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[Austin Public Safety Community Engagement Center Press Conference and Ribbon Cutting ]
HERE TODAY.I'M COUNCILWOMAN MCKENZIE KELLY AND I PROUDLY REPRESENT DISTRICT SIX IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO BE JOINED HERE TODAY BY ASSISTANT CHIEF OR ASSISTANT CHIEF, UM, JEFF GREENWALT, WHO'S NOW THE, UM, CHIEF OF STAFF, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BRUCE MILLS, ASSISTANT CHIEF JAMES MASON, LIEUTENANT ZACH REED AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE GLEASON.
YOUR PRESENCE HERE UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS OCCASION AND OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS MY TOP PRIORITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND ADDRESSING THESE CONCERNS REQUIRES DECISIVE ACTION.
WITH UNWAVERING DEDICATION OVER MY TERM, I HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS ALARMING STORIES FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM VEHICLES JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THIS CENTER NOW STANDS.
AND WHILE OUR CITY OWNED PROPERTY AWAITED RENOVATIONS, YOU ALL MIGHT REMEMBER, IT WAS BROKEN INTO CARS IN THESE LOTS.
AND THOSE ACROSS THE STREET HAVE ALSO BEEN BROKEN INTO.
AND NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO HIRE AROUND THE CLOCK PRIVATE SECURITY TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTIES.
THESE INCIDENTS ARE NOT JUST STATISTICS.
THEY REPRESENT REAL FEAR AND DISRUPTION IN THE LIVES OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THESE CONCERNS, I KNEW IMMEDIATE ACTION WAS NECESSARY.
DRAWING FROM MY OWN BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC SAFETY, I TIRELESSLY WORKED TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THESE ISSUES HEAD ON.
AND OVER A YEAR AGO, I TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO WRITE TO INTERIM CITY MANAGER JESUS GARZA URGING THE FEASIBILITY OF PLACING A TEMPORARY PUBLIC SAFETY SUBSTATION IN DISTRICT SIX.
THIS WAS DRIVEN BY THOSE ONGOING CONCERNS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE CRITICAL NEED FOR A DEDICATED SPACE WHERE OUR OFFICERS COULD CONDUCT INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTIONS, WRITE REPORTS, AND ENGAGED DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THROUGHOUT MY TERM, I VISITED SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE RESIDENTS EXPRESS THEIR FRUSTRATION ABOUT A LACK OF POLICE PRESENCE IN OUR AREA.
AND I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THIS IS NOT THE FAULT OF OUR DEDICATED OFFICERS AT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY DOWN NEARLY 500 OFFICERS, INCLUDING THE 150 VACANT POSITIONS CUT BY COUNCIL BEFORE I TOOK OFFICE.
THIS SHORTAGE HAS MADE IT EVEN MORE CRITICAL TO PROVIDE OUR OFFICERS WITH RESOURCES THAT ENHANCE THEIR VISIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY.
THIS CENTER, WHICH WE ARE OPENING TODAY, WILL GIVE OUR OFFICERS A PLACE TO STOP, TAKE A BREAK, ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, BRIDGING THE GAP IN OUR DISTRICT, CREATED BY THE STAFFING SHORTFALL.
THE CENTER, WHICH WE ARE OPENING TODAY, IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN DISTRICT SIX, AND WILL REPRESENT OUR COLLECTIVE, UH, COLLECTIVE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO TODAY I AM THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE OPENING OF OUR VERY OWN PUBLIC SAFETY ENGAGEMENT CENTER.
THIS CENTER WILL SERVE MULTIPLE CRITICAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING ENHANCED DE EFFICIENCY, PROVIDING OUR OFFICERS AND DEPUTIES WITH A DEDICATED SPACE TO CONDUCT THOSE INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTIONS, WRITE REPORTS, AND MEET WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THIS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THEIR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN SERVING AND PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WILL PROVIDE A VISIBLE, VISIBLE PRESENCE ENSURING THAT TIMELY RESPONSE TO ANY SECURITY CONCERNS IN OUR DISTRICT ARE HANDLED.
THIS CENTER WILL HELP BUILD CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESIDENTS IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY, FOSTERING ADDITIONAL TRUST AND COLLABORATION.
AND THIS ALSO PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, STRENGTHENING THE BOND BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PUBLIC, AND FOSTERING A STRONGER SENSE OF SECURITY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
THE CENTER IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND OUR PROACTIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT THIS VISION BECAME A REALITY.
THIS COLLABORATION AND THE DEDICATION FROM ALL INVOLVED PARTIES HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ADDRESSING THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THIS DISTRICT, I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO REPRESENT SUCH A VIBRANT AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
I MAINTAIN AN OPEN DOOR POLICY, AND I'M ALWAYS READY TO LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS OF ALL OF MY CONSTITUENTS.
YOUR VOICES, INCLUDING MANY OF THOSE WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, DROVE THIS INITIATIVE.
AND YOUR SAFETY, AGAIN, IS MY TOP PRIORITY.
I WANNA EXTEND MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT HERE, WHERE THE CENTER IS LOCATED, AND EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN MAKING THIS VISION A REALITY.
YOUR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL IN ENSURING THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND DISTRICT SIX IS MAINTAINED AND ENHANCED.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO INVITE CHIEF GREENWALT TO SAY A FEW WORDS FOLLOWING HIS REMARKS, SHERIFF GLEASON FROM WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
WE'LL HAVE THE FLOOR FOR A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN WE WILL, UM, OFFICIALLY CUT THE RIBBON ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER.
THANK YOU AGAIN, ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
OKAY, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN MACKENZIE KELLY, UH, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER, UH, FOR THIS OCCASION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR STARTING THIS INITIATIVE
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AND PUSHING IT OVER THE FINISH LINE.THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TO HEAR ABOUT THIS AND TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE INVITE YOUR, UH, YOUR INPUT AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND YOUR QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS AS WELL.
UH, MY NAME IS JEFF GREENWALT.
I'M THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, I WANNA JUST START OUT BY SAYING, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SECRET THAT, UH, THE CLOSEST SUBSTATION FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THIS LOCATION AND TO OUR RESIDENCE IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN IS OVER ON LAMPLIGHT VILLAGE.
DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF DAY AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM A 10 MINUTE OR A 30 MINUTE OR LONGER DRIVE, THE RESPONSE TIMES ARE NOT WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE.
UH, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR RESIDENTS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF OUR CITY, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE PRESENT, VISIBLE AND ENGAGED TO EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT AND EVERY SINGLE CITIZEN OF THIS COMMUNITY NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE.
THE TRAILER BEHIND US IS GONNA ALLOW US TO BE CLOSER TO YOU, UH, WHEN YOU NEED US, WHEN YOU CALL US, AND ALSO WHEN YOU JUST WANNA CHAT.
UH, OUR HOPE IS THAT WHEN POLICE OFFICERS ARE PATROLLING THE NORTHWEST AUSTIN AREA, THEY CAN STOP TO USE THE RESTROOM TO GET SOME AIR CONDITIONING, TO GET A COLD WATER OR TO WRITE A REPORT.
AND THEY CAN BE HERE IF YOU GUYS WANT TO, UH, TO STOP AND TALK TO THEM.
BEING PRESENT AND BEING VISIBLE AND BEING ENGAGED IS, UH, PROVEN TO BE A DETERRENT TO CRIME AND TO CRIMINALS IN THE AREA.
AND WE HOPE THAT HAVING MORE POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS AREA IS GONNA HELP.
UM, YOU GUYS FEEL SAFER IN THIS AREA AND, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO HAVING THIS HERE AND WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU.
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO SHERIFF GLEASON, I DO WANT TO JUST SEND A, A COUPLE OF THANK YOUS.
UH, THE PROJECT BEHIND US STARTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
I WANT TO GIVE A, A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO OUR NORTHWEST AREA PATROL COMMAND AND ESPECIALLY ZACH REED WHO, UH, HELPED TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
WILL WAGNER AND MANY OTHERS FROM AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, INCLUDING MILL, UM, MIGUEL GALINDA, UH, WILL WAGNER FROM FLEET, I'M SORRY, AND MIGUEL GALINDA WITH BUILDING SERVICES.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DUSTY MCGUIRE, WHO IS A PROPERTY MANAGER HERE AT THIS LOCATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND WE'LL BE STICKING AROUND FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AFTERWARDS.
I'M THE ELECTED SHERIFF FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO SOME OF THE WORDS THAT THE CHIEF SAID.
UH, WITH THE RAPID GROWTH AND EXPANSION OF THIS ENTIRE COUNTY, UH, ONE OF MY CITIES BEING GEORGETOWN VOTED THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE NATION.
UH, MY DEPUTIES COVER 1,124 SQUARE MILES.
A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE UNINCORPORATED JURISDICTIONS THAT WE RESPOND TO, UM, THE UNINCORPORATED JURISDICTIONS ARE HERE AS WELL.
EVEN THOUGH THIS IS ALL THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE HAVE RATAN CREEK, WE HAVE A LOT OF ANDERSON MILLS, SHENANDOAH, UH, UH, BRUSHY CREEK.
ALL THOSE ONES WITHIN ROCK THROWING DISTANCE ARE, ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I ONLY HAVE A HANDFUL OF DEPUTIES THAT CAN GET TO AND FROM, JUST LIKE THE CHIEF SAID, HAVING A CENTER.
WE UTILIZE CENTERS LIKE THIS ALL OVER THE COUNTY AND IT'S NOT JUST TO COME IN AND WRITE A REPORT OR A PLACE FOR THE OFFICER TO RELAX, BUT IT'S ALSO PART OF THE ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DON'T HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO DO CHILDREN EXCHANGE.
THIS IS A GREAT PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BRING YOUR CHILDREN A SAFE PLACE WITH AN OFFICER PRESENT, YOU CAN COME.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO E-BUSINESS.
NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GO IN AND THEY NEED A SAFE PLACE TO DO THEIR, UH, EXCHANGE FOR CURRENCY.
THEY SELL THINGS ON EBAY, ETSY, ALL THE TYPE OF E-COMMERCE THAT WE DO THIS NOW PROVIDES A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THESE PEOPLE TO MEET WITH AN OFFICER PRESENT AND DO THOSE KINDS OF EXCHANGES.
SO IT HAS A MULTITUDE OF FUNCTIONS.
IT ALLOWS MY OFFICERS A PLACE TO COME AS WELL.
'CAUSE MY NEXT CLOSEST SUBSTATION IS ROTAN CREEK ON PALMER AND MCNEIL, OR ALL THE WAY IN CEDAR PARK.
SO THIS KIND OF CUTS IT RIGHT HERE IN HALF.
AND UH, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT ASSET AND I HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING THAT GROWS EVEN LARGER.
PART OF OUR, UH, 10, 15 AND 25 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN IS TO START BUILDING SUBSTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WHERE MY PEOPLE MAY NEVER GO TO GEORGETOWN TO HEADQUARTERS FOR ANYTHING.
SO THAT'S PART OF IT AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO START.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY SHOWING UP AND SHOWING THE INTEREST.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON DOING THIS.
WE'RE GLAD TO BE PARTNERS IN IT.
WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR A COUPLE BRIEF QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA AND THEN, UM, MEDIA IS ABLE TO GET B ROLL FOR THE RIBBON CUTTING AND THEN ALSO GET A TOUR OF THE INSIDE OF THE TRAILER.
I'D REALLY LIKE IT IF ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AFTER WE DO QUESTIONS, GET BEHIND US WHEN WE CUT THAT RIBBON, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT QUESTIONS.
SO IS IT, SO, UM, THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS.
IS IT A SUBSTATION, IS IT A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTER? UM, WE UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE STAFFING LEVELS AT AS THEY ARE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO KEEP IT OPEN 24 7.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE LONGER TERM PLANS FOR A, UH, PERMANENT SUBSTATION IN CANYON CREEK.
THOSE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BEING DEVELOPED.
IT IS SEVERAL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
WE SEE THIS AS A TEMPORARY STOP GAP SO THAT WHEN OFFICERS ARE HERE, INDIVIDUALS CAN UTILIZE IT AS AN ENGAGEMENT TOOL WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HOW MANY,
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I'M GONNA GIVE THAT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.CHIEF GREEN, I ALWAYS HAVE TO DO WITH THIS AREA.
UH, THE QUESTION WAS, HOW MANY OFFICERS DO WE HAVE IN THE AREA? I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT FROM BRUSHY CREEK WEST, WHAT WE CALL OUR SOUTHWEST HERE, UH, DISTRICT, I ALWAYS HAVE TWO ON DUTY, 24 7.
AND THEN THERE'S USUALLY A SUPERVISOR ROAMING IN THE AREA AS WELL.
NOT NO LITTLE TO MENTION CANINE TRAFFIC DETECTIVES AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT DOING THEIR DAILY FUNCTIONS.
WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE PATROL OFFICERS IN THE AREA AS WELL.
UH, OUR INTENTION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS KNOW AND ARE REMINDED THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE TO THEM BETWEEN CALLS IF THEY WANNA COME HERE AND WRITE A REPORT WHEN THEY'RE DONE WITH A CALL OR JUST TAKE A BREAK, GET SOME WATER, GET SOME AIR CONDITIONING, THEY CAN BE HERE.
SO THERE WON'T BE SPECIFIC OFFICE HOURS PER SE, WHERE WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE.
IT'S GONNA BE FLUID AND, AND DIFFERENT EVERY DAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, GREAT.
WILL THERE BE, UH, AN INVITATION FOR THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSION COURT? BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, I MEAN TRAVIS COUNTY IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO WILLIAMS COUNTY AND I THINK THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT GENERALLY PLAYED TOGETHER REALLY WELL.
AND SO, UM, AS A FARMER, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU TO APPROACH, UH, SHERIFF FERNANDEZ COME OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ALL KNOW BECAUSE POLICE PRESENCE IS EVERYTHING FOR COMMUNITY.
AND I WORK INVOLVED WITH SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
UH, FORMER COMMISSIONER GERALD DOHERTY.
HE MENTIONED THAT WE SHOULD COLLABORATE WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AS WELL TO ENSURE THAT THEY KNOW THIS ASSET IS HERE.
I LOVE THAT IDEA AND I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING IT.
WE SPECIFICALLY PICKED WILLIAMSON COUNTY BECAUSE MY DISTRICT HISTORICALLY HAS ALWAYS COVERED BOTH TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
AND THIS CENTER IS LOCATED HERE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
WE DO COLLABORATE ACROSS COUNTY LINES ALL THE TIME WHEN IT COMES TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION, SIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, BEN, SO I KNOW OH, ABSOLUTELY.
AS CHIEF GREENWALT SAID EARLIER, THIS WILL HELP WITH RESPONSE TIMES.
RIGHT NOW THE CLOSEST SUBSTATION FOUR A PD IS AT LAMPLIGHT IN PALMER, AND THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 12 MINUTES DEPENDING ON TRAFFIC.
UM, DISTRICT SIX, UH, PART OF THE IMPETUS FOR THIS WAS DISTRICT SIX HAS ALWAYS HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERSERVED BY A POLICE PRESENCE BECAUSE WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST DISTRICTS IN THE CITY AND WE ARE THE FURTHEST FROM THE CENTER OF THE CITY.
WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY DISTRICTS THAT DOESN'T EVEN TOUCH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY GOAL TO FURTHER PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE ONE WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT IS JUST LIKE WE'RE DOING TODAY, PUT ASSETS AND RESOURCES HERE TO GIVE THE OFFICERS A REASON TO STOP BY SO WE HAVE A MORE VISIBLE PRESENCE IN THE AREA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CUT THE RIBBON IF THE COMMUNITY WILL COME STAND BEHIND US.
WE'RE GONNA MEET RIGHT OVER HERE.
ARE YOU HANDLING THE CLOWN SCISSORS? OH, PATRICIA, CAN YOU HEAR ME? ICI OH, LET'S GO IN.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY READY? THIS IS SUPER EXCITING.
I SAID WE GOT A THANK LITTLE FRANK BUSINESS CARD.