[CALL TO ORDER]
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EVERYBODY, IT'S TWO O'CLOCK ON MONDAY, JUNE 10TH, 2024.
UH, I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
OUR MEETING TODAY, IT'S A REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
WE ARE MEETING IN CITY CA IN CITY HALL IN THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM.
AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMITTEE PRESENT, AND WE WILL START
[Public Communication: General]
WITH GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAVE ONE PERSON THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THERE IS ONE SPEAKER, ETHAN CHARNAY.
MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE AND, UH, TALK TO US.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, A PD, EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED HERE.
MY NAME IS ETHAN CHERIE, AND IF YOU CAN'T TELL BY MY ACCENT AND LAST NAME, I'M FROM LOUISIANA.
UH, WE ARE, WE ARE RUNNING A VERY INNOVATIVE PROGRAM WITH NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ALTERNATIVE POLICE RESPONSE.
UH, AND SPECIFICALLY, WE, WE RESPOND TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ON BEHALF OF THE NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE'RE ALSO WORKING IN BALTIMORE AS WELL.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA DO OVER 15,000 CALLS, UH, RESPONSES FOR THE NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE HAD SOME INITIAL EARLY COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, CHIEF HENDERSON AND A LOT OF MEMBERS OF HER EXECUTIVE TEAM, UH, BACK IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
WE GAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, IN SEPTEMBER AND SO ON.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, THERE MAY BE A FEW QUESTIONS, UH, LINGERING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UH, SO WITH THAT SAID, WE BELIEVE IT'S A, A VERY, VERY INNOVATIVE PROGRAM THAT CAN REDUCE THE CALL BURDEN ON AUSTIN POLICE OFFICERS.
WE TAKE THE TRAFFIC CALLS, ALL THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, UH, AND ALLOW YOUR OFFICERS TO BE REDEPLOYED TO HIGHER PRIORITY CALLS.
WE HAVE A STUDY DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT COMPANY ON THIS.
WE'RE IN TWO OTHER MAJOR, UH, METROPOLITAN CITIES, AND WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS EXPANDING IT, UH, FURTHER WITH, WITH YOU ALL.
UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHAT'S YOUR ORGANIZATION CALLED? IT'S CALLED ON SCENE SERVICES.
ON SCENE SERVICES, UH, IS IS OSS.
AND, AND WE HAVE THE WHOLE PRESENTATION FROM BACK IN AUGUST THAT I'D BE MORE THAN WILLING TO GIVE TO EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY OR PERHAPS AT THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S A REAL BIG TIME SAVER AND BURDEN REDUCTION AND FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR YOUR, UH, DEPARTMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ALL OF YOU AWARE OF THAT.
TODAY, WE'D LIKE TO PICK UP THE BALL WHERE WE LEFT OFF AND HOPEFULLY GET THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATION IN WORKING THROUGH THE FINER DETAILS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY MAY HAVE, UH, REGARDING THIS PROGRAM.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND WE WILL VISIT WITH, UM, MANAGER AND, AND LEGAL.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM, WHICH IS TO
[1. Approve the minutes of the Public Safety Committee meeting of April 22, 2024.]
APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE OF APRIL 22ND, 2024.UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY MOVES APPROVAL.
IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? WITHOUT OBJECTION? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[2. Discussion on community policing and strengthening relationships with law enforcement and community members.]
UH, ITEM THAT IS A DISCUSSION ITEM ON COMMUNITY POLICING AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR GUESTS, AND WE WELCOME YOU AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND THANK YOU ALL.
I RECOGNIZE YOUR TIME IS EXTRAORDINARY VALUABLE, AND I'M TRULY HONORED AND DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF DIALOGUE WITH YOU.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO MEET, MY NAME IS COMMANDER LEE DAVIS, AND I AM ACCOMPANIED BY LIEUTENANT, UH, FOSTER RODRIGUEZ, WHO OVERSEES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ALSO SERGEANT RAYNES, WHO HAS SPENT AN ENORMOUS TIME IN THAT COMMUNITY POLICING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPACE.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO, UM, SAY, UM, IT'S, IT, IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
AND SO I GIVE HONOR TO THE MAYOR AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TEAM, AND THEIR EXECUTIVE STAFF WHO'S HERE, WHO HAS GIVEN US GREAT SUPPORT IN MANY OF OUR ENDEAVORS.
UM, I JUST WANNA, UH, I'M GONNA ASK FOR GRACE THREE TIMES TODAY, AND THE FIRST TWO WILL, WILL BE, I'LL GIVE YOU RIGHT NOW.
AND ONE IS, UH, PLEASE ALLOW US GRACE, WE'RE NOT ENTIRELY FAMILIAR WITH, UH, UM, THE, UH, CUSTOMS AND PRACTICES AND, UM, AND, AND CHAMBER ETIQUETTE ETIQUETTE.
SO IF WE ALLOW US A LITTLE GRACE, AND THE SECOND TIME IS NOT OUR INTENT TO INSULT YOUR INTELLIGENCE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNITY AND POLICING.
BUT, UM, I DO TEACH AT, AT UNIVERSITY OF, UH, TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN, IN HOUSTON TILLSON.
AND I'M SURPRISED AT WHEN WE SAY COMMUNITY AND POLICING, HOW OFTEN WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
SO I MAY DIVE JUST A LITTLE BIT INTO THE FUNDAMENTALS, AND I, IT'S NOT MEANT TO, TO, UH, DISCOURAGE OR, OR CHALLENGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
IT'S JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL INFORMED AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT REVIEW THIS AFTERWARDS.
ANYTIME I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM FOLKS, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I'LL TRY AND MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THIS WILL BE ABOUT 15, 20 MINUTES.
AND I, AGAIN, SO AT THE THIRD TIME, I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I'LL NEED SOME OF THAT GRACE.
WELL, WITH, WITH REGARD TO YOUR FIRST TWO MOMENTS OF GRACE, FIRST, UH, FEEL COMFORTABLE.
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IN TERMS OF THIS PRESENTATION.SECOND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF USED TO HAVING OUR INTELLIGENCE, AND SO, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF 'EM, BUT I, I'M GONNA BE DISAPPOINTED IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T DISAPPOINT, IF YOU DON'T CALL ME SOMETHING BAD BEFORE IT'S OVER.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE HONORED AND, UM, UM, WE'VE HAD THE WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE OF HAVING OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPPORT A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS.
AND SO SOME OF THIS MAY BE REVIEW, SO, UM, BUT OH, I'M SORRY.
IS OUR PRESENTATION UP? OH, THERE IT IS.
