[Austin Apology to Victims of Sexual Assault News Conference]
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I'M BRUCE MILLS, INTERIM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I'M HERE TODAY JOINED BY MEMBERS FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDE INTERIM CHIEF ROBIN HENDERSON TO OFFER OUR SINCERE APOLOGIES ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
FOR THE PAST MISHANDLING OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES AND TRAUMA THAT HAD CAUSED OUR SURVIVORS.
IN JANUARY OF 2022, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A SETTLEMENT WITH 15 WOMEN WHO SUED THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, OVER THE HANDLING OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO SEXUAL ASSAULTS THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN 2006 AND 2019, WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THE CASES THAT THE SURVIVORS WERE INVOLVED IN WERE NOT HANDLED APPROPRIATELY, UH, AND DO NOT REFLECT THE VALUES OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
UH, AND FOR THAT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I OFFER MY SINCERE APOLOGY.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE'VE TAKEN FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND CONTINUE TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS IN THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS AND PREVENT THESE CRITICAL ERRORS FROM EVER OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE.
IN INTERIM CHIEF HENDERSON AND FORMER CHIEF, UH, JOE CHICON, UH, HAVE MET BACK LAST YEAR, HAVE MET SURVIVORS PERSONALLY TO OFFER THEIR APOLOGIES, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SINCE THE CONCERNS CAME TO LIGHT, THE CITY HAS WORKED TOWARD TRANSFORMATIONS CHANGING IN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ARE TREATED SERIOUSLY, COMMUNICATE WITH EFFECTIVELY, AND HAVE THEIR CASES INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY.
AND SINCE 2019, THE CITY HAS ARAMARK MORE THAN $4.4 MILLION TO IMPROVE A PD INVESTIGATIONS AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS.
THIS INCLUDES FUNDING FOR, FOR THE AUDITS OF THE, OF THE APDS POLICE DEPARTMENT, SEX CRIMES VICTIM COUNSELING, THE VICTIM'S COUNSELING SERVICES, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION INITIATIVE.
THE CITY ALSO COMMISSIONED INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL AUDIT OF CITY PRACTICES.
THEY EN THEY ENGAGED, UH, PERF POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM, UH, WOMEN'S LAW PROJECT, WELLESLEY CENTER FOR WOMEN, AND LAUNCHED THE COLLECTIVE SEX CRIMES RESPONSE MODEL PROJECT.
UH, THIS FOCUSES ON APPLYING, UH, CHANGES TO THE A PD SEX CRIMES UNIT THROUGH THIS WHOLE COLLABORATION, THIS EFFORT FOR INVOLVING STAKEHOLDERS, LOCAL NON-PROFIT PARTNERS, ADVOCATES, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS FROM THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED AND LOCAL PARTNERSHIP CENTERED ON THE, THE, UH, THIS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC.
WHILE WE CANNOT REMOVE OR UNDO THE HARM THAT SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE ENDURED, WE CAN COMMIT ALONG WITH A PD LEADERSHIP WITH ME HERE TODAY TO CONTINUE FOCUSING ON MAKING ABSOLUTE CERTAIN THAT THESE TYPES OF ERRORS THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS A CITY, AND AS A COMMUNITY TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, CHIEF HENDERSON, PLEASE COME UP, MAKE COMMENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO INTERIM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER MILLS COMMENTS.
TODAY IS AN IMPORTANT DAY AND AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND MOST SIGNIFICANTLY SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS IN OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
TO ALL THE SURVIVORS IN OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY, I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR HOW YOUR CASES WERE MISHANDLED AND TO THE HURT AND RE-VICTIMIZATION THAT YOU HAVE ENDURED AS A RESULT OF THESE MISSTEPS.
I ALSO MUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE AND FOR YOUR PERSISTENCE TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR ALL SURVIVORS.
HEAR ME WHEN I SAY I AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE NO OTHER SURVIVORS GO THROUGH THIS, SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THE FUTURE.
AS A CM MILL SAID, IN JANUARY OF 2023, THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND RESOURCE TEAM, SART LEADERS BEGAN MEETING WITH A PD TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE COLLECTIVE SEX CRIMES RESPONSE MODEL.
THIS PROJECT HAS PRESENTED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PD TO WORK WITH ITS PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO FORMULATE A COMPREHENSIVE AND VICTIM-CENTERED APPROACH TO HANDLING SEX CRIMES CASES.
I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO SAY THAT THIS PROJECT IS GONNA BE A MODEL THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED AND ONE THAT WE BELIEVE ONCE FINALIZED WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED AS NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES WITH THE UNDERSTANDING AND COMMITMENT
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FOR CONSTANT AND CONTINUAL EVALUATION FOR IMPROVEMENTS.THIS IMPRESSIVE EFFORT SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW SERIOUS A PD IS COMMITTED AND IS BUILDING IN STRENGTH AND TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY THROUGH A COL COLLECTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH.
BUT PLEASE KNOW THE WORK IS NOT, THE WORK IS NOT DONE.
I'LL NOW INVITE UP LIEUTENANT ULU.
MY NAME IS LIEUTENANT CRYSTAL LIU, AND I LEAD AND MANAGE A PD SIX CRIMES UNIT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY STATING HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE COURAGE AND DETERMINATION OF THE PLAINTIFFS FOR CHALLENGED A SYSTEM THAT DIDN'T SERVE THEM.
THOSE OF US WORKING FOR SURVIVORS DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE TRAINING AND RESOURCES WE HAVE, BUT I KNOW IT WASN'T ENOUGH.
THIS CRIME GOES TOO OFTEN UNREPORTED, AND THOSE WHO PERPETUATED ARE TOO SELDOM HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THE PLAINTIFF'S EFFORTS AND LEGAL ACTION FORCED OUR CITY AND OUR DEPARTMENT TO LISTEN AND TO RESPOND.
APOLOGIES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THEY MUST BE COMBINED WITH INTROSPECTION AND WITH CHANGE.
SINCE THE SETTLEMENT OF THE SURVIVOR LAWSUIT, A PD HAS EMBARKED ON A PROJECT LOOKING AT EVERY ASPECT IN WHICH OUR SEX CRIMES UNIT OPERATES.
A TEAM OF OVER 40 PROJECT MEMBERS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, INCLUDING NOT ONLY A PD PERSONNEL AND LEADERSHIP, BUT ALSO MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS AGENCY PARTNERS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY THAT ARE INVESTED IN THE RESPONSE, THE CARE AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.
THE PROJECT WORK IS COMPREHENSIVE AND A TEAM IS REVIEWING AND ASSESSING EVERYTHING FROM POLICIES AND TRAINING TO RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATION PRACTICES, AS WELL AS THE DATA WE PUBLISH AND HOW WE ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THE LAWSUIT AND AUDIT SERVE TO IDENTIFY THE WAYS IN WHICH WE WERE NOT SERVING VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS, AND WE WERE LOOKING TO MAKE AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY'S RESPONSE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT THE VERY BEST IN THE NATION.
WHEN WE ARE DONE, WE HOPE TO HAVE CREATED SOMETHING THAT THE PLAINTIFFS AND THIS COMMUNITY CAN BE PROUD OF.
I WANT TO FIRST THANK THE PLAINTIFFS FOR LEADING THE WAY.
I WANT TO THANK CHIEF HENDERSON AND HER EXECUTIVE STAFF FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON THIS PROJECT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE SUPPORT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN, THE OFFICE IN TRAVIS COUNTY SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND RESOURCE TEAM.
AND FINALLY, TO EVERY PROJECT MEMBER THAT HAS ALREADY GIVEN TREMENDOUS TIME AND EFFORT TO HELP IMPROVE THE SYSTEM FOR SURVIVORS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE HOLLY BOWLES FROM THE SAFE ALLIANCE TO SPEAK ABOUT COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCACY AT THE SAFE ALLIANCE, AND I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK TODAY AND SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR SURVIVORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO START BY ECHOING THE THANKS TO THE SURVIVORS NAMED IN THE LAWSUIT, AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT NAMED YET, STILL HAVE ADVOCATED AND FOUGHT FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.
IF YOU ARE A SURVIVOR OR HAVE HAD AN UNWANTED SEXUAL EXPERIENCE AND YOU'RE HAVING COMPLICATED FEELINGS ABOUT TODAY, I WANT YOU TO HEAR FIRST THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
MY HOPE IS THAT YOU HAVE A FEELING OF SAFETY AND PEACE, BUT IT MAY BE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS THOSE THINGS RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FIND THEM ON YOUR OWN.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TWO ORGANIZATIONS IN AUSTIN THAT EXIST TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE, INCLUDING SEXUAL ASSAULT, ASIAN FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES OF AUSTIN OR ABSA, AND THE SAFE ALLIANCE ADVOCATES AT EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK CONFIDENTIALLY, TO LISTEN TO HOLD SPACE FOR HURT AND ANGER, AND TO CONNECT YOU WITH ONGOING SUPPORT, INCLUDING COUNSELING SERVICES, LEGAL SERVICES, PEER SUPPORT, AND MORE.
WHILE AAFSA SERVES ALL SURVIVORS, THEY SPECIALIZE IN SUPPORTING IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY PROVIDE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE COUNSELING AND SUPPORT.
THEIR ADVOCATES AND INTERPRETERS SPEAK ALMOST 40 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, AND THEY HELP IN THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU SPEAK.
YOU CAN CONTACT AAFSA CONFIDENTIAL HOTLINE ANY DAY OR TIME AT 8 7 7 2 8 1 8 3 7 1.
IN ADDITION TO ADVOCACY SERVICES, THE SAFE ALLIANCE HAS SPECIALLY TRAINED ON-CALL NURSES AND A QUIET, PRIVATE FREE CLINIC WHERE YOU CAN MEET WITH AN ADVOCATE AND A NURSE AFTER A SEXUAL ASSAULT.
YOU CAN CALL SAFE'S TWENTY FOUR SEVEN HOTLINE AT 5 1 2 2 6 7 7 2 3 3, OR ONLINE@SAFEAUSTIN.ORG SLASH CHAT.
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REGARDLESS OF YOUR GENDER, YOUR RACE, CITIZENSHIP, SEXUALITY, DISABILITY STATUS, OR ANY OTHER ASPECT OF YOUR IDENTITY, VIOLENCE IS NOT YOUR FAULT.IF YOU HAVE HAD AN UNWANTED SEXUAL EXPERIENCE OR IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED, ADVOCATES ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS AND DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONS.
IF YOU'RE NOT READY TO SPEAK WITH POLICE, THAT'S OKAY.
YOU GET TO DECIDE IF AND WHEN REPORTING IS RIGHT FOR YOU.
ADULTS IN TEXAS CAN HAVE DDNA EVIDENCE COLLECTED AND PRESERVED WITHOUT TALKING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR UP TO FIVE DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT.
IF YOU JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOUR BODY IS OKAY AND YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE EVIDENCE COLLECTED, YOU CAN STILL RECEIVE FREE MEDICAL CARE WITH NURSES AT THE SAFE ALLIANCE.
JUSTICE LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE, AND WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU REGARDLESS.
I'LL SHARE THOSE HOTLINE NUMBERS.
AGAIN, YOU CAN CALL ASIAN FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES OF AUSTIN AT 8 7 7 2 8 1 8 3 7 1, AND YOU CAN CONNECT WITH A SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER OR AN ADVOCATE AT THE SAFE ALLIANCE AT 5 1 2 2 6 7 7 2 3 3, OR AT SAFE AUSTIN.ORG/CHAT.
UM, WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, THIS APOLOGY COMES JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER SOME SURVIVORS EXPRESSED, YOU KNOW, CONCERN, UH, FRUSTRATION, DISAPPOINTMENT ABOUT, UM, ONE OF THEM USED THE WORD BETRAYAL ABOUT THE CITY SEEKING TO REAPPOINT THE DEPARTMENT LEADER WHO OVERSAW THE DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH THIS TRAUMA.
SINCE IT'S PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR THE CITY, 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND MANY, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES HAVE CHANGED, BUT HOW DO YOU ENSURE SURVIVORS THAT THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CITY HAS CHANGED? I, I JUST WANNA SPEAK AS FAR AS PROJECT MANAGEMENT, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO, WE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH CHALLENGES.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN IN, IN GROUP WORK AND, UM, FUNDING AND WHATEVER CHALLENGE WE'VE COME ACROSS, WE'VE WORKED THROUGH TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY, WHICH IS CRUCIAL TO US THAT WE'RE INVOLVED WITH ALL THE PROJECT MEMBERS AND COME TO DECISIONS COLLECTIVELY AND THAT WE AGREE UPON THEM.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THAT DEVELOPMENT, AND, AND YES, CORRECT, I'LL DEFER TO CITY MANAGERS AND, AND THE CHIEF, BUT I, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE, UH, THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN A PD AND THEN THE LEADERSHIP WE BROUGHT ON FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, AND, AND SURVIVORS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE SUCCESS AND COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT.
AND I, IT WILL, I REFUSE FOR IT TO BE DERAILED
UM, I, I, I WOULD ANTICIPATE AND HOPE THAT SOMEONE, ANYONE COMING ON WOULD BE PREPARED TO, YOU KNOW, MEET WITH US AND TO LEARN FROM US ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS WORK IS.
SO, I, I JUST MENTIONED IT, NOT JUST IN THAT, JUST IN, AT LARGE AND IN GENERAL TO ANY DEVELOPMENT, ANY APPOINTMENT, BECAUSE THIS PROJECT WORK IS GONNA GO ON, UH, UNTIL IT'S DONE.
AND WE ANTICIPATE IT'S GONNA BE AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR AND PROBABLY THE BETTER PART OF TWO YEARS.
AND SO IN THAT TIME, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND PREPARED FOR CHANGES THAT THAT CAN AFFECT.
SO WE ANTICIPATE ANYTHING THAT, THAT, UM, MIGHT AFFECT THE PROJECT AND, AND WE ABSOLUTELY WOULD DEAL WITH ANYTHING THAT MIGHT JEOPARDIZE THAT.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO IS THAT THE, THE OPINIONS AND FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS OF THE SURVIVORS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO ME, IN, IN MY PROJECT WORK ARE, ARE CRITICAL AND ESSENTIAL IN THE WORK I DO AS A POLICE OFFICER.
UM, YOU CAN'T SEE IT ON SCREEN, BUT WE HAVE, I THINK EIGHT COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WE HAVE COUNTY ATTORNEY GARZA AND CONGRESSMAN, UM, CASAR AND FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, JIMMY FLANAGAN HERE.
UM, IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, THIS IS HOW WE ENSURE THAT WE DON'T GO BACK, IS THAT THE COUNCIL STANDS FIRM AND COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS CHANGE.
WE SET OUT ON THIS PATH, WE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY OVER YEARS, AND WE ARE NOT GONNA LET THESE WOMEN WHO SO BRAVELY STOOD UP AND TOLD THEIR STORIES OVER AND OVER DOWN.
WE'RE NOT GONNA LET THE OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE DOWN, WE ARE GOING TO CREATE A MODEL SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES JUSTICE AND HEALING.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH LIEUTENANT'S COMMENTS AND YOURS, COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS, THIS IS TO GO FORWARD AND, AND THIS THIS SAD SITUATION, THIS, THIS TRAVESTY SPANNED AT LEAST A DECADE AND THAT CROSSED MANY EXECUTIVES IN THIS CITY THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD A CHANGE ACROSS THE LEADERSHIP AT COUNCIL LEVEL AND THE CITY MANAGEMENT LEVEL AND POLICE DEPARTMENT LEVEL OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS.
SO I'M NOT GONNA RESPOND ABOUT ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL BEING APPOINTED OR NOT BEING APPOINTED RELATED TO THIS.
ANY OF THE CITY LEADERS WANTS TO ADDRESS
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THE BREAKING NEWS THAT ART VE ALREADY SHARED IN HIS INSTAGRAM.YOU KNOW, ABOUT HIM DECIDING TO, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, THAT HE WON'T BE JOINING THE CITY AGAIN, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THIS, FOR THIS SETTING.
UH, YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION, BUT I WILL SAY VICTIMS SAY THAT THIS FELT LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE TO HAVE THIS APPOINTMENT.
AND THEN NOW HE'S SAYING THAT HE'S GONE.
SO I FEEL LIKE POSSIBLY A COMMENT ABOUT THAT WHOLE PROCESS OF THE HIRING.
AND NOW HE'S, HE'S NOT GONNA TAKE THE POSITION.
ANY, ANY WORDS FROM Y'ALL AT ALL? IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING NOW.
WOULD IT HAVE BEEN COUNTERPRODUCTIVE THOUGH, TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD? UH, GIVEN THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ISSUE? THE FOCUS TODAY IS ON THE APOLOGY.
WE'D LIKE TO, WE HAVE ANOTHER TIME TO TALK ABOUT MR. ABETA, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE VICTIMS AND APOLOGIZING, AND I AGREE, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT AFTER THIS, BUT NOT, NOT IN THIS SETTING, PERIOD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE WORK BEING DONE FOR THE CHIEF OR LIEUTENANT OU? THANK YOU EVERYONE.