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[CALL TO ORDER]
TO CALLED MEETING FOR THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.IT IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, AND IT IS 5:33 PM WE ARE NOW IN SESSION.
UH, FIRST ITEM IS CALLED ROLL CHRISTIE, WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH? YES.
SPENCER SCHUMACHER AND CARL LAROCHE PRESENT.
UH, DID WANT TO NOTE THAT WE WILL BE GETTING A NEW APPOINTEE FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
AND WE, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A TOPIC TONIGHT, AND I WISH WE HAD HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
UM, DESIGN COMMISSION APPEARS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE IN GETTING AN APPOINTMENT, AND WE DO HAVE MESSAGES OUT AND TO THE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, APPOINTING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE ONE APPOINTEE IN PROCESS.
UH, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE SEATED WITH US IN OCTOBER.
UH, I SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO THE COMMISSION, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, AND REITERATED THE IMPORTANCE GIVEN, UH, HOW SHORT WE ARE ON, UM, VOTING MEMBERS.
UH, THAT IT'S, THAT EVERYBODY BE IN ATTENDANCE EITHER IN HEAR, WHERE WE LOVE TO SEE YOU OR ONLINE, WHERE WE'RE EQUALLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU AND I.
THERE MAY BE A LITTLE COMMISSIONER, UH, SHARING THE DAIS ONLINE.
WE'RE GLAD TO SEE 'EM AND YOU.
UM, BUT ANYHOW, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY AND YOUR PATIENTS.
UH, WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN WE GET A COUPLE OF THESE POSITIONS FILLED, IF AND WHEN AND OR WHEN.
UM, BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING ACTIVE AND PARTICIPATING AND BEING HERE LIVE OR ONLINE.
UM, AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, UH, FOLKS HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NO.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular called meeting on August 21, 2024.]
THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 21ST.UH, I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, CORRECTIONS OR MOTION TO ACCEPT I, I MOVE TO APPROVE THEM? I HAVE A MOTION.
VERY, I'M SORRY, CHAIR, WAS IT VICE CHAIR ISHMAIL WHO SECONDED? YES, SIR.
UM, NOW WE'VE GOT, UM, THREE ITEMS AND WE MAY NEED TO TAKE THEM OUT OF ORDER.
UH, HOWEVER, THE FIRST ITEM, UH, IS, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLANS PATH TO ADOPTION BY KARA BERTRAN, UH, PROGRAM MANAGER TWO, WITH PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS NOT HERE YET.
IF YOU WANNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
UM, SO IS IT, WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY HERE FOR ITEM THREE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS THREE THAT WE WERE GONNA COME BACK TO.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT WITH EVERYBODY'S.
[3. Staff briefing regarding safety issues and a yearly overview of the Downtown Area Command by Craig Smith, Commander, Austin Police Department and Christopher Juusola, Lieutenant, Austin Police Department]
BRIEFING REGARDING SAFETY ISSUES IN A YEARLY OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND BY CRAIG SMITH, COMMANDER AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND KRISTEN CHRISTOPHER OLA, LIEUTENANT AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.THE FLOOR IS YOURS, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
YOU GET TO USE MY OWN CLICKER.
HOW DO I, HOW DO I CLICK HERE? OH, WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
YOU'RE ONE UP ON ME BECAUSE I COULDN'T HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK.
WELL, IT, IT SAYS NEXT AND PREVIOUS, SO THAT'S PRETTY, I CAN, THAT PROBABLY HELPS.
I, I, I CAN, I CAN READ A LITTLE BIT.
SO, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE AND, AND SPEAK ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT'S GOING ON, UH, DOWNTOWN.
I AM THE COMMANDER OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND, ALSO KNOWN AS DTAC OR, OR GEORGE SECTOR.
SO I WILL JUST GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON THINGS THAT WE'RE
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DOING, UH, DOWNTOWN.AND THIS IS MY OPS LIEUTENANT, LIEUTENANT TRULA.
AND HE WILL BE ASSISTING ME FOR QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
RIGHT? I WILL GET STARTED ON OUR YEARLY OVERVIEW.
SO I'M NOT A STAT PERSON AS FAR AS LIKE GIVING THEM TO YOU.
'CAUSE PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THREE MINUTES AND THEY GET BORED AND PAYING ATTENTION TO, TO STATS.
SO WE JUST, UH, BROKE IT DOWN, UM, WITH, WITH SOME OF OUR MOST GLARING CRIMES.
UM, AND WE KNOW OUR TOP THREE OFFENSES ARE SIMPLE, ASSAULT, INTIMIDATION, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, RIGHT? THOSE ARE OUR TOP THREE PERSON OFFENSES.
AND THEN THEY'RE LISTED UP TOP.
SO THE SIMPLE ASSAULT, THERE'S THE COUNT, INTIMIDATION, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, WHICH ARE TOP THREE.
THEN OUR FONDLING, RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, UH, WITH AN OBJECT KIDNAPPING.
AND THEN THE HOMICIDE, UH, THAT WE HAD IN THE ALLEYWAYS.
SO THOSE ARE LIKE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE CALL CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS.
THE NEXT ONE IS A, UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE OF THESE.
THESE ARE, UH, CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY, RIGHT? THESE ARE PROPERTY CRIMES.
SO OUR TOP THREE OFFENSES ARE THEFT.
THAT JUST DOESN'T HAVE A DEFINED AREA.
SO IT'S NOT A THEFT OF A BURGLARY OR A THEFT FROM PERSON.
THOSE ARE JUST ALL OTHER THEFTS.
UM, DESTRUCTION, VANDALISM, UM, AND THEN THEFT FROM A MOTOR VEHICLE, OR ALSO KNOWN AS BOVS OF BURGLARY VEHICLES.
UH, PICKPOCKETING IS ALSO THO PHONES PICKPOCKETING.
I MEAN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE DOING TO COMBAT SOME OF THESE THINGS.
BUT OUR TOP FOUR PROPERTY CRIMES ARE JUST THEFT, DESTRUCTION, VANDALISM, UH, BOVS AND THEFT PICKPOCKETING, MAINLY CELL PHONES.
SO THESE ARE CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY, DRUG DRUG OFFENSES, A A LOT OF THEM.
UH, SO DRUG EQUIPMENT VIOLATIONS AS A TOP ONE.
ALL THAT MEANS IS CLASS C MISDEMEANOR DRUGS.
UM, THAT'S JUST FANCY FOR JUST CLASS C STUFF.
DRUG NARCOTIC VIOLATIONS AND WEAPON LAW VIOLATIONS.
SO THOSE ARE, UH, CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY.
SO WE HAVE 47 DRUG VIOLATIONS, 21 CLASS C OFFENSES, WEAPON LAW VIOLATIONS, GAMBLING, ANIMAL CRUELTY, AND THEN PORNOGRAPHY.
SO HERE'S WHAT YOU GUYS PROBABLY CARE ABOUT THE MOST OF, LIKE, WHERE IS IT HAPPENING, RIGHT? SO, UM, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TOP THREE PERSON CRIMES, AND HERE'S WHERE THEY'RE, HERE'S WHERE THEY'RE HAPPENING AND, AND WHERE'S CONCENTRATED.
SO YOU CAN, SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE.
SO AS WE'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE, UM, RESIDENCES IN, IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T FOR INTIMIDATION THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN SOMEBODY'S HOUSE, WE REALLY CAN'T CONTROL.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT, BUT WHERE GEORGE OR DTAC IS DIFFERENT FROM WHERE ALL OF YOU GUYS LIVE IS THE CRIMES IN GEORGIA A LOT ARE, THEY'RE JUST HAPPENING, RIGHT, RIGHT OUTSIDE, RIGHT? UM, MOST CRIMES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS HA THEY'RE HAPPENING INSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE.
UM, BUT THESE ARE HAPPENING IN THE ALLEYWAYS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING A, A CONSENT, A, A CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO FOCUS ON CLEANING UP THE ALLEYWAYS.
THAT'S WHERE THE MURDER WAS, UH, THAT YOU GUYS ASKED ABOUT.
SO, UM, WE KNOW THAT THE UNHOUSED, OUR, OUR LOITERING IN, IN, IN THOSE AREAS.
AND IT'S ALWAYS THAT QUESTION, WHERE ARE WE GONNA, WHERE ARE WE GONNA PUT THEM? WHERE ARE WE GONNA PUT THEM, RIGHT? UM, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM RESOURCES.
SO, UM, THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON MOST OF OUR EFFORTS ON, UH, IS WHERE, WHERE'S THE CLUSTERS OF CRIME? AND THOSE ARE THE THREE PERSONS AGAINST CRIME.
THOSE ARE THE TOP THREE ONES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SIMPLE ASSAULT, INTIMIDATION, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
SO THESE ARE THE PROPERTY CRIMES, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, NOT AS DIFFERENT THAN AS THAN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST BECAUSE CRIMES ARE HAPPENING IN THE HIGHWAY, ROADWAY, ALLEY STREET, AND SIDEWALK IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT HAPPENING THERE.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE DT A C IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE CAN FOCUS OUR EFFORTS INTO CLEANING UP THE ALLEYWAYS WHERE WE KNOW THAT THESE CRIMES ARE, ARE, ARE OCCURRING.
AND THEN THE BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, OBVIOUSLY, 'CAUSE THIS IS THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
SO OUR TOP OFFENDERS THAT WE KNOW ARE COMMITTING A LOT OF THE CRIMES HERE ARE SOME OF THEM, RIGHT? MAINLY UN UNHOUSED IN INDIVIDUALS, RIGHT? AND YOU SEE THEY HAVE NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS ARRESTS.
SO THOSE ARE JUST CRIME IN A, IN A NUTSHELL.
BUT HERE IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS.
OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD 81.
OUR MOST RECENT ONE, THIS IS AS OF NINE FIVE, IS A TEXAS DANCE TEAM, PONY SHOW.
EVERYBODY LOVES HORSES, RIGHT? SO WE, UM, LIKE TO GET THE HORSES OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND THAT'S, LIEUTENANT DU DOES A GREAT JOB OF, UM, GETTING MOUNTED OUT AND VISIBLE.
SO, UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE EVENTS.
THE COFFEE WITH THE COP, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE THOSE, UH, NOT JUST IN D TOWN OR DTAC.
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IF THEY'RE JUST IN WEST CAMPUS AREA.'CAUSE IT'S SO CLOSE THAT, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GO TO THAT.
UM, WE ARE INVOLVED IN THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE TO GET 30% OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, 30% OF WOMEN BY 2030.
SO THAT'S ONE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, COMMITTED TO AS WELL.
A PD IS SPECIAL OLYMPICS PARADE.
UH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD EVENT.
UM, THAT'S HONORS OUR SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VISITS, MARINE CORPS, RIGHT? SO ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WE DO DOWNTOWN, WHEN YOU'RE GETTING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN EVERY WEEKEND IS, UM, CROWD MANAGEMENT.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PROTESTS LATELY, AND WE MIGHT BE IN THE PROTEST, THE PROTEST SEASON COMING UP.
UM, SO WE ARE PREPARING FOR, FOR THAT DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS WE SPEAK.
SO OUR MOUNTED PATROL, THEY DE THAT'S THE ONES WITH THE HORSES THEY DEPLOY EVERY THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY NIGHT TO ASSIST IN CROWD ASSISTANCE AND, AND COMMUNITY INTER INTERACTIONS.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE INITIATIVES, RIGHT? WE, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE IN ORDER TO COMBAT CRIME.
AND WE HAVE TO PUT OFFICERS WHERE CRIME, WHERE CRIME IS OCCURRING.
SO RIGHT NOW, DTAC GEORGE IS, IS ALLOTTED 104 OFFICERS IN TO WORK DOWNTOWN.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE, UM, SHORT 30 OFFICERS IN THAT AREA.
OUR, OUR NIGHT SHIFTS ARE STRUGGLING AS, AS IS OUR EVENING SHIFTS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, STAFFING IS AN ISSUE AS YOU ALL YOU ALL KNOW.
SO, UM, DOWNTOWN DOESN'T HAVE REALLY AN ISSUE WITH, UM, RESPONSE TIMES, JUST BECAUSE MOST CRIMES ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THIS ONE MILE AREA.
AND WE CAN GET THERE VERY QUICKLY, WHETHER IT'S ON BIKE OR ON FOOT, OR, UM, JUST OUR CARS.
'CAUSE IT'S JUST SUCH A SMALL AREA.
SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, OVERTIME IS HOW WE'RE MANAGING RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, OCTOBER 19TH IS GONNA BE, THAT WEEKEND IS GONNA BE A HUGE WEEKEND FOR US.
WE HAVE, UH, ACL WE HAVE UT GEORGIA, ONE VERSUS TWO PROBABLY.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, EMINEM IS IN TOWN WITH, WITH CODA.
SO WE ARE, UM, STRATEGIZING ON HOW WE'RE GONNA UTILIZE ALL OF OUR RESOURCES WHEN WE'RE THAT SHORT STAFFED.
UM, AS WELL AS WE'RE GONNA HAVE 250,000 PEOPLE COMING INTO THE CITY.
AIRPORT IS GONNA BE EXTREMELY CRAZY.
SO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL, DO NOT GO OUT THERE.
UM, BUT THEY ARE, THEY ARE ALL, UM, WORKING ON PLANS AS WE SPEAK.
AND THEY'RE GETTING, THEY'LL BE FINALIZED THIS WEEK.
SO, UM, WE ARE, WE ARE HIRING A HUNDRED PERCENT PLUS FOUR IF WE CAN.
UM, 'CAUSE EVERY, EVERY PLACE IS ASKING FOR OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, TO GRANT PERMITS A LOT OF THIS, A LOT OF ACES REQUIRING THEM TO STAFF WITH OFFICERS.
AND THERE'S JUST, THEY'RE JUST NOT OFFICERS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE UT NEEDS OFFICERS AS WELL.
SO STAFFING IS GONNA BE AN ISSUE, BUT WE ARE MANAGING THAT THE, THE BEST WE CAN.
SO, UM, THE, THE GUN VIOLENCE, LIKE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE NOTICED GUN VIOLENCE HAS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY IN, IN, IN DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT IS, THAT'S, THAT'S NOTHING THAT I'VE DONE.
IT WAS, UH, LIEUTENANT GI HAS BEEN HERE FOR MANY YEARS AND HE WAS, UH, HE WAS TASKED WITH CLEANING UP DOWNTOWN, UH, GUN VIOLENCE.
AND HE DID A REMARKABLE JOB WITH, WITH, WITH GETTING RESOURCES OUT THERE AND, UH, TAR TARGETING THAT, UM, THE GUN VIOLENCE.
SO THAT'S WHY, UM, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, PRETTY GOOD LATELY WITH AS FAR AS GUN VIOLENCE.
AND WE'VE BEEN, HE'S, HIS GUYS AND GIRLS HAVE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE IN GETTING GUNS OFF OF THE STREETS.
'CAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE A DOWNTOWN THAT'S, THAT'S VIOLENT, RIGHT? WE ALL WANNA GO DOWN THERE AND, AND, AND ENJOY OURSELVES, NOT HAVE TO WATCH OUR BACK.
SO, UM, WE, I DO EVERY, LIKE TOMORROW I'LL DO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN I ALLIANCE OR DOWNTOWN, UH, AUSTIN ALLIANCE PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING.
I DO THAT EVERY MONTH JUST TO TALK TO THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE PART OF THE PI.
UM, AND THESE ARE JUST THE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
SO I'M VERY, UM, I, I DO A LOT OF MEETINGS.
I MEET WITH A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS.
JUST STAY HERE, UM, THEIR ISSUES AND MAKE SURE I'M, I'M ADDRESSING THOSE AS BEST AS I CAN.
SO THIS IS JUST A PHOTO OF OUR, OUR BPO TEAM.
UM, AND OR THAT'S JUST OUR DOWNTOWN OFFICERS THAT WERE DEPLOYED DURING THE, THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT WHEN BIDEN CAME HERE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UH, AT THE LBJ LIBRARY.
WE ASK A LOT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN AT, UH, OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY ARE, UM, NO DOUBT, SOME OF THE BEST OFFICERS, UH, THAT WE CAN, THAT WE CAN FIND.
'CAUSE THEY DO A, A GREAT JOB OF SHOWING UP EVERY SINGLE TIME.
'CAUSE BIDEN CANCELED, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, HE, HE, HE CANCELED LAST TIME JUST 'CAUSE OF, UH, THE, THE ASSASSINATION ON, ON, ON TRUMP.
SO OFFICERS HAD TO CHANGE THEIR SCHEDULE AND, UH, THEY SHOWED UP AND MADE SURE THAT, UM, THE, THE PRESIDENT WAS SAFE.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF OUR SIGNIFICANT EVENTS.
THE, THE, UM, THE CRIMINAL MISCHIEF.
SO JUST IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A NUTSHELL, IT WAS A CALL CAME IN, A SUBJECT WAS
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STATING HE WAS BEING CHASED, HAD BROKEN INTO THE MAIN AND WAS STAYING IN A DETECTIVE'S OFFICE.OFFICERS RESPONDED, CONDUCTED A SEARCH AND SECURED THE SECOND FLOOR AND LOCATED THE IDENTIFIED, UH, SUBJECT.
SO THE PERSON WAS HAVING A, BASICALLY BROKE INTO THE POLICE STATION, UM, HAVING A MENTAL EPISODE.
UM, AND OUR OFFICERS DID A REMARKABLE JOB OF GETTING HIM OUTTA THERE, UM, AND, AND GETTING HIM ARRESTED.
SO THIS, THE TOP ONE ON THE RIGHT IS THE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
IT IS KIND OF CRAZY WHEN YOU BREAK INTO THE POLICE STATION AND THEN CALL ON YOURSELF, RIGHT? THAT'S CLEARLY HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH EPISODE.
SO OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A STABBING AND LOCATED A SUBJECT, UH, LOC INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT.
ONE OF OUR SERGEANTS DOWN OR NIGHT SERGEANTS LOCATED, UH, THAT PERSON.
AND THEN THEY, UM, ONE OF THE AG ASSAULT DETECTIVES, THEY TOOK THE LEAD AND MADE THE SCENE.
THAT WAS A PRETTY BIG AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CASE.
UM, IT'S STILL PENDING, SO I CAN'T GO INTO TOO MANY DETAILS ON THAT ONE.
THE HOMICIDE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T, UM, GO TOO MUCH INTO THAT ONE EITHER.
BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS SERGEANT, SERGEANT YAGER, WHO WAS OUR NIGHT SHIFT, UH, SERGEANT.
THEY DEVELOP A PLAN, SET OF CONTAINMENT AND SECURED THE SCENE FOR THAT HOMICIDE SEXUAL ASSAULT, RIGHT? EVERY, ALL, ALL THESE ARE BIG TIME CRIMES.
SO WE TAKE THESE EXTREMELY SERIOUS.
SO A FEMALE SUBJECT ADVISED SHE WAS BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
WE DETAINED THE PERSON IN, UH, SEX CRIMES, UH, DID THE INTERVIEW.
SO THE MALE WAS ARRESTED ON A SEXUAL ASSAULT, BURGLARY OF NON-RESIDENTS.
THERE WAS A, A, A BURGLARY WHERE OUR OFFICERS DETAINED THE PERSON IN FIVE MINUTES OF THE 9 1 1 CALL, RIGHT? SO THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE, THE, THE WORK THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF DOWNTOWN ARE, ARE DOING EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR YOU GUYS.
SO WE, WE HIT ON THIS, UH, A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? SO WE'RE AUTHORIZED 104 OFFICERS.
WE HAVE, THIS IS, THIS IS A LITTLE OLD.
UM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS PRETTY PRETTY GLARING PERCENT USUALLY WE'RE AT 80%.
STAFFING IS HOW WE DOWNTOWN HAS OPERATED AT 80% LEVEL.
UM, MEANING IF WE DO FALL BELOW 80%, THIS, THE, THE EXECUTIVE STAFF, THE CHIEF AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF WOULD, WOULD DO WHAT'S CALLED A DRAFT.
IT WOULD MOVE OFFICERS FROM OTHER AREAS, THESE AREAS DOWNTOWN, THESE OTHER AREAS THAT YOU COULD SEE LIKE CENTRAL PATROL, JUST, THAT'S JUST CALLED CHARLIE HENRY, ADAM BAKER.
THEY WOULD BE MOVED, FORCED TO MOVE DOWNTOWN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AT 80%.
WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR RATES, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE 62, 55, 55, 52 AND SOUTH.
IF YOU LIVE SOUTH, YOU'RE, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT NOW AT A 40, JUST CALL IT 48%, UM, STAFFING RATE, WHICH IS RIDICULOUSLY POOR.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET THE RANKS FILLED BACK UP.
THAT HAS TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THIS GREAT CITY OF AUSTIN AND KEEP IT, UM, THE CITY THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE.
SO STAFFING IS A, IS A HUGE PRIORITY.
SO WHEN I TELL, WHEN I TALK TO STAKEHOLDERS, I SAY, HEY, YES, WE ARE STRUGGLING, BUT DOWNTOWN ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL ABOUT 72% IS, WHICH IS NOT NOTHING TO RIDE HOME ABOUT, BUT CONSIDERING IF YOU LIVE SOUTH WHERE I DO, UM, WE ARE AT A 53% VACANCY, RIGHT? SO THEY ARE REALLY STRUGGLING DOWN THERE.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UM, SRT UM, MEMBERS AND ARE MOUNTED, RIGHT? THIS IS JUST SO YOU CAN SEE THE, THEIR FACES OF, UH, ALL THE WORK THAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN, WOMEN DO FOR YOU GUYS EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
THIS IS, UM, SOME OF THE OFFICERS GOT A LIFESAVING AWARD WITH VALOR, UM, A HUNDRED CLUB.
UH, SO THAT WAS, OFFICER RADFORD GOT THE OUTSTANDING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD AWARDS PEER SERVICE AM MERITORIOUS AWARDS.
SO SOME OF THE, SO SOME OF THESE OFFICERS, THEY, THEY HAVE PASSED 10 YEARS, BUT WE WE'RE REALLY SLOW AT A PD.
SO YOU GET YOUR 10 YEAR, ABOUT YOUR ABOUT 20 YEARS.
WE'RE, WE'RE 10 YEARS BEHIND, SO THESE PEOPLE HAVE MORE THAN 10, 10 YEARS.
BUT, UM, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE OFFICERS THAT ARE, ARE DOING GREAT WORK FOR YOU GUYS.
SO, 20 YEARS AT THE BOTTOM LEFT, AND, UM, FIVE YEARS ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE NOTABLE, UH, UH, ARRESTS.
I WON'T, I WON'T READ THEM TO YOU, BUT I WILL.
BUT THEY ARE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE, THE GUN SEIZURES THAT THEY'VE, THAT OUR NIGHT SHIFT ALONE DID FROM, IN, FROM 2023 TO 2024, THEY HAD, THEY SEIZED 117 GUNS, RIGHT? SO WHEN I SAY THEY'RE OUT THERE WORKING FOR YOU GUYS, THEY'RE OUT THERE WORKING, UH, A TOTAL OF 1,494 ARRESTS.
THIS IS, THIS IS ONE SHIFT, AND THEY WERE NOMINATED FOR A PATROL UNIT OF THE YEAR.
SO THEY'RE OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS CITY.
THIS IS MY TEAM THAT HELPS ME AND PREPARES ME TO, UH, PRESENT TO YOU GUYS.
MY CRIME ANALYST IS, IS, UH, IS NOT LISTED, BUT SHE'S, SHE'S THE ONE THAT PREPARED THIS FOR ME.
UM, LIEUTENANT OLA, HE'S MY OPS LIEUTENANT.
UH, CHRIS ANO, HE IS MY DAY LIEUTENANT.
MY TWO EVENING LIEUTENANTS, LIEUTENANT
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HARRY AND LIEUTENANT CLEVELAND.AND THEN MY NIGHT OFF, MY NIGHT LIEUTENANT IS, UH, LIEUTENANT NORDSTROM.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SHIP? YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, BY THE WAY.
SO, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE FIVE ILLEGAL NIGHTCLUBS THAT ARE BEEN IDENTIFIED DOWNTOWN.
THESE ARE, UM, IDENTIFIED THROUGH REPORT BY EAST SIXTH STREET ASSOCIATION REVEALING ILLEGAL SALES OF ALCOHOL, ILLEGAL DRUGS, WEAPONS, POSSESSION, AND SO ON.
AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT'S THE STATUS OF ENFORCEMENT AGAINST THOSE NIGHTCLUBS AND ALSO WHAT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE IMMEDIATE CLOSURE OF THESE NIGHTCLUBS.
YOU YOU WANNA TAKE THAT ORDER? GOOD EVENING.
LIEUTENANT CHRISTOPHER GILIGAN.
UM, SO WE DON'T REALLY, WE WE RECEIVED THE SAME REPORT YOU DID.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, BROADCASTED IN THE MEDIA AS WELL.
UM, WE KNEW ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, UH, BEFORE THAT REPORT WAS EVER ESTABLISHED.
AND WE'VE DEALT WITH SOME OF THESE SAME PROBLEMS BEFORE.
UM, PROBLEM IS, IS, UH, TWO CLUBS THAT WE DEALT WITH BEFORE GOT SHUT DOWN OR MOVED, AND NOW IT'S DOUBLED.
UM, SO WE REALIZE THAT THERE WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
UM, SO CURRENTLY WHAT, UH, WAS GOING ON PRIOR TO THE REPORT COMING OUT IS, UH, WE LOOKED, UH, TO SEE THE BEST WAY TO, UH, ATTACK THIS FROM MULTIPLE ANGLES.
UH, SO THE FIRST, UH, THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, UM, WAS MEET WITH ALL OF THE OWNERS.
UH, WE HAVE TO DO THIS BEFORE WE BEGIN WHAT WE CALL A ABATEMENT PROCESS.
UH, SO WHEN IT COMES TO NUISANCE ABATEMENTS, IF YOU LOOK IN CIVIL, UH, CODE, IT LISTS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF OFFENSES THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE ON A BUSINESS BEFORE THE CITY CAN GO AND SHUT IT DOWN.
SO WE TRY TO GIVE THE, THE BUSINESS MANAGERS AND THE BUILDING OWNERS A CHANCE TO TRY TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEMS. WE WANT TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON MAKING THE COMMUNITY SAFER FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, SO WHEN IT CAME TO THAT, UH, WE HAD OUR MEETINGS.
UH, THAT'S THE STATUS ON THOSE.
WE CAME UP WITH DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS.
SO THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GO BACK TO THEIR BUSINESSES AND FIX THOSE.
UH, SO NOW THAT THAT PROCESS IS OVER, IT JUST FINISHED.
UH, WE'RE NOW IN THE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE PARTNERING WITH OUR DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE ELAINE GARRETT I SEE UP ON, ON THE BOARD.
SHE'S WITH, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UH, PARTNERING WITH US, UH, THE FIRE MARSHALS WITH A FD.
UM, WE HAVE DIFFERENT STATE PARTNERS AS WELL, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, UH, TO ENFORCE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF RUNNING A BUSINESS.
SO WE CALL THESE PACE TEAMS, PUBLIC ASSEMBLY AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS. AND WE'RE GONNA BE TARGETING, UH, THOSE SPECIFIC PLACES, SEEING IF THEY'RE COMPLYING WITH, UH, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE MADE.
MOSTLY IT HAS TO DO WITH SELLING ALCOHOL AFTER 2:00 AM AND WITHOUT A LICENSE.
YOU CAN'T GET A LICENSE TO SERVE ALCOHOL AFTER 2:00 AM ANYWAYS.
BUT THESE BUSINESSES ARE DOING IT.
UH, WE, WE SUSPECT THAT THEY'RE PULLING IN MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL DOLLARS, UH, CIRCUMVENTING DIFFERENT, UH, TAX REVENUES FOR THE CITY AND STATE.
UM, IT'S NOT FAIR TO LEGAL BUSINESSES THAT PAY FOR ALL OF THEIR LICENSES AND DO BUSINESS THE LEGAL WAY.
SO, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THE STAKEHOLDER'S CONCERN IN THAT.
AND SO WE DO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
IT'S JUST NOT A QUICK PROCESS, BUT IT IS GETTING TAKEN CARE OF IN THOSE METHODS THAT I MENTIONED.
I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, AND THAT'S JUST RELATING TO, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION OVER THE YEARS ABOUT OPENING UP EAST SIXTH STREET TO TRAFFIC AGAIN ON, ON THE WEEKENDS, AND WONDERING WHETHER YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD HELP, AND WHAT WOULD BE SORT OF A PHASED APPROACH TO THAT? WHAT SORT OF IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE NEEDED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN, IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, THE FIRST THING THAT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT IS THE SAFETY OF THE VISITORS ON SIXTH STREET.
SO AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, I DON'T THINK THAT SIXTH STREET IS SAFE TO OPEN.
HOWEVER, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO OPEN UP SIXTH STREET.
AND WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS OR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS.
UH, WE'VE EVEN GONE TO OTHER CITIES TO EXPLORE, UM, HOW CITIES THAT HAVE OPEN STREETS PERFORM.
BUT IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES.
NO ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT IS THE SAME.
UM, SO WHEN IT COMES TO SIXTH STREET, WHAT I WOULD SAY, AND I THINK PLANS ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKS, BUT DEFINITELY WIDENING SIDEWALKS IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST THING.
UM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THE BARS CLOSE AT 2:00 AM AND EVERYBODY COMES SPILLING OUT INTO THE STREETS, THAT THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO.
I DON'T WANT, UH, PEDESTRIANS TO BE HIT BY CARS, YOU KNOW, ALCOHOL'S IN PLAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF, UH, PEOPLE ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH PEOPLE VISITING OUR SIXTH STREET ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, WE DON'T
[00:25:01]
WANT DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS.UM, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS.
SO DEFINITELY WIDENING THE SIDEWALKS.
I WOULD SUGGEST BOLLARDS OF SOME SORT.
UH, WHEN WE VISIT OTHER ENTERTAINMENT, UH, AREAS, UH, NASHVILLE, THEY HAVE BOLLARDS EVERYWHERE.
WHEN YOU GO TO VISIT DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS, THEY HAVE BOLLARDS THAT CLOSE AND LOCK.
UM, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE SECURE FROM, FROM VEHICLES.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT DEFINITELY GETTING THE CITY TO INVEST IN SOME KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE IS THE FIRST STEP, UM, IN, IN ADDRESSING THAT.
UM, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, UM, I ASKED ABOUT SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
WE HAD, UH, PASSED A RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO, TO ACQUIRE MORE BARRICADES.
UH, JUST WONDERING WHERE THAT WENT.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE PARTICULAR BRAND.
THOSE WERE THE MERIDIAN BARRICADES.
THE MERIDIAN BARRICADES, AND I THINK THAT WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT WE SENT UP A RECOMMENDATION TO PURCHASE THOSE.
UM, THEY'VE NEVER MADE IT TO, UH, THE BUDGET, UH, THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROCESS AFTER IT LEAVES HERE AND GETTING ONTO THE, THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET, UH, IS, UM, SO I CAN ONLY LEAVE THAT TO CITY STAFF TO ANSWER FOR THAT.
WE DID TRY TO, UH, ALSO, UH, PAIR THAT.
I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER ALSO HAD THE TRANSPORTATION PASS UP THE SAME THING.
SO I THINK WE TRIED TO PASS IT UP THROUGH VARIOUS COMMISSIONS.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALSO TRIED TO, UH, IDENTIFY SOME FEDERAL GRANTS AS WELL.
UM, BUT THOSE GRANTS, I THINK WERE CUT BACK AND THE AMOUNT OF THE INVESTMENT WAS TOO MUCH.
UM, SO THEY DIDN'T AWARD THOSE GRANTS FOR THAT PURPOSE AS WELL.
WELL, PERHAPS AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WILL REINTRODUCE THE RESOLUTION TO TAKE FORWARD, ONCE AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY WE PASSED THE BUDGET YEAR, UH, OR THE BUDGET CYCLE, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET YOU SOME APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE BARRICADES FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, IT IS A PRIORITY FOR THIS COMMISSION.
WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT COMMISSIONER.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT IF, IF WE ARE GONNA PIVOT TO OPENING UP SIXTH STREET, IT MAY NOT BE IN THE CARDS AT THAT POINT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE EITHER OPEN IT OR WE CLOSE IT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE OPEN TO WHATEVER WORKS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AND KEEPS THE COMMUNITY SAFE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, I JUST, I LIVE DOWNTOWN.
I'M THE ONE COMMISSIONER HERE, I THINK THAT ACTUALLY LIVES DOWNTOWN.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
I KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH WORK YOU DO HERE.
I'M AROUND, AND, UM, ANY WAY THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY SUPPORT YOU, WE CERTAINLY WILL.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UM, WHAT IS THE, WHEN IT COMES TO DRUG ARRESTS, WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE DRUG THAT PEOPLE ARE ARRESTED FOR DOWNTOWN? SO, UH, CURRENTLY THE NUMBER ONE DRUG, UH, IS, UH, CRACK COCAINE.
UH, WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF METHAMPHETAMINES THAT WE'RE SEIZING AS WELL.
UH, METHAMPHETAMINES ARE ON THE RISE.
AND, UH, FROM THE REPORTS THAT WE'RE GETTING BACK FROM OUR LABS, UM, A LOT OF THE DRUGS THAT WE'RE SEIZING, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM MARIJUANA ALL THE WAY UP TO METHAMPHETAMINES, UH, WE'RE SEEING A INCREASE IN THOSE THAT ARE LACED WITH FENTANYL AS WELL.
UH, WHEN YOU SAY INTIMIDATION AS A CRIME, WHAT DOES THAT INVOLVE? UH, THAT WOULD PRETTY MUCH BE LIKE, UH, HARASSMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STREET, UM, BEING CONFRONTED AGGRESSIVELY, SOLICITATED AGGRESSIVELY, UM, THOSE TYPES OF CRIMES THAT DON'T REALLY RISE TO THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, BUT THERE'S SOME KIND OF VERBAL INTIMIDATION INVOLVED WITH THOSE.
WHAT IS THAT? WHEN IS THAT? OH, UH, SO, UH, THERE'S NOT REALLY A PARTICULAR PROTEST SEASON, I WOULD SAY YEAR PER YEAR, BUT WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME UP.
AND SO, UH, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PREPARING.
UH, WE DO HAVE AN ELECTION CYCLE COMING UP, UH, FOR THE FEDERAL PRESIDENT.
UH, WE DID NOTICE LAST TIME THAT, UH, WE DID HAVE SEVERAL, YOU KNOW, UM, PRO-TRUMP PRO BIDEN GROUPS THAT FREQUENTLY CAME TOGETHER AFTER THE ELECTIONS LAST TIME.
UH, ALSO, UH, EVERY TWO YEARS, THE TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE COMES BACK INTO SESSION AND WE USUALLY SEE, UH, PROTESTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, UNFORTUNATE, UH, FOREIGN ISSUES GOING ON WITH ISRAEL AND PALESTINE.
UH, WHENEVER SOMETHING HAPPENS ABROAD, WE FIND THAT THERE ARE PROTESTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE.
SO THOSE THREE, UH, BIG, UH, GLOBAL AND NATIONAL MOVEMENTS ARE KIND OF WHAT WE'RE, UH, PREPARING FOR AS FAR AS A PROTEST SEASON IS CONCERNED.
WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
[00:30:02]
FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT.I KNOW YOU, YOU'RE GIVING UP A LOT JUST TO BE HERE, AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL OF THAT AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, AND I'M ALSO POSSIBLY THE ONLY ENGINEER UP HERE, SO I KNOW I'M THE ONLY ENGINEER IN THE LANDMARK COMMISSION, SO THE STATISTICS IS RIGHT UP MY WHEELHOUSE, SO THAT'S NO PROBLEM FOR ME.
SO WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE STATISTICS, THE ONE ON THE BAR CHARTS THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS THE INCREASE IN DRUG VIOLATIONS.
AND I'D BE INTERESTED TO GET YOUR TAKE ON THAT AND WHICH THING THAT THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THE POLICE NEED TO DO TO BRING THAT DOWN.
SO DID YOU SAY DRUG VIOLATIONS? IF I READ THAT BAR CHART CORRECTLY? SO, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY, AND THOSE INCLUDE THE DRUG AND WEAPONS CRIMES, WE ACTUALLY DON'T WANT THOSE NUMBERS TO COME DOWN.
WHAT THAT INDICATES TO US, UH, ON THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL IS THAT OFFICERS ARE BEING MORE PROACTIVE IN LOOKING FOR DRUGS AND GUNS.
AND SO WHEN WE SEE INCREASES IN THOSE, AND WE'VE SEEN, UH, INCREASES IN ARRESTS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THAT TO US IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING.
IT MEANS THAT OFFICERS ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE THINGS AND THAT THOSE ARRESTS ARE BEING MADE.
IF THEY WERE ON THE DOWNWARD TREND AND WE WEREN'T MAKING THOSE ARRESTS, I'D BE A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND THEN I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE CONVERSATION WITH RESPECT TO OPENING SIXTH STREET, AND YOU MENTIONED THE BOLLARDS, WHICH I THINK ARE VERY PRACTICAL AND PRAGMATIC.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION THAT WOULD WORK? DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THAT? YOU WOULD? UM, I DO HAVE A SENSE OF HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
UM, I WOULD LIKE, UH, BOLLARDS, UH, LIKE, KINDA LIKE YOU SEE AROUND THE CAPITOL THAT RAISE UP OUTTA THE GROUND.
THEY LOWER, YOU KNOW, IN CASE WE'RE HAVING PECAN STREET FESTIVAL, WE'RE HAVING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO PROTECT A LARGE CROWD ON SIXTH STREET.
BUT IF WE WERE TO OPEN UP SIXTH STREET, WIDEN THE SIDEWALKS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, YOU'RE WALKING DOWN LAS VEGAS ON THE STRIP, YOU HAVE FENCES THAT KEEP PEOPLE ONTO THE SIDEWALKS, THERE'S NO WAY FOR THEM TO STUMBLE OUT INTO THE ROADWAY.
UM, IF YOU WALK INTO, UH, BROADWAY STREET ON NASHVILLE, YOU'LL SEE THE BOLLARDS THAT PREVENT CARS FROM DRIVING UP ON THE SIDEWALKS.
SHOULD SOMEBODY BE INTOXICATED? PEOPLE GO DOWNTOWN TO DRINK.
WE KNOW THAT DRUNK DRIVING IS ALWAYS GONNA BE A PROBLEM.
WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE A DWI UNIT, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, I DON'T WANT A CAR DRIVING UP ON THE SIDEWALK, SIDEWALK TO HIT SOMEBODY.
SO JUST MAKING SURE PEDESTRIANS HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO BE IS THE PRIORITY.
AND WHATEVER ENGINEERING DESIGN AN ENGINEER COMES UP WITH, I'M NO EXPERT IN IT, BUT I DO TALK TO, UH, A FEW DIFFERENT VENDORS WITH, UH, SOME OF THESE BARRICADE COMPANIES.
THEY'RE ALL WANTING TO GET IN AND TRY TO HELP FIND A SOLUTION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THEY WANNA MAKE MONEY TOO, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A NEED THAT WE HAVE IN, IN OUR ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, OFFICER.
CAN I HAVE ONE COMMENT? I'M SORRY.
SO COMMISSIONER SCHIFFER, JUST AS BACKGROUND, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN GENERAL, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF SIXTH STREET IS REALLY IN TROUBLE UNDER STREET INFRASTRUCTURE, SIDEWALKS THE ROAD.
SO AT SOME POINT, THE CITY'S GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND THERE'VE BEEN A NUMBER OF PLANS PUT FORWARD.
I KNOW THERE'VE BEEN DISAGREEMENT ABOUT WHICH ONE WAS THE RIGHT ONE IN DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT WITH STREAM, HAVING TAKEN OVER A LOT OF THE BUILDINGS, MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER SCHMO, UH, JUST A QUESTION ABOUT STAFFING.
SO IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THE CITY DID PASS, UM, A BUDGET THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE HIGHER PAY FOR POLICE OFFICERS.
JUST WONDERING IF THAT HAS HELPED WITH RECRUITING STAFFING AND ALSO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT ARE BEING MADE FOR RECRUITING? I MEAN, IS IT STARTING IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL? IS IT, YOU KNOW, COLLEGES OR EXACTLY WHAT'S, OR MAYBE EVEN FINDING POLICE OFFICERS IN OTHER CITIES? SO WHAT ARE THE, THE AVENUES, I GUESS, FOR RECRUITING? RIGHT.
UM, AND I, I'M AWARE THAT, UH, MONEY WAS SET ASIDE FOR RAISES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, THIS ALL GOES BACK TO A POLICE CONTRACT.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THE WAY IT CURRENTLY WORKS, UM, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY, I THINK IN THE FINAL STAGES OF COMING TO A TE AGREEMENT, AGAIN, IT'S BETWEEN THE CITY'S LABOR RELATION OFFICE AND THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION.
UH, THEY HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF, UM, PARAMETERS ARE GOING TO INVOLVE POLICE OVERSIGHT.
I THINK PROP A WAS A, A HUGE PART OF THE POLICE CONTRACT.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF PROP A, UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE CITY HAS TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION AS TO WHAT BOTH THINK IS FAIR.
SO ONCE THAT IS ALL HASHED OUT, UM, THEY COME TO A TENANT OF AGREEMENT.
[00:35:01]
THEN GOES TO ALL OF THE POLICE, UH, OFFICERS, UH, TO VOTE ON, UM, IF A MAJORITY AGREE, UM, IT PASSES ON THE POLICE SIDE.AND THEN I THINK THAT THE LABOR RELATIONS OFFICE THEN SENDS THE AGREEMENT TO COUNCIL.
UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN IN THAT ORDER, BUT I KNOW THAT COUNCIL THEN HAS TO APPROVE THE CITY'S, UH, END, END OF, UH, CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ON THAT POINT.
ONCE THAT'S ALL SETTLED, THEN IT GOES INTO EFFECT AND WE HAVE PAY RAISES.
AND I DO THINK THAT THE PAY RAISES WILL KEEP US COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS.
UM, AS FAR AS RECRUITING EFFORTS, UH, WE DO HAVE A COMMANDER, UH, WITH HIS OWN STAFF OVER IN RECRUITING.
UM, I CAN'T REALLY ARTICULATE EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THEIR END BECAUSE THAT'S ON THEIR SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
I DO KNOW THAT THEY'RE INCREASING THEIR ADVERTISING, SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.
I DO KNOW THAT THEY GO TO COLLEGES QUITE OFTEN.
I THINK THERE WERE SOME EFFORTS MADE TO LOOK AT, UH, RAISING THE AGE LEVEL OF OFFICERS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO I KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO TRY TO INCREASE, INCREASE THE RECRUITING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OH, HOLD, JUST, I'M JUST GONNA ADD SOMETHING ON THE, ON THE RECRUITING ASPECT.
AND THEN, AND THEN YOU CAN GO, UM, SO LIKE I MENTIONED, THE 30 BY 30 IS, IS INITIATIVE THAT'S, THAT'S NATIONWIDE TO, TO GET MORE WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
RIGHT? THAT'S A UNTAPPED AREA.
UH, GETTING WOMEN, MY FIRST SERGEANT WA WAS, WAS A WOMAN AND SHE'S MY BEST SERGEANT I'VE EVER HAD.
RIGHT? SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S AN UNTAPPED MARKET RIGHT THERE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE WOMEN IN, IN, IN LEADERSHIP.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING I THINK BIDEN'S ADMINISTRATION STARTED IS GETTING MORE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP.
ANOTHER THING IS, UM, LIKE LIEUTENANT SAID, IS GETTING THE PAY RAISES, RIGHT? SO, UM, SO AUSTIN IS, IS AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE CITY.
AND HOW PHOENIX HANDLED THEIRS WAS, THEY JUST, PHOENIX HAD AN ISSUE WHERE PHOENIX HAS, LIKE US HAS A LOT OF, UH, SMALLER CITIES AROUND IT.
SO THEY HAVE SCOTTSDALE, THEY HAVE, UM, GLENDALE, THEY HAVE ALL THESE CITIES THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THEM.
AND THEY WOULD GO TO PHOENIX PD, GET TRAINED, AND THEN JUST GO LEAVE, RIGHT? SO THEY'D LEAVE TO GO SAY LIKE A ROUND ROCK OR GEORGETOWN OR BUTTA, RIGHT? WHERE IT'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER AND YOU GET A TAKE HOME CAR.
A LITTLE BIT MORE FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
SO, UM, SO WHAT PHOENIX DID WAS JUST, THEY JUST GAVE ALL THEIR OFFICERS A A REALLY NICE RAISE AND IT MADE THEM SAY, OKAY, DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO LEAVE PHOENIX TO GO TO SCOTTSDALE.
I'LL JUST STAY HERE AND I'M NOT GOING TO TEMPE, I'LL STAY IN PHOENIX.
RIGHT? SO, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, ALL THE OTHER CITIES, THE SAN ANTONIOS, THE DALLASES, THE FORT WORTH, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE CAUGHT US IN PAY RAISES.
WHEN I STARTED WE'RE CLASSMATES WHEN WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, IN 2006, WE WERE THE HIGHEST PAID POLICE DEPARTMENT BY 20%.
IT MADE YOU COME TO AUSTIN, RIGHT? IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS THAT LUCRATIVE TO BE AN AUSTIN POLICE OFFICER.
BECAUSE OF THAT, IT WAS ALSO, THEY GOT THE BEST, THEY GOT ALL THE OFFICERS, THE BEST OFFICERS, RIGHT? SO THEY HAD, MOST OFFICERS HAD DEGREES.
WE UNDERSTAND OFFICERS WITH DEGREES ARE JUST, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A DEGREE, BUT THE STUDIES SHOW THAT THEY USE FORCE LESS, RIGHT? THEY GET, THEY, THEY USE DEESCALATION MORE.
THEY'RE JUST, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST THE STATS, RIGHT? YOU'RE A STAT GUY.
SO I THREW THAT OUT THERE FOR YOU.
SO, UM, IT'S, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET HIGH QUALITY INDIVIDUALS.
'CAUSE ONE, ONE BAD OFFICER CAN, CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
WE JUST SAW THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO JUST GET OFF JUST ANY KIND OF OFFICER.
SO A LOT OF OFFICERS, WHEN THEY COME, THE THE ONE, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, UM, OFFICERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE ALREADY, THEY COME AND THEY MAY NOT FIT INTO THE, TO, TO OUR VALUES, AUSTIN'S VALUES.
SO WE SEE THAT A LOT WILL END UP LEAVING OR, OR GOING BACK SOME STAY.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE MODIFIED ACADEMIES FOR, FOR THEM THREE MONTHS.
BUT AGAIN, IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA COME RELOCATE HERE, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ONE, THIS IS THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM.
'CAUSE THEY'RE LEAVING THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PD, UH, AND, AND THAT, THAT PDS CULTURE.
SO, UM, AND, AND, AND AS FAR AS RECRUITING, THEY ARE DOING, UM, FIERCE SPURS FAN.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE GAMES, THEY PUT, UH, THEY PUT, UM, PICTURES OF OFFICERS, A PD IT SPURS GAVE THEM A REALLY NICE DISCOUNT IN THEIR MAGAZINE.
SO IT'S LIKE, HEY, WE'RE HIRING, WE HAVE THAT $15,000, UM, SIGNING BONUS.
WE'RE THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE THAT HAS THAT.
THAT'S PROBABLY A REASON WHY THAT THAT'S, THAT IS THE WAY IT IS
AND WITH, WITH THE CONTRACT, IT WILL BE SO MUCH, IT WILL BE SO MUCH EASIER TO RECRUIT BECAUSE THEY KNOW FOR FIVE YEARS WE HAVE SOME STABILITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ALL WANT, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW.
UM, IT'S STABILITY AND A CONTRACT WILL, WILL, WILL, WILL DO THAT FOR US.
SO WE KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE AT STAFFING LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OVER A MILLION PEOPLE HERE.
WE'RE THE 11TH LARGEST CITY IN THE US AND WE'RE AT STAFFING LEVELS BACK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IN OH SIX.
SO, UM, THAT'S SCARY, RIGHT? UM, BUT
[00:40:01]
THE MEN AND WOMEN STILL SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE DAY AND SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES KNOWING THAT THEY'RE UNDERSTAFFED.SO, UM, THEY ARE, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY IS, UM, THEY STILL HAVE THE BEST OFFICERS.
THEY'RE JUST, THERE'S JUST NOT THAT MANY OUT THERE FOR THEM.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO, WITH THIS CONTRACT BEEF UP THE RANKS AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A SLOW PROCESS.
SO WE'RE HAVING GRADUATION FRIDAY, 54 CADETS ARE GRADUATING ON FRIDAY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET.
BUT, UM, IN THREE MONTHS THEY'LL BE OFF OF FIELD TRAINING AND THEN THEY'LL BE OUT, OUT THERE SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
UM, FIRST IN TERMS OF THE POLICE CONTRACT ITSELF, WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT ON THE COMMISSION CLOSELY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR EXPECTED TIMELINE ON THAT AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT, UH, LIEUTENANT AND I KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT'S A COMPLICATED QUESTION TOO.
UH, THAT IS A, A COMPLICATED QUESTION BECAUSE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH, UH, RIGHT.
IT'S JUST BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, LABOR RELATIONS OFFICE, AND IT'S BETWEEN THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION.
SO IT'S ONLY BETWEEN THOSE TWO GROUPS THAT, UH, PRETTY MUCH HAVE ANY SAY IN WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT THE TIMELINE IS.
UH, THEY KNOW, UH, WHAT THEIR OBJECTIVES ARE FROM THE CITY THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD, UM, ALSO HAS OBJECTIVES THAT THE MEMBERS WANT THEM TO ACHIEVE.
AND SO IT'S JUST KIND OF DEPENDENT ON THEM.
I AM ON THE, UH, EXECUTIVE BOARD FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION.
I'M JUST TALKING IN A, UH, CITY CAPACITY RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE RIGHT NOW, SO.
OKAY, THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO HEAR.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE BALLARDS WHEN I JOINED THE COMMISSION A YEAR AGO, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I WAS A PART OF, AND I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT OUR RESOLUTION DIDN'T GO THROUGH.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE AN ACTION AND TALK WITH CITY STAFF JUST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN MAKE A LITTLE NOISE, UM, IN ORDER TO, TO PASS THAT RESOLUTION.
SO, UM, UM, CHAIR HARRIS, I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT WITH YOU OFFLINE AFTER THIS, UM, AND GET WITH CHRISTINE AND OUR, AND OUR STAFF ON THE COMMISSION JUST TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS, TO GIVE YOU GUYS THAT SUPPORT.
'CAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU SPECIFICALLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE PRESENTATION YOU JUST GAVE, UM, THE GUN VIOLENCE IS LOWER IN DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US HOW THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED? WAS, I KNOW THERE WAS LIKE A SAFER STREETS INITIATIVE WITH LIKE SIX STREETS TRAINING.
UM, I WOULD JUST LOVE TO KNOW HOW YOU FOUND SUCCESS.
SO IT'S A, UH, COLLABORATIVE, UH, EFFORT.
AND SO WE HAVE MANY COMPONENTS THAT CAME TOGETHER.
THE FIRST ONE THAT WE RELY ON HEAVILY IS OUR, UH, REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING IN REAL TIME, UH, CAMERAS ALL OVER DOWNTOWN.
UH, THEY WATCH OUR TROUBLE SPOTS.
THEY WATCH PEOPLE IN PARKING LOTS.
UH, THEY TRY TO MAKE SURE IF THEY SEE SOMEBODY WITH A GUN STICKING OUT OF THEIR WAISTBAND, THEY'RE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW.
UM, SO AGAIN, THE, UH, THAT WAS THE, THE FIRST, UH, BIG CHANGE THAT WE DID IS RELYING MORE HEAVILY ON THOSE CAMERAS AROUND DOWNTOWN.
UH, THE SECOND THING THAT WE DID IS RELYING MORE ON THE COMMUNITY.
SO GETTING WITH OUR BAR OWNERS, OUR DOOR STAFF, AND LETTING THEM KNOW EXACTLY KIND OF WHAT'S AT STAKE.
YOU DON'T WANNA LET SOMEBODY IN YOUR BAR WITH A GUN DRINKING AND HAVE A DISTURBANCE AND THEN HAVE A SHOOTING IN A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
SO THE BAR OWNERS, THE STAFF, THEY'VE BEEN MORE WILLING TO WORK WITH US.
SO WHEN THEY'RE FRISKING AND THEY'RE FRISKING A LOT MORE, UM, THERE WAS AN INCIDENT A, A A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WHERE THERE WAS A BAR, UH, IT MADE THE NEWS, UM, WE GOT FLAGGED DOWN, UM, I THINK IT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO SOHO.
UM, BUT ANYWAYS, DOOR STAFF FLAGGED US DOWN.
OFFICERS COME OVER, THEY THEN TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL DECIDED TO PULL OUT HIS GUN AND SHOOT.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY KIND OF OUTLIER.
UM, TYPICALLY WHEN WE'RE FLAGGED OVER AND WE GET FLAGGED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES A NIGHT, THAT'S HOW WE GET SO MANY GUNS.
UM, WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE PERSON INTO CUSTODY PEACEFULLY, UM, DISARM THEM AND FIGURE OUT IF THEY'RE LEGALLY CARING.
WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T ENTER A, UH, BUSINESS THAT SERVES MORE THAN 51% ALCOHOL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALREADY FIGURE THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A GUN AT THAT POINT.
UH, THE THIRD THING IS, UH, WE SET UP A PUBLIC SAFETY ZONE, UH, IN THE 600 BLOCK IN NICHES STREET.
UH, THIS AREA IS A MOBILE COMMAND CENTER.
IT'S ALSO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GO TURN IN GUNS AND DRUGS.
OFFICERS CAN DO THEIR AFFIDAVITS THERE, THEY CAN TURN IN THEIR EVIDENCE, AND THEN THERE'S A DETECTIVE THERE TO REVIEW THE AFFIDAVITS.
THIS ENSURES THAT OFFICERS AREN'T TIED UP AT JAIL.
THEY'RE NOT TIED UP AT MEDICAL, AT
[00:45:01]
THE JAIL, AND THEY CAN GET BACK TO THE STREET FASTER.SO HAVING MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET, UM, THIS WAS A SOLUTION FOR THAT.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE OFFICERS AREN'T TIED UP.
UH, A FOURTH THING THAT WE DID IS PARTNERING WITH EMS AND FIRE TO FORM CAST TEAMS. THAT'S A COUNTER ASSAULT STRIKE TEAM.
AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY GATHER TOGETHER IN TEAMS AND WHENEVER THERE IS AN INCIDENT ON SIXTH STREET, THEY'RE FORMED TOGETHER.
UM, THIS MAKES SURE THAT FIRE AND EMS AREN'T WAITING FOR THE POLICE TO MAKE THE SCENE SAFE.
THEY HAVE THAT POLICE ELEMENT WITH THEM.
THEY CAN GO IN AND THEN THEY CAN START TREATING PEOPLE.
THEY CAN START PUTTING TOURNIQUETS ON, THEY CAN START PUTTING CHEST SEALS ON.
AND WE FOUND THAT WHENEVER THERE IS A STABBING OR A SHOOTING THAT THEY'RE ON SCENE WITHIN LESS THAN A MINUTE.
SO, UM, THAT PARTNERSHIP HAS, UH, HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS.
A LOT OF, UH, DEATHS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BECAUSE OF IT.
UM, OFFICERS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND HAVE TAKEN THAT SAME, UH, FIRST AID TRAINING AND THEY'VE APPLIED IT ALSO.
SO ON THAT INCIDENT, UH, THAT WE HAD AT SEVENTH AND RED RIVER RECENTLY THAT Y'ALL WROTE ABOUT, UM, OFFICERS AGAIN, UH, THAT WAS NOT A CAST TEAM, I DON'T BELIEVE, BUT, UH, OFFICERS FROM OUR DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND WERE ABLE TO ARRIVE QUICKLY, PUT A TOURNIQUET ON AND RESOLVE THAT.
SO, UM, MM-HMM,
UM, AM I MISSING ANYTHING COMMANDER? UH, PRETTY MUCH.
I WAS TAKING NOTES, SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID WAS RELYING ON THE COMMUNITY.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, YOU HAD GIVEN A PRESENTATION ONCO, AND IT WAS REALLY EXCELLENT ABOUT, I THINK THE SAFE STREETS OR SAFE SIXTH STREET INITIATIVE WHERE YOU ARE TRAINING, TRAINING BAR STAFF, LIKE YOU HAD MENTIONED.
IS THAT STILL GOING ON IN TERMS OF LIKE EQUIPPING BAR STAFF WITH HERE'S WHAT TO DO IF SOMEBODY COMES IN WITH A KNIFE FOR A GUN? ARE YOU ALL STILL DOING THAT? IT IS, AND WE ARE DOING THAT IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH BRIAN BLOCK WHO'S GIVEN A PRESENTATION LATER.
WE STILL GIVE, UH, THE, UH, THE, UH, CIVILIAN RESPONSE TO ACTIVE, UH, ACTIVE SHOOTER, UH, TRAINING THAT'S CALLED CRAZE.
WE HAVE A STOP THE BLEED TRAINING THAT WE STILL DO REGULARLY.
AND THEN, UH, BRIAN RECENTLY BROUGHT IN A EXPERT, UH, TO COME TRAIN DOOR STAFF ON DEESCALATION AS WELL.
SO, UM, ALL OF THESE EFFORTS ARE STILL GOING ON CURRENTLY.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
AND ANECDOTALLY, I HAVE SOME FRIENDS WHO WORK AT BARS ON SIXTH STREET AND THEY REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR TRAININGS.
UM, AND I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE FOR COMING DOWN TONIGHT.
UM, WHEN WE HAD THE MOST RECENT DEATH AROUND SIXTH STREET, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT AS WE GOT TO THE FESTIVAL SEASON THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTOOD HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO PUBLIC SAFETY DOWNTOWN AND HOW MUCH WORK Y'ALL DO.
AND, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING AND WE UNDERSTAND YOUR UNDERSTAFFED, UM, AND COMMANDER SMITH, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A QUESTION DIRECT, BETTER DIRECTED TO YOU, AND I AGAIN, APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S SERVICE.
LOOKING AT THE WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 19TH, AS YOU SAID, IT IS GOING TO BE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HERE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE AND DOWNTOWN IS GONNA BE A MAT HOUSE.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WHEN THE MAYOR BROUGHT IN, UM, DPS TO ASSIST UNDERSTANDING HOW UNDERSTAFFED WE ARE DOWNTOWN.
IS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE REACH OUT TO THEM AND SAY, BRING THEM IN TO ASSIST JUST FOR THAT WEEKEND? UH, THAT, UM, WE, WE STILL TALK WITH DMSE OR DPS JUST 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY WORK DOWNTOWN WITH US.
UM, SO THE MAYOR'S ORDERS, WE CAN'T PARTNER WITH THEM.
SO THAT WOULD BE A, A MAYOR DISCUSSION.
BUT, UM, I WENT TO A MEETING YESTERDAY OR MONDAY WITH THEM AND THEY ARE PLANNING TO BRING IN A LOT OF TROOPERS THAT WEEKEND.
THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE ON THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT THAT ENTIRE, I MEAN LITERALLY THE NEXT, THE FIRST THREE WEEKS IN, IN OCTOBER WITH ACL AND THEN, UH, CODA.
SO, UM, DBS IS DEPLOYING MORE, MORE TROOPERS DOWN HERE.
BUT AS FAR AS US PARTNERING, THAT'S JUST, YOU'RE JUST DOING IT SEPARATELY.
THAT'S JUST, UM, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
WE WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THEM WHEN, WHEN, IF SOMETHING, UH, ARISES.
BUT AS FAR AS PARTNERING IN, IN ORDER FROM, FROM THE MAYOR IS WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT PARTNERING WITH THEM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO TALK TO, UH, WITH MAYOR, BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST.
JUST LIKE, UH, YOU GUYS SAW, UH, THE UT PROTEST AND THE RIOTS, RIGHT? WE'RE ALL OUT THERE TOGETHER WITH THE UT UM, DDPS AND, AND A PD, RIGHT? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THINGS HAPPEN, WE'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND WE HAVE TO COME IN THERE.
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WAY IT IS.SO, UM, BUT YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA PARTNER PER SE, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY ARE READY.
I, EVERYBODY WILL WORK COLLECTIVELY.
MAYBE NOT PARTNER, BUT WE WILL COLLABORATE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, OH, I DID WANNA MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT THE BOLLARDS WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE BOLLARