[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
I THINK WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE MAYBE ONE OR TWO MORE STRAGGLERS, BUT WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO, TO MAKE QUORUM.SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
'CAUSE AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE A PACKED SCHEDULE.
UM, I AM GOING TO CALL ATTENDANCE FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR TURNING YOUR CAMERA ON HERE.
UM, JUST WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND TO INTRODUCE OUR, OUR NEWEST COMMISSIONER, PAUL HERMA MEYER.
HE'S JOINING US FROM MACKENZIE KELLY'S DISTRICT AND REPRE REPLACING JOHN KOFF.
IF YOU JUST WANNA TAKE A SECOND TO SAY HELLO.
UH, THIS IS MY, UH, FIRST MEETING AS OBVIOUS LOOK AT, UH, COMING FROM THE DISTRICT AND HERE TO, UH, GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY.
UM, WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT? SO JUST SIGN THE FOR PARTICULAR ITEM.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE TWO SIGNED UP, TWO SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM MONDAY.
SO REAL QUICK QUESTION TO BOTH, UM, KATHY AND RACHEL, WOULD YOU GUYS PREFER TO GIVE YOUR COMMENT NOW? I LIKE TO TAKE IT WITH THE, WITH THE ITEM, BUT IF YOU GUYS NEED TO GO AND GIVE YOUR COMMENT, THAT IS FAIR.
SO WE WILL BE CALLING THOSE SPEAKERS UP AHEAD OF ITEM FIVE.
AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY, I'M GONNA TRY REALLY HARD TO KEEP THIS MEETING MOVING TODAY.
'CAUSE WE HAVE LOTS OF SPEAKERS LINED UP.
UM, AND, AND LOTS OF DISCUSSION TO HAVE ALONG WITH ITEM FIVE AND, UM, THE ITEM FOUR, I BELIEVE.
SO WE JUST HAVE A PRETTY, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA BE SNIPPY ABOUT TIME TODAY, SO I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR, UM, CUTTING ANYBODY OFF.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THOSE FROM MS. JACKSON EARLIER TODAY OR OVER THE WEEKEND.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO CONSIDER THE MINUTES FROM THE FLOOR PLEASE? I MOTION.
DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES AND OR COMMENTS? NOPE.
WITH THAT, UM, I'LL JUST TAKE A VOTE LIKE WE MUST, UM, COMMISSIONER ORR? YES.
COMMISSIONER HERMES MEYER ABSTAIN.
AND COMMISSIONER SMITH ABSTAIN.
SO WITH THAT, UH, AND THEN I WILL VOTE AS WELL IN FAVOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT GIVES US WHAT WE NEED TO PASS THEM, BUT, OKAY, GREAT.
I KNOW THAT, UM, PEOPLE THAT AREN'T PRESENT LIKE TO ABSTAIN, UM, FROM VOTING ON OUR MINUTES, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE SIX TOTAL VOTES, WE CAN'T HAVE A RECORD OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETING OFFICIALLY ON THE RECORD.
SO, UM, JUST MOVING FORWARD, IF YOU GUYS WOULD PLEASE CONSIDER AT LEAST FOR THE SAKE OF GETTING MEETINGS, UM, RECORDED OFFICIALLY TO PARTICIPATE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
STAFF BRIEFINGS IS OUR NEXT ITEM.
UM, AGAIN, FOR, OH, GO AHEAD CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY THAT WE DID HAVE SIX, IT LOOKED LIKE FIVE.
SO I GUESS WE WILL REVISIT THOSE NEXT MEETING WITH MORE PEOPLE.
WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST? CAN, DO YOU WANNA CLARIFY WITH EVERYBODY THAT UNDER ROBERT'S RULES, THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN VOTE EVEN IF YOU WEREN'T PRESENT? YEAH.
SO IF ANYBODY, THERE'S NO NEED TO ABSTAIN IF YOU WEREN'T PRESENT.
SO IF EITHER COMMISSIONER SMITH AND OR COMMISSIONER HERMES MEYER WOULD CONSIDER CHANGING THEIR VOTE TO A YES FROM ABSTAIN, THAT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
SO WE CAN GET THESE MINUTES ADOPTED.
JUST A, A QUICK POINT PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY.
UM, UH, AS USUAL, THE STAFF BRIEFINGS ARE INCLUDED IN OUR AGENDA AS SORT OF A PLACEHOLDER SO THAT IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED ON THE RECORD DURING A PREVIOUS MEETING THAT
[00:05:01]
WENT UNANSWERED, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A PLACEHOLDER IN OUR AGENDA FOR PUBLISHING THOSE TO THE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION.I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYTHING THIS TIME AROUND.
UM, SO WE'LL JUST MOVE ON WITH THAT ITEM.
[3. Public Safety Quarterly Report – Austin Police Department (Sponsors: Commissioners Ramírez and Bernhardt)]
UP, AND FIRST UP IS, UM, CHIEF GREENWALT AND HE'S GONNA GIVE US THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT QUARTERLY REPORT.AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'LL GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS AS I WAS TRANSITIONING IN, YOU GUYS REQUESTED THAT WE KIND OF KEEP THESE HIGH LEVEL, YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AT THE STATISTICS AND THE, THE PERCENTAGE INCREASES AND DECREASES AND BACKUP AT YOUR LEISURE.
SO IF I'M, IF I'M GOING TOO FAST, PLEASE SLOW ME DOWN.
BUT I'M GONNA HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS AND, UH, AND WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE THROUGH THESE.
THIS IS JUST A TABLE CONTENT SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UH, WE, WE BLOCKED 'EM OUT, UH, FIRST OF ALL BY CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS.
AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AT THE NUANCES OF THE INCREASES AND DECREASES.
THE ONE THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, JUST BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, IS THE HOMICIDE OFFENSES.
AND WHILE USUALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT CRIME STATISTICS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, IT'S REALLY HARD TO FIND ANY SORT OF REASON WHY THAT MIGHT BE INCREASING OR DECREASING UNTIL YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A LONGER TIME PERIOD TO LOOK AT TRENDS.
I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY POINT TO TWO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER THAT LED TO THIS INCREASE.
UM, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT CAME UP FROM SAN ANTONIO AND KILLED FOUR PEOPLE AT ONCE.
AND THEN THERE WAS THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, DOWN SOUTH THAT, UM, KILLED HIS TWO FAMILY MEMBERS AND OFFICER PASTOR.
SO THOSE ARE SEVEN HOMICIDES THAT ALL HAPPENED IN JUST TWO CALLS, UM, IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
SO WE'LL BE WATCHING THAT IN THE SECOND QUARTER TO SEE IF THAT TREND CONTINUES.
WE DO NOT, WE DO NOT EXPECT IT TO.
AND, UM, FORTUNATELY, WE'RE ABLE TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE SEX OFFENSES FOR THE FIRST QUARTER.
WE DO BREAK IT OUT BY, UM, A PD SECTOR.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE COUNCIL DISTRICT HERE IN A SECOND, BUT IF ANYBODY, UH, IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS SECTORS THAT WE HAVE, THIS SHOWS THAT THERE'S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH OF AN INCREASE OR DECREASE.
UM, IF ANYTHING, OUR CRIME STATISTICS IN THE FIRST QUARTER ARE LOOKING A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THEY HAVE IN THE PAST.
AND THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOUR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CONSTITUENTS.
UH, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE, I THINK IN SIX AND NINE.
THE REST OF 'EM REMAIN PRETTY EVEN.
OUR CRANE ANALYSTS ALSO, UM, GO BY NEIGHBORHOODS OR WHAT THEY CALL HOTSPOTS.
THEY CAN KIND OF PUT A HEAT MAP ON THE CITY, DEPENDING ON WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT.
UM, THIS MIGHT MEAN MORE TO THEM THAN BREAKING IT DOWN BY SECTOR OR A COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SO IF A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY LIVE OR WORK, THEY CAN SEE THAT TOO.
UM, THIS WILL CORRESPOND TO THE, THE VARIOUS SECTORS AND DISTRICTS THAT WE SEE IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDES.
YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHEN WE GO TO THE CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT UPTICK IN MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT IS BECAUSE OF A TREND RIGHT NOW WITH KIAS AND HYUNDAIS WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE A USB CORD TO JUST BYPASS THE ENTIRE THING AND, UM, AND START THE CAR AND DRIVE OFF WITHOUT, WITH LESS THAN 30 SECONDS.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING HOW EASILY THAT IS.
AND THAT'S ON ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIAS FOR THE, THE, UM, TEENAGERS TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND GO OUT AND REPLICATE THE CRIME AND VIDEO IT AND, AND TEACH EACH OTHER HOW TO DO IT.
SO WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THAT.
IN ADDITION, THE, UM, THE AUTO THEFT DETECTIVES ARE KIND OF EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING ALL OF OUR OTHER DETECTIVES ARE EXPERIENCING WITH HIGHER CRIMES AND LESS TIME TO INVESTIGATE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING SIX DAYS OF BACKFILL EVERY QUARTER.
UM, SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY OUT DOING PATROL, UM, WHICH TAKES AWAY FROM THEIR ABILITY TO DO SOME OF THE CASE WORK.
SO THAT THAT HURTS 'EM A LITTLE BIT TOO.
THESE ARE ALL BROKEN OUT THE EXACT SAME WAY SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE 'EM BY SECTOR AND DISTRICT.
SO OUR TARGET FOR CALL RESPONSE TIME FOR PRIORITY ZERO AND PRIORITY ONES IS 10 MINUTES AND 44 SECONDS.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT PRIORITY ZEROS AND ONES ARE, UM, ZEROS ARE CALLS THAT, UM, HAVE SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL POTENTIAL HARM TO A PERSON OR PROPERTY AND ARE IN PROGRESS OR PEOPLE ARE ON SCENE AND PRIORITY ONES ARE CALLS THAT ARE, ARE JUST BARELY BEEN COMPLETED OR THERE'S A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF US SOLVING IT OR CATCHING SOMEBODY IF WE RESPOND QUICKLY.
AND, UH, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE MEASURE OUR RESPONSE TIMES BECAUSE THE PRIORITY THREES AND FOURS TYPICALLY HAVE MUCH LONGER RESPONSE TIMES.
PEOPLE ARE BACK HOME JUST WAITING ON A REPORT, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND NOT ANY OF THE MONTHS DURING THE FIRST QUARTER DID WE HIT THAT TARGET.
WE'RE ACTUALLY, UM, AS CLOSE AS WE GOT IN OCTOBER WITH A 32ND OVERAGE, AND IT WENT AS HIGH AS TWO MINUTES IN DECEMBER.
UH, THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS OVERAGE IS GONNA BE STAFFING.
[00:10:01]
I KNOW THAT'S A RECURRING THEME AROUND THE NATION RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY AT POLICE DEPARTMENTS.UM, THE MAIN WAY THAT WE COVER PATROL SHORTAGES IS THROUGH VOLUNTARY OVERTIME.
WE DO HAVE A BACKFILL PROGRAM, WHICH I'VE TALKED ABOUT.
WE ALSO HAVE A SUPPORT SHIFT THAT'S DONE THROUGH OVERTIME, AND EACH SHIFT IS ALLOWED TO HIRE OVERTIME ON THEIR OWN.
WE'LL SEE A SLIDE IN A LITTLE BIT THAT'LL TALK TO HOW FAST WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THE OVERTIME BUDGET AND HOURS.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING, ESPECIALLY IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON, TO, TO BE THERE AND, AND BE IN THOSE SEATS TO TAKE THOSE CALLS.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THIS WHOLE ONE, TRUST ME
AND JUST TO KINDA GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MANY CALLS DO COME IN CITYWIDE BY MONTH, THE GRAY ONES ARE GONNA BE THE, UM, THE PRIORITY ONES AND THE BLUES.
THE PRIORITY ZEROS OR HOTSHOT CALLS IS WHAT WE'LL SOMETIMES CALL 'EM.
UM, ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL CALLS, UH, THE, THE PRIORITY CALLS THAT WE GET A MONTH AND TRY TO EXTRAPOLATE HOW MANY THAT IS A DAY, MOST OF THE TIME THOSE CALLS TEND TO COME IN, IN THE SAME SMALL TIMEFRAME IN THE EVENING AND IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WHEN, UM, PEOPLE ARE OUT, UM, REALLY DRINKING AND, AND, UH, WE HAVE MORE CALLS COME IN.
SO WHEN WE GET NUMEROUS CALLS AT ONCE THAT ARE HOT SHOTS OR PRIORITY ONES, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAKE 'EM ON TIME.
UH, YOU GUYS ASKED ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, REPORT OUT.
SO WE'RE STARTING TO, UH, TRY TO THROW A NET AROUND ALL THOSE AND BRING 'EM BACK TO YOU EVERY QUARTER THE BEST WE CAN.
UM, WE DID, UM, A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT DURING THE FIRST QUARTER.
THERE WAS 149 REGISTERED EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
OUR, UH, EXECUTIVE AND COMMAND STAFF ALONG WITH COMMANDERS AND, UH, PATROL ALL STOP BY AND PARTICIPATE IN THOSE TRUNK OR TREAT AS THE HALLOWEEN, UH, ACTIVITY THAT WE DO WITH THE CHILDREN.
UH, BOWLING BLUE SANTA, I DON'T DUNNO IF YOU GUYS PARTICIPATED OR WATCHED, UH, THE BLUE SANTA, BUT WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO DELIVER PRESENTS TO OVER 5,200 FAMILIES.
IT WAS AN AMAZING, AMAZING EVENT.
LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT AND PARTICIPATED IN THAT, UM, SHOP WITH A COP, UH, AT TARGET, NORTH AND SOUTH.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE NOT EVER BEEN TO THOSE, IT WILL, IT WILL WARM YOUR HEART AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME TO SEE THE LITTLE KIDS SHOPPING AND HOW WHEN YOU TELL A CHILD THEY HAVE $200 TO SPEND ON CHRISTMAS, THEY GO SHOP FOR THEIR MOM AND DAD AND BROTHER AND SISTER AND FRIENDS BEFORE THEY EVEN SHOP FOR THEMSELVES.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A GOOD, GOOD THING TO GO TO.
UM, OUR MOUNTED PATROL GETS CALLED ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND SO THEY'VE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN OVER 20 SEPARATE EVENTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER ALONE.
AND THEN THE SENIORS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TOGETHER IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN QUITE REGULARLY.
LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
THEY DIDN'T COUNT 'EM ALL OUT BECAUSE WE DO THOSE, UM, ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS IN EVERY SECTOR IN THE CITY, ALONG WITH FAITH-BASED MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS.
AND WE ALSO DID OUR THREE STRATEGIC PLAN AND COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER A STRATEGIC PLAN, A FIVE-YEAR PLAN FOR A PD AND PART OF THAT PROCESS IS TO ENGAGE WITH AND GET INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT.
SO THOSE TOOK PLACE IN THE FIRST QUARTER AS WELL.
AND THROUGH OUR HIGHWAY ENFORCEMENT UNIT, UH, VISION ZERO OUTREACH, THE DARKER EVENING COMMUTE, AND THE DRIVE SOBER NO REGRETS CAMPAIGN TOOK PLACE IN THE FIRST QUARTER AS WELL.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE OVERTIME IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
UH, WE'RE, UH, LOOKING AT ALMOST HITTING 40% OF OUR OVERTIME BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
SO IF WE TREND THAT DIRECTION, WHICH WE DID LAST YEAR, WE'LL BE, UH, WELL OVER THAT.
AND THAT GETS US TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN RESPOND TO CALLS AND NOT EVEN QUITE HIT OUR TARGET FOR RESPONSE TIME.
THAT'S JUST THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THAT'S THE CASE HERE.
THIS ONE IS PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES VERSUS THE WHOLE BUDGET.
IT'S JUST, UM, EMPLOYEE SALARY AND BENEFITS.
IT'S NOT, NOT INCLUDING THE OVERTIME.