ARE YOU CONTROLLING THAT? MM-HMM,
I JUST REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT, SO WHILE WE HAVE THAT UP THERE, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOW AND WHY AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES COMMUNITY POLICING AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO US.
AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THOSE PRINCIPLES, THOSE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES THAT I WAS ALLUDING TO THAT I'D WANNA SPEAK TO.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I WANNA DISCUSS COMMUNITY POLICING ON A BROAD ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL, AND THEN BRING IT DOWN TO THE SECTOR LEVEL.
AND FINALLY, AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.
SO, THAT DEFINITION THAT YOU SEE, I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO READ IT.
UH, BUT IT REALLY, THE, THE THREE THINGS THAT JUMP OUT AT ME ABOUT THAT DEFINITION, AND THAT COMES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, IT'S A PRETTY DECENT DE UH, DEFINITION, BUT IT HAS, IT'S THAT COMMUNITY POLICING IS A PHILOSOPHY, AND THAT IT FOCUSES ON TWO THINGS, PARTNERSHIPS AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
UM, I DO LIKE THAT THEY ADDED THAT THIRD THING, FEAR OF CRIME.
AND THE REASON THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT IS 'CAUSE RESEARCH TELLS US THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE INTENSELY WORRYING ABOUT CRIME, THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME EMOTIONAL SPECTRUM AS IF THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN VICTIMIZED BY CRIME.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY INCLUDED THAT DE ON THE DEFINITION.
BUT ONE OF THE GREAT DIFFICULTIES, UM, ONE OF THE GREAT DIFFICULTIES ABOUT COMMUNITY POLICING ON ITS OWN IS JUST LIKE WE HAVE THIS DEFINITION, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF VARIATIONS OF DEFINITIONS OF WHAT IT WA WHAT IT IS.
AND IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN I ASK WHAT IS COMMUNITY POLICING, WHETHER I'M ASKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE, WHETHER I ASK, UM, PROFESSORS, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHETHER I ASK COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEMSELVES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTITIONERS, GENERALLY, WE GET A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF WHAT COMMUNITY POLICING IS AND WHAT COMMUNITY EXPECTS FROM THEM.
BUT THIS, UH, IN THIS DEFINITION, NOTE THAT IT SAYS COMMUNITY POLICING IS A PHILOSOPHY.
THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPANDS THAT DEFINITION THAT SAYS, COMMUNITY POLICING IS NOT ONLY A PHILOSOPHY, IT'S A PRACTICE.
NOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT, HOW MANY VARIATIONS OF DEFINITIONS YOU GET ABOUT COMMUNITY POLICING, THE ONE THING THAT WE ARE SURE AND CONFIDENT, UH, IS, IS PEOPLE KNOW IT WHEN THEY SEE IT.
AND, BUT JUST FOR SIMPLICITY TODAY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY COMPLETION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
SO WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO EARN, BUT YET IT'S THE EASIEST TO LOSE? YES.
UM, AND TRUST WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE IS BECAUSE WE ARE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES WHEN THEY'RE THE MOST VULNERABLE.
WE, UH, TRUST IS LITERALLY THE LIFE GIVER TO POLICE LEGITIMACY.
AND LIKE ANY RELATIONSHIP, ANYTIME TRUST IS FRACTURED, WHEN THERE'S A BREACH IN THAT TRUST, THEN IT'S CONSEQUE CONS, VERY CONSEQUENTIAL.
AND WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT CAN HAVE, UH, CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE NOT ONLY LOCALLY, BUT THEY CAN BE NATIONALLY.
AND SO, P UM, PARTICULARLY POLICE ARE WHAT, WHAT WE CALL ENGAGED IN WHAT WE CALL A CO-PRODUCTION OF SERVICES, WHICH MEANS ON ONE SIDE OF THE COIN, IF WE HAVE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WE CAN ACTUALLY DO OUR JOB BETTER.
BUT MANY TIMES WE FORGET TO LOOK AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT, THEN IT'S EXPONENTIALLY MORE DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO COMPLETE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OBJECTIVE OR THE CITY'S VISION OF BEING THE MOST LIVABLE CITY IN THE, IN THE US.
SO, UM, I WAS AT A, UM, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEF POLICE GIVING THIS, UH, GIVING A SIMILAR PRESENTATION.
AND ONE OF THE CHIEFS ASKED ME, HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TESTS? TRUST? WHAT IS THE LITMUS TEST? AND THE THING THAT I COULD COME UP WITH IS I ASKED HIM IS, DO YOU HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE? NUMBER ONE, IF A CRITICAL INCIDENT HAPPENS AND YOU DO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, WILL YOU BE SITTING THERE ALONE? AND SO, ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, AND HERE'S WHAT MY DAD USED TO SAY, HE USED TO SAY, UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE PROBABLY ON THE MENU.
AND SO, HOW DO WE SET THAT TABLE? ARE YOU CLICKING? YEP.
SO HOW DO WE SET THE TABLE? FIRST OF ALL, WE RECOGNIZE THAT COMMUNITY POLICING, IT'S NOT IN A POLICY.
IT'S NOT A PLAQUE ON THE WALL.
IT DOESN'T HOUSE ITSELF IN A SINGLE UNIT, BUT IT SHOULD BE WRITTEN, UH, INSCRIBED IN THE HEART OF EVERY POLICE OFFICER AND EVERY
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SINGLE POLICE ACTION.THE BYPRODUCT OF WHAT WE AIM TO PRODUCE IS AND CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE A MOTHER FEELS COMFORTABLE SURRENDERING HER CHILD TO THE POLICE OFFICER, WITH THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE THAT NOT ONLY WILL HE HONOR THAT TRUST AND HONOR HIS COMMITMENT TO HIS OATH, TO HIS DUTY TO SERVE AND PROTECT, BUT WE WILL BEGIN BUILDING BRIDGES, UM, THAT WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN MORE FREEDOMS AND MORE TRUST.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE THAT EACH AND EVERY INTERACTION THAT THAT POLICE OFFICERS HAVE WITH COMMUNITY IS IN FACT, COMMUNITY POLICING ON SOME LEVEL.
WHEN WE BUILD THAT TRUST, AND WHEN PEOPLE TRUST US, THEY INVITE US INTO THEIR HOMES, AND THEY INVITE US IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THEY DO IT.
WHEN THE STAKES ARE CRITICALLY HIGH, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND THAT, AND I POINT OUT THAT THAT BEGINS THAT YOUNG MAN'S JOURNEY TO HIS EXPERIENCE WITH POLICE OFFICER, AND WE BOUGHT MORE STAKE WITH THE PARENTS, RIGHT? UM, SO THERE'S SOME OBVIOUS BENEFITS OF POLICE, OF COMMUNITY POLICING.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THOSE, UH, FUNDAMENTAL THINGS.
I WON'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH WITH YOU, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT A LOT OF POLICE COMMUNITY INTERACTION IS POST-INCIDENT.
SO IT'S POLICE BEING REACTIVE, RESPONSIVE TO SOME INCIDENT THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED.
BUT WHEN WE ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY POLICING, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE PROACTIVE.
WE'RE IN FRONT OF THE INCIDENT.
I WAS AT A GUN, I LEARNED THIS THIS FRIDAY AT A GUN VIOLENCE SEMINAR WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL SAID THAT THE VIOLENCE DOESN'T START WHEN THE TRIGGER IS PULLED.
AND SO, UM, I, I JUST LIKED HOW, HOW THAT, THAT RESONATED WITH ME.
BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY HOW MUCH YOU PRESENTED.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO PUT ON PAPER HOW MANY LIVES WERE SAVED, OR HOW MANY BURGLARIES WEREN'T COMMITTED BECAUSE WE WERE PRESENT, ENGAGED AND VISIBLE, HOW MANY HOMICIDES WERE STOPPED.
BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS WITH COMMUNITY POLICING, NUMBER ONE, THE CITIZENS HAVE HIGHER SATISFACTION WITH THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND NUMBER TWO, THEY FEEL PERSONALLY INVOLVED AND EMPOWERED THAT THEY'RE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
AND THEN WE ALSO RESEARCH TELLS US THAT OFFICERS WHO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY POLICING HAVE A HIGHER JOB SATISFACTION.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, AGAIN, IT BRINGS BOTH COMMUNITY AND OFFICERS AT THE TABLE AT THEIR CHOSEN LEVEL.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK, THIS, UM, UH, PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY POLICING.
COMMUNITY POLICING IS NOT NEW.
AND, UM, JUST FOR YOUR EDUCATION, I THINK WE'RE ON THE TAIL END OF WHAT COMMUNITY POLICING.
IT'LL, IT'LL, IT'S GONNA BE SHAPE FORM OF SOMETHING VERY NEW.
UM, WE'VE PRACTICED COMMUNITY POLICING IN AMERICA SINCE THE LATE EIGHTIES, ROUGHLY, BUT THE PRINCIPLES ARE NONETHELESS IMPORTANT THE SAME.
AND SO ALL THOSE, UH, SIR ROBERT PEEL WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF, OF MODERN DAY POLICING IN THIS WHOLE, UM, BACK IN THE 18 HUNDREDS.
IT'S ANOTHER STORY, BUT I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON ER SEVEN BECAUSE IT NEVER SEEMED MORE RELEVANT THAN TODAY.
AND WHAT IT, I'M NOT GONNA, AGAIN, NOT GONNA ASK Y'ALL TO READ THAT.
UH, IN A NUTSHELL, I'LL READ IT FOR YOU.
IT SAYS, POLICE AT ALL TIMES SHOULD MAINTAIN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC THAT GIVES REALITY TO THE HISTORIC TRADITION THAT POLICE ARE THE PUBLIC, AND THE PUBLIC ARE POLICE.
AND THIS TENANT REALLY JUST PRESCRIBES THAT COMMUNITY, TRUSTS THE POLICE TO DO WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD DO IF THEY HAD THE TIME AND ABILITY TO DO IT IN A NUTSHELL.
SO POLICE DO THAT FULL-TIME AND POLICE SERVE AT THE WILL OF PEOPLE.
AND SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, THAT'S WHEN I GET INTO TALKING ABOUT, THIS IS A GOOD SEGUE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT ON THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL, UH, AT THE SECTOR LEVEL AND AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.
UM, THIS IS WHERE STRATEGIC PLANNING, UM, COMES IN.
UH, POLICY COMES IN, AND WHAT STREET PLAN ALLOWS POLICY AND STRUCTURE TO DICTATE HOW THE OFFICERS, WHAT THEY DO AT THE LEVEL ON THE GROUND.
HAVING CORE VALUES, WHICH OUR CORE VALUES ARE INTEGRITY, COURAGE, ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPECT, AND ETHICS.
AND THEN WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY TOOL KNOWN AS OUR DISCIPLINE MATRIX, SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS NOT ONLY WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS, BUT WHAT THE, WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT MEETING THAT EXPECTATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE COMMUNITY BASED TRAINING AT THE ACADEMY.
SO EVERY OFFICER HAS COMMUNITY TRAINING AT THE ACADEMY.
AND THEN WE HAVE, WE'VE REINSTITUTED OUR PO COMMUNITY POLICE ACADEMY, WHICH FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY, BUT NOW THE COMMUNITY POLICE ACADEMY, WHERE WE WELCOME EVERYONE.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH BLUE SANTA, EVERY YEAR, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS THE ORGANIZATION WHERE WE SERVE 7,000 AS MANY AS 7,500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES IN NEED EACH CHRISTMAS.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OFFICE OF COMMUNITY LIAISON, WHICH THERE ARE SEVERAL SEGMENTS OF, OF OUR LIAISONS THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE, UH, UM, OUR LGBTQ PLUS LIAISON, OUR
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FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY LIAISON, OUR YOUTH LEADER YOUTH, UH, UH, OUTREACH, UH, LIAISON, UM, AND A, A A LITANY OF OTHERS, OUR SENIORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TOGETHER.BUT THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE IS IMPORTANT.
WHILE THOSE ARE EXAMPLES, UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY POLICING IS ENTRENCHED IN OUR ORGANIZATION WHERE IT'S COVERED AT THE VERY BE ENTRY POINT INTO OUR ORGANIZATION FOR CADETS ARE TAUGHT, UM, BASICALLY A POLICY THAT IT, IT, WHEN WE HAVE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A PHILOSOPHY, WE HAVE AN A POLICY, AND WE HAVE AN ACTION PLAN.
AND THE, AND THE, I WANNA GO OVER THAT PROCEDURALLY JUST BEHAVIORS.
'CAUSE THAT'S KIND OF NATIONALLY ACCEPTED PRACTICE OF HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE.
AND THAT, AND I SAY THE, ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S IMPORTANT, IT STARTS AT ACADEMY 'CAUSE IT'S THE LOW BAR.
SO YOU TREAT PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
YOU GIVE THEM A VOICE OR ENCOUNTER, YOU REMAIN NEUTRAL AND TRANSPARENT IN YOUR DECISION MAKING.
AND ULTIMATELY CON CONVEY TRUSTWORTHY MOTIVES.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SARAH PROBLEM SOLVING MODELS MODEL, WHICH TELLS PEOPLE HOW TO GO INTO COMMUNITIES AND HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. UM, SO YOU HAVE A, A PHILOSOPHY OF COMMUNITY POLICING.
YOU HAVE THOSE PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOR, AND THEN YOU HAVE AN ACTION PLAN.
SO, ADDITIONALLY, UH, YEAH, OKAY, THAT'S ONE.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR POLICE STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT'S A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FROM 2024 TO 2029.
AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NEVER HAD THAT JUST A, A, A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE INCORPORATED IN THAT PLAN IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH ARE A COMPONENT OF COMMUNITY POLICING.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THOSE IMPORTANT MEASURES THAT WE ARE, THAT WE'RE, EXCUSE ME.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL SIDE.
NOW, WHEN WE GO AHEAD, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE SECTOR LEVEL, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS PROBLEM ORIENTED POLICING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, COLLECTIVE EFFICACY.
AN EXAMPLE OF THOSE WOULD BE COFFEE WITH A, OKAY, HOLD ON.
I WANNA POINT OUT, SO WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE SECTOR LEVEL IS WE HAVE QUARTERLY, I WOULDN'T PLAN ON DOING THIS, BUT I'LL DO THIS.
AND THIS IS WHERE I'LL ASK FOR THAT GRACE.
SO THAT PICTURE, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PICTURE, I'M AT A COMMUNITY MEETING.
AND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE IS THE NIGHT BEFORE OR WEEK, COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE, WE HAD A, UH, AN INCIDENT WITH SWAT RESPONSE HOSTAGE IN A COMMUNITY.
AND THESE TYPES OF MEETINGS GIVE US OPPORTUNITY TO DEBRIEF THE COMMUNITY ON THAT INCIDENT, UH, SOLICIT THEIR INPUT ON WHERE WE PUT OUR RESOURCES, WHAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO THEM, AND WHAT KEEPS THEM AWAKE AT NIGHT.
BUT HERE IN THIS INCIDENT IS I HAVE THAT SERGEANT WHO WAS DEBRIEFING THE COMMUNITY AFTER THE INCIDENT WAS RESOLVED.
AND DURING THE INCIDENT, I NOTICED THAT THAT SERGEANT WAS GOING DOOR TO DOOR EXPLAINING THE SCOPE OF THE INCIDENT, HIS CALMING FEARS, CALLING THE SCHOOLS.
I PRESENTED HIM WITH THE COMMANDER'S COINS.
NOW, UM, I'VE WORKED IN THIS SPACE FOR OVER ALMOST A DECADE WITH THIS GUY HERE.
RIGHT? AND THIS GUY THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A, THAT WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE, THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT GUY THAT FAST.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO WHEN OUR OFFICERS DO GOOD WORK, THAT WE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE HIM.
NOW, HE ALSO LET ME KNOW THAT I HAD NEVER RECOGNIZED HIM RIGHT? SINCE I WAS A SERGEANT, SINCE I WAS A LIEUTENANT AND A COMMANDER.
AND IF YOU WOULD GIVE ME THE GRACE, I'D JUST LIKE TO PRESENT RAY WITH MY OWN, MY LIEUTENANT'S COIN, BUT MY COMMANDER'S COIN.
SO THE, THE NEXT LEVEL IS, UM, IS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COFFEE.
OKAY? SO WE HAVE COFFEE WITH A COP THAT'S A VERY, UH, CASUAL CONTACT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, THIS PAST WEEKEND, WE HAD OUR FIRST ANNUAL, UH, AUTISM AWARENESS SUMMIT.
WELL, WHICH BASICALLY IS, UM, AWARENESS BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY PROVIDERS AND AUTISM COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE ROUTINELY DO COMMUNITY SAFETY FAIRS.
LAST ONE WAS A WEEK AGO AT THE QT Q2 STADIUM, AND THAT'S AN UP CLOSE AND, UH, HANDS-ON VIEWING, UH, WITH EXPERIENCE WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNER, UH, PARTICIPANTS.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST.
UM, WE DO HAVE BACK, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING, GOING ON THAT'S REALLY EXCITING IS WE HAVE AN OPEN DATA PORTAL.
SO WHEN WE KNOW WE'RE HISTORICALLY IN THE PAST, COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE CALLED ME AND SAY, WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? OR THAT VERY SWAT CALL THAT WAS GOING ON.
WELL, NOW THE OPEN DATA PORTAL WHERE WE HAVE OUR IT ANALYSTS SHOWING UP THAT THE COMMUNITY CONNECT MEETINGS TO TEACH THE COMMUNITY HOW TO USE THIS TOOL, WHERE
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THERE'S NOW TRANSPARENCY.SO THEIR DATA MATCHES OUR DATA.
AND SO THEY'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING ANOTHER WAY FOR THEM TO BE CONNECTED WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO, UM, I'M SURE Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE, UH, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATES IN THE WE ALL BELONG CAMPAIGN FROM ALTER.
UM, WE HAVE A, THE BEACON PROGRAM IS A, UH, BASICALLY A MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH THAT ARE, UM, AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE.
AND THEN, UM, OF COURSE, THE CADETS, ANY CADET THAT GRADUATES THE POLICE ACADEMY, WHEN THEY GO TO THEIR SECTOR, THEY DO A COMMUNITY IMMERSION PROJECT WHERE THEY'RE DEAL, THEY'RE LEARNING NOT ONLY ABOUT THEIR ENVIRONMENT, BUT THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE TO PRESENT A PROJECT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND.
OKAY? AND SO NOW, ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, I'M WRAPPING UP MS. REAR
I KNOW, UH, ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, EVERY POLICE OFFICER IS AN EXTENSION OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MISSION TO MAKE AUSTIN THE MOST LIVABLE CITY IN THE NATION.
AND SO, WHAT I SAY WHEN I SAY THAT, 'CAUSE A LOT, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE SAY, LET'S SEND IT TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UNIT.
AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS NOT HOUSED IN A UNIT.
IT'S WOVEN THROUGH THE FABRIC OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND SO EVERY COM IT IT'S, IT'S A CULTURAL THING.
AND SO WE CAN HAVE POLICIES THAT SAY, OUR POLICY IS TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY POLICING.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HEALTHY CULTURE, WELL, THERE'S NO SAYING THAT CULTURE EATS POLICY FOR LUNCH.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE AVENUES WHERE WE EN UH, WE ENGAGE OUR OFFICERS FROM THE BEGINNING AND CARRY THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR PROCESS TILL THEY HIT THE STREETS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN THE CULTURE OF COMMUNITY POLICING.
AND SO THAT BEGINS WITH, WE HAVE OUR, OUR VALUES, OUR ICARE VALUES, MAKE SURE THEY'RE PRAC, PRACTICING DEESCALATION.
AND THAT EVERY CONTACT IS COMMUNITY POLICING.
SO THAT'S THAT FAMILY THAT WE INITIALLY, WE UNITED THEM, THAT INIT THE OFFICERS HAD THEIR CHILD, UH, RESCUED THEIR CHILD NEXT, UH, WHETHER WE'RE GIVING OUT INFORMATION IN, UM, UH, UPFRONT INFORMATION TO DIFF ALL COMMUNITIES, THEY HAVE THE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION OF THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WHETHER WE'RE IN THE SCHOOLS INTERACTING WITH OUR STUDENTS.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA START THE NOW AND EARLY ON WHETHER WE'RE INTERACTION WITH INTERACTING WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR, EVERY INTERACTION THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY NOW, UM, THAT REALLY CON CONCLUDES THAT PORTION.
BUT YES, UH, BUT I'D BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, I SHOULD INSTEAD OF CONCLUSIONS TO A PATH FORWARD THAT I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE CERTAINLY, UH, POCKETS OF OUR SOCIETY, UM, UH, SEGMENTS OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT, UM, THROUGH, UH, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH FAILURES OF SOCIETY TO ADDRESS, UM, THEY DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPERIENCE THE IM THE NEGATIVE IMPACT, UM, OF, OF WHETHER IT BE POLICING OR JUST GOVERNMENT, WHETHER WE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED HOMELESSNESS, UM, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, WHETHER WE ADDRESS POVERTY.
ALL THOSE ELEMENTS ARE THINGS THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SEGMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT SIMPLY NEED MORE SUPPORT AND NEED, UH, UH, GREATER, GREATER, UH, ENGAGEMENT TO CREATE A BETTER SENSE OF SELF-EFFICACY.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UH, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I REQUESTED THIS BRIEFING ON COMMUNITY POLICING BECAUSE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SHARED COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING THIS SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DO A LOT IN THAT REGARD.
I'VE READ OFTENTIMES THAT THE FIRST INTERACTION THAT SOMEONE HAS WITH A POLICE OFFICER IS TYPICALLY NEGATIVE, WHICH IS WHY I VERY MUCH LIKE THE COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST A STRATEGY.
IT ACTUALLY WORKS, AND IT HELPS CREATE THOSE BONDS OF TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I, I LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THAT SO THAT WE HAVE MORE POSITIVE OUTCOMES.
IN THE VIDEO THAT YOU SHOWED ABOUT THE, UM, THE OFFICER WHO WAS ABLE TO SAVE THE CHILD FROM ACTIVELY CHOKING, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE WERE, THAT DEVICE THAT HE USED WAS PURCHASED BY HIMSELF.
AND SO I WAS LOOKING IN THE BUDGET, UPCOMING BUDGET AS POTENTIALLY AN UNMET NEED TO PROVIDE THOSE TO OUR OFFICERS SO THAT YEAH.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE, UM, A GOOD THING? UH, I ABSOLUTELY AM OPEN AND ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR PROVIDING OFFICERS WITH TOOLS THAT ENHANCE OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AND HELP US BUILD CONNECTION AND SUPPORT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
HAD THAT TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY, YOU KNOW, THAT RELATIONSHIP WOULD'VE BEEN CATASTROPHIC HAD WE FAILED AT THAT, THAT MISSION.
I OFTEN SAY WE DO NOT, WE NO LONGER POLICE IN A MICROCOSM, AND EVERY INTERACTION MATTERS.
IT CAN GO VIRAL, YOU KNOW? UM, SO YES, MA'AM.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, UH, POTENTIAL OFFER.
SO THEN FOR THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I WILL BE ASKING THAT QUESTION IN
[00:25:01]
BUDGET Q AND A, SO MAYBE Y'ALL COULD PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME.AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR STAFFING SHORTAGES AFFECTING THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE COMMUNITY POLICING? BECAUSE IN MY MIND, WHEN Y'ALL ARE RUNNING FROM CALL TO CALL TO CALL, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TIME TO REALLY GET OUT, SHAKE HANDS, KISS BABIES, AND PLAY BASKETBALL.
I ALMOST PASSED THEM, BUT
SO CERTAINLY, UM, WE ARE EXPERIENCING STAFFING CHALLENGES, UM, AND, AND INCLUSIVE WITH THOSE STAFFING CHALLENGES, WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO, TO OUR, UH, OUR TASK, WHICH HOMELESSNESS OF COURSE.
UM, SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT OFTEN GOES, UH, MISSED IS THAT WHEN AN OFFICER'S RUNNING CALL TO CALL TO CALL, YOU'RE MISSING THINGS.
AND YOU'RE MISSING THAT OPPORTUNITY WHEN SOMEONE STOPS YOU TO SAY, HEY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO MY BARBECUE, OR, HEY, I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU THIS NEW THING THAT HAPPENED, AND YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, UM, I HAVE TO RUN.
YOU KNOW? SO THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS CERTAINLY IS IMPACTED, UM, WITHOUT A DOUBT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO QUESTION TO, UM, I THINK WHAT WE'RE NEEDING TO DO, AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS, UM, TRYING TO IMPLEMENT, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT DATA PORTAL.
UM, YOU'RE HAVING TO UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY IN MORE WAYS THAN, THAN YOU ORDINARILY WOULD HAVE TO.
THEN ONE THING WE'VE HAVE TO COME TO TERMS IS WE HAVE TO ASK WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO VERY WELL AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT? AND THEN WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE LIKE TO DO? AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO? OR WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO? AND SO WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THOSE THINGS.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE SIMPLY CAN NO LONGER DO.
THERE ARE CERTAIN SERVICES THAT ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE CUT JUST AS A RESULT, UH, UM, OF THE, WHAT THEY CALL THE STAFFING, YOU KNOW, THE STAFFING CRUNCH.
UM, SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOTABLY, NOTABLY REMOVED WITH.
AND FOR PARTICULAR DRS YOU KNOW, UM, THAT CAUGHT, THAT MEANS THAT WITH THE STAFFING CHALLENGE, DRS WILL HAVE TO BACKFILL ON PATROL.
SO IF WE'RE NOT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AGAIN, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT I SAID THAT EVERY INTERACTION'S COMMUNIC ENGAGEMENT, BUT THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT MANAGE LARGE PROJECTS THAT ARE HEAVILY ENGAGED IN, UM, BUILDING ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I BUILD ORGANIZATIONS WITH SAY, LIFE ANEW OR THE CVI WORK OR JAIL TO JOBS OR, UH, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
WELL, IF MY TIME IS PULLED FROM THAT, OR OUR TIME IS PULLED FROM THAT, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF BUILD THAT KIND OF CAPACITY.
SO WE'RE RELYING, WE'RE ASKING COMMUNITY TO DO MORE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND MORE CREATIVE WAYS TO MEET THEM.
HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I DO KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW IMPORTANT OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES ARE, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE FACT THAT THEY ACCEPT THE INVITATION I GIVE THEM EVERY TIME TO COME TO A COMMUNITY MEETING IN MY DISTRICT.
AND I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY APPRECIATES THAT TOO.
THEY PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN HELPING US GET AN ABANDONED HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANED UP, AND WE ORGANIZED VOLUNTEERS.
THEY CONNECTED THE DRS CONNECTED US WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY SO WE COULD GET THE TRASH TAKEN OUT.
I MEAN, IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS THROUGH COLLABORATION AND MUTUAL RESPECT THAT WE CAN CREATE A SAFER CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WITH THAT I'LL YIELD THANKS, MA'AM.
COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
ONE HAD TO DO WITH THE OUTREACH.
YOU GUYS SHOWED THE COFFEE WITH A COP.
AND THEN THE, THE COMMUNITY, UH, MEETINGS.
I MEAN, IN MY EXPERIENCE, AND I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, UH, SHARE THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, YOU GO TO CERTAIN EVENTS, IT'S, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY AN OLDER DEMOGRAPHIC.
IT'S A, IT'S A WIDER DEMOGRAPHIC.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, DOING OUTREACH TOWARDS, UH, YOUNGER FOLKS OR PEOPLE OF COLOR OR COMMUNITIES THAT NORMALLY DON'T, YOU KNOW, AREN'T AWARE OR DON'T HAVE A, A SEAT AT THE TABLE IS, IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME.
SO HOW DO YOU GUYS GO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUTREACH AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE RELIGIOUS MINORITY COMMUNITIES OR ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES, OR, OR, OR YOUNGER FOLKS.
SO, YEAH, SO WE DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN, UM, COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE'S HIGH DENSITY POPULATION, SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITY, AND LIMITED UPWARD MOBILITY.
WE'RE, WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT.
UM, ONE, A GREAT EXAMPLE IS, UM, OUR CHIEF, UM, MEETS WITH EVERY, UH, HAS, UH, IT'S QUARTERLY, THEY USED TO BE MONTHLY, BUT MEETINGS WITH ALL THE PASTORS, RIGHT? AND I MEET WITH THEM AS WELL.
AND SO WE FIND PEOPLE, WHEN I SAID EARLIER, CREDIBLE VOICES THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, WE PARTNER WITH THOSE VOICES, UPLIFT THEM, ELEVATE THEM, GIVE THEM A SEAT AT THE TABLE, AND THEN WE BEGIN TO TRAIN THEM IN THE WORLD IN LANGUAGE THAT WE WORK IN, SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO BE GAME CHANGERS AND MOVERS THAT THEY CAN GET THINGS DONE LIKE WE CO WITH, WITH COORDINATION, UNDERSTAND WHAT WE NEED FROM THEM, AND THEN THEY HELP US.
THOSE KIND OF FOLKS REACH OUT, EXTEND A HAND TO US WHERE WE'RE PULLING LEVERS TO LET US KNOW, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
WE'RE DOING A PROJECT RIGHT NOW AT GIVENS PARK.
SO I LEARNED TO SWIM AT GIVENS PARK.
SO I HAVE A, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE A, A PERSONAL VEST SEEING THAT PARK SUCCESSFUL.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, COMING IN THERE, BEING, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS IN THAT PARK THAT NEED TO BE DONE THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS VISIBILITY, LIGHTING,
[00:30:01]
HOW THE CARE, UH, HOW THE PARK IS TAKEN CARE OF, YOU KNOW, POLICE OFFICERS, UH, CAN DELIVER.BECAUSE AS WHEN WE'RE IN THOSE AREAS, UH, I CAN CALL DIRECTOR PARKS, KIM MCNEELY AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS PARK RIGHT HERE? OR RAY WORKING INTENTLY WITH THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND SO THEY'RE OF ALL AGES YOUNG, UM, YOUNG, YOUNG AND OLDER, UH, ELDERLY ALIKE.
BUT ALSO TO YOUR POINT, UH, TO THE POINT THAT AT THE COFFEE WITH THE COPS HISTORIC IN A HISTORICAL SENSE, YOU WENT TO A COFFEE WITH A COP, AND GENERALLY WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED WERE THE, AN OLDER CROWD.
BUT THEN WE'VE GOTTEN MORE CREATIVE, AND WE SAYS, WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A COFFEE WITH A COFFEE.
IT CAN BE ICE CREAM A FRIDAY ICE CREAM.
AND THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AROUND THE CITY, UM, FRIDAY ICE CREAM, AND YOU CAN GO ENGAGE A YOUNGER HIP CROWD.
AND THEN WE STOP MANDATING THAT IT BE A BIG THING.
IT'S LIKE, HEY, THESE TWO OFFICERS GO INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT AND JUST SIT AND WATCH AND, AND INTERACT.
AND THEN WE ENGAGE WHAT THEY CALL HARM FOCUSED POLICING.
SO WHENEVER, SO SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO POLICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT YOU CAN'T SEE ENOUGH.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IS ASK WHEN YOU'RE IN THERE THAT YOU'RE WATCHING FOR HARM RATHER THAN WATCHING FOR JUST CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
AND, AND I'M SORRY, YOU HAD MENTIONED PASTORS, BUT THAT YOU, I ASSUME YOU MEANT ALL RELIGIOUS, YOU KNOW, RABBIS, IMAMS EVERYWHERE.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, SORRY, I'M LIKE MAKING NOTES.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO JUST BUILDING TRUST IN GENERAL, DOES IT HELP WHEN YOU HAVE AN OFFICER WHO'S FROM THAT COMMUNITY? RIGHT.
AND, AND I GUESS THE BEST EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE, WHICH IS IT'S A, WAS A, A BAD, UH, CALL BY A CAMPAIGN THAT I WORKED ON YEARS AGO, WAS THEY SENT MYSELF AND COLLEAGUES OF MINE WHO, WHO WERE WHITE TO A, UH, CAMPAIGN EVENT AT, AT AN HBCU, AND ALL THE OTHER CAMPAIGNS HAD ALUMS FROM THAT H-H-B-C-U REPRESENTING THE CAMPAIGNS.
AND THEN YOU HAD ME AND, AND, AND THREE WHITE FOLKS.
UH, SO WE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T OF THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? SO YES.
WHEN PEOPLE WERE COMING, YOU KNOW, TO TABLES, THEY, THEY WERE OFTEN PASSING BY OUR TABLE.
SO DOES THAT, DOES IT HELP HAVING FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES? SO, YEAH.
SO, UM, I THINK THERE IS SOME DEGREE, SOME ADVANTAGE OF HAVING CULTURAL EXPERIENCE.
UM, SO I WORK, UM, UM, OUTSIDE OF, WHILE, ALTHOUGH I'M THE COMMANDER OUT NORTH, UM, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER,
SO I'M WORKING ON A COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN, WHICH IS IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND SO THERE IS SOME ADVANTAGE OF HAVING JUST CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, BUT IT'S UP TO ME AND OTHER OFFICERS TO EXPAND THAT RANGE OF UNDERSTANDING.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A, A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CITY'S VISION, YOU HAVE GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS.
WHEN YOU HAVE THAT DEPARTMENT THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CITY VISION, AND THEN YOU HAVE THAT CROSS DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION, THEN YOU HAVE GOVERNMENT, UH, THAT WORKS WELL.
AND THEN IF YOU CAN GET COMMUNITY BUY-IN AND COMMUNITY, UM, APPROVAL, NOW YOU HAVE GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS WELL FOR ALL.
AND I THINK THAT'S FUNDAMENTALLY WHAT OUR GOAL HAS BEEN, IS TO FIGURE OUT WAYS WHERE WE CAN BE INCLUSIVE TO NOT JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE WHAT A LIBERATION IT, UH, LIBERATING MOMENT.
IT WAS TO FIND OUT THAT MANY OF THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES AREN'T SOLELY A LAW ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM.
THEY'RE A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY PROBLEM.
AND WE LEARNED A LOT OF THAT WHEN WE GOT INTO THE, INTO THE HOMELESS ARENA.
AND SO, WHERE AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION FROM THE CITY, UM, FROM, UM, SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WHEN PROPOSITION BE PASSED, WE WOULD END HOMELESS, AND THEN WE WOULD, AND THEN THE WHOLE OTHER SPECTRUM SAID WHEN THE PROPOSITION WOULD BE PASSED, LEAVE OUR HOMELESS ALONE.
AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE BIT IN THE MIDDLE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED WAS TO LOOK AT IT FROM AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE, SAY JUST HOMELESS IN GENERAL.
AND WE ASKED OURSELVES, NUMBER ONE, WE ASKED OURSELVES.
UM, AND WHEN I THINK ACADEMIC, UM, DEGREES OF COMPLEXITY WITH HOMELESSNESS, THERE ARE LIKE BASICALLY SEVEN LEVELS, SEVEN BEING THE GREATEST LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY.
UM, UH, LEVEL ONE, UH, UM, I HAD A TRIPLE HOMICIDE WHERE I WAS THE INCIDENT COMMANDER, AND THAT WOULD BE ABOUT A LEVEL TWO, A TRIPLE HOMICIDE.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS, I SAID, WELL, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA CAUSE A, UM, A MULTI-AGENCY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL ISSUE? AND THE ANSWER, CHECK THAT BOX.
AND THEN YOU SAY, OKAY, WELL WE GOT THAT.
BUT NUMBER TWO IS THIS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO, UM, HAPPEN OVER, UH, OR REQUIRE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, THE NON-PROFITS AND NON NON-GOVERNMENT ENTITIES? OH MY GOSH, WE'RE AT A TWO.
NUMBER THREE, IS THIS GONNA BE OVER, UH, A MULTI, UH, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS IN A DAY, A WEEK, A MONTH, A YEAR? YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT MULTI OPERATIONAL PERIODS? AND THEN WE SAY NUMBER FOUR, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAVE SOME TYPE OF ECONOMICAL IMPACT, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE? AND WE COULD CERTAINLY CHECK THAT BOX.
AND THEN WE SAY, HEY, BUT ARE WE A RESOURCE RICH ENVIRONMENT, NOT JUST IN MONEY MONETARY RESOURCE, WE MEAN IN HUMAN RESOURCE.
DO WE HAVE THE HUMAN ASSETS TO, TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM?
[00:35:01]
AND THEN WE SAY, WELL, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA TAKE A DEGREE OF SENSITIVITY? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA INCITE THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, OR, OR THE, UH, CALLED AS A MEDIA FRENZY? AND THEN FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU SAY, IF WE HAVE ALL THOSE, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF HUMAN BEINGS? AND ANSWER THAT? YEAH, WE'RE AT A, WE'RE AT A LEVEL SEVEN LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY, BUT THAT TOLD US WE'RE NO LONGER IN THE ARENA OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM.WE'RE IN A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE.
AND THAT'S WHAT GAVE US THE, UH, TOOK US INTO THAT FRAMEWORK, INTO THAT WORLD WHERE WE GOTTA BRING MORE PARTNERS INTO RESOLVE THIS RATHER THAN JUST A LAW ENFORCEMENT.
BUT WE CAN CARRY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, FURTHER IN EVERY ASPECT THAT WE DO, START LOOKING AT GUN VIOLENCE AND OTHER ISSUES.
ARE THESE A LAW ENFORCEMENT CRITICAL ISSUE, OR ARE THESE ISSUES THAT WE NEED OTHER PARTNERS AROUND US? CAN I ADD TO THAT? OH, THANK YOU.
UM, SO EVERY OTHER YEAR, UH, DOJ CONDUCTS A NATIONAL VICTIM CRIME STUDY.
AND WHERE THEY TRY TO SEE HOW, UH, PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY SEE THEIR, UH, HOW THEY'RE VICTIMIZED.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY ASK IS, HOW, HOW MUCH DO YOU TRUST YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT? AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT GENERALLY THERE'S SOME DISPARITY BETWEEN RACES ON HOW MUCH THEY TRUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WHEN THEY LOOK AT THEIR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE DISPARITY SHRINKS.
AND SO POLICING BECOMES HIGHLY LOCALIZED.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, UH, DO POLICE, DOES IT HELP IF POLICE REPRESENT THE, THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE SERVING? UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S KIND OF A, IT'S A, A IT'S A BIG COMPLICATED, BECAUSE ON SOME, ON SOME PARTS, THERE'S SOME RESEARCH THAT SOS THAT IT DOES.
BUT ON OTHER PARTS, UH, WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS HAVING THE COMMUNITY AND THE, AND THE LOCAL, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CONNECTING AND WORKING TOGETHER.
AND SO WE HAD A PROJECT CALLED RESTORE ROMBERG, UM, BACK ABOUT SIX YEARS, SEVEN YEARS AGO NOW.
UM, BUT WHAT WE SAW WAS THAT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE COMMUNITY EFFICACY AND COMPLETE, AND, AND INCREASE HOW WELL THE, THE COMMUNITY, UH, WORKED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF CONSTANT WORKING TOGETHER.
SO IT REALLY DIDN'T MATTER THE COLOR AS MUCH AS IT MATTERED THE, UH, CONNECTION AND HOW, HOW OFTEN THE PEOPLE WERE SEEING THEM.
SO IT'S LIKE, IF IT'S MY POLICE, YOU'LL SEE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TEND TO TRUST THEIR LOCAL POLICE AS OPPOSED TO A POLICE OFFICER THAT THEY DON'T KNOW AND THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
DO YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING? YEAH, YEAH.
AND, UH, WHAT I THINK SERGEANT KIANI IS TALKING ABOUT IS THAT TRUST THAT COMMANDER DAVIS WAS MENTIONING IN THE PRESENTATION.
IT DOESN'T, I MEAN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, UH, GOOD AND WELL, THAT, UH, THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS, THEY WANNA SEE THE SAME OFFICER THAT THEY SAW LAST WEEK, THE MONTH BEFORE.
UH, AND THEY WANT TO, THE WAY THAT THEY BUILD TRUST IS BY BEING EFFECTIVE.
AND IF THEY COME WEEK TO WEEK TO THEIR SHOP AND THEY SAY, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, AND THEY DON'T PERFORM, YOU SLOWLY START TO LOSE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR SKIN COLOR IS, YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC, WHERE YOU COME FROM, IF YOU DON'T PERFORM, YOU'RE GONNA START TO LOSE THAT TRUST.
AND SO, UM, WHAT WE FIND WITH A LOT OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS DOWNTOWN, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM, BUT IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU'RE THERE EVERY NIGHT, YOU'RE THERE EVERY DAY.
YOU CARE ABOUT THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, CITIZENS SEE THAT, THAT COMES THROUGH IN YOUR WORK.
IT'S A, IT, IT, IT COMES THROUGH IN YOUR REPORTS, YOUR FOLLOW UPS, HEY, HOW DID IT GO LAST WEEK? UH, DO YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE? UM, AND THAT SHOWS IN, IT'S, IT'S PRIDE IN, IN POLICING.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, JUST A, A QUICK QUESTION.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH INFORMATION WE, UH, EVEN, UH, HAVE ON THIS, BUT I KNOW IT'S BEEN A RECENT, UH, EFFORTS ON THE, UH, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION SPECIALIST.
I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A, A RECENT KIND OF BUDGET EFFORT IN ADDITION TO THE, THE TOOLS FOR, UH, FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
ANY SENSE OF HOW IS THAT GOING? WHERE, WHERE ARE WE ON ON ON THAT ASPECT? YEAH, SO, UM, WITH RESPECT TO OUR ONE, OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP TO COMMUNITY CBI WORK, UM, I, I, UM, WITH REGARD TO THEIR EXPERTISE, I WELCOME THE, WE WELCOME, UH, WE'LL PARTNER WITH ANYBODY THAT'S WILLING TO DO THE WORK.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, HUNGRY HILL, CHASE WRIGHT, UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK STREETS WITH HIM.
AND THERE'S THE, THE REALITY IS THERE'S SPACES THEY CAN GO THAT WE CAN'T GO.
AND AGAIN, WHEN I SAID THE STATEMENT THAT, UM, EVERY BULLET THAT IS FIRED DOESN'T NECESSARILY GET FIRED WHEN THAT TRIGGER IS PULLED, THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE CREDIBLE, THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE, THAT ARE PLUGGED IN, IN WAYS THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PLUG IN AND MAYBE TO HAVE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT IF THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE WILLING TO GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAYBE CALM FEARS OR CALM THE CALM THAT WORLD, UM, UH, THEN I WELCOME THAT AGAIN, I DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE RESEARCH THAT SAYS 'CAUSE IT'S RELATIVELY NEW OF HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS.
[00:40:01]
IN MY CHAIR, YOU KNOW, IF I'M COMMANDING AN AREA AND I HAVE A GROUP WILLING TO GO IN AND DO THE WORK AND CALM FEARS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT, UH, PUT THEIR TIME AND ATTENTION TO COMMUNITY ISSUES, THEN THOSE ARE THE EXACT PARTNERSHIPS WE'RE LOOKING FOR, MA'AM.AND, AND I, UH, LIKE I SAID, CONCEPTUALLY, I I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE KIND OF THOUGHT PROCESS THAT GOES INTO IT.
YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT UNDERSTAND AND CAN A LOT OF SOMETIMES OLDER BEEN THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE THAT CAN GO INTO A COMMUNITY AND BE LIKE, TALK FOLKS DOWN.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, PREVENT THAT TRIGGER FROM, UH, EVER, UH, UH, GETTING PULLED.
WE JUST HAVE TO EXECUTE ON THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING THE WORK, MAKE SURE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RESOURCES THERE, THERE AND THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT'S A REALLY INTRIGUING, UH, AREA IN TERMS OF, UH, OF, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ANYTHING ELSE? EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
MEMBERS, UH, THAT'LL TAKE US TO FUTURE ITEMS.
[Future Items]
COUNCIL MEMBER MCC RY.UM, YEAH, ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT, UM, IS ON WORKERS' COMP ISSUES, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WANTED TO TAKE IT UP AND, UH, AND, AND, AND LOOK AT AN A PD REPORT.
UH, BUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION CHAIR WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T BE BRIEFED OUT UNTIL COUNCIL IS.
SO WOULD LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE BRIEFED ON IT SO THAT THEY CAN ALSO BE, UH, BRIEFED ON IT.
UH, AND BY THEY, I MEAN, I MEAN THE COMMISSION SO GOOD.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S FUTURE ITEM.
ALRIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE ON POTENTIAL FUTURE ITEMS? COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY? MAYOR, I THINK YOU HAVE MY LIST.
ALRIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE, MAYOR? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION OF OVERTIME USAGE, PARTICULARLY IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT PROBABLY ACROSS ALL THE UNITS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP? ALL RIGHT.
WITH, WITH THAT, THAT, UH, CONCLUDES THE AGENDA OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WE WITHOUT OBJECTION ARE ADJOURNED AT 2:42 PM THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.