 2)]

UM, PRESENTED BY, UH, LIEUTENANT CHRIS GIK OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.

KEVIN PARKER OF EMS, WILLIAM MANO OF THE AUSTIN CENTER FOR EVENTS.

AND TOM VOGUE, DID I PRONOUNCE THAT? VOKI VOKI, UH, OF THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

GENTLEMEN, WELCOME.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

BEEN A LONG TIME INCOMING, SO WE'RE GLAD TO SEE SUCH AN ESTEEMED PANEL FOR US TONIGHT.

THE FLOOR IS, YOURS JUST GOT A LIGHT ON IT.

I CAN'T OH, THERE IT IS.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY.

THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO.

RED IS GOOD.

GOT IT.

DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT IT'S GOOD.

CANADIAN COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME'S TOM BOKEY.

I AM CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE FIRE MARSHAL FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OVERSEE THE SPECIAL EVENTS SECTION.

UM, IS THIS, OOPS, TWO ONE.

THERE WE GO.

OKAY.

SO, UM, SO A PART OF, UH, FOR AFD IS, IS OUR RESPONSE TO, UH, WITH SPECIAL EVENTS.

ONE OF OUR THINGS THAT WE WORK ON IS, IS RESPONSE TO, AND MOSTLY PLANNING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND INCLUDING ALL THE MAIN EVENTS DOWNTOWN.

AND SO WE HAVE A FULL-TIME STAFF THAT'S ASSIGNED TO

[00:05:01]

AND SO, UM, A BIG FOCUS FOR US IS, LIKE I SAID, THE PLANNING PART.

AND, AND AS WE GO THROUGH, UH, WITH EVENT PREPARATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM, UH, EMERGENCY ACCESS EXITS, UM, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED FOR CODE COMPLIANCE AND FIRE CODE COMPLIANCE.

AND SO, UH, AGAIN, THE BIG FOCUS FOR US WITH ALL THESE EVENTS IS LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT WHAT WE CAN DO ON THE FRONT END TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EVENTS GO OFF AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.

AND SO, UH, OUR TEAM TAKES A LOOK AND, AND PARTICIPATES IN ALL THE REVIEW OF ALL THE SITE PLANS, UH, LOOKS THROUGH EVERYTHING FOR ACCESS.

UH, WE, WE GAUGED AT THE CROWD.

WE LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT'S AROUND THE AREA.

WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO FROM A RESPONSE STANDPOINT, UH, WHAT THINGS WOULD LOOK LIKE COMING IN, WHAT THINGS WOULD LOOK LIKE GOING OUT IF WE DID HAVE AN INCIDENT THERE.

AND AGAIN, THE MAIN FOCUS BEING ON, ON PREPARATION.

UM, WE ALSO DO SOME OTHER THINGS ALONG THE WAY.

UM, ON OUR OPERATIONS SIDE, UH, WE MAINTAIN OUR FOUR PERSON STAFFING AT ALL OUR STATIONS, UH, 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

SO OUR STAFFING DOWNTOWN IS, IS CONSISTENT.

OUR STAFFING IN, IN ALL THE PARTS OF THE CITY IS CONSISTENT ALL THE TIME.

UH, WE DO HAVE THE MANDATORY FOUR PERSON STAFFING AND, UH, AND WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT ALL THE TIME.

SO THE, THE, THE TRUCKS AND THE UNITS, UH, DOWNTOWN ARE ALWAYS STAFFED.

SO IN ADDITION TO THAT THOUGH, WE DO PARTICIPATE WITH, WITH THE OTHER GROUPS, WITH RTF.

AND IN CASES OF EVENTS LIKE SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OR SOME OF THE OTHER BIG EVENTS, WE DO STAND UP ADDITIONAL UNITS.

AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, STAFF FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.

AND SO SOME OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE DO DOWNTOWN IS, IS ENSURING THAT, THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING OVERCROWDING ISSUES, THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, UH, ACCESS ISSUES, AND THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THINGS ON THE FRONT END TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, TO GET INTO THE PLACES AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXIT SAFELY AND THAT CROWDS ARE UNDER CONTROL.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE WORK WITH EMS AND N P D AND ALL THE OTHER FOLKS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, INCLUDING CODE ENFORCEMENT AND, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO GET THROUGH THOSE THINGS.

UM, WE ALSO, SPECIFICALLY FOR LIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WE, WE HAVE PERSONNEL IN THE COMMAND POST.

WE COORDINATE WITH THE OTHER FOLKS.

WE WORK WITH THE PACE TEAMS, WHICH IF, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PACE TEAMS ARE, THOSE ARE GROUPS THAT, THAT WORK TOGETHER.

AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, A COMBINATION OF, OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMS AND, UH, AND ALSO HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, WE'RE KIND OF WORKING AS A TEAM TO ADDRESS, UH, SEVERAL ISSUES AT ONE TIME.

AND SO WE WORK TOGETHER TO DO THAT.

UM, AND AGAIN, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DO DURING THESE BIG EVENTS, UH, IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH THE RESCUE TASK FORCES AND, AND THAT'LL BE COVERED MORE, MORE IN DEPTH BY PD, UM, IS THAT WE, UH, WE ASSIGN FIRE WATCH AT LOCATIONS IF WE HAVE AREAS THAT ARE GONNA BE OVERCROWDED OR AREAS THAT ARE GONNA BE USED FOR, FOR, UH, CONCERTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT AREN'T NORMALLY USED FOR THAT.

AND SO WE'LL HAVE FOLKS THERE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS.

AND ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT WITH OUR TEAMS THAT, THAT ARE TYPICALLY OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, INSPECTING BARS AND LOOKING AT LOCATIONS AND, AND CHECKING FOR OVERCROWDING AND DOING CODE, ACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE DO HAVE A, UH, A PA PROGRAM, UH, SO PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES, WHICH INCLUDE ALL OF, ALL OF THE, THE BARS IN, IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND SO WE, WE DO PERMIT THOSE, UH, THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND THEN ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE.

SO I'M GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP IN, IN WHAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FIRE SPECIFIC AND, AND REALLY THE, THE MAIN FOCUS FOR US, UH, FROM FIRE PREVENTION AND FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S NOT JUST ON THE, ON THE RESPONSE PIECE, BUT ACTUALLY, UH, THE PROACTIVE PIECE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD ACCESS, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THOSE AREAS AND, AND HAVE, UH, PROPER EXING SET UP, PROPER ACCESS SET UP, AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE LIFE SAFETY CODES ARE BEING ENFORCED.

I'M GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

COMMISSIONERS, , UH, ARE THERE ANY RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'RE ANY GAPS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? I MEAN, FOR US, WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE MORE, UH, BETTER SERVICE.

UH, THE, THE DOWNTOWN AREA, YOU KNOW, HAS FAIRLY GOOD COVERAGE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDPOINT.

WE DID JUST RECENTLY ADD TWO FOLKS TO OUR SPECIAL EVENTS SECTION.

AND SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THAT EXTRA BANDWIDTH THERE.

AND SO FELT LIKE THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO, TO MEET ALL THE DEMANDS OF, OF THE EVENTS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY STILL PULLING IN FOLKS WHEN WE NEED FOLKS FOR BIG EVENTS.

WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PULLING FOLKS IN ON OVERTIME.

WE'RE BRINGING FOLKS, UH, WE HAVE A PRETTY DEEP BENCH IN OUR, IN OUR FIRE PREVENTION SECTION, SO WE BRING OTHER INSPECTORS FROM OUTSIDE OF SPECIAL EVENTS TO COME

[00:10:01]

SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE, UH, WE'RE IN A REASONABLE POSITION RIGHT NOW, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THINGS WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

UH, ARE YOU GETTING, SINCE Y'ALL HAVING A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH THE BARS, AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, FROM, UM, THE CITY ON THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE, UH, THIS EVENING, WHICH WOULD'VE MESHED NICELY WITH Y'ALL'S PRESENTATION.

UM, UH, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING, UM, GOOD INTERACTION WITH BUSINESS OWNERS AND OPERATORS DOWNTOWN? I I THINK GENERALLY WE DO.

AND, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE WITH COVID AND A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF FRUSTRATION WITH COVID FROM THE BAR OWNERS, UNDERSTANDABLY, UH, WITH THEM TRYING TO MAINTAIN THEIR BUSINESSES AND STUFF.

THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE WHERE WE HAD PLACES FLIPPING THEIR, THEIR LIQUOR LICENSE FROM WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY RED LIQUOR LICENSE TO BLUE LIQUOR LICENSE, MEANING RESTAURANTS, SO THAT THEY COULD STAY OPEN.

UH, AND SO WE'RE JUST NOW, UH, A YEAR AND A HALF LATER GETTING THE LIQUOR LICENSE BACK WHERE THEY SHOULD BE MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THINGS ARE ESTABLISHED.

WE DO WORK REGULARLY WITH T A B C TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING UP ON, ON ALL THE PERMITTING AND STUFF AT BARS.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I FEEL LIKE OVERALL WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH MOST OF THE BAR OWNERS AND MOST OF THE BARS IN, IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, NOT PERFECT, AND, AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE US COMING, BUT I THINK IN THE END, WE, WE TRY TO BE REALLY REASONABLE AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, COMING DOWN AND, AND, YOU KNOW, EMPTYING ALL THE CLUBS AND, YOU KNOW, DOING THINGS THAT REALLY AREN'T THAT PRODUCTIVE.

UH, BUT WE DO WORK WELL WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KEEPING THE CROWDS DOWN.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT PERFECT AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE STAFFING TO DO THAT EVERY DAY OR EVERY WEEKEND, BUT WE DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND, AND TRY TO KEEP IT AS IRREGULAR AS POSSIBLE, SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE COMING.

BUT HONESTLY, WHEN THEY SEE US DOWNTOWN, I THINK THERE'S A, A SECRET WHISTLE OR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN WITHIN, UH, 15 MINUTES.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WE'RE THERE, BUT OVERALL, I DO THINK THAT MOST OF OUR OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE IN, IN DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO, TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE, THE VENUE SAFE AND, AND, AND KEEP THE AREA NICE.

WHAT SORT OF, UH, PROGRAM DO YOU GUYS HAVE IN PLACE TO, UM, EDUCATE OR TRAIN RESTAURANT AND BAR OWNERS? SO WE, WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, AND THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE.

MM-HMM.

.

I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR, OUR INTERACTION WITH THE, WITH THE BAR OWNER OR MANAGER ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEY KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AND WE DO PROVIDE GUIDELINES OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FROM A LIFE SAFETY STANDPOINT.

MM-HMM.

.

BUT, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, REALLY, THERE'S NOTHING IN PLACE CURRENTLY THAT WE'RE DOING OTHER THAN JUST OUR REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS AND OUR ANNUAL INSPECTIONS AND, AND OUR PERMITTING PROCESS WITH THEM.

HOW, HOW ACTIVELY ENGAGED, AND I KNOW THERE'S A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, BUT HOW ACTIVELY ENGAGED HAVE Y'ALL BEEN WITH THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE? UH, WE, WE WERE, UH, PRETTY ENGAGED WITH IT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, SO I FEEL LIKE WE HAD A LOT OF INPUT.

UH, I, MYSELF, I WAS INVOLVED IN THE, IN THE PROCESS PRETTY HEAVILY.

WE LOOKED THROUGH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS MM-HMM.

AND, AND WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.

AND SO I FEEL LIKE WE HAD A, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME GOOD IDEAS THAT THAT COULD BE MOVED FORWARD AT SOME POINT.

SO, J ONE OF OUR CONCERNS THAT I WANT TO BRING TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE IS THAT SO MUCH OF THE FOCUS IS ON THE IMMEDIACY OF SIXTH STREET ITSELF.

SIXTH STREET EXTENDS EAST SIXTH STREET EXTENDS BEYOND NORTH AND SOUTH.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OF THE, THE METRICS, THE MAPPING, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT IS A FOCUS AREA, BUT THIS IS A BROADER ISSUE THAT COVERS MORE THAN SIXTH STREET.

UH, AND SO I'D LOVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU GUYS ON THAT.

SO I KNOW WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE INITIAL, YOU KNOW, SAFER SIXTH STREET AREA, I MEAN, WE FOCUSED PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN I 35 AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SAN JACINTO AREA.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SIXTH OR FIFTH STREET TO SEVENTH STREET WAS KIND OF THE MAIN AREAS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE FOCUS OF, OF A LOT OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WASN'T THE ONLY THING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, WAS ABSOLUTELY THE FOCUS.

OKAY.

UM, HAVE I, HAVE I CAUSED ANYBODY TO HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UM, GENTLEMEN, ANYTHING FROM YOU GUYS? I BELIEVE YOU, UH, MENTIONED THE SAFER SIXTH STREET PROGRAM AND, UH, MR. BLOCK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TO MM-HMM.

PRESENT ESSENTIALLY, UH, THAT, THAT ASPECT OF THIS.

YEAH.

BUT, UM, ALL OF US WERE INTEGRAL IN WORKING WITH HIM ON A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS.

AND YOU WERE ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UM, THE BAR OWNERS.

UM, WE ARE WORKING ON AN ACCREDITATION PROGRAM WITH MR. BLOCK.

MM-HMM.

, WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO COME IN THE NEXT MEETING AND EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT THAT CONSISTS OF.

UM, BUT AS FAR AS OUR INTERACTION WITH THE BAR OWNERS, WE'RE HAVING THOSE MORE FREQUENTLY.

WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST, UH, MEETING WHERE WE INVITED A LOT OF BAR

[00:15:01]

SO, UM, THOSE, THOSE INTERACTIONS ARE HAPPENING NOW AND THEY'RE NEW AND WE HOPE TO HAVE MORE OF THOSE.

HAVE Y'ALL HAD, AND I'M THINKING PARTICULARLY ABOUT ACL AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IN PARTICULAR, UM, HAVE Y'ALL HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS INITIATIVE, UH, TO VISIT WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND CONCERNS? YEAH.

KEVIN PARKER, I'M A DIVISION CHIEF FOR AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. I OVERSEE THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS SECTIONS, ALSO ALL OF OUR WORK WITHIN THAT, THE DOWNTOWN RESPONSE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, IN OUR WORK WITH THE AUSTIN CENTER FOR EVENTS, UM, CHIEF VOKI, UM, AND A APD AS WELL, HAVE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, ALONGSIDE EMS AND THE PROGRAM MANAGER, BILL MANO AND, AND YES, ACL, UH, FESTIVAL AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARE, ARE VERY INTERESTED AND PROACTIVE IN TAKING PART IN NOT JUST, UM, PLANNING THE EVENTS, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH TABLETOP EXERCISES, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STAFF HAS, UH, UNDERSTANDS THEIR KEY STAFF MEMBERS, UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR PLANS ARE AND WHAT OUR CAPABILITIES ARE AND WHAT WE NEED FROM THEM.

UM, AND WE RELY ON THEM A LOT, UH, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE THE ACCESS TO, UH, THEIR GUESTS THROUGH THEIR APPS, UH, TO PUSH OUT SAFETY MESSAGING ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.

UH, SO YES, WE WORK QUITE EXTENSIVELY WITH THEM.

OKAY.

CHAIR? YES.

GOOD QUESTION.

SO WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MOST LIKELY, UH, MASS CASUALTY TYPE INCIDENT THAT COULD HAPPEN HERE IN AUSTIN? UH, YEAH, AND I, I WAS GONNA COVER THIS IN, IN MY PRESENTATION A LITTLE BIT LATER.

UM, AND THIS KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE TRENDS WE SEE IN 2021 AND 2022 WERE, UH, PROBABLY OUR MOST VIOLENT YEARS ON E SIXTH STREET.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE, UH, PRIMARY CONCERN FOR MOST PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES RIGHT NOW.

UH, FIREARMS COMING DOWN TO SIXTH STREET, UH, SHOOTINGS, LARGE CROWDS, UM, YOU KNOW, BULLETS FLYING THROUGH TONS OF PEOPLE USUALLY AREN'T, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO END WELL.

SO PLANNING FOR THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS IS, UH, WHAT WE'VE SET OURSELF UP FOR.

AND I'LL BE, UM, IN MY PRESENTATION SHOWING SOME OF THOSE STEPS, STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN TO KEEP PEOPLE A LOT MORE SAFER IN, UH, THOSE, UH, MASS CASUALTY SITUATIONS INVOLVING SHOOTINGS DOWNTOWN.

YEAH.

AND THE, THE OTHER, UM, BESIDES THE SHOOTINGS, THE OTHER, UH, RISK THAT EXISTS IS A, A UNCONTROLLED VEHICLE INTO A CROWD OF PEDESTRIANS.

UH, WHETHER THAT'S AN ACCIDENTAL, UM, CASE OR AN INTENTIONAL CASE, THAT'S THE OTHER BIGGEST RISK WE HAVE, WHICH REGRETTABLY WE'VE SEEN WE HAVE.

YES.

AND, AND YOU ASKED EARLIER, UM, KIND OF WHAT OUR NEEDS WOULD BE, UH, FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND TYPICALLY FOR VEHICLES, WE ONLY HAVE TYPE THREE BARRICADES, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UH, PIECE TWO PIECES OF METAL HOLDING UP, UH, THREE, UM, YOU KNOW, CARDBOARD OBJECTS ACROSS THAT ARE JUST REFLECTIVE.

AND SO, UM, IF IF THEY'RE NOT MANNED WITH SOMETHING HEAVIER THAN THAT, THAT DOESN'T REALLY PREVENT VEHICLES FROM COMING DOWN TO SIXTH STREET.

UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE SEEN THOSE INCIDENTS IN THE PAST.

BUT, UM, SOME RESOURCES THROWN TO HELP, UH, KEEP VEHICLES OFF OF OUR HEAVILY PEDESTRIAN AREAS.

UH, ARE THOSE, LIKE THE, THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT ARE LIKE THE WATER-FILLED BARRIERS? UM, I, I HAVE SOME EXAMPLES IN THE PRESENTATION.

I WANT YOU, I'M PROBABLY, I'M PROBABLY ASKING QUESTIONS THAT COME ALONG FURTHER, .

SO WHY DON'T WE LET Y'ALL PROCEED? AND I DIDN'T INTRODUCE MYSELF EARLIER.

I'M, UH, LIEUTENANT CHRISTOPHER GIK.

I'M THE OPERATIONS LIEUTENANT FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND.

UH, I'VE BEEN ON AND OFF IN DOWNTOWN FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.

UM, DON'T HAVE ABOUT 17 WITH THE DEPARTMENT.

UM, I DO HAVE OUR NEW COMMANDER JUST SELECTED THIS WEEK FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS, UH, COMMANDER JEFF OLSON.

YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

AND I REALLY WANT TO, UH, THANK LU JULI FOR, UH, TAKING THIS OVER FOR ME.

IT KIND OF WAS SOMETHING THAT I ARRIVED AND I WAS TOLD THIS WAS HAPPENING, AND LUCKILY HE HAD ALREADY PREPARED FOR IT .

UM, SO I'M GONNA LET HIM HANDLE THE MAJORITY OF THE HEAVY LIFTING WHILE I, UH, KIND OF GET MY FEET BACK WET.

I HAVE WORKED, UH, IN DOWNTOWN BEFORE, WHOEVER THAT WAS IN 2009 TO 2011.

SO, UH, I'M JUST KINDA GETTING BACK

[00:20:01]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND SO THIS IS MORE OF A, A CASE STUDY FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST THAT JUST FINISHED UP.

AND WE FEEL LIKE IT'S THE MOST RELEVANT WAY TO SHOW KIND OF THE STEPS THAT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES ARE TAKING IN DOWNTOWN, UM, BECAUSE IT, UH, DEMANDS THE MOST RESOURCES AND PLANNING, BUT IT SHOWS ALL THE STEPS THAT WE TAKE TO PREPARE AND KEEP, UH, CITIZENS SAFE AND VISITORS SAFE, UH, WHEN THEY'RE VISITING, UH, DOWNTOWN FOR ANY EVENT, REALLY.

SO, UH, FROM, UH, MARCH 6TH TO 19TH, UH, THIS YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 345,000 PEOPLE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

UH, WE HAD 90 PLUS VENUES, UH, WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, THAT WERE OFFICIAL, UH, ACTIVATIONS.

AND WE HAD, UH, NUMEROUS UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVATIONS.

WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A COUNT ON THOSE, CUZ BASICALLY, IF YOU'RE NOT PART OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND YOU JUST GOT A BUSINESS, YOU CAN RENT THAT OUT TO ANYBODY.

SO, UM, A LOT OF THESE, UH, PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T PART OF IT WERE JUST, UH, LEASING THEIR SPACE TO PEOPLE, UM, AND IN CONCERTS AND AND WHATNOT.

UM, TYPICALLY, UH, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT STAFFING DOWNTOWN, UH, THAT'S THE, THE MAJOR COMPONENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING.

UM, TYPICALLY WE TRY TO HAVE DOWNTOWN STAFFED A HUNDRED PER A HUNDRED PERCENT OR MORE FOR EVENT EVENTS.

UH, I THINK FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, EVERY SHIFT WAS ALLOWED TO HIRE FOUR ADDITIONAL BODIES FOR OVERTIME, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE ENOUGH OFFICERS DOWNTOWN.

UH, THIS HAPPENS, UH, EVERY WEEKEND FOR BAR CLOSE.

UM, CHIEF CHACON HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT DOWNTOWN WILL CONTINUE TO BE STAFFED WELL.

UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE HAVING SOME STAFFING PROBLEMS IN THE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE STILL HAVE THAT ASSURANCE FROM THE CHIEF THAT THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BECAUSE OF ALL THE VISITORS AND, AND CITIZENS WALKING AROUND, THAT THEY WILL BE SAFE.

UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, WE, IN ADDITION TO HIRING PEOPLE, UH, OFFICERS WORKING ON SIXTH STREET, WE DO ALSO, UM, HIRE ADDITIONAL CALL TAKING SHIFTS TO HANDLE THE CALLS OUTSIDE OF SIXTH STREET.

UM, Y'ALL WERE EXPRESSING CONCERNS THAT THERE ARE, ARE OTHER AREAS THAT AREN'T EAST SIXTH STREET, YOU KNOW, WEST SIXTH STREET WE HAVE RAINY STREET.

SO THESE SHIFTS ARE ALSO DESIGNED TO FOCUS ON THOSE OTHER BUSY AREAS OF THE TOWN AS WELL.

UM, WE HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE WORK WITH CLOSELY.

UH, AS COMMANDER PARKER HAD MENTIONED, UM, THEY'RE MAKING SURE OUR BARRICADES ARE STAFFED SO THAT WAY VEHICLES AREN'T DRIVING THROUGH.

UM, THEY'RE WORKING WITH OUR SOUND ENFORCEMENT TEAMS, OUR PACE TEAMS, AND THEY'RE, UH, WORKING TRAFFIC AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS TO MAKE SURE PEDESTRIANS ARE SAFE AND THERE'S NO MAJOR COLLISIONS THAT ARE GONNA CAUSE CONCERNS IN THE AREA.

THESE ARE OUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

TYPICALLY, WHEN WE'RE PLANNING ANY KIND OF MAJOR EVENT DOWNTOWN, UH, WE HAVE OUR STANDARD OPERATIONS JUST RESPONDING TO CALLS, TYPICALLY, UM, TAKING PROACTIVE MEASURES ON, UH, ISSUES THAT WE'RE ALREADY AWARE OF, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR BAR OWNERS, UM, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCES, HOTELIERS, WHATEVER THE ISSUES THEY'RE BRINGING TO OUR ATTENTION, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE RESPONDING TO THOSE WHENEVER THEY'RE NOT BUSY, UH, MONITORING OUR STREET CLOSURES.

UM, WE SHUT DOWN SIXTH STREET EVERY NIGHT, THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

UM, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE EXPANDING THAT TO SUNDAY.

UM, WE HAVE OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TOWING VEHICLES, UM, THAT MAKE SURE THAT, UH, PEOPLE CAN HAVE ENTIRETY OF SIXTH STREET AVAILABLE, UH, ENSURES THAT EMERGENCY VEHICLES CAN GET IN AND OUT OF THE AREA AS NEEDED IF THERE IS A CRITICAL INCIDENT.

UM, WE STAFF OUR PACE TEAMS UP, UH, WITH FIRE, UH, AND, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT.

WE WORK THE TRAFFIC, LIKE I MENTIONED IN SOUND ENFORCEMENT QUESTION, WHAT DOES CASE TEAMS DO? THAT STANDS FOR PUBLIC ASSEMBLY AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS. THANK YOU.

AND IN ADDITION TO OFFICERS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, SOMETIMES RE WE REQUIRE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER UNITS, UM, LIKE ORGANIZED CRIME.

IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH DRUG DEALING IN THE AREA, WE MIGHT REACH OUT TO OUR ORGANIZED CRIME DIVISION, HAVE THEM RESPOND DOWN WITH SOME DETECTIVES SO THAT WAY THEY CAN WORK OPERATIONS.

UH, WE HAVE OUR COUNTER ASSAULT STRIKE TEAM.

UM, BASICALLY WE MENTIONED A RESCUE TASK FORCE EARLIER.

UM, THESE ARE OFFICERS THAT ARE PAIRED UP WITH, UH, EMS OR FIRE TO RESPOND TO ANY KIND OF CRITICAL INCIDENT QUICKLY.

WE FIND THAT, UM, THESE TEAMS CAN GET TO A, A SHOOTING VICTIM WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS.

UH, IN, IN ALL CASES, IT'S BEEN LESS THAN A MINUTE SO FAR THAT I'M AWARE OF, UH, MAKING SURE EODS IN THE AREA.

UM, THAT'S BASICALLY OUR BOMB SQUAD, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NO SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES.

AND IF THERE ARE SOME, WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN RESPOND TO THOSE AS WELL.

WE HAVE OUR METRO TACTICAL UNITS, AND THOSE ARE JUST SPECIALIZED UNITS, UH, THAT HAVE, UH, SPECIAL TRAINING TO TARGET SOME OF, UM, SPECIFIC CRIMES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WHETHER IT BE AUTO THEFTS, CAR BURGLARIES PER SNATCHINGS.

UM, THEY, THEY WOULD ALSO HA HELP US WITH THE NARCOTICS ISSUES

[00:25:01]

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST VIOLENT CRIME INITIATIVE.

UM, WE MENTIONED THAT PATROL IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ASSETS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND I MENTIONED THAT OUR MAJOR CONCERN LATELY HAS BEEN SHOOTINGS ON SIXTH STREET.

SO WE MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO ALL THE OFFICERS THAT THEY'RE TO BE VERY PROACTIVE AND THAT THEY'RE TO WORK WITH OUR HALO UNIT.

UM, THOSE ARE THE CAMERAS THAT MONITOR DOWNTOWN.

UM, THEY'RE LOOKING OUT FOR PEOPLE WITH GUNS.

OUR OFFICERS ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH GUNS.

OUR, UM, RELATIONSHIP WITH BAR OWNERS AND, AND DOORMEN.

WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

SO IF PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO ENTER BAR, UM, BARS WITH GUNS, WE'RE MADE AWARE OF IT AND WE RESPOND TO THOSE.

AND ALL THESE THINGS PUT TOGETHER.

UH, WE HAD 130 ARRESTS, UM, FROM OUR PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS, UH, YIELDING 61 CEASES FIREARMS IN 2022.

UM, IN 2023 THIS LAST YEAR, UH, WE HAD 131 ARRESTS.

IT WAS ABOUT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.

WE HAD 61 SEIZES FIREARMS. IT'S NOT A TYPO.

UM, IT WAS THE EXACT SAME NUMBER.

AND THOSE ARE ALL THE DRUGS THAT WERE SEIZED AS WELL.

AND, UM, ONE OF THE OTHER CONCERNS FROM, UM, I GUESS A, A HEALTH STANDPOINT WOULD BE THE FENTANYL.

UM, WE DID SEIZE A LOT OF FENTANYL THIS YEAR, UM, AS QUITE, I THINK THAT'S THOUSANDS OF DOSES OF FENTANYL IF YOU BREAK UP THE, THE, THE GRAMS ON THAT.

SO, UH, AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE TRENDS ARE IN, IN, IN HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS IS, IS KIND OF WHERE WE TRY TO DRIVE, UM, OUR ENFORCEMENT WENT.

QUICK, QUICK QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

SO, UM, ON THE GUN SEIZURES IS, DOES THAT MEAN THEY WENT INTO A BAR WITH A GUN? IT COULD MEAN A NUMBER OF THINGS.

UH, IT, IT COULD RANGE FROM SOMEBODY WAS INVOLVED IN A FIGHT AND THEY WERE INTOXICATED AND THEY HAD A FIREARM IN THEIR PERSON, AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE CARRYING IT BECAUSE, UM, OF A CRIMINAL HISTORY OR, UM, THE WAY THEY WERE CARRYING IT.

IF IT'S NOT IN A HOLSTER, UM, THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION AS WELL.

UM, SPECIFICALLY HOW THEY CARRY IT.

IF WE SEE A GUN TUCKED IN SOMEONE'S WAISTBAND AND IT'S NOT SECURED PROPERLY, THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION AS WELL.

SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COME INTO CONTACT WITH PEOPLE WITH FIREARMS. AND, AND YOU MENTIONED THE BAR OWNERS LETTING US KNOW THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ENTER BARS.

THAT'S CERTAINLY ANOTHER WAY AS WELL.

WE MENTIONED, UH, HOW WE ALL INTERACT TOGETHER, UM, IN A UNIFIED COMMAND.

SO, UM, THIS SLIDE JUST DEMONSTRATES HOW MANY DIFFERENT UNITS, UH, WITHIN APD CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, OTHER AGENCIES.

WE TALKED ABOUT T A B C, AND WE HAVE OUR, UH, AUSTIN REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER.

UM, ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE USUALLY IN ONE PLACE COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER, SO THAT WAY WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE SHOULD A CRITICAL INCIDENT HAPPEN.

UM, THE LEFT HAND IS ALWAYS KNOWING WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS SOMETHING NEW, UM, THAT WE HAVE STARTED THIS YEAR.

IT'S CALLED THE PUBLIC SAFETY AREA.

IT'S GONNA BE IN THE 600 BLOCK IN EZ.

AND WHAT IT ESSENTIALLY GUARANTEES IS THAT WHOLE BLOCK WILL BE CLEAR FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

UH, THE RIGHT SIDE IS, UH, OR SORRY, THAT WOULD BE THE EAST SIDE.

UM, IT'S NOT FACING NORTH, UM, NORTH IS TO THE RIGHT, BUT THE EAST SIDE OF THE STREET BY CARITAS WOULD BE STRICTLY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO USE.

AND WE'RE GONNA RUN OUR COMMAND CENTERS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR TRANSPORT VANS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE EXTRA OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS THERE SHOULD, UH, AN EMERGENCY HAPPEN.

UM, WE'RE EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH IT.

WE HAVE AN AMBULANCE EXCHANGE POINT IN THE MIDDLE.

UM, SO IF THERE IS A SHOOTING AND THERE'S VICTIMS, WE HAVE A CLEAR AREA TO BRING THOSE PEOPLE AND WE CAN TELL EMS TO MEET US HERE.

AND ESSENTIALLY IT'S A CLEAR PLACE FOR EMS TO GET THE PATIENT LOADED UP, UM, TREATED IMMEDIATELY, AND THEN ON THEIR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL, WHICH IS JUST NORTH TO THAT LOCATION, THEY COULD HAVE AN EASY ACCESS TO DELON HOSPITAL ON THE VERY, UH, WEST SIDE OF THE STREET.

UM, THAT'S IF, UH, FIRE NEEDS TO USE THE AREA, THAT'S, THAT PORTION OF THE BLOCK IS SET ASIDE FOR FIRE TO USE AS WELL.

SO, UM, IT, IT GIVES A VERY LARGE AREA FOR ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES TO USE SHOULD IT BE NEEDED.

AND IT'S WITHIN A BLOCK OF EAST SIX STREET.

SO, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BARRICADES EARLIER.

UM, WE, UM, CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY FROM, UH, MERIDIAN IS THE NAME OF THE COMPANY.

AND WE HAD THESE, UM, PUT OUT FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST JUST BECAUSE IN THE PAST, UM, THAT FESTIVAL SPECIFICALLY, WE HAD DRUNK DRIVERS, UM, COMING INTO, UM, HEAVILY, UM, VISITED AREAS BY PEDESTRIANS.

AND IT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN OF OURS AND, AND WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN.

SO WE RENT THESE FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

UM, BUT SOMETHING HEAVIER THAN WHAT WE HAVE, LIKE THESE WOULD, WOULD BE A HUGE HELP TO US TO HAVE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

UM, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE WEEKS OF THE YEAR AND THERE'S 50 OTHER WEEKS OF THE YEAR THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR A DRUNK DRIVER COMING TO DOWNTOWN IS, IS QUITE POSSIBLE.

AND

[00:30:01]

UM, YEAH, HOW MANY OF THOSE BARRIERS WOULD YOU NEED AND HOW MUCH ARE THEY PER BARRIER? THANK YOU.

YOU THINK YOU BEAT ME TO IT? YEAH.

SORRY, , I'M PROBABLY, AND DO WE GET A VOLUME DISCOUNT? ? I, I, I THINK BECAUSE WE USED THEM LAST YEAR, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DISCOUNT.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER ON WHAT THE DEPARTMENT PAID FOR THESE BARRICADES OR HOW MUCH THEY COST, BUT IF I GET YOUR INFORMATION, I CAN LOOK THAT UP AND GET IT TO YOU FOR SURE.

AND HOW MANY, HOW MANY DID YOU NEED? SO THE VERY FIRST YEAR THAT WE DID THIS, THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THAT WE'VE DONE IT, UH, THE FIRST YEAR, AND WE DIDN'T USE AS MANY BECAUSE ALL OF OUR SOUTH BY ACTIVATIONS WERE ON SIXTH STREET.

UM, THIS YEAR REQUIRED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE.

SO, UM, THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS ONLY ON THE ENDS OF SIXTH STREET, SO IT WOULD START AT THE FRONTAGE ROAD.

WE HAD A GROUP OF 'EM, AND I THINK THERE WAS FIVE OF 'EM THERE, THERE WAS FIVE OF 'EM AT RED RIVER, AND THEN THERE WAS FIVE OF 'EM DOWN ON BRAZOS STREET.

AND IT ALSO CAME WITH, UH, TWO PEOPLE FROM THE COMPANY THAT COULD MOVE THEM, SHOULD EMERGENCY VEHICLES NEED TO GET THROUGH.

NOW, THIS LAST YEAR, UH, WAS MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, MOVED ALL THEIR ACTIVATIONS TO RED RIVER STREET.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAD TO PUT THESE ALL ACROSS RED RIVER TWO, AND THEY WERE ACROSS SEVERAL INTERSECTIONS, AND I BELIEVE THEY WERE BLOCKING, UH, FIVE DI DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS, UM, FROM FIFTH TO 10TH STREET.

SO MULTIPLY THAT TIME IS FIVE, THAT'D BE ANOTHER 25.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

I'VE HEARD DISCUSSION IN THE PAST OF PERMANENT BARRICADES THAT WOULD BE EMBEDDED IN THE STREET THAT WOULD BE RAISED AND LOWER, AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF THAT AND WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN.

WE LIKE THAT IDEA, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN DOWNTOWN.

UM, THE BEST EXPLANATION OF WHY I HEARD THAT THE CITY CAN'T DO IT, IT HAD TO DO WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH THE STREET IS, IS WHY THAT, UM, WE WERE TOLD THAT THOSE AREN'T A POSSIBILITY FOR US.

.

IN TERMS OF, AND I THINK THIS IS BEING DISCUSSED AROUND THE SAFER SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE.

HOW DO Y'ALL FEEL ABOUT, AND I KNOW FOR SOME OF THE MAJOR EVENTS, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE, BUT HOW DO Y'ALL FEEL ABOUT OPENING SIXTH STREET UP TO TRAFFIC AT NIGHT AND ON THE WEEKENDS? BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED.

AND WHEN I WAS, UH, TRAVELING TO SOME OF THE DIFFERENT CITIES TO KIND OF GET IDEAS ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WENT TO NASHVILLE AND TAMPA, UM, WITH FIRE AND EMS AS WELL.

AND SO, UM, WE BROUGHT BACK SOME IDEAS AND, UM, EVERY CITY WAS DIFFERENT IN NOT ANYTHING LIKE AUSTIN.

SO, UM, WHILE SOME OF THOSE CITIES CLOSED THEIR STREETS AT DIFFERENT TIMES OR HAD A DIFFERENT TRAFFIC PATTERN, UH, WE ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT AT THIS TIME THAT ANY, ANYTHING THAT WE OBSERVED OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY WASN'T GOING TO WORK FOR US AND WASN'T GOING TO BE SAFE.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH A BUNCH OF INTOXICATED PEOPLE THAT VISIT BARS THAT ARE JUST LINED UP ON SIXTH STREET, WALKING OFF THAT VERY NARROW SIDEWALK INTO THE STREET.

SO WE'RE CONCERNED WITH AUTO PEDESTRIAN COLLISIONS, NUMBER ONE.

UM, NUMBER TWO, SHOULD, UM, SOMEONE HAVE SOME ILL WILL TOWARDS SOMEBODY.

WE WOULDN'T WANT SOMEBODY TO DRIVE DOWN ON A CAR ON SIXTH STREET AND, YOU KNOW, POINT A FIREARM OUT AND START SHOOTING PEOPLE.

THAT WAS ANOTHER CONCERN.

I THINK THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF, UM, SAFETY CON CONCERNS OVERALL WITH WHAT OPENING SIXTH STREET WOULD LOOK LIKE, THAT, UH, WE WEREN'T PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD ON IT AT THE TIME.

OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, YES, SIR, THAT YOU'RE, OH, I WAS, UM, WHEN Y'ALL ARE, WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT FOR Y'ALL, I'LL HAPPILY SPEAK ABOUT EM S'S APPROACH TO SPECIAL EVENTS AND LARGE MASS CASUALTY INCIDENTS.

I, UH, DO NOT HAVE A SLIDE PRESENTATION.

IT WAS JUST GONNA BE A, A, A CONVERSATION.

THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

OKAY.

UM, SO AGAIN, KEVIN PARKER, I, UH, PRIOR TO BEING THE DIVISION CHIEF OVER, UH, THE SECTIONS I SEE NOW, I WAS THE COMMANDER OF SPECIAL EVENTS.

SO I WORKED EVERY SPECIAL EVENT AND DID ALL THE PLANNING FOR IT FOR SEVEN YEARS.

UM, WE ARE SIMILAR TO FIRE IN THAT WE HAVE PERSONNEL DEDICATED TO THE AUSTIN CENTER FOR EVENTS.

WE HAVE A FOUR UNIFORMED PERSONNEL, UH, THAT REVIEW THE PERMITS, UM, DETERMINE THE NECESSARY EMS RESOURCES, WHICH CAN RANGE FROM NO EMS RESOURCES ARE NEEDED FOR YOUR SMALLER LEVEL EVENTS TO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, ET CETERA.

UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS NOT ONLY REVIEW THE PLANS, UM, AND MAKE THE PLANS, BUT TYPICALLY AT LEAST TWO OF THEM ARE ALSO WORKING ON THE EVENTS.

UH, SO THEY HAVE SOME VERY SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE EVENT HISTORY AND HOW WE GOT, UH, TO THE PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BE EXECUTED.

UH, THEY ALSO WRITE UP THE BRIEFINGS THAT WILL BE DELIVERED, UH, VIA EMAIL TO THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO THE BRIEFINGS THAT WILL BE SPECIFIC TO THE PERSONNEL WORKING THE EVENT.

UM, WE OFTENTIMES PARTNER WITH OTHER,

[00:35:01]

UH, FOR EXAMPLE, STUBS HIRES A PRIVATE M S VENUE OR E M S PROVIDER, UH, THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL OF THOSE PATIENTS AND WE JUST COORDINATE WHEN TRANSPORT IS NEEDED, UM, THAT LESSENS THE RESOURCES NEEDED FROM THE CITY.

UM, AND IT ALSO MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR, UH, THE PROMOTER OR THE BUSINESS, UH, TO CONTINUE OPERATING.

UM, AND, AND WE WILL STAFF THE COMMAND POSTS IN CONSULTATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY RESPONSE THAT WE GIVE IS A JOINT RESPONSE, UH, TO WHATEVER ISSUE WE'RE TRYING TO FIX.

UM, CHIEF VOKI AND LIEUTENANT OLA AND I TRAVELED, LIKE HE SAID TO NASHVILLE.

UM, AND LARGELY I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WERE DOING, UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING THERE THAT WE ARE, WERE NOT ALREADY DOING WITHIN AUSTIN AND, AND FRANKLY, THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN DOING FOR QUITE A WHILE.

UM, SPECIFICALLY IN NASHVILLE, THEY LOOKED TO US TO, UH, TAKE MORE KNOWLEDGE FROM US ABOUT HOW WE MANAGE INCIDENTS.

UM, EMS SPECIFICALLY, UH, DOES NOT STAFF ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, UM, ON THE BUSIEST NIGHTS AT THIS TIME.

UH, COUNSEL HAS PROVIDED US FUNDING TO GET MORE EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO, UH, PLUS UP OUR STAFFING ON THOSE BUSIEST NIGHTS.

UH, THAT EQUIPMENT HAS ALL BEEN ORDERED AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMING IN, AND THEN WE WILL BE FUNDING THAT, UH, THOSE PERSONNEL HOURS ON AN OVERTIME BASIS TO START THE PROGRAM AND TO REALLY DIAL IN WHAT EXACTLY WE, UM, SHOULD DO, UH, AS WE COME OUT OF COVID FOR THE LONG TERM.

UM, STARTING NEXT, UH, FRIDAY, WE BEGIN A PILOT PROGRAM ON RAINY STREET TO PROVIDE AN EMS PRESENCE ON RAINY STREET ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, UH, FROM, UH, APPROXIMATELY 8:00 PM TO APPROXIMATELY 300.

UM, THAT WILL ONLY BE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS.

UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, PARTNER ON THE JOINT AGENCY RESCUE TASK FORCES THAT BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

THOSE ARE THE, UH, COMBINED UNITS THAT DEAL WITH, UH, VIOLENT AGGRESSION, UH, TOWARDS OTHER PEOPLE.

SO SHOOTINGS, STABBINGS, VEHICULAR ASSAULTS, AND JUST REGULAR ASSAULTS.

UM, THEY ARE TYPICALLY, UH, TWO DISTINCT UNITS OUT OPERATING.

UH, THEY HAVE A BUILT-IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, SECURITY ELEMENT, UM, TRADITIONALLY IN EMS AND FIRE RESPONSE, IF THERE IS A THREAT OF VIOLENCE, WE WILL STAGE AWAY FROM THE SCENE IN A SECURE AREA UNTIL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVES ON SCENE AND TELLS US THAT THE SCENE IS SAFE.

AND, UM, THIS SETUP WITH A BUILT-IN SECURITY ELEMENT ALLOWS US TO FOREGO STAGING AND TO IMMEDIATELY RESPOND.

UM, AND WE ARE SEEING, UM, SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN PATIENT OUTCOMES.

UM, WITH THAT WE ARE PROVIDING ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT CARE, UH, TO THESE PATIENTS, UM, WITHIN SECONDS OF, IN TENS OF SECONDS, NOT EVEN MINUTES OF THE TRAUMA BEING INCURRED TO THEM.

UH, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, ARE BEING SHOT IN THE CHEST AND WITHIN 60 SECONDS HAVE A HIGHLY TRAINED, HIGHLY EQUIPPED PARAMEDIC AT THEIR SIDE, UH, PROVIDING VENTILATIONS, UH, RESPIRATIONS, UM, SUPPORTING THEIR, UH, BLOOD PRESSURE, ET CETERA, UM, AND BEGIN THAT CARE WHILE THE AMBULANCE IS RESPONDING.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, THAT TAKES CARE OF ONE PATIENT AT A TIME.

UM, WE ALL STAFF IN THE HALO REALTIME CRIME CENTER, WE STAFF A TACTICAL COMMAND POST WITH A EMS OFFICER, UM, OR A SUPERVISOR, A FIRE SUPERVISOR EQUIVALENT, AND A POLICE SUPERVISOR EQUIVALENT THAT SHOULD WE ENCOUNTER MULTIPLE PATIENTS WOULD BEGIN TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE THAT RESPONSE, UH, FROM THE OUTSIDE TO ASSIST THOSE PATIENTS AND MAKE SURE IT WAS A, A COORDINATED DEDICATED RESPONSE.

UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, LIKE, UH, LIEUTENANT GILO WAS JUST TELLING YOU TO ESTABLISH THAT, UH, STAGING AREA THAT WE HAVE.

UM, I WANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT SPECIFIC THAT THAT IS NOT THE ONE THAT WE WILL ALWAYS USE, UM, BUT IT IS LOCATED, UM, IN THE AREA OF THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SHOOTING STABBINGS, ET CETERA.

BUT, UM, JUST TO SET EXPECTATIONS, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS ON BRAZO STREET,

[00:40:01]

UM, THE ENTIRE PUBLIC SAFETY LEADERSHIP IS, IS AWARE OF THAT.

AND, UH, WE HAVE SPENT THE PAST YEAR THROUGH 2022, UH, TRAINING JOINTLY IN ACTIVE ATTACK RESPONSE, UM, ALL THREE AGENCIES IN BOTH DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS AND NIGHTTIME CONDITIONS, UH, TO GET THOSE TRAINING REPETITIONS IN TO WHERE NOT ONLY ARE UNITS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY WORKING DOWNTOWN OR AWARE OF THE RESPONSE PLANS, BUT THE UNITS WHO WILL BE SUPPORTING THAT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE, ARE TRAINED AND WE WORK UNDER A COMMON OPERATING PICTURE.

UM, THAT IS THE, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE FOR THAT.

COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE A QUESTION.

UH, IT'S MORE FOR, I THINK EVERYBODY PROBABLY SPECIFICALLY MORE FOR APD.

YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE A TRAINING FOR BAR OWNERS AND BOUNCERS FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

MY CONCERN IS FOR, FOR THE UNOFFICIAL SOUTH BY EVENT HOLDERS THAT, YOU KNOW, A STARTUP OR SOMEBODY YOU KNOW, WHO'S HAVING A REALLY BIG PARTY CUZ IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT YOU INTERACT WITH ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, ONLINE TRAINING MATERIALS OR, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF REACH OUT TO SAY TO FOLKS THAT TYPICALLY THROW PARTIES THAT AREN'T SELF BI OFFICIAL, HEY, HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

RIGHT.

WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO ANY IDEAS TO MAKING CONTACT WITH PEOPLE THAT MAY NEED THE TRAINING.

AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MANAGEMENT TEAM.

MM-HMM.

, UM, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DIVISION THAT HELP INTERACT WITH SOME OF THE UNOFFICIAL EVENTS.

SO I THINK THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE THEM TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE MM-HMM.

AND THEN, UH, MAYBE OFFER, UH, A SOUTH BY OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL TRAINING EVENT.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

YEAH.

I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH YOU OFFLINE ABOUT THAT TOO.

I WOULD JUST ADD ALSO THAT THOSE EVENTS MAY STILL BE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THE AUSTIN CENTER FOR EVENTS AND STILL NEED PERMITTING EVEN THOUGH THAT THEY'RE NOT SOUTH BY EVENTS, WE STILL PERMIT OTHER EVENTS IN TOWN DURING THAT TIME.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A REGULAR PERMITTING SYSTEM THAT WE USE SOUTH BY HAS THEIR SPECIFIC THINGS, BUT OTHER EVENTS THAT GO ON DURING SOUTH BY COULD STILL BE REQUIRED, UH, TO PERMIT JUST DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHERE THEY'RE DOING IT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

IT DOES.

IS THAT PERMIT THROUGH A VENUE OR WHAT IF SOMEBODY JUST HAD IT AT THEIR STARTUP OFFICE? SO IT, IT DEPENDS.