SO WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BRIGHT NEWS, UM, ON THE HORIZON.
WE, WE DID GRADUATE A CLASS IN, UM, SEPTEMBER WAS 19, THE ONE WE JUST GRADUATED ON FRIDAY HAD 25.
THE ONE THAT'S STILL IN THE TRAINING ACADEMY HAS 43.
AND THE ONE THAT STARTS IN FEBRUARY IS GONNA HAVE OVER 80 CADETS.
SO IF YOU ADD THOSE ALL UP, WE HAVE AROUND 140, 150 PEOPLE THAT'LL BE GRADUATING IN, UH, THE YEAR 2000.
THE CALENDAR YEAR 2024 THAT, SO IN, IN 2023 WE JUST CLOSED OUT.
THAT WAS THE MOST SEPARATIONS WE'VE HAD, UM, AT A PD, UM, EVER.
AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO DO FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2020, IS GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT LOSING MORE PEOPLE THAN WE'RE GAINING.
IF WE CAN RETAIN MOST OF THESE FOLKS AND GET 150 OR SO PEOPLE THROUGH AND GRADUATED ON THE STREETS, WE MIGHT BE IN A SITUATION TO ACTUALLY GAIN MORE, OR AT LEAST BREAK EVEN, WHICH WOULD BE A WIN FOR US RIGHT NOW.
AND THE HUNDRED 53RD IS SCHEDULED TO, TO START, UH, LATE SUMMER.
THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST CLASS THAT WE RECRUIT THROUGH CIVIL SERVICE,
[00:15:01]
UM, RULES AND NOT THROUGH THE CONTRACT RULES, WHICH IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT OF A LEARNING CURVE AND A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, A DISADVANTAGE FOR US, UH, QUITE HONESTLY TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE WANT IN.AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM AS WE CAN.
SO WE ARE ALLOCATED 1,812 SWORN FOLKS.
WE'RE HOLDING 358 VACANCIES, CIVILIAN, 767 TOTAL WITH 167 VACANCIES.
THEY MADE GREAT STRIDES OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO.
UM, AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE LOOKING REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WERE ABLE TO, TO CORRECT PROBABLY QUICKER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
SO I WAS VERY PROUD OF THE EFFORTS THAT THEY PUT FORWARD TO NOT ONLY RECRUIT, BUT GOING THROUGH AND TRAINING THOSE FOLKS AND GETTING 'EM, UM, ON THEIR OWN IS NO SMALL FEAT.
SO WE APPRECIATE WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE.
THIS IS OUR STAFFING ALLOCATION BY COMMAND, IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THAT NEXT SLIDE.
THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, COMMISSIONER NEN.
CHIEF, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY FORUM AT, UH, EDWARD SECTOR.
UM, I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, BUT I KNOW THAT MY NEIGHBORS WERE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE THANK YOU, THE WORK THAT, AND THE EFFORTS THAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO DO TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, AND IT'S NOT A QUESTION JUST TO SAY OUT LOUD FOR ANYBODY WATCHING AT HOME, AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER HERM MEYERS KNEW AS WELL THAT Q1 IS OCTOBER TO JAN TO OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER.
YEAH, THE, THE OVERTIME SLIDE, THEY HAD TO PULL IT BY PAY PERIOD.
SO IT DIDN'T, DIDN'T ALIGN PRECISELY WITH THE FISCAL YEAR QUARTER.
WE'RE LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 2024 FIRST QUARTER, WHICH IS OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
JUST SO THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE JOINING US DON'T THINK GEN, THIS IS ALL ENCOMPASSING FOR JANUARY THE FIRST MONTH OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO
JUST, UH, FOR NEXT TIME, IF POSSIBLE, CAN WE COLOR COORDINATE THE SLIDE, UM, THAT HAS THE SECTORS IN THE DISTRICTS, I'M ABLE TO QUICKLY PINPOINT THE DATA POINT TO THE SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION.
CAN YOU REPEAT WHICH SLIDE PLEASE? COLOR COORDINATE THE SLIDE FOR FOR SECTOR AND, AND, UH, THE DISTRICTS.
AND I, I DID ACTUALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE, THE, THE ADDITION OF THE MAPS THAT, THAT ADDITION IS SUPER HELPFUL ALONG WITH THE HOTSPOTS MAPS THAT JUST IN TERMS OF JUST BEING ABLE TO QUICKLY LOOK AT AND JUST, IT THEY'RE HELPFUL.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS FOR A WHILE, SO WE APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU TO WHOEVER DID THAT FOR US.
UM, IF WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, I THINK WE WILL MOVE ON.
[4. Discussion of 88th & Special Texas Legislative sessions and impacts on public safety departments with the Intergovernmental Relations Office (Sponsors: Commissioners Bernhardt & Ramírez) ]
UM, WE HAVE, UM, THE DISCUSSION OF THE 88TH AND SPECIAL TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA DO ONLINE.
I'M THE CITY'S INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICER.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE 88TH SESSION.
I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE TO GET IN IN TIME.
I WAS SPEAKING OFFLINE PREVIOUSLY WITH THE COMMISSIONER ABOUT, I JUST HAVE DAYCARE PICKUP
AND SO, UM, A SD IS NOT BACK IN SCHOOL TODAY THOUGH, SO THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
UM, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE.
I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR ME TO GET HERE.
UM, WE DID HAVE FOUR SPECIAL SESSIONS, WHICH I'M GONNA SPEAK TO AS WELL HERE.
AND SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THESE SLIDES QUICKLY 'CAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE SOME SPEAKERS AFTER ME THAT YOU WANNA GET TO.
AND I CAN OF COURSE GO BACK TO ANY SLIDE AT ANY POINT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION ANY OF YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE STARTED FOR THIS SESSION, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF LEGISLATION RIGHT OFF THE BAT WHEN WE WENT INTO THIS SESSION THAT WAS PRE-FILED.
AND THIS IS JUST SOME OF IT THAT WAS INCLUDED, BUT SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS COM, THIS COMMITTEE, IT WAS THE DISTRICT OF AUSTIN BILL BY REPRESENTATIVE PAT PATTERSON.
AND A SIMILAR STYLE BILL, WHICH IS THE DPS TAKEOVER OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[00:20:01]
HAD THE CAPITAL DPS IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER TAKEOVER, AUSTIN PD AND EITHER BILL THE CITY FOR THOSE SERVICES OR JUST A STRAIGHT OUT TAKEOVER.THE DISTRICT OF AUSTIN WENT FURTHER IN THAT IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT PD, IT WAS ABOUT TURNING THE CITY OF AUSTIN INTO A DISTRICT.
SO NOT EVEN SIMILAR TO DC 'CAUSE THEY STILL HAVE A CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IT WOULD GO BEYOND THAT AND THEN THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND GOVERNOR NETS WOULD BECOME THE BODY FOR AUSTIN AND ALL MATTERS.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED OUT THE SESSION WITH.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH, YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, PAID SICK LEAVE, PREEMPTION, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THAT FOR MANY SESSIONS NOW.
IT'S BEEN MANAGED IN THE COURTS.
UH, NEW THOUGH IS A GUARANTEED INCOME PREEMPTION.
THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DOING ALONG WITH OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, AND THAT WOULD PREEMPTED OUR ABILITY TO DO THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE STILL HAD THE VERY BROAD LEGISLATION AGAINST CITIES THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE ABOUT.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE LATER.
SUPER PREEMPTION IS WHAT WE CALL IT PERMITTING ISSUES AND THEN WHAT WE CALL COMMUNITY ADVOCACY.
AND THAT'S THE ABILITY OF CITIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY TO HAVE LOBBYING TO BE ON THE SAME LEVEL FOOTING OF THOSE THAT ARE LOBBYING AGAINST ALL THOSE ENTITIES.
BUT THAT'S EVEN JUST PRE-FILED.
WE HADN'T EVEN STARTED SESSION YET.
AND THIS SESSION WAS DEFINITELY, UM, IT, IT WENT UP A BIG NOTCH IN TWO PLACES.
ONE, THE NUMBER ONE, THE NUMBER OF BILLS FILED.
AND WE'VE SEEN A TREND OF THE NUMBER OF BILLS FILED THAT JUST INCREASES INCREASE.
BUT THIS INCREASED BY A THOUSAND MORE BILLS FROM THIS FROM LAST SESSION OF THIS SESSION.
UM, THAT MEANS THE REVIEW OF ALL THOSE BILLS, THE ASSIGNMENT TO STAFF, THE ASKING OF STAFF TO REVIEW THOSE BILLS.
I THINK THAT WAS FELT THROUGHOUT THIS ORGANIZATION.
WE TRACKED ABOUT 16, ALMOST 1700 OF THOSE BILLS AND THEN FOLLOWED THEM THROUGH.
BUT ALSO, WHAT'S NOT ON THIS SLIDE IS THE HEARINGS.
THE NUMBER OF HEARINGS WE HAD ON THESE BILLS JUST WENT UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
I'D NEVER SEEN SO MANY BILLS GIVEN SO MANY HEARINGS.
USUALLY, UM, IN MY 20 SOMETHING YEARS OF DOING THIS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MIGHT PICK ONE OR TWO BILLS ON THE SAME TOPIC AND PUT THEM UP AGAINST EACH OTHER TO KIND OF SEE WHERE, UH, THINGS ARE GOING.
UM, BUT IT FELT LIKE ALMOST ANY BILL ON ANY TOPIC WAS GETTING HEARINGS.
AND SO WE WERE COVERING A NUMBER OF HEARINGS WITH A NUMBER OF STAFF ACROSS A NUMBER OF, UM, COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE SESSION.
UM, AND THEN WE WENT INTO THESE SPECIAL SESSIONS.
SO WE HAD FOUR CALLED SPECIAL SESSIONS.
UM, THAT IS THE MOST I'VE DONE IN MY CAPACITY HERE.
I I MYSELF PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE I DID FIVE SPECIAL SESSIONS ONCE WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THE CAPITOL, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ON TWO, WERE ON REDISTRICTING AND THREE WERE ON, UH, SCHOOL FINANCE.
BUT THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SPECIAL SESSIONS.
IT WAS STILL UNCLEAR WHETHER WE WERE GONNA HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION.
THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THIS MONTH ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE, MAYBE MEANING WE WEREN'T GONNA HAVE THAT, WE WERE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER 'CAUSE IT WASN'T THE LARGER CHRISTMAS TREE.
AND, AND THIS GOVERNOR CAN VERY WELL CALL ANOTHER AT ANY POINT BEFORE WE GO BACK IN.
THOSE ARE THE STATS ON THE NUMBER OF BILLS FILES.
WE STILL TRACK NUMBER OF BILLS PASSED.
AND THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT THEY COVERED.
UM, PROPERTY TAX, UH, CUTTING PROPERTY TAX RATES.
THAT WAS MOSTLY FOR THE M AND O, WHAT WE CALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY TAX.
UM, HOPEFULLY SOME OF YOU SAW THAT RELIEF IN YOUR TAX BILL.
AND THEN THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES, A LOT OF BORDER SECURITY, UH, TALK.
THERE'S OF COURSE, ON THE SCHOOL SIDE, SCHOOL VOUCHERS WAS A BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.
STILL BILLS ON COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATES EXPANDING OUT INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND SO ON.
SO THEY DID STILL RUN THE GAMUT OF A LOT OF ISSUES BEING COVERED.
IN TERMS OF BILLS THAT PASSED THAT WERE ACTUALLY POSITIVE FOR THE CITY, WE ACTUALLY DO PASS SOME BILLS EACH SESSION, THIS SESSION.
UM, ONE OF OUR PRIORITY BILLS LAST SESSION, WE HAD ACTUALLY THE POLICE RETIREMENT PENSION, UM, THAT WE HAD TO PASS THAT BILL TO MAKE SURE THAT IS THERE FOR OUR RETIRED OFFICERS AND THAT WE FULFILL THE PROMISE WE MADE TO THEM UPON THEIR RETIREMENT.
WE DID THE SAME FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PENSION THIS SESSION.
AND THIS IS, THESE BILLS BOTH PUT IN SOME GUARDRAILS THAT DETERMINE WHEN BOTH THE CITY AND IN THE EMPLOYEE SIDE WILL INCREASE CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE MEETING THE OBLIGATIONS THAT EACH, UH, EMPLOYEE SIGNED VESTS INTO FOR RETIREMENT.
WE ALSO, UM, WERE ABLE TO BE A PART OF A MAJOR BUILD THAT ALLOWS SOME, UM, FLEXIBILITY ON HOW, NOT HOW CITIES
[00:25:01]
CAN SPEND HOT TAX NECESSARILY.THIS BILL'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, GOES A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN THAT.
WE DON'T GET TO USE IT ON MANY NEW USES, BUT WE GET TO GRAB MORE OF THE STATE PORTION FOR CERTAIN USES.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THAT BILL.
AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO JUST OVERALL THE CENSUS UPDATE THAT FINALLY HAPPENED.
UM, AND SO YOU'LL NOW SEE BILLS THAT APPLY TO AUSTIN.
WE USED TO BE OUR NUM OUR MAGIC NUMBER WAS SEVEN 50.
WE ARE NOW, OUR NEW MAGIC NUMBER IS ABOUT 9 61.
SO WHEN YOU SEE BRACKET BILLS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A NEW, UM, A NEW NUMBER WITH THAT FOR US.
WHAT PASSED THAT WAS NEGATIVE FOR THE CITY.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF BILLS RELATED TO ON ETJ REGULATION, WHICH IS ABOUT THE EXTRATERRITORIAL TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
NOW, PEOPLE CAN INDIVIDUALLY, UM, OPT OUT OF THAT.
WE ALWAYS SAW THIS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE AFTER THE MAJOR ANNEXATION REFORM HAPPENED AND IT FINALLY GOT HERE.
THERE WAS ALSO THIS DIS ANNEXATION BILL.
HB 30 53 IS ABOUT VERY, UH, SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN THAT WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A VOTE TO DESEX THE COMMUNITY THAT IS THE LARGEST AFFECTED BY THIS IS KNOWN AS LOST CREEK, AND THERE WILL BE A VOTE ON THAT IN MAY.
AND WHETHER THEY DECIDE TO STAY IN THE CITY OR DESEX IN THE CITY, THE RATIONALE FOR THAT BILL AUTHOR WAS THEY WOULD'VE MAYBE BEEN IN THE ANNEXATION REFORM BILL.
THEY DIDN'T GET TO VOTE, SO LET THEM GET A CHANCE TO VOTE.
UM, WE ALSO HAD WHAT IS CALLED THE SUPER PREEMPTION BILL, UH, BY CHAIRMAN BURROWS PASSED.
THAT BILL HAS PUT IN VERY SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF STATE LAW.
SO FOR INSTANCE, THE PROPERTY CODE, THE FINANCE CODE, I BELIEVE LABOR'S IN THERE TOO COULD BE WRONG.
IT'S ABOUT FIVE CODES WHERE IT SAYS THAT IF THE, IF THE CITY ISN'T SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED, THEN WE'RE PREEMPTED.
UM, FROM THE GET GO, THERE'S, IT HASN'T HAD A HUGE EFFECT SPECIFICALLY YET ON AUSTIN.
I THINK WHERE WE'LL SEE THAT EFFECT IS GOING FORWARD.
IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK EVERY TIME LEGISLATION IS FILED UNDER WHAT CODE IT'S GOING UNDER TO SEE HOW THAT PREEMPTION LANGUAGE NOW AFFECTS THAT LEGISLATION.
WHAT ARE THE BROADER IMPLICATIONS NOW OF STATE LEGISLATION UNDER THOSE CODES? IDENTIFIED UNDER 2127? UM, THERE IS LITIGATION ON THAT BILL RIGHT NOW HAPPENING THROUGH COURTS.
UM, AND THEN PARKLAND DEDICATION THAT WAS ABOUT HOW MUCH PARKLAND WE COULD ASK OF NEW DEVELOPMENT HAVING WHAT WE COULD SAY IS GRAY PAY FOR GREEN, MEANING HAVING DEVELOPMENT PAY FOR PARKLAND THAT COMES WITH IT.
THIS BILL LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT.
DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T BUILD PARKS AND SO FORTH, BUT WE, WE CAN'T RELY ON THAT MECHANISM IN THE SAME WAY.
SO THAT'S GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT IMPACTFUL DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, FOR THE HOUSE, THAT WAS A PRIORITY.
THE PARKLAND DEDICATION BILL ALONG WITH HB 14 BECAUSE THEY SAW THIS AS PART OF THEIR AFFORDABILITY, WHICH IS ABOUT INCREASING PERMITTING REVIEW, INCREASING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW SO THAT IF YOU GET MORE HOUSING ON THE, ON THE LAND, YOU KNOW, GET MORE HOUSING OUT THERE BY GETTING IT QUICKER THROUGH THE PROCESS IS THEIR ARGUMENT.
THE SUBDIVISION REGULATION BILL HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT AS WELL.
UM, THERE WERE SOME BILLS THAT DIDN'T PASS THAT ENDED UP BEING POSITIVE FOR THE CITY.
I MEAN, WE PRIMARILY, WE HAD, UH, PROJECT CONNECT BY HB 38 99 BY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER AND CURRENT REPRESENTATIVE TR CLA DID NOT PASS.
THAT WOULD'VE SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, THE ORIGINAL BILL.
WE, IT WOULD'VE REQUIRED ANOTHER VOTE.
UM, WE BECAME NEUTRAL ON THAT TO SAY LET'S HAVE ANOTHER VOTE.
AND THEN THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE SENATE THAT WOULD'VE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED THE PROCESS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PROJECT CONNECT.
IT WENT BEYOND HAVING ANOTHER VOTE.
SO THAT BILL BECAME SOMETHING THAT WAS DIRECTLY AIMED AT, UM, LIMITING THE ABILITY TO GET PROJECT CONNECT OFF THE GROUND.
UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER OTHER BILLS RELATED TO WHETHER THE CITY CAN COLLECT STREAMING FEES.
SO THAT'S ABOUT NETFLIX AND OTHER STREAMING, UM, UH, COMPANIES OUT THERE.
THE HAVEN FOR HOPE BILL, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE CALLED SB 29 29 HAVEN FOR HOPE IS A SERVICE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT OFFERS HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AND IT BUSES.
PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
THIS BILL WOULD'VE AFFECTED OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS IN DOWNTOWN AREAS.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY IT GOT THAT, UH, NAME ATTACHED TO IT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE BILLS LIKE DRAG QUEEN STORY TIME.
[00:30:01]
RECEIVED A LOT OF ATTENTION IN THE MEDIA THAT I THINK YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH.THIS, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO A LOT ON THIS.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
BUT AGAIN, ANOTHER SERIES OF PREEMPTION BILLS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT OTHER AREAS THAT WE'RE, THAT DIDN'T PASS.
THERE WAS, AS YOU GUYS MIGHT REMEMBER, IN FEBRUARY, WE HAD ANOTHER WINTER STORM.
SO, UH, SO FAR WE'VE BEEN TWO FOR TWO ON HAVING WINTER STORMS DURING SESSIONS
AND THAT BRINGS TO THE LEGISLATURE'S ATTENTION, AUSTIN ENERGY.
AND SO THERE WAS A NUM NOT THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS OUT THERE IN THEIR, UH, SITES ANYWAYS, BUT WE HAD A NUMBER MORE BILLS THIS SESSION THAN ANY OTHER SESSION ON AUSTIN ENERGY.
SO THOSE WERE ALSO, UH, TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT.
AND THEN AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT FURTHER BILLS ABOUT DIS ANNEXATION GOING FURTHER THAN WHAT WAS ALREADY PASSED.
JUST WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE AGAIN.
AND THESE WILL BE FAMILIAR TO A LOT OF PEOPLE RELATED TO THE ISSUES THAT EITHER CAME OUT OF CODE NEXT GOING INTO WHAT THE COUNCIL IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON AND HAS PASSED.
UM, SO THERE WAS BILLS PASSED ABOUT ALLOWING BY RIGHT HAVING AN A DU, UM, BILLS THAT WOULD'VE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY BUILDING HEIGHTS AND ALSO, UM, DECREASED THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
THERE WERE ALSO THOSE SAME, UH, LEGISLATION PASSED BEFORE ABOUT PREEMPTING CITY'S ABILITIES TO REGULATE ST THERE WAS A BILL AGAIN ABOUT SOUND PREEMPTION.
IT LUCKILY DID NOT AFFECT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND IT AFFECTED OTHER CITIES MORE.
UM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE IN THE CITY OF ITS FAVOR ON THAT.
BUT THERE'S STILL AN ISSUE THAT KEEPS COMING UP AS WHETHER CITIES CAN REGULATE SOUND OR HAVE SOUND ORDINANCES, UM, AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND AGAIN, NOW MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS COMMITTEE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR BILLS THAT DID PASS THAT RE RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, AND IF I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMMITTEE.
I'M HAPPY TO IN WRITING ON ANY OF THESE BILLS.
I THINK THE TELECOMMUTER MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE IS VERY SIGNIFICANT IN THE SENSE THAT TELECOMMUNICATOR, I'M SORRY, NOT TELECOMMUTER TELECOMMUNICATOR.
SO FOR OUR, UH, 9 1 1 RESPONDERS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SPECIFICALLY MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE AS IT RELATES TO AN EVENT, A TRAUMA EVENT THAT THEY MANAGE AND DEAL WITH.
AND I THINK THAT IS A VERY POSITIVE STEP FORWARD.
UM, THE REMOVING PROPERTY FROM ROADWAYS WILL GIVE A A FD MORE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
I KNOW THEY'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
SO IT ISN'T JUST PD THAT HAS TO, TO SIGN OFF ON THAT.
UM, CRIME VICTIM NOTIFICATION GRANT BY SENATOR WHITMEYER, WHO IS NOW THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON, UM, DOES CREATE A GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE MORE DIRECT NOTIFICATION TO CRIME VICTIMS ABOUT WHEN HEARINGS HAPPEN.
WHO'S OUR CASE MANAGER USING TEXT MESSAGING TO DOING THAT.
I THINK IT HELPS BRING A LOT OF THESE SERVICES UP, YOU KNOW, MORE INTO THE MODERN TIMES.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THIS ISSUE HAPPEN DURING SESSION TWO AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, STREET RACING AND THIS IS ABOUT IMPOUNDING A VEHICLE INVOLVED IN STREET RACING.
UM, AND THAT OF COURSE HAS OCCURRED IN OTHER CITIES AND THE DALLAS AREA AND HOUSTON AS WELL.
IT'S NOT JUST HAPPENING IN AUSTIN.
UM, BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE ALREADY.
UM, 2209 WAS ABOUT THE ABILITY OF CIVILIAN POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES TO DO INVESTIGATIONS THAT DID NOT PASS, UH, POSITIVE BILLS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ASSIST REPRESENTATIVE COLE WITH ON PARAMEDIC TUITION TO HAVE RE ALLOW THEM TO GET REIMBURSED FOR BEING ABLE TO, UH, DO PROGRAMS IN HIGHER ED THAT STILL WAS, WASN'T ABLE TO GET PASSED OUT OF THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE IT WAS ASSIGNED TO.
AND THEN NO-KNOCK WARRANTS, UM, PASSED OUTTA THE HOUSE BUT DID NOT GET ASSIGNED IN THE SENATE.
NOT REALLY SURPRISING IF YOU FOLLOW CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES AT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, THERE IS A BIT OF A DIVERGENCE BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ON THE APPROACH TO SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
SO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND IF I CAN'T ANSWER THEM TODAY, UM, I WOULD, YEAH, I'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.
WHAT I'VE DONE IS FOLLOW UP WITH YOU GUYS IN WRITING.
UM, DID WE HAVE, I HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANNA DEFER TO EVERYBODY ELSE BEFORE I HO THE MIC.
UM, I THINK, UM, YEAH, UM, ACTUALLY JUST THE, THE THING THAT WAS MISSING THAT I, I WAS HOPING TO HEAR ABOUT SB FOUR.
SO AS WE KNOW, THAT ONE ALSO PASSED AS WELL.
WHICH WOULD ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT SEES, AND THAT'S A FAIR POINT COMMISSIONER, THAT WHEN IF LAW ENFORCEMENT SEES SOMEONE ILLEGALLY ENTER THE COUNTRY, THEN THEY ARE NOW ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW
[00:35:01]
TO, UM, RETURN THAT PERSON TO THEIR COUNTRY OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM.NOW THAT IS GOING THROUGH THE COURTS RIGHT NOW ITSELF, SO, AND I CAN'T RECALL IF THERE'S EVEN IF IT'S EVEN IN PLAY.
LIKE IF IT'S EVEN ACTIVE RIGHT NOW AS A LAW.
UM, IS THAT ALL SSB FOUR DOES, DOES IT? NO.
I'M, I WAS JUST CONCERNED THAT IT ENABLED INVESTIGATIONS OF SOMEONE'S UNLAWFUL STATUS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AWAY FROM THE BORDER.
I DID NOT, WE DID NOT INTERPRET IT TO DO THAT.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE REVIEW OF THAT IS THAT IT'S MORE ABOUT SEEING SOMEONE DO IT AND THAT THEY'VE DONE IT.
IT'S GONNA HAVE BE THE PRIMARY WAY THAT THAT WILL HAVE TO BE DETERMINED.
I DID NOT HAVE, I DON'T HAVE ANY ANALYSIS THAT WOULD SAY TO INVESTIGATE INTO WHETHER WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND SO FORTH.
NOW WE ALREADY ALSO HAVE THE PRIOR ITERATION OF THAT ON THE BOOKS TOO.
I WANNA SAY THAT WAS ALSO SB FOUR.
I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THAT ONE TOO.
SO, UM, BUT NO, I DIDN'T HAVE, I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY ANALYSIS THAT SPOKE TO THAT ISSUE.
SO IS IT EXPRESSLY LIMITED TO, UM, I MEAN IT'S HAVING PROBABLE CAUSE BECAUSE AN OFFICER WATCHES THE OFFENSE.
FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, AND I CAN RE I CAN FOLLOW UP, BUT FROM WHAT I REMEMBER IN THE BILL IT SAYS THAT THE, FROM SEEING AN ILLEGAL ENTRY AT A OUTSIDE OF A PORT OF ENTRY, I BELIEVE IS THE LANGUAGE IT SAID.
SO IT SEEMED VERY SPECIFIC AS, ALTHOUGH IT DIDN'T, WASN'T LIMITED AS IN THE PAST TO JUST BORDER COUNTIES.
I KNOW THERE HAD BEEN VERSIONS OF THAT BILL WHERE IT WAS JUST LIMITED TO THE BORDER COUNTIES BECAUSE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT ALONG THE BORDER.
I DIDN'T, I DON'T RECALL THAT IT, I FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY SPECIFIC AS TO SEEING IT HAPPENED.
BUT I'M GONNA GO, I'M GONNA GO BACK AND LOOK AT, YEAH, LET ME GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE BILL ITSELF.
THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT LIMITED TO BORDER COUNTIES, IT IS CONFUSING THEN.
BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM MM-HMM.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE.
UM, I WAS WONDERING, I, IS THIS MOSTLY RELATED TO BOOR BORDER ONLY OR IS THIS ALSO COASTLINE? UM, 'CAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING OF IN LAW OF THE SEA, AND I'M NOT A LAWYER AND I DON'T CLAIM TO BE MM-HMM.
SO I JUST WANT CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
I DEFINITELY DON'T, CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT OKAY.
AND I ACTUALLY HAD A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR FIRE AND POLICE ON THE CLEARING OF PROPERTY.
LIKE, UM, SO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BEFORE THIS, IN ORDER TO CLEAR THE, THE REASON IT'S SIGNIFICANT IS BECAUSE BEFORE THIS, IN ORDER TO CLEAR AN ACCIDENT SCENE, A PD HAD TO, IS THAT, IS THAT HOW IT WORKED BEFORE THAT A PD HAD TO COME TO THE SCENE, OFFICIALLY CLEAR THE SCENE AND THEN FIRE COULD HELP WITH OR THEN SO CAN YOU GUYS EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKED BEFORE AND HOW THIS COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT RESPONSE TIMES? YEAH, WE ARE EXCITED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN NOW, UM, GET VEHICLES OFF THE ROADWAY AND, UM, GIVE US A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT OF LIFT BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS FRUSTRATING FOR THEM TOO THAT WE WERE TAKING SO LONG TO GET THERE TO HELP OUT.
THERE WAS SOME EXTENDED ON SCENE TIMES JUST, JUST, UH, BASED ON OUR, OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS, UH, BY HAVING THIS, THIS ALLOWS US NOW TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY, WHICH THEN GETS THE FIREFIGHTERS BACK IN, UH, IN SERVICE TO RESPOND TO OTHER CALLS.
IT CLEARS UP THE ROADWAY TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW.
SO THERE ARE SUBSEQUENT, UH, ACCIDENTS AS WELL.
SO YEAH, IT'S A GOOD THING ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND DOES THAT POTENTIALLY ALSO MEAN THAT A PD WON'T BE REQUIRED AT AS AT AS MANY SCENES IF THERE'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT INJURY? THAT'S QUITE POSSIBLE.
UM, IT GETS A LITTLE MURKY WITH THE LAW DEPENDING ON HOW YOU DEFINE THE INJURY AND WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE'S DRIVABLE AND IF THEY NEED A TOW TRUCK CALLED TO THE SCENE.
BUT IF, IF NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE AND THE VEHICLE'S OFF THE ROADWAY, THEN YOU'RE CORRECT.
WE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW MANY ACCIDENTS WE HAVE LIKE THAT, LIKE FOR A MONTH THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS? NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD SEE IF IT'S EASILY GRAB-ABLE FROM OUR DATA PEOPLE, IT WOULD JUST, IF IT'S NOT A BIG LIFT, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I THINK WE HAVE BOOKMARKED THAT WE ARE GONNA FOLLOW UP ON SB FOUR.
[00:40:03]
AND I WILL SAY THE, THE MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE FOR, UM, 9 1 1 RESPONDERS IS ALSO AN EXCITING THING.THE WORK THEY DO IS GRUELING, UM, TOUGH TAXING.
ALRIGHT, WELL WE ARE MOVING ALONG.
THANK YOU BRI FOR MAKING, FOR BEING HERE.
[5. Discussion and action on Virtual Magistration Pilot Program with Austin Police Department, Travis County Court System, and Travis County Public Defender’s Office (Sponsors: Commissioners Bernhardt & Ramírez) ]
I BELIEVE WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE LINED UP TO SORT OF SPEAK.I THINK THE WAY WE WILL DO THIS, JUST SO THAT WE CAN RESPECT EVERYONE'S TIME, IS WE'LL TAKE THE PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
UM, WE WILL THEN HEAR FROM A PD, UM, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE SHORT COMMENTS FROM EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S JOINING US AND ENGAGE IN WHAT I HOPE WILL BE A ROBUST DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, IF WE CAN HAVE RACHEL GUNNER COME UP AND IF, UM, YOU COULD PLEASE JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION AND SO THAT WE HAVE IT, UM, TRANSCRIBED IN OUR RECORD.
WE ARE A GROUP OF CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS FROM MULTI-FAITH, MULTICULTURAL MULTI SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS, UM, WHOSE MISSION IS TO ADVOCATE FOR MARGINALIZED PERSONS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES WITHIN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
ONE OF OUR PRIORITY ISSUES IS ENSURING THAT ALL PERSONS RECEIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION BEFORE MAGISTRATION.
WE'VE BEEN STRONG ADVOCATES FOR COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE ALSO CALLED CFA, AND CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AND SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROGRAM.
RESEARCH DOES SUPPORT THAT EARLY REPRESENTATION LEADS TO BETTER OUTCOMES, WHICH ULTIMATELY HAS IMPACT ON THEIR FAMILIES, HOMES, JOBS, DIGNITY, AND OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE ARE THEREFORE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED A PD PILOT PROJECT KNOWN AS VIRTUAL MAGISTRATION.
IT'S BEEN SAID THAT A IMPETUS FOR SUCH A CHANGE IS THE COST CHARGED TO THE CITY BY TRAVIS COUNTY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING GIVEN.
WE DO NOT HAVE INFORMATION AS TO HOW THE CITY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY SERVICES FOR LESS MONEY.
WE QUESTION IF THE CITY IS PREPARED TO HANDLE THE COMPLEXITY OF THESE PROCESSES.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE MONETARY SAVINGS SHOULD EVER BE PRIORITIZED OVER THE RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED AND HUMAN NEEDS.
WE HAVE MET WITH A BT CHIEF, A PD CHIEF OF STAFF, JEFF GREENWALD, AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF HIS OPENNESS TO SHARING THE PRELIMINARY IDEAS.
WE DO HAVE MANY QUESTIONS AS A RESULT OF THAT EXCHANGE.
SOME OF THESE ARE WHAT ARE THE ASSUMED BENEFITS OF CHANGING THE CURRENT SYSTEM? WILL IT BE BYPASSING PRETRIAL SERVICES AND EARLY CASE REVIEW? WHAT WILL THE ARRESTING OFFICERS BE DOING DIFFERENTLY? HOW WILL THEY BE SUBMITTING PROBABLE CAUSE DOCUMENTATION FOR MAGISTRATION? WHERE WILL MAGISTRATE PHYSICALLY OCCUR? AND WILL THE ARRESTEE BE ABLE TO SEE A LAWYER? HOW WILL RELEASE BE HANDLED, INCLUDING UTILIZATION OF THE SOBRIETY CENTER AND OTHER JAIL DIVERSION OPPORTUNITIES? AS A MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT POLICE BE TRAINED TO DEAL WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY CHALLENGES.
WILL THE OFFICERS IN THIS PILOT PROJECT HAVE THESE SKILLS TO SCREEN FOR THESE ISSUES? IT IS CRUCIAL THAT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE ARRESTEES AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GIVEN FAIR AND HUMANE TREATMENT FROM THE FIRST CONTACT WITH THE OFFICER TO THE ARREST PRETRIAL ASSESSMENT, MAGISTRATION AND RELEASE.
I'M, UH, WITH EQUITY ACTION AND I'VE JUST BEEN AROUND DOING THIS WORK FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, SO I, I WANNA KIND OF GROUND MY COMMENTS IN THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SOLVE.
SO WE'VE BEEN ON A LONG ROAD IN THIS TOWN AND, UM, MANY YEARS AGO I WAS THE POLICY VP FOR THE A CLU OF TEXAS.
AND THAT WAS A KIND OF A WONDERFUL GROUP
[00:45:01]
IN THAT IT REMAINS LASER FOCUSED ON OUR CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTIES AND HOW OUR CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTS OUR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES.AND I THINK THAT OUR, UM, EFFORTS TO BRING TO THE MAGISTRATE PROCESS APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATION, GET TO THE SORT OF BASIS FOR A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SOLVE, WHICH IS THAT AT THAT VERY START, THAT VERY FIRST MOMENT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO REPRESENT YOUR OWN, YOU KNOW, LIBERTY RIGHTS TO, TO GRAB ONTO WHAT THE CONSTITUTION HAS GIVEN US IN AMERICA, UM, YOU END UP HAVING WORSE OUTCOMES ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE.
YOU STAY IN JAIL LONGER FOR LOWER LEVEL CHARGES, YOU COME OUT LESS ABLE TO REINTEGRATE INTO YOUR COMMUNITY AGAIN, AND YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO RECIDIVATE THAT FIRST MOMENT OF ARREST IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THEN ADDRESSING THE CHAIN OF OUTCOMES.
SO I WANNA REMIND US THAT IN AUSTIN IN PARTICULAR, SO THESE ARE GEN THESE ARE GENERAL PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
BUT IN AUSTIN WE HAVE HAD SOME VERY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS AND I WOULD POINT TO OUR KIND OF LONG STRUGGLE TO FRANKLY, UH, GET GOOD PROBABLE CAUSE FOR POLICE ACTION.
SOMETIMES, MOST OF THE TIME, LET ME BE VERY CLEAR, MOST OF THE TIME POLICE HAVE APPROPRIATE PROBABLE CAUSE FOR POLICE ACTION.
BUT IN, AS WE KNOW FROM OUR EFFORTS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PROBLEM, UH, WHEN KROLL CAME TO AUSTIN AND DID ONE OF THEIR SEVERAL STUDIES OF A PD, THEY HIGHLIGHTED WHAT THEY WERE CALLING THE PROBLEM CASES.
THEY ANNOUNCED THAT 91% OF ALL OF THE CASES THEY REVIEWED WERE GOOD SOLID CASES.
I FORGET THE EXACT NUMBER WERE PROBLEM CASES.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VOLUME OF ARRESTS THAT WE HAVE IN A CITY OF OUR SIZE, YOU CAN FINISH YOUR THOUGHT, FINISH THOUGHT, YOU CAN FINISH YOUR THOUGHT.
UM, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE PROBLEM CASES WERE LACK OF PROBABLE CAUSE FOR THE CHARGE FOR WHICH PEOPLE WERE BEING ARRESTED.
AND IN SOME CASES, UH, THE, THE INDICATION THAT THESE CHARGES MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN EFFORT TO, UM, TO EXPLAIN AN EXCESSIVE FORCE.
AND THERE WERE, I WANNA SAY THERE WERE MORE THAN A HUNDRED OF THESE CASES IN A SIX MONTH AUDIT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT OUR CONSTITUTION IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT OUR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES AND OUR WHOLE SYSTEM IS BUILT ON THAT.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WHEN WE TAKE A STEP LIKE THIS THAT WE'RE NOT REVERSING COURSE AND ENDING UP WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS WE HAD BEFORE AND NO PATH TO A SOLUTION.
AND WITH THAT CHIEF GREENWALD, IF YOU CAN WALK US, UM, THROUGH, UM, AND JUST, I, I DIDN'T DO IT AT THE TOP OF THE ITEM AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF A VIRTUAL MAGISTRATION PILOT PROGRAM WITHIN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND CHIEF GREENWELL IS GONNA WALK US THROUGH THAT.
WE'D LIKE TO START OUT BY THANKING YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME AND TALK ABOUT THIS.
I'VE HAD VARIOUS, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UH, ONE-OFF CONVERSATIONS AND MEDIA CONVERSATIONS THAT KIND OF TAKE A QUOTE HERE AND A QUOTE THERE, BUT DON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
SO THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO COME AND JUST EXPLAIN THE WHOLE THING, GIVE THE BACKGROUND AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AND DISPEL MYTHS.
'CAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE, UH, THE MEDIA IS THAT THERE ARE SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND SO I THINK AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS TO CLEAR SOME OF THAT CONFUSION UP IS VERY HELPFUL.
UM, JUST AN INTRO, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I WANNA JUST GIVE A BACKGROUND SO PEOPLE HAVE SOME SORT OF BASELINE ON WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE NOW.
UH, THE IMMEDIATE POST-ARREST ACTIONS AFTER AN A PD OFFICER MAKES AN ARREST OCCUR AT TRAVIS COUNTY CENTRAL BOOKING FACILITY.
WE TAKE PEOPLE TO THE JAIL AS SOON AS WE ARREST THEM AND WE DROP 'EM OFF THERE.
[00:50:01]
OPERATED BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.WE ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 60 TO 65% OF ALL OF THEIR ARRESTEES.
AND WE HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, SINCE THAT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO SAY 1988.
MY APOLOGIES, 1988 TO SHARE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND WE PAY THEM ANNUALLY FOR THAT, UM, FOR THAT, UM, DUTY THAT THEY DO FOR US.
UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE TAKE PEOPLE TO THE JAIL, UM, WHILE WE LEAVE THEM THERE, THERE IS A ANYWHERE, IF THERE'S REALLY NOBODY AT THE JAIL, IT COULD BE 10, 15 MINUTES.
IF THERE'S A A BUSY FRIDAY NIGHT, WE MIGHT BE THERE FOR SEVERAL HOURS WHILE WE'RE WAITING IN LINE, WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE PRISONER TO BE SEARCHED.
WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE MEDICAL CLEARANCES, UH, WAITING FOR THE WARRANTS TO BE SENT OVER, UH, WHATEVER PAPERWORK MIGHT NEED TO BE THERE, WE COULD BE THERE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, OR IT COULD BE VERY QUICK.
SO IN THE SUMMER OF 2023, AS THE CURRENT INTERLOCAL WAS ABOUT TO EXPIRE, WE STARTED OUR NEGOTIATIONS AGAIN.
UH, WE PREVIOUSLY PAID $6.9 MILLION A YEAR, UH, FOR THIS AGREEMENT.
THEY INITIALLY, THE COUNTY INITIALLY RECOMMENDED A PRICE INCREASE OVER DOUBLE TO $14.5 MILLION.
WE WALKED OUTTA THAT MEETING, UM, WITH THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION, SAT DOWN AND STARTED TO DISCUSS, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AT THAT COST AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD ALTERNATE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WE HAVE SINCE NEGOTIATED THAT AMOUNT DOWN TO 9.9 MILLION AND THAT IS GOING TO BE APPROVED, UH, HOPEFULLY APPROVED.
IT'S GONNA BE PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL AT THE JANUARY 18TH MEETING, WHICH IS COMING UP HERE PRETTY SOON.
SO THAT INTERLOCAL SHOULD BE APPROVED HERE.
AND THAT'S FOR ONE MORE YEAR EXTENSION.
SO, UH, ONE THING TO TAKE NOTE OF IS THAT WHILE THE COSTS ARE GOING UP, THE PERCENTAGE OF A PD ARREST IS, CENTRAL BOOKING IS ACTUALLY GOING DOWN.
UH, WE ARE ARRESTING LESS PEOPLE AS COMPARED TO THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY, UH, TAKE IN AT CENTRAL BOOKING.
AND WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT EFFICIENCY COST IS THE PRIMARY ISSUE OF WHAT GOT US INTO THIS CONVERSATION.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT IN GETTING OUR OFFICERS BACK OUT ON THE STREET TO ANSWER THOSE PHONE CALLS, UH, TO NINE ONE ONE IN A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER.
SO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE CAME TO WAS, WAS PRETTY QUICK AND PRETTY CLEAR IS, HEY, LET'S JUST LOOK AT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S EVEN REASONABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
LET'S JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION, LET'S MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS, LET'S HAVE SOME MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH.
WHAT WE FOUND PRETTY QUICK IS THAT ALL OF THE AUTHORIZATIONS, ALL OF THE STATE LAW, ALL OF THE DATABASES THAT WE NEEDED TO COMPLETE, ALL OF THE SAME PRETRIAL SERVICES WERE AVAILABLE TO US AS THEY ARE TO PRETRIAL SERVICES IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE COULD DO ALL THE SAME THINGS.
NEXT SLIDE, A LISTED AMOUNT SO EVERYBODY COULD SEE WHAT CURRENTLY TCSO DOES IN THEIR MAGISTRATION PROCESS AND WHAT OUR PROPOSED VIRTUAL MAGISTRATION WOULD DO.
THE JUDGE OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO REVIEW THE PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT AND EITHER ACCEPT OR DENY THE PROBABLE CAUSE AS IS WRITTEN IN THAT PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT.
THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH PRE-SCREENING, WE CAN DUPLICATE THAT AS WELL, THE FINANCIAL QUESTIONNAIRE TO, UH, HELP THE JUDGE DETERMINE WHAT THE, UH, BOND AMOUNT SHOULD BE.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTING SYSTEM CHECKLIST, UH, FOR THE STATE.
UM, THE SENATE BILL THAT PASSED LAST YEAR, COMPUTERIZED CRIMINAL HISTORIES, THE ODYSSEY REVIEW ARE ALL ITEMS THAT WE CAN DUPLICATE JUST AS TRAVIS COUNTY CAN DO RIGHT NOW.
UM, TCSO DOES NOT HAVE CAA IN PLACE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING SO SOMETIME IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS OR SO.
UM, AND IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME SORT OF A PILOT WITH A ON A SMALL SCALE, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STAND CFA UP IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
HOWEVER, IF AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT A LARGER SCALE OPERATION THAT WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, WE EXPECT THAT WE COULD LOOK AT SOME SORT OF WAY TO IMPLEMENT CAA ON THE SAME TIMEFRAME THAT THE COUNTY'S LOOKING AT.
SO, UM, THE NEXT STEPS IS TO CONTINUE THE WORK ON THE DESIGN OF THIS ALTERNATIVE POST ARRESTS PROCESS.
IT'S, IT IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INS AND OUTS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET EVERYTHING DONE THE RIGHT WAY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE MOVED VERY SLOWLY.
I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE, THE QUOTES THAT I TOLD PEOPLE AND WE WERE GONNA START THE PILOT PROGRAM BOTH IN THE NEWS AND IN PERSON, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AN OCTOBER TIMEFRAME, WE PUSHED THAT BACK SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAD TO PUSH THE DEADLINES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T VIOLATING ANYONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OR SKIPPING A PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM.
WE INITIALLY WANTED TO START WITH A PILOT PROCESS THAT WOULD INVOLVE TWO SHIFTS OF DOWNTOWN DAYTIME SHIFTS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
[00:55:01]
BUT JUST TWO SHIFTS.IT WOULD'VE BEEN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ONE AND THREE ARRESTS A DAY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
UM, BUT WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO, TO BE A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SEE THE PROCESS THROUGH BEFORE WE WORK WITH ACTUAL ARRESTED PERSONS, IS TO DO A MOCK TRIAL TEST.
AND THAT'LL START SOMETIME IN LATE JANUARY OR EARLY FEBRUARY.
BASICALLY WHAT THAT'S GOING TO ENTAIL IS A VOLUNTEER, ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER OR A CIVILIAN SUPPORT PERSONNEL WHO VOLUNTEERS TO BE THE ARRESTED PERSON.
THE OFFICER WILL ARREST THAT PERSON AND BRING 'EM THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS WITH A JUDGE THAT'S THERE ON STANDBY.
AND, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT ALL THE FORMS. WE'LL BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO VIDEOTAPE THE ENTIRE INTERACTION AND THEN HAVE OUR, UH, CITY LEGAL TEAM AND OUR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES REVIEW THAT ENTIRE PROCESS TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY THINK THAT WE'RE DOING IT THE APPROPRIATE WAY OR NOT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE A NOTATION THAT THE JUDGES THAT WE WOULD USE FOR THIS PROCESS ARE THE EXACT SAME JUDGES THAT ARE DOING THE MAGISTRATES NOW.
SO IF THERE'S A PIECE MISSING, IF THERE'S INFORMATION MISSING IN THE PROCESS THAT THEY THINK THEY NEED TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATE DECISION, THEY'RE THE EXACT SAME PEOPLE AND THEY'LL KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
ONE THING I THINK OF NOTE AS WELL IS THAT WHILE THE EXACT PERCENTAGE IS, IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED, WE'RE LOOKING AT, WELL OVER 50% OF THE ARRESTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY ARE, UM, GIVEN PR BONDS OR RELEASED IMMEDIATELY.
THEY'RE MAGISTRATE AND GIVEN A PR BOND AND RELEASED IMMEDIATELY.
WE EXPECT THAT TO BE THE SAME.
THERE'S NO REASON THAT WE SHOULD SEE HIGHER BONDS BECAUSE WE'RE WITH THE NEW PROCESS, THEY'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THE SAME PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVITS.
THEY'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THE SAME PRETRIAL SERVICE INFORMATION.
THEY'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THE SAME FINANCIAL SERVICE QUESTIONNAIRE.
AND THE DIRECTION AND OVERALL VISION THAT THE JUDGES HAVE IS THE EXACT SAME.
SO WE DON'T EXPECT THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT THEY'RE GIVEN PR BONDS TO, TO GO UP OR DOWN, UM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND WE DO HAVE BIMONTHLY MEETINGS WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY TEAM, UM, TO NEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF THE NEXT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WILL START NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE IN CONSTANT DIALOGUE WITH THEM ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
WE'RE IN CONSTANT DIALOGUE WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT INTERLOCAL MIGHT LOOK LIKE SO THAT WE CAN, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, BEING TRANSPARENT WITH THEM AND ADDRESSING ANY CONCERNS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.
AND I, I TOOK SHORTHAND NOTES OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP FROM THE SPEAKERS.
IT'S NOT ON MY POWERPOINT, BUT CAN I GO DOWN AND JUST ANSWER THOSE? YEAH, THANK YOU.
I I WAS TRYING TO KEEP UP TO YOU.
UM, SO THE, THE BENEFITS IS THE COST AND THE EFFICIENCY.
I MEAN, UH, LOOKING AT $10 MILLION THIS YEAR, WHAT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD GO UP EVEN MORE AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
WE DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT ON WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO THIS CITYWIDE.
WE'RE IN THE INFANCY STAGES OF LOOKING AT THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY, MEANING WE WANNA KNOW RIGHT NOW, IS IT EVEN SOMETHING THAT IS POSSIBLE MOCK TRIAL? IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH AND, AND BE SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS, AND THEN STOP AT THAT POINT AND ADDRESS AND REVIEW TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD AFTER THAT? UM, AND, AND ONCE WE DO THAT, BUILDING IT OUT INTO A, A LARGER SYSTEM WOULD BE AT THE POINT IN TIME WHERE WE COULD SAY, OKAY, HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST? DO WE NEED A TEAM OF PEOPLE TO BE THERE TO HELP TRANSPORT PEOPLE? DO WE NEED A FACILITY, UH, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE? THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE GONNA HELP BUILD AT THAT COST AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
IT WOULD NOT BYPASS THE PRETRIAL SERVICES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
WE WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE EXACT PRETRIAL SERVICES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
UH, THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, PROSECUTORIAL ARREST REVIEW, UH, PROCESS.
UH, IT WAS NOT AN INTENTION OF US TO BYPASS THAT PROCESS, BUT WE DO NOT INTEND ON INCLUDING THE ARREST REVIEW PROCESS IN THIS PARTICULAR TRIAL.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IF WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH ACTUALLY MAGISTRATE AN ARRESTED PERSON, THE COUNTY OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILL NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
A DIFFERENT HOW, UH, FOR THE OFFICER.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE OFFICER WOULD MAKE THE ARREST JUST AS THEY NORMALLY WOULD, BUT INSTEAD OF GOING DIRECTLY TO CENTRAL BOOKING FACILITY, THEY WOULD GO TO, UH, THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND THEY WOULD STAY WITH THAT ARRESTED PERSON WHILE THE PAPERWORK IS COMPLETED.
THEY WOULD DO EVERYTHING THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL, UM, UH, IT IS CALLED CLOUD GAVEL.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A CONTRACT WITH CLOUD DEVIL ALREADY, AND WE'RE USING THEM FOR, UH, VIRTUAL WARRANTS THAT WE GET WITH THE JUDGES.
AND IT'S WORKED, UH, FABULOUSLY FOR THAT, FOR THE DETECTIVES TO GET WARRANTS FOR PEOPLE.
THEY CAN ACTUALLY WRITE, SUBMIT, AND APPROVE AND FILE A WARRANT WHEN THEY'RE EVEN LEAVING THEIR OFFICE, UH, AND TALK TO THE JUDGE OVER A, A VIDEO CONFERENCE SYSTEM.
AND THE SAME PLATFORM WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THIS AS WELL.
ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AND PRINT OUT THE DOCUMENTS, THEN WE WOULD JUST DRIVE OVER TO THE JAIL AFTER THAT POINT IN TIME.
UM, SAME WITH THE PC SUBMITTALS.
THE PC WOULD HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO THE JUDGE.
THE JUDGE WOULD HAVE TO REVIEW IT.
IT WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT THEY READ OUT LOUD.
IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT JUDGE HAD IN FRONT OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO SIGN.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT PERFORMING THESE ACTIVITIES.
UM, AT THE TRAV, AT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS, WHICH IS DOWNTOWN.
[01:00:01]
TRIAL IS GONNA BE CONDUCTED AT THAT LOCATION.THE, UM, THE DIVERSION AND THE SOBRIETY.
SO THE SOBRIETY CENTER, WHEN WE DECIDE TO TAKE SOMEONE TO THE SOBRIETY CENTER, THEY GO DIRECTLY TO THE SOBRIETY CENTER.
AND WE DON'T EVEN WRITE A FULL REPORT ON THAT.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, UH, MAGISTRATE, SOMEBODY WHO DOES THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, HOPEFULLY, WE'LL, WE WILL HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WHEN THAT COMES, WE WILL FIND A WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK WITH.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE TO JUST FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO US.
AND, UM, I THINK ON THE TOPIC OF GOOD PROBABLE CAUSE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE PAROLE REPORT TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT, UH, SHE WAS REFERRING TO.
BUT THESE ARE JUDGES REVIEWING THE PROBABLE CAUSE.
IF THE PROBABLE CAUSE IS APPROVED BY THE JUDGE, THEN IT GETS SIGNED.
IF IT'S NOT, THEN THEY DISMISS THAT PROBABLE CAUSE AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AFFORDED BY CAFA.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THAT WORK.
IT'S OUR INTENTION TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE CAFA WORK IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME THAT TRAVIS COUNTY WOULD.
IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, IF I MISSED ANY QUESTIONS I WAS WRITING REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY, IF I MISS ANYTHING, LET ME KNOW.
I THINK JUST WITH REGARDS TO ORDER OF OPERATIONS, COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT, CAN YOU, I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE TO SPEAK TO THE ITEM FROM TRAVIS COUNTY AS WELL.
IF YOU GUYS WANNA JOIN US AT THE TABLE, THEY'RE ON SCREEN, AND THEN THERE'S SOME ON SCREEN.
I SEE STACY BROWN, VICKI ASHLEY, AND JENNIFER KREER.
IF YOU GUYS COULD TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON TO JOIN US.
UM, I'M GONNA DO A QUICK TIME CHECK.
UM, I WILL JINX MYSELF BY SAYING THAT WE ARE DOING WELL WITH TIME.
UM, CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS? OF COURSE.
SO DO, AND AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.
DO WE WANNA GO AHEAD AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS NOW INSTEAD OF AFTER? OKAY.
YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO ONE OF THE BULLETS.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE ONGOING LEGAL REVIEW, AND I KNOW CITY ATTORNEY OBVIOUSLY INVOLVED AND MUNICIPAL JUDGES IS ARE THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS BROUGHT IN AT THE FRONT END WITH THAT PART OF THE LEGAL REVIEW.
WE, WE ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATION AT THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM IN THE ROOM IF THEY THINK THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE OR IF THEY HAVE ANY SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE'RE DOING IN SECRET.
WE WENT OUT AND WE TALKED, UM, TALKED TO THE NEWS, TALKED TO PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY GROUPS.
UM, REALLY, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GAVE PEOPLE CONCERN WAS THAT WE CAME OUT AND STARTED TALKING TO PEOPLE BEFORE WE HAD REALLY THE PLAN BUILT.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE WANTED EVERYBODY'S INPUT, BUT THE ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS WEREN'T THERE YET BECAUSE WE HADN'T BUILT A PLAN.
SO THE ANSWERS TO A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WERE, WE DON'T KNOW.
AND I THINK THEY WERE LIKE, YOU DON'T KNOW.
WHY ARE YOU MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS THING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW? SO I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GO SLOW AND TAKE THEIR INPUT AS PART OF THE PROCESS UNFOLDED.
WE, IF THEY WANNA BE A PART OF THAT, WE WE'D LOVE TO HAVE 'EM.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF THERE, BUT THERE ISN'T A COORDINATION UP TO THIS POINT OR WITH THE, EVEN THE DEFENSE BAR OR ANY OF THOSE GROUPS.
UH, ONE OF OUR LIEUTENANTS THAT WORKS OVER AT ARREST REVIEW IS COORDINATING THE EFFORT.
HE REACHED OUT TO A TON OF FOLKS.
UM, I KNOW HE REACHED OUT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UM, LOTS OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES, WHETHER OR NOT HE INCLUDED THE DEFENSE BAR.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER NOY? YEAH.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MOCK TRIAL TEST, UM, THAT THAT'S PLANNED FOR Q1.
UM, WITH THAT MOCK TRIAL TEST, UM, I'M GUESSING THERE'S GONNA BE A AFTER ACTION REVIEW.
UM, AND IN THAT PROCESS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THE PROCESS? I'M VERY MUCH A VISUAL PERSON, UM, HEARING THE PROCESS, BUT, UM, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE THOSE LESSONS LEARNED ARE.
UM, AND, AND IF IT'S FEASIBLE AT THAT POINT, IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WOULD HAVE? SURE.
THAT'S THE LEGAL REVIEW THAT I WAS REFERRING TO AS THE ABSTRACTION REVIEW.
AND I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK OUT AND, AND DO ANOTHER PRESENTATION ON HOW THAT WENT.
COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT, UM, WHAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
WHEN WAS THE DECISION MADE TO TRANSITION FROM A PILOT TO A, A KIND OF MOCK TRIAL? MOCK TRIAL? MOCK TRIAL? MOCK TRIAL TRIAL? OCTOBER, NOVEMBER-ISH.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE.
I'M JUST, YEAH, I, IT, IT'S THE, THE FIRST I THINK WE'VE HEARD OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS COVERED IN THE PRESS.
DID, WAS THERE ANY PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT IT? WE DIDN'T DO A PRESS RELEASE.
'CAUSE I THINK MOST PEOPLE IN AUSTIN WERE EXPECTING THAT Y'ALL WERE GONNA START THE PILOT IN JANUARY.
WELL, WE ORIGINALLY SAID OCTOBER TOO, SO.
UM, COMMISSIONER RUT AND THEN COMMISSIONER SMITH.
I SEE YOU BOTH, UM, THINKING, I GUESS IN RELATION TO BEING A, A SORT OF A MOCK VERSUS, UH, A PILOT, THERE IS THE LETTER FROM A NUMBER OF JUDGES ON NOVEMBER 30TH THAT RAISED
[01:05:01]
A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CONCERNS.UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THOSE ARE POTENTIALLY ADDRESSED.
SOME OF THOSE WAS UNCLEAR TO ME IF THE MOCK, UM, ASPECTS GONNA BE TAKING A PART OF THAT.
DID YOU KIND OF RUN OVER THOSE OR SORT OF YEAH.
YOU KNOW, AND I, THEY DIDN'T REACH OUT TO ASK US US TO CLARIFY ANY OF THAT INFORMATION BEFORE THEY WROTE THE LETTER.
WE TALKED ABOUT KAFA ALREADY TODAY.
UM, THIS SAYS PRETRIAL SCREENINGS WOULD NOT OCCUR IS THEIR SECOND BULLET POINT.
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR LEGAL DEADLINES IS UNCLEAR.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA MAGISTRATE QUICKER THAN IS HAPPENING NOW WITH THE JAIL.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA DO IT IN THE FIRST TWO TO THREE HOURS.
AND SOMETIMES AT THE JAIL, DEPENDING ON THE BACKLOG AND THE SCHEDULE OF THE JUDGES, IT CAN BE MORE THAN THAT.
UH, YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO MAGISTRATE SOMEBODY IF THEY'RE BOOKED IN FOR A MISDEMEANOR AND 48 FOR A FELONY.
I THINK THEY DO IT MUCH EARLIER THAN THOSE DEADLINES TO, TO, TO GET SOME CUSHION.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THOSE LEGAL DEADLINES.
AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO ADDRESS NUMBER FOUR ABOUT FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.
MM-HMM,
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T GIVE SOMEBODY A GOOD OUTCOME.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE RUNNING THE MOCK MAKES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LITTLE DOWNSIDE TO THAT, BUT I'M, I'D BE CONCERNED WITH THE NUMBER THAT THE JUDGES EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERNS IF THEY JUST HAVEN'T REVIEWED THE MOCK.
AS YOU'RE DESCRIBING, IF THIS IS RESPONDING TO SOME OF THE EARLIER PUBLIC ONES, UM, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, IF THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE RESPONDING TO IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING DOING THERE DURING THIS FIRST QUARTER.
I DIDN'T HEAR PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY'RE RESPONDING TO WITH CONSULT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE RESPONDING TO BECAUSE EVEN WHEN WE WANTED TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE PILOT, WE WERE STILL GONNA DO THE PRETRIAL SCREENINGS.
CFA IS NOT IN PLAY UNTIL LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD.
THE LEGAL DEADLINES WERE NEVER GONNA BE A PROBLEM IN THE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MY ANSWER'S THE SAME, SO GO FOR IT.
COMMISSIONER SMITH, I KNOW YOU HAD A QUESTION AS WELL.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS A RESERVOIR OF, UM, ENTITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHAT HAVE YOU, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND CONCERNS, AND TO WHAT DEGREE THOSE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND CONCERNS WERE ANSWERED, UM, INTEGRATED INTO YOUR, UH, PROPOSAL, ET CETERA.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I THINK SO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DID TALK TO, UM, IN ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS, I MET MS. GUNNER AND, UH, WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION.
THEY INVITED ME BACK TO THEIR GROUP TO SPEAK, AND I HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS THERE.
UM, DID A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MEDIA INTERVIEWS WHERE THE, THE INTERVIEWERS WERE BRINGING TO ME CONCERNS THEY HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE'VE ALSO HAD QUESTIONS COME TO US THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FROM COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY LISTENING, UM, TO THE CONCERNS AND THE VARIOUS ENTITIES THAT WE ARE ENGAGING HERE WITHIN THE, UH, THE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE COUNTY, THE DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, THE PRETRIAL SERVICES THAT WE'RE TALKING TO ARE ALSO ASKING QUESTIONS, HOW ARE YOU GONNA DO THIS? HOW ARE YOU GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF? AND THAT'S HOW WE ARE FORMULATING OUR PLAN.
AND MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT WRITTEN DOWN SOMEWHERE THAT I CAN ACCESS A LIST OF THESE QUESTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT APPEAR TO HAVE EITHER A FALSE, UM, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING OR A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND HIGHLIGHTING TRUE ISSUES.
IS THERE A RUNNING TAB OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU THROUGH ANY MEANS? AND FURTHERMORE, THE AFTER ACTION THAT WAS DONE, AFTER HEARING THOSE CONCERNS, IT WAS MORE OF A, A LIVING PROCESS THAT HAPPENED VERY ORGANICALLY AND QUICKLY.
WE DIDN'T FORMALIZE A LIST THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
UM, I CAN, I CAN GO THROUGH THAT SLIDE.
UM, SLIDE SIX IN THE PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE MENTAL HEALTH PRE-SCREENING DONE? HOW ARE YOU GONNA GET THE FINANCIAL QUESTIONNAIRE DONE? HOW ARE YOU GONNA GET THE P-C-S-P-S-R-S CHECKLIST DONE? SO THAT'S GONNA BE THE HIGHLIGHTS, BUT THE ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS NO, WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL LIST OF, OF THOSE THINGS, BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, A PRODUCT THAT'S GONNA BE A RESULT OF GOING THROUGH THOSE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I'M GONNA JUMP UP, ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK ONE QUICK QUESTION AND THEN I'LL GO, I'LL, I'LL MAKE ROUNDS AGAIN 'CAUSE I THINK WE'LL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND BEFORE, ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA ASK ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND INVITE EVERY, 'CAUSE EVERYBODY FROM TRAVIS COUNTY THAT CAME TO JOIN US, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE GOOD USE OF THEIR TIME.
UM, UH, MY QUESTION IS A, WELL, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMMENT SLASH QUESTION.
UM, AS I LOOK AT THIS LIST, AS YOU REFERENCED ON PAGE SIX, AND AS I'VE LOOKED AT MAGISTRATION PROCESSES FOR OTHER COUNTIES AND SUCH, IT STRIKES ME THAT THE TIME CONSUMING PORTION OF
[01:10:01]
THE PROCESS IS NOT NECESSARILY ONLY WAITING FOR A JUDGE, RIGHT? IT'S, THERE ARE ALL THESE VARIOUS STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE GONE THROUGH.LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE ACTUAL VIRTUAL JUDGE VERSUS IN-PERSON JUDGE FEELS LIKE THIS MUCH OF THE PROCESS COMPARED TO ALL OF THE OTHER STEPS THAT NEED TO BE GONE THROUGH.
AND IN AN A PD VIRTUAL MAGISTRATION PROCESS THAT YOU GUYS WANNA DO A MOCK TRIAL WITH AN A PD OFFICER WOULD STILL NEED TO STAY WITH THE ARRESTEE THROUGHOUT THAT WHOLE PROCESS, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
AND SO I GUESS I AM STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND HOW DUPLICATING THE SAME PROCESS IS GOING TO SAVE TIME.
SO IF, HAVE YOU GUYS, ARE YOU GUYS JUST GONNA SEE OR HAVE, DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON HOW THE A PD PROCESS AND WHY IT'S GONNA WORK MORE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY ASIDE FROM THE CLOUD? THE CLOUD GAVEL? LIKE I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE TIME SAVINGS IS HAPPENING, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO IDEALLY THE ARRESTING OFFICER WOULD COME AND FILL OUT ALL THE SAME PAPERWORK THAT THEY HAVE TO, TO FILL OUT ON ANY ARREST ANYWAY.
A SECONDARY OFFICER WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THE MAGISTRATION SPECIFIC PAPERWORK AND THEN GET THAT OFFICER BACK ON THE STREET AS SOON AS THE MAGISTRATE'S COMPLETE.
AND THEN THE SECOND OFFICER WOULD, UH, DRIVE THE PERSON TO JAIL.
SO THE, THE PATROL OFFICER GETS BACK ON THE STREET QUICKLY.
NOW, IF, UM, THE JUDGE, THE WAY THAT THE, THE SYSTEM WORKS IS WHENEVER YOU ARE READY TO SEE A JUDGE, YOU HIT SUBMIT IT EMAILS THE JUDGE WHO'S ON STANDBY, AND THEY'RE, I, THEY'RE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO, TO BE THERE FOR THAT PERSON.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION RIGHT.
I MEAN, YEAH, I, YEAH, I, I THINK I'M GONNA GO AHEAD.
UM, NO, I, I I, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'LL, THERE'LL BE A HANDOFF TO A SECOND OFFICER SO THE PATROL OFFICER CAN GET BACK OUT, BUT IT'LL STILL REQUIRE A BODY, RIGHT? LIKE, IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN JUST DEPOSIT A PERSON, A, A LIVING PERSON SOMEWHERE AND JUST KIND OF WAIT FOR LIKE A ZOOM SCREEN TO COME ON AND THEY'RE, IT'S STILL GONNA REQUIRE PERSONNEL TO GET THEM THROUGH THE REST OF THE PROCESS.
IT MAY REQUIRE A TEAM OF PEOPLE ON STANDBY, UM, TWO TO THREE PEOPLE THAT CAN TAKE CARE OF ALL THE INCOMING PATROLS.
YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET FIVE TO 10 PATROL OFFICERS BACK ON THE STREET WITH THE SAME TWO TO THREE PEOPLE HANDLING ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND THE TRANSPORTS TO THE JAIL.
AND I THINK JUST ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION, AND THEN WE'RE TURNING TO OUR TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, UH, ATTENDEES.
I JUST WANNA, UM, CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, THESE TWO TO THREE PEOPLE, IT SOUNDS LIKE AN OFFICER HANDOFF TO AN OFFICER, SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE A HUGE SHORTAGE OF PE SHORTAGE OF PEACE OFFICERS, UM, THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GONNA TAKE THE SAME MANPOWER.
UM, IT WOULD BE, THE RATIO WOULD BE MORE PATROL OFFICERS GETTING BACK ON THE STREET THAN REQUIRED FOR THE PROCESS.
'CAUSE THEY CAN HANDLE MORE THAN ONE AT ONCE.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT'S NOT COMPLETELY FLESHED OUT YET, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE INFANCY STAGES OF IS THIS SOMETHING WE CAN EVEN DO OKAY.
LOGISTICS ARE GONNA COME LATER, BUT THAT'S THE IDEA.
THAT'S THE VISION THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN, UM, IF WE HAD TO HIRE OVERTIME, UM, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE MORE AMENABLE TO WORKING IN THIS TYPE OF OVERTIME THAN GOING OUT AND TAKING CALLS.
YOU MAY HAVE MORE VOLUNTEERS COME IN TO DO THAT.
SO WE'D BE PAYING A PD SALARIES TO DO JOBS THAT PEOPLE AT TRAVIS COUNTY CURRENTLY DO WHO ARE NOT SWORN POSSIBLY.
THAT SOUNDS MORE EXPENSIVE TO ME.
UM, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ORDER YOU GUYS WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE SOME TIME IF YOU GUYS HAVE SOME PREPARED REMARKS OR IF YOU GUYS HAVE THOUGHTS, IF YOU CAN JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UM, I SEE, UM, JENNIFER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST? THANK YOU.
I'M DOING MY BEST TO SEE NAMES ON A SCREEN.
AND, UH, I'M GOING TO, UM, I'M JENNIFER KREER.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF COURT ADMIN.
I, I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE, UM, IN THE BACKUP A LETTER FROM ALL OF THE CRIMINAL JUDGES WHO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS ALREADY.
UM, I'M SPECIFICALLY HERE, I THINK ONE OF, I HAVE MET WITH A PD TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS DEFINITELY AS FAR AS PAPERWORK, THE, UM, MY OFFICE APPOINTS THE ATTORNEYS TO INDIGENT DEFENDANTS.
AND OUR, OUR COUNTY'S FAIR DEFENSE PLAN DISCUSSES HOW THAT HAPPENS.
UM, AND I, I'M A, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT, UM, THIS NORMALLY PRETRIAL SERVICES DOES THE INTERVIEW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW AN OFFICER DOES THAT INTERVIEW AFTER THEY'VE JUST ARRESTED SOMEBODY AND THEN STARTS ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR FINANCIAL STATUS.
BUT THAT IS WHAT BOTH DETERMINES THE BOND.
[01:15:01]
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR ME, DETERMINES HOW WE APPOINT WHEN WE APPOINT, UM, ATTORNEYS TO, TO PEOPLE ARRESTED WHO NEED THEM.UM, I'M GONNA ALSO INTRODUCE ON THE, UM, UM, REMOTE, UH, PARTICIPATION.
SHE IS THE DIRECTOR OF PRETRIAL SERVICES.
I THINK SHE CAN GIVE A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF, OF EVERYTHING THAT PRETRIAL DOES, BECAUSE IT DOES GO BEYOND, UM, JUST THE PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT CURRENTLY.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, SHE CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE FINANCIAL INTERVIEW PART OF IT.
AND THEN VICKI ASHLEY IS THE EXECUTIVE OVER JUSTICE AND PLANNING, OR I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CURRENT NAME IS, WE'RE IN FLUXX, BUT I APOLOGIZE FOR HER LACK OF BEING ON CAMERA BECAUSE SHE CURRENTLY HAS COVID D BUT STILL AGREED TO JOIN.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU HAVE OUR PUBLIC DEFENDER IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW, SINCE SHE'S PHYSICALLY THERE, IF YOU WANNA START WITH HER, UM, AND THEN WE CAN, AND ADD TO ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMISSIONERS MIGHT HAVE.
AND MS. ASHLEY, I, I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.
IF YOU, IF YOU NEED TO SIGN OFF, UH, NOBODY HERE WILL BEGRUDGE YOU SIGNING OFF.
UH, WE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE, BUT GO REST IF YOU NEED TO.
I, I WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN AND I'LL BE HERE AS A RESOURCE IF QUESTIONS COME UP.
I'M THE CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, AND, UH, WELCOMING MY REMARKS.
UM, THE TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE HAS BEEN REPRESENTING PEOPLE CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL OFFENSES IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY SINCE JANUARY OF 2021.
IN THAT TIME, WE HAVE REPRESENTED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE SEEN JUST HOW HARMFUL OUR CURRENT CRIMINAL LEGAL PROCESSES ARE TO SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, MAKE LESS THAN A LIVING WAGE.
THAT'S THE STANDARD BY WHICH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE APPOINTED TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
UM, BUT MANY OF THEM LIVE WELL BELOW, UH, THE POVERTY LINE.
A VAST MAJORITY OF THEM, UM, HAVE LIVED HISTORIES OF UNTREATED OR UNDERTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS, PHYSICAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING INSTABILITY.
UM, AND OTHER SUCH LIVED HISTORIES OF TRAUMA.
THE ENTIRE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER THAN THE A PD VIRTUAL MAGISTRATION PILOT OR, UM, MOCK TRIAL.
UM, AS HAS BEEN PRESENTED HERE TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
ONE, VERY CLEARLY IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UH, A SECOND REASON IS THAT THERE WILL NOT BE TAXPAYER SAVINGS, AT LEAST AS I'VE HEARD THE PLAN, UH, DETAILED IN THE NEWS AS WELL AS WHAT WAS FURTHER DETAILED HERE TODAY.
UH, AND FINALLY, IT JUST UNDERMINES THE TRUST, UH, IN THE SYSTEM AND CALLS INTO QUESTION THE FAIR ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, WHICH WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED WITH.
I'LL START VERY QUICKLY WITH THE UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF THIS.
TO BE CLEAR, TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ADDING COUNSELED MAGISTRATE TO THE LEGAL PROCESSES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST AFTER SOMEONE IS ARRESTED AND BROUGHT INTO OUR SYSTEM.
BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN CONCERNS FOR YEARS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THOSE PROCESSES, IT IS TAKING MORE TIME THAN IT SHOULD FOR A VERY URGENT ISSUE TO BE ADDRESSED.
THIS PROGRAM THAT A PD IS PROPOSING WILL MOVE US ONLY FURTHER AWAY FROM THE MARK.
UH, TODAY WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO BRING IN KAFA IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME.
THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
I AM NOT SURE, UM, WHETHER, UH, THE CAPITAL AREA PRIVATE DEFENDER SERVICE HAS BEEN REACHED OUT TO BY A PD, BUT THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AS A MEMBER OF THE DEFENSE BAR, WHO HAS BEEN PRIVY TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS SINCE 2020, SINCE I STARTED, UM, HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT INTO THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND THE DEFENSE BAR IS CRITICAL TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY COUNSELED WE ARE.
THE COUNSELED FIRST APPEARANCES WILL LOOK LIKE AND NEED TO LOOK LIKE A PD IS STARTING WELL BEHIND THE BALL IF THEY BELIEVE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT KAFA IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN ENVISIONING IT, BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS ALREADY BEHIND.
AND A PD HAS NOT BROUGHT THE DEFENSE BAR AND MANY OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW KAFA SHOULD WORK, START AND END WITH THE QUESTIONS OF COUNCIL.
AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
[01:20:01]
IN TERMS OF THE TAXPAYER SAVINGS, I THINK MANY OF, UH, THE, THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE HAVE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD ABOUT THE DUPLICATIVE NATURE OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED HERE.NONE OF THE PROCESSES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN WILL END IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY SIDE, UH, WITH A PD TAKING THEM OVER.
MOST FOLKS, INCLUDING MYSELF, ARE DUAL TAXPAYERS IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND SO THIS IS NOW, UH, SHIFTING SOME OF THE TAX BURDEN WHERE WHAT IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN, THERE WILL BE DELAYS IN PEOPLE ACTUALLY MOVING THROUGH THE REAL BOOKING PROCESS, BECAUSE THIS WILL NOT BE A BOOKING PROCESS.
UH, AND SHOULD THE CITY DECIDE TO, UH, RECOMMISSION A JAIL SPACE, THEN IT'LL BE A DUPLICATIVE BOOKING PROCESS.
PEOPLE STILL WILL NEED TO BE BOOKED IN.
THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS IS THEY GET SCREENED FOR COVID AND OTHER SUCH ILLNESSES THAT WILL STILL NEED TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS AT THE, UM, VIRTUAL PROCESS.
PEOPLE WILL STILL NEED TO HAVE THEIR CLOTHES SWAPPED OUT.
I HOPE THAT CHANGES, BUT THAT IS STILL ONE OF THE PROCESSES THAT INCURS WHAT A PD IS PROPOSING, IS ALLOWING THE CITY TO CIRCUMVENT SOME VERY REAL LEGAL AND CRITICAL PROCESSES, SUCH AS ARREST REVIEW AND COUNSELED FIRST APPEARANCE FOR SAVINGS THAT SEEM ILLUSORY AT THIS POINT AND HAVE NOT BEEN DETAILED IN ANY MEASURE, UH, THAT I THINK IS RELIABLE OR TRUSTWORTHY BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW.
AND I HAVE OBSERVED MAGISTRATE MYSELF DIRECTLY FOR HOURS ON END, INCLUDING TAKING PART IN THE WEEKS LONG PILOT PROCESS, UM, THAT BROUGHT COUNCIL INTO THAT, UM, SETTING.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE DUPLICATIVE SERVICES ALSO RAISES QUESTIONS OF DUE PROCESS, I BELIEVE.
RIGHT? THE QUESTION ABOUT WHO WILL BE QUESTIONING, UM, IN THE WAY PRETRIAL, A NEUTRAL PARTY DOES, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RECENTLY ARRESTED, THOSE PEOPLE WILL HAVE RIGHTS.
THEIR ARRESTING OFFICERS CANNOT LEGALLY TURN AND BEGIN TO ASK THEM THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT PRETRIAL DOES.
PRETRIAL ALSO STILL DOES AN INVESTIGATION CALLING PEOPLE WITNESSES SOMETIMES, UM, ABOUT THE MATTER AND ASKING THEM QUESTIONS.
THAT INFORMATION IS DETAILED ON AN INVESTIGATION REPORT THAT GOES TO THE JUDGES, UNLESS A PD OR THE CITY PLANS TO HIRE SEPARATE CIVILIANS WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ASK THOSE CRITICAL QUESTIONS AND DO THOSE INTERVIEWS, THE CITY MAGISTRATES WILL NOT HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION THAT PRETRIAL DEVELOPS.
PRETRIAL DOESN'T JUST ASK FINANCIAL SCREENING QUESTIONS.
THEY MAKE CALLS, THEY REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, AND THEY DEVELOP INFORMATION THAT GOES BEFORE THE JUDGES AT THE TIME OF MAG.
AND THERE'S NO, UH, PROCESS RIGHT NOW THAT THE CITY HAS PROPOSED THAT A PD HAS PROPOSED TO SUPPLANT THE PRETRIAL INVESTIGATIVE PIECES THAT GO BEFORE THE COURT BEFORE, UM, A BOND OR BAIL DETERMINATION IS MADE, UM, IN TERMS OF UNDERMINING THE TRUST IN THE SYSTEM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IN COMBINATION, RIGHT? THE CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, THE LACK OF ACCESS, UH, TO COUNCIL AT THIS CRITICAL STAGE DOESN'T GO AWAY JUST BECAUSE A PD IS DOING IT.
THE CONCERNS ARE THERE NOW THAT TRAVIS COUNTY IS DOING IT, IT WILL REMAIN WITH A PD DOING IT.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THE PROCESSES IN TRAVIS COUNTY WITH GRAVE CONCERN.
UM, AND A PD HAS NOT PROPOSED ANYTHING THAT ALLEVIATES THAT GRAVE CONCERN.
NOT ONLY WILL THE MAGISTRATES LACK ACCESS TO VITAL INFORMATION DEVELOPED IN THE PRETRIAL PROCESS, UM, FROM THE FINANCIAL SCREENING TO THE INVESTIGATIVE INFORMATION, THE MAGISTRATES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY OBSERVE CRITICAL HUMAN INFORMATION THAT ONE GETS WHEN YOU SIT IN A ROOM WITH OTHERS ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
SOME OF MY CONCERN WITH THE VIRTUAL PROCESS A PD IS PROPOSING STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT MANY TIMES ARRESTEES ARE COMING FROM SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH STILL MENTAL ILLNESS THAT IS UNTREATED.
UM, PHYSICAL AILMENTS, WHAT YOU HAVE AT THE BOOKING FACILITY, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, AND I UNDERSTAND A PD CANNOT LEAVE A RECENT ARRESTEE, UM, WHO HAS NOT CLEARED MEDICAL.
BUT WHAT YOU DO HAVE ARE PEOPLE WHO, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE CLEARED MEDICAL, ARE STILL EXPERIENCING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DETOX AND WITHDRAWAL.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE, UH, A PD WILL COME UP WITH THE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THAT.
IF SOMEBODY IS IN THEIR CUSTODY FOR AN EXTENDED TIME PERIOD, AND THEY'RE NOT IN THE BOOKING FACILITY, BUT THEY'RE IN THEIR CARS, OR THESE MOBILE
[01:25:01]
VANS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, POSITED AS A, A, A SPACE OR A SITE OF MAGISTRATE PEOPLE, VIRTUALLY, HOW THEY WILL DEAL WITH SOMEONE WHO IS POTENTIALLY IN, IN NOW THE TWO OR THREE HOURS POST-ARREST, DEALING WITH SYMPTOMS OF WITHDRAWAL, ET CETERA.I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE MEDICAL, UH, ENGAGEMENT WITH THAT WILL BE IN THE BOOKING FACILITY.
IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, THERE ARE TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THERE AND ONSITE WHO COULD HELP AND ASSIST IF SOMEONE IS HAVING AN ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE SPACE OF A PATROL CAR OR, UH, A MOBILE VAN.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO HAVE, UM, PEOPLE PUSH FURTHER AWAY FROM PROCESSES THAT THEIR LOVED ONES CAN ACCESS, RIGHT? TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS NOT MUCH IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, BOOKING FACILITY AT PRESENT, PEOPLE CAN WALK UP AND THEY CAN INQUIRE ABOUT A RECENTLY ARRESTED LOVED ONE.
THEY CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION, UM, THAT SOMETIMES MAKES ITS WAY TO, UH, THE OFFICERS AT THE BOOKING FACILITY ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONE THAT MIGHT BE CRITICAL TO THE QUESTIONS THAT ANIMATE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THAT PERSON, UM, IN THE IMMEDIATE TIMEFRAME POST THEIR ARREST.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A PROCESS THAT SOUNDS, YOU KNOW, INEFFICIENCY.
IT SOUNDS IN SAVING TAXPAYERS MONEY.
UM, BUT THE DETAILS ARE SORELY LACKING IN HOW THAT WILL REALLY HAPPEN.
AND I'M NOT SURE, UM, IF WHAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TODAY, UH, IN THE WAY OF AN UPDATE ON THIS MOCK TRIAL, UH, ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THOSE QUESTIONS AT ALL.
I THINK I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP BACK UP TO QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION SORT OF ON THAT.
WE CAN GET TO THAT IF, IF THERE'S TIME.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES IN WHAT A PD IS, UM, PRESENTING BY WAY OF MOCK TRIAL.
UM, WHEN WE PUT THE RECOMMENDATION TOGETHER, IT WAS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS A PILOT STARTING IN JANUARY, UM, WHICH WAS JUST KIND OF REARED UP TO GO.
WE MIGHT WANNA KEEP UP PRETRIAL SERVICES OH, YEAH.
STACY, MS. STACY BROWN, IF YOU COULD GIVE US A, A, IF YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO SHARE BEFORE WE MOVE TO QUESTIONS, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU AT THE, AT THE MOMENT.
THIS VIRTUAL WORLD, I'LL TELL YOU.
UM, NO, THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US.
UM, STACY BROWN, TRAVIS COUNTY PRETRIAL SERVICES, AND I'M THE DIVISION DIRECTOR.
UM, AND I WILL KIND OF KEEP MY, UH, COMMENTS BRIEF.
UM, OLA DID A, A GREAT JOB JUST KIND OF INTERJECTING PRETRIAL SERVICES, UH, INTO HER, UH, INFORMATION AND, AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE WORK WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, PRETRIAL SERVICES, UH, PROVIDES THE MAGISTRATE BEFORE THAT MAGISTRATE PROCESS WITH THREE, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS.
THE INDIGENT FINANCIAL, UH, SCREENING INFORMATION, THE PERSONAL BOND APPLICATION, UH, WHICH IS ALSO A RECOMMENDATION, WHICH INCLUDES BOND CONDITIONS, UM, IN THAT PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT.
UM, AND BY WAY OF JUST A, UM, KIND OF A, UM, BRIEF OVERVIEW, I'LL KIND OF DESCRIBE HOW THAT LOOKS AT THE PRESENT AND SORT OF WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW COMPLEX IT MIGHT BE TO MOVE FROM ONE, YOU KNOW, FACILITY AT TRAVIS COUNTY INTO A PD.
UM, IF, IF THEY, THAT THOSE DUTIES WERE GONNA BE REPLICATED.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE SHIFTS.
WE HAVE, UH, OFFICERS COVERING 24 7 HOURS, UH, 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WE'VE GOT AN OFFICER WHO IS A PRETRIAL OFFICER, WHO IS A STATION, UH, IN THE, THE CENTRAL BOOKING JAIL.
UM, AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE BROUGHT INTO THE JAIL ARE BEING INTERVIEWED AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THE PERSONAL BOND INTERVIEW TAKES PLACE.
THAT'S WHERE THE, UH, OUR PRETRIAL OFFICERS ARE, ARE CONDUCTING THE INDIGENT AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION, UH, GATHERING THEIR INCOME, THEIR EXPENSES, SIZE OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY RECEIVE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN IT, THEN THERE'S A LIVING WAGE CALCULATION THAT HELPS TO DETERMINE INDIGENCY.
ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS BEING ENTERED INTO THE INDIGENT DEFENSE APPLICATION THAT'S BEEN SHARED WITH, UH, THE, UM, COURT ADMINISTRATION OFFICE, UH, JENNIFER'S GROUP, UM, FOR THE PURPOSE OF APPOINTING ATTORNEYS.
UM, AND WE'RE GATHERING THAT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, ALSO FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION, UH, TO THE, TO THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE, UH, PRIOR TO THAT MA MAGISTRATION PROCESS.
UH, SO AT THE, RIGHT AFTER OUR OFFICERS INTERVIEW IN THE JAIL, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER SET OF OFFICERS WHO ARE INVESTIGATING THOSE BONDS.
THEY'RE RUNNING, UH, CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECKS, WHICH INCLUDE LOCAL CHECK YOUR STATE AND NATIONAL CHECKS.
AND ONE SIGNIFICANT, UM, PIECE ON RELATED TO THE CRIMINAL HISTORIES IS IF THEY DO HAVE PENDING CASES IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'RE NOT ONLY JUST PUTTING THAT INFORMATION IN OUR INVESTIGATION, WE'RE ALSO WRITING HOW THEY GOT RELEASED.
UH, ARE THERE ANY BOND CONDITIONS? UH, WHEN IS THE NEXT COURT
[01:30:01]
SETTING INFORMATION THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS HELPFUL, UH, FOR THE MAGISTRATE AS THEY'RE CONSIDERING THESE INDI INDIVIDUALS FOR RELEASE.UM, AND, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE DOING THAT INVESTIGATION.
UH, THAT'S ALSO WHEN WE RUN THE PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UH, IT DOESN'T STATE IN THE STATUTE THAT PRETRIAL SERVICES HAVE TO RUN THAT PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT, BUT WE HAVE WORKED IT INTO A PROCESS THAT MAKES IT, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY EFFICIENT, UH, IN THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT FORM IS THEN, UH, RUN AND PRINTED, UH, AND PROVIDED TO THE MAGISTRATE AS WELL.
UM, WE ALSO, UM, FILL OUT TWO RISK ASSESSMENTS.
WE HAVE THE ORS PAT RISK ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS, UH, A SPECIFICALLY PRETRIAL SERVICES OR PRETRIAL ASSESSMENT TOOL, UH, THAT, UH, THAT PREDICTS THE RISK OF FAILING TO REPORT TO COURT OR BE REARRESTED.
UH, WE ALSO FILL OUT THE, UM, UH, ODA, WHICH IS THE ONTARIO DOMESTIC ASSAULT ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND THIS IS RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE, UH, ARRESTED FOR INTIMATE VI VIOLENCE CASES.
AND AGAIN, THIS TOOL IS, UM, USED TO PREDICT, UM, THE LIKELIHOOD OF FUTURE VIOLENCE.
SO, AGAIN, THOSE TWO PIECES, UM, ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF US MAKING THOSE BOND RECOMMENDATIONS AND KNOWING, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT, WHAT RISK TO THE COMMUNITY THESE INDIVIDUALS MIGHT BE.
UM, WE ALSO CALL REFERENCES, UM, ADD MENTIONED US COMMUNICATING WITH SOME VICTIMS. UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY WE, WE CONTACT, UH, THE VICTIMS OF AN ASSAULT CASE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT THEIR INPUT, HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS INDIVIDUAL BEING RELEASED.
WE WANNA SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THE JUDGE SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THAT THE BEST INFORMED DECISION.
UM, AND THEN FOLLOWING OUR RECOMMENDATION, OR EXCUSE ME, FOLLOW OUR INVESTIGATION, WE'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE BOND, WHICH IS GOING TO INCLUDE, UM, ANY NECESSARY BOND CONDITIONS.
WE LIKE TO KIND OF FOCUS ON THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS, BUT THERE ARE SOME CONDITIONS THAT, UH, MIGHT HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE RISKS THAT WE IDENTIFY, UH, IN ONE OF THOSE RISK ASSESSMENTS.
ONCE WE GET ALL THAT PAPERWORK PULLED TOGETHER AND THE DEFENDANT IS READY FOR MAGISTRATION, THEN WE PUT TOGETHER A PACKET FOR THE JUDGE.
UH, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, INCLUDES THE FULL PRE-TRIAL INVESTIGATION, THE, UH, PSA, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT.
UM, AND THEN THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
UM, AND THEN WE SEND THAT, UH, TO THE JUDGE SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THAT, UH, INFORMED, UH, DECISION ON, UH, YOU KNOW, SETTING BAIL AND, AND CONSIDERING A DEFENDANT FOR RELEASE ON BAIL.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT? AND I'M JUST GONNA DO A QUICK TIME CHECK.
WE ARE AT 5 0 8, WE WRAP AT FIVE 30 TODAY, SO WE PROBABLY HAVE LIKE 10 MORE MINUTES THAT WE CAN SPEND ON THIS ITEM AT MOST.
UM, MS. BROWN, MS. BROWN, MRS. BROWN, I DON'T KNOW MS. BROWN, UM, UH, HAS ANYBODY FROM A PD CONTACTED YOU AND, AND SPOKEN WITH YOU AT ANY LENGTH ABOUT HOW YOUR PROCESSES WORK AND WHAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DO TO REPLICATE THEM? ALL OF THEM.
UM, WE HAD A MEETING EARLY ON AND, UM, MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FALL AT SOME POINT.
UM, AND, UM, BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL, UH, MEETING.
WE DIDN'T GO INTO A LOT OF SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO REPLICATE IT.
WE JUST KIND OF TOLD THEM THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, MOST, NONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE WOULD SEE, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE THE SAME INFORMATION THAT DID WE DO PRESENTLY, OR, OR, YOU KNOW, BEING INVOLVED IN THAT.
UM, AND ALSO JUST REALLY THE INEFFICIENCY.
DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OF, UM, THE CONCERNS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE NOT BEING AS FRANK WITH, UH, SOMEONE WHO WORKED FOR A PD AS THEY WOULD BE WITH A PRETRIAL SERVICES OFFICER? UH, FROM A PRETRIAL STANDPOINT, WE DID NOT BRING THAT INFORMATION UP.
THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A GOOD POINT THAT, THAT THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE, WE SPOKE ABOUT.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE MADE OUR ROUND.
COMMISSIONER, OR, I MEAN, I JUST, I, I GUESS I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING 'CAUSE YOU'RE KIND OF BRINGING BACK HOME THE POINT YOU'RE KIND OF BRINGING BACK FROM THE POINT THAT IT, THIS IS A LOT MORE IN THE INITIAL STAGES THAN IT INITIALLY SEEMED.
IS THAT, WAS THAT A FAIR TAKEAWAY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED? SORRY.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WE DIDN'T REALIZE THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS PROJECT.
NOT TO SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO STOP US, IT JUST MEANS THAT THERE'S MORE TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE WE, WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS.
WE DID THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN DUPLICATE ALL THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
AND THE NEXT STEP IS TO DO THE MOCK TRIAL.
[01:35:01]
COULD POTENTIALLY A NEXT STEP THOUGH BE TO SIT DOWN, EXCUSE ME, AND MAYBE GO BACK TO SQUARE ONE AND WHITEBOARD IT WITH A LOT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS WE'RE HEARING FROM TODAY.I CAN ABSOLUTELY HAVE, UM, LIEUTENANT BERGESON, WHO'S THE, THE GENTLEMAN WHO'S KIND OF THE PROJECT MANAGER, SO TO SPEAK, REACH BACK OUT AND SEE IF WE MISSED ANYTHING.
I THINK A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I HEARD WE HAVE, HAVE MENTIONED ALREADY AND TALKED ABOUT, BUT IF WE MISSED ANYTHING OR MISINTERPRETED ANYTHING, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY WELCOME TO THAT CONVERSATION.
WELL, AND I GUESS MAYBE I'M SAYING NOT ONLY MISSED, BUT MAYBE LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE SOME OF THE GOALS THAT YOU WANT TO, WITH THE FISCAL.
IT LOOKS LIKE FISCAL SAVINGS IS THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO WORK WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER GROUPS? I'M, I'M, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU OUT HERE BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT SEEING A LOT, UH, IT'S, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF A YES OR A NO AT THIS POINT, I THINK, WITH THIS GROUP.
SO I'M WONDERING IF MAYBE A COMMITMENT TO WORKING, MAYBE STARTING FROM SCRATCH A LITTLE BIT, WORKING WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER GROUPS, WORKING WITH 'EM TO, TO MAYBE LOOK FOR OTHER IDEAS TO ACCOMPLISH THE FINANCIAL SAVINGS AND OTHER END GOALS THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU MAY JUST START OVER IN THE, IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AND DETERMINE HOW WE COULD COME TO A LOWER PRICE.
SO, UM, I MEAN, I THINK THAT RAISES LIKE, AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT I HAVE HAD SORT OF FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS, WHICH IS HOW MUCH OF THIS, UM, PILOT IS ABOUT PUTTING PRESSURE ON TRAVIS COUNTY TO LOWER THE COST IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
SO THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING.
THE, THE, THE 50 OVER 50% OF THE ARRESTEES PROCESSED AT TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL ARE A PD ARRESTEES.
IT SORT OF FEELS LIKE Y'ALL ARE HOLDING THOSE ARRESTEES HOSTAGE, UM, WITH THIS LIKE, WE'RE GONNA DO IT OURSELVES THING JUST IN ORDER TO SHAKE DOWN TRAVIS COUNTY FOR A BETTER PRICE.
THERE'S NO SHAKEDOWN OR PRESSURE.
THIS IS, UH, SOLELY A CONVERSATION THAT STEMMED OUT OF, UH, STICKER SHOCK WHEN WE SAW HOW MUCH MONEY THEY THREW AT US AT THAT MEETING.
UH, THEY WANTED TO OVER DOUBLE WHEN, WHEN WAS THE LAST, WELL, I WANNA ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER AS MANY AS YOU HAVE.
THEY OVER DOUBLED PRI UH, RAISED THE PRICE OVER DOUBLE, RIGHT, I GET THAT.
YEAH, THEY DID COME BACK DOWN TO 9.9, BUT I THINK A LOGICAL QUESTION IS, SHOULD WE JUST PAY THIS MONEY OR CAN WE LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES? AND WE'RE IN THE, CAN WE LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES PORTION OF THIS? I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK PHOTO, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE ONE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON ONE ALTERNATIVE AT THIS POINT.
YOU, IT SOUNDS LIKE, 'CAUSE WE SEEM TO BE GIVING, GIVEN THE OPTION OF SAYING, GIVING OUR BLESSING TO THIS ONE VERY SPECIFIC OPTION THAT NOBODY ELSE SEEMS TO BE IN AGREEMENT WITH.
SO IF THERE'S ANOTHER OPTION THAT'S AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO BRING TO THE TABLE, I'M ALL EARS TODAY OR TOMORROW.
UM, SO I'M JUST, I'M TRYING REALLY HARD TO WRANGLE BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE, I KNOW DOZENS MORE QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE WITH REGARDS TO THIS PROGRAM.
THIS, THIS COMMISSION HAS PASSED A RECOMMENDATION IN FAVOR OF COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE, UM, AS A BODY, UM, OVER A YEAR AGO.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY HIGH PRIORITY FOR THIS, FOR THIS BODY THAT WE'RE SITTING AT RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT SEEMS REALLY LIKE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR US.
AND IN ADDITION, I THINK JUST TO CLOSE THE ITEM, I DON'T THINK WE'LL GET TO THE RECOMMENDATION.
THERE'S TOO MUCH THAT'S CHANGED.
I THINK MY CONCERN OVERALL IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM A PD THAT YOU GUYS ARE STRETCHED REALLY, REALLY THIN, AND THIS FEELS LIKE A MASSIVE, MASSIVE SORT OF UNDERTAKING TO DEDICATE POLICE RESOURCES TO AT A TIME WHERE MAYBE WE CAN SEE SOME HEADWAY IN RESPONSE TIMES, BECAUSE THERE ARE LITTLE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT LEGISLATION AND WE'RE SEEING CRIME RATES DROP ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND I JUST, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE A, LIKE A TIME AND SPACE WHERE MAYBE WE'RE SEEING LIKE A LITTLE RESPITE FOR A PD AND, AND POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO TAKING ON A PROGRAM OF THIS SCALE AND GROWING WHAT A PD DOES ON THIS END IN A DUPLICATIVE MATTER, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE ARE PART OF A REGIONAL, OF A REGION RIGHT.
OF RESOURCES, UM, IT JUST, IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.
UM, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING THERE, UM, BUT I THINK WE'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR NOW.
UM, WE WANNA HEAR BACK, SEE, UM, HOW THIS IS GOING, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING NEXT, UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE AREN'T MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT A FULL-BLOWN TRIAL HAPPENING VERSUS A MOCK TRIAL VERSUS A PILOT.
CAN I JUST ADD ONE MORE THING? YES.
UM, I, I'M, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS FROM A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE STANDPOINT, RIGHT? UM, I SEE HERE THAT IT'S ADDING AN EXTRA CHANGE OF CUSTODY IN A ALREADY TRAUMATIC EVENT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
UM, THEY'RE BEING TRANSFERRED FROM ONE OFFICER, AN ARRESTING OFFICER TO ANOTHER OFFICER,
[01:40:01]
AND THEN TO CENTRAL BOOKING, WHICH IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND.UH, UM, I WOULD WANT TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF, UM, AN UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THAT PROCESS TOO, UM, FROM THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE END BECAUSE SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT GUILTY UNTIL PROVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE NOT GUILTY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST BEING CHARGED AT THIS POINT.
SO, UM, THIS COULD BE AN INNOCENT INDIVIDUAL THAT, UM, IS GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE US AWARE OF THAT.
AND ALSO IN THINKING OF THAT PROCESS, NOT ADD AN EXTRA LAYER, UH, OF TRAUMA ON THESE INDIVIDUALS FROM CROW.
8%, 8% IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UH, AT, AND THAT'S THE LOW NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO THERE WAS NO PROBABLE CAUSE.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU YOU EVERYBODY THAT JOINED US FOR THIS ITEM.
I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME.
THANK YOU CHIEF GREENWALT FOR GIVING US AN UPDATE ON THE MOCK TRIAL AND GIVING THIS ITEM A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY WITH REGARDS TO WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING AT A PD.
UM, WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR CLOSING
[6. Discussion and potential formation of Budget Recommendations Working Group (Sponsors: Commissioners Ramírez & Peña) ]
ITEMS. UM, DO WE HAVE TIME FOR THIS? SO WE HA I HA WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA THE DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL FORMATION OF A BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WORKING GROUP.UM, WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE.
NORMALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT BUDGETS ONCE THEY'VE WRAPPED THOSE UP AND WE KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT SORT OF UNFUNDED MANDATES THEY HAVE PUT IN THEIR PROPOSED BUDGETS AND VOTE YAY OR NAY ON THOSE.
AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONS DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THEY SORT OF PUT TOGETHER A, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, A BIT OF A WISHLIST WITH REGARDS TO WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN, IN BUDGETS.
UM, AND SO THIS BUDGET WORKING GROUP, UM, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WORKING GROUP IS SORT OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
IF THERE IS AN APPETITE FOR IT, WE WOULD NEED PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY COMMIT TIME TO EITHER, UM, GO THROUGH PRIOR MEETINGS AND SEE WHAT SOME OF THESE, UM, THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN BRIEFED ON THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN SEEING MORE FUNDING FOR AND OR HEARING FROM ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT PROGRAMS AND THINGS WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SEEING ADOPTED IN THE NEXT FISCAL BUDGET.
UM, SO THAT IS KIND OF WHAT THAT IS.
UM, WE CAN KIND OF SIT ON IT AND THINK ABOUT IT AND ASSESS IF THERE'S EVEN PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN IT AND TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE NEXT MONTH.
UM, DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET PROCESS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE QUITE YET.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO SURFACE THAT AS A POSSIBILITY.
UM, I GUESS, UH, WE JUST HAVE, AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER MM-HMM
I MEAN, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF ANYTHING THAT LETS US BE PROACTIVE AS A NORM OR THE COMMISSION THOUGH SORT OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE EXISTING PROCESS IS AND THEN HOW THIS WOULD BE DIFFERENT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I DON'T KNOW, JUST HAVING SOMETHING WE CAN CIRCULATE AMONGST US IN, IN WRITING AND KIND SEE, OKAY, YEAH, HERE'S WHAT, HERE'S WHAT'S BEEN DONE HISTORICALLY.
HERE'S WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONS HAVE DONE, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
BECAUSE I THINK THE IDEA OF BEING PROACTIVE AND I'M HAPPY TO, TO VOLUNTEER AND SPEND THE TIME ON THAT, BUT DOES UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THAT MEAN FOR REQUESTS FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF OUTREACH AND, OKAY.
I CAN, I CAN DEFINITELY CIRCULATE SOME OF THAT AND WE CAN REVISIT THIS AT A FUTURE MEETING, UM, WHEN MORE OF THAT IS CLEAR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT? UM, I, I, I MEAN I THINK THERE'S, I I THINK A WRITTEN DOCUMENT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL, BUT I THINK THERE'S KIND OF A SHORT VERSION, WHICH IS THAT IN THE PAST, UM, WE'VE SEEN THE PRESENTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES AND EITHER HAD A THUMBS UP OR A THUMBS DOWN MM-HMM.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M PROPOSING THAT WE GET RID OF THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY HELPFUL PROCESS AS WELL.
SO THIS IS JUST ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'D LIKE TO PUT AN ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION IN ADVANCE OF ALL OF THAT TOGETHER.
UH, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO SET UP A WORKING GROUP, UH, BESIDES ON THE, UM, AS FAR AS THE BUDGET, BUT SINCE THERE'S NEW PEOPLE HERE AND I'M STILL NEW FOR US TO KIND OF SIT DOWN AND MAYBE HAVE LIKE AN HOUR OR TWO DISCUSS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO ACCOMPLISH AND GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, CAN WE DO A WORKING GROUP JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE THAT WOULD FALL UNDER A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM? I HATE TO PULL THE LITTLE TECHNICAL
AND I, AND I TOTALLY APPRECIATE THAT THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE, UM, AND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE CAN BE SHARING.
I DID NOT DO IN, IN, IN FAIR, IN FAIRNESS, I DID NOT DO AS GOOD A JOB WITH THIS UPCOMING MEETING WITH REGARDS TO CIRCULATING AND REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE.
UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE
[01:45:01]
THAT.IT WOULD HAVE TO BE LESS THAN QUORUM AND UM, WE CAN'T HAVE AN ONGOING WORKING GROUP THAT WHOSE FUNCTION WE, WE NEED TO HAVE A FINAL PURPOSE AND A FINAL WORK PRODUCT FOR A WORKING GROUP.
IT CAN'T JUST BE A STANDING COMMITTEE THAT IS KIND OF THERE INDEFINITELY.
SO, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK TOWARDS THAT.
I FEEL LIKE WE CAN BE IN TOUCH A LITTLE BIT MORE IN BETWEEN MEETINGS AND STUFF AS WELL.
UM, AND UM, I KNOW THAT I DO AN AWFUL LOT OF READING AND WATCHING OF MEETINGS AND STUFF IN BETWEEN MEETINGS TO SORT OF GET UP TO SPEED ON ITEMS. SO, UM, I THINK WITH THAT WE'LL CLOSE THIS ITEM
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
OUT FOR NOW AND TALK ABOUT FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. BRIEFLY.UM, I AM GOING TO PUT MY FOOT DOWN A BIT ABOUT FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I WANT US TO PUT THINGS ON THE RECORD AND I WOULD LIKE US TO GET VERBAL SECONDS DURING THIS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO NO LONGER CONSTANTLY BE THE SECOND FOR ALL OF OUR AGENDA ITEMS. I WANT US TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, UM, AND NOT JUST HAVE IT, 'CAUSE THEN I FEEL LIKE I'M CONTROLLING THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH AND I WANT IT TO BE COMING FROM THE BODY AS A WHOLE.
SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEM SUGGESTIONS? CHAIR, UM, I THINK I EMAILED YOU AS WELL ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY WELLNESS CENTER.
UM, I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME IN, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING, NOT ONLY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, BUT I THINK THEY'RE STARTING TO, UH, PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR EMS AND A PD AS WELL, UM, AND SEE HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY WELLNESS CENTER ITEM IN THE FUTURE? I SECOND.
AND THEN BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU, YOU GUYS WILL WORK ON AN AGENDA ITEM REQUEST FORM FOR ME WITH SOME INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS FOR THAT.
UM, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO LIKE, TALK TO FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS, BUT DON'T, YOU KNOW, SORT OF KNOW HOW STRONGLY THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE MAGISTRATE JUDGES ABOUT, UM, THE, UH, THE PROPOSED, I GUESS IT'S NOW, UH, UM, A TEST, A TRIAL RUN, UM, SLASH UH, YOU KNOW, UM, PILOT PROGRAM ON VIRTUAL MAGISTRATION.
I I THINK THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT WHAT THEY, UM, UM, WHAT THEIR ROLE WOULD BE IN THIS PROCESS AND IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM THEM DIRECTLY.
I THINK THAT CAN BE A, TO BE CONTINUED OF THIS EXISTING ITEM.
UM, A SECOND, YES, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU A SECOND AS WELL.
UM, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DID NOT HEAR FROM MUNICIPAL JUDGE SYSTEM, UM, TODAY.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT SECONDS FOR THOSE AND IT'S SORT OF A CONTINUATION, BUT THAT'S GREAT.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? I'M HAVING TROUBLE REMEMBERING.
DO WE ALREADY HAVE THE NEW TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER ON AS AN AGENDA ITEM? NO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
I I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT I THINK, RIGHT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SOBER, UM, CENTER, THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER, THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NO, SO I THINK THAT, I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN AN EFFORT FOR YEARS TO, UH, CALIFORNIA HAS A BUNCH OF THESE, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY IN TEXAS
UM, THEY HAVE A, A PARTICULAR PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO TO ALL SORT FOR ALL SORTS OF SERVICES, UM, THAT ARE HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S PARTICULARLY LIMITED TO SERIOUS VIOLENT CRIMES, BUT THAT'S USUALLY WHO USES THE SERVICES.
SO SHOOTING VICTIMS, SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS, FAMILY VIOLENCE IS THE ONE THAT JUST OPENED UP IN NOVEMBER.
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOOGLE TELLS ME ANYWAY.
CITY OF AUSTIN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH HARVEST FOUNDATION.
I DO WE GET A, DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT? I SECOND.
UM, AND IT'S ACTUALLY CALLED THE HARVEST TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER.
AND THEN I HAVE AN ITEM, UM, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT TEXT TO 9 1 1.
UM, I BELIEVE, AND YOU GUYS CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT THERE IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED AND THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE ROLLING OUT IN THE COMING MONTHS, COMING SIX MONTHS.
SO, UM, LOTS OF STARING AT EACH OTHER.
[01:50:01]
FAIR.IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED FOR A WHILE.
THE SPECIFICS ON IT, I, I'M NOT PREPARED TO HAVE THAT CAR.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US BY THAT SILENCE IS PREPARED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF TEXT TO 9 1 1.
UM, JUST, WE TALKED ABOUT LANGUAGE ACCESS BEFORE AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'D BE A HUGE THING, NOT JUST FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS, BUT FOR OUR DISABLED COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO I, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT TEXT TO 9 1 1, ANY PLANS THE CITY HAS.
UM, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A FUTURE I, IT SOUNDS LIKE.
SO, UM, AND THEN JUST TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GET AN UPDATE ON TRAINING FOR A PD FOR THE ACADEMY, UM, JUST HOW THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR SINCE WE'VE HEARD ON THAT.
I THINK YOU, UH, SAID TWO ITEMS, RIGHT? THE ONE IS TEXT TO 9 1 1.
SO, UM, DID YOU MOTION FOR THAT ONE? ARE YOU I THINK I, I BOOKMARKED IT AS FUTURE.
I'LL DO MORE RESEARCH AND FIGURE OUT OKAY.
WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S A FEASIBLE ONE FOR LATER.
I THINK IT'S CALLED NEXT GEN 9 1 1.
UM, UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S LIKE RTT REALTIME TEXT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, WHEN YOU'RE READY TO MOTION FOR THAT.
AND THEN I THINK WE HAD A SECOND A TRAINING.
AND I WILL, I WILL STOP 'CAUSE I GOT A LONG LIST, BUT I'LL STOP FOR NOW.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEARING WITH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE DISCUSSION TODAY.
UM, AND ACTUALLY I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
I KNOW THE HOLIDAYS ARE CRAZY AND TAXING AND TOUGH ON ALL FRONTS FOR YOU GUYS.
AT THE LOCAL BALL, I WAS TELLING MY STORY AT THE EIGHT MILE, THREE STAR ABOUT BEING ON THE ROAD JUST ACHE.
AND ME, I WAS WATCHING FOR COPS, I WAS WATCHING MY, AT THE EDGE OF TOWN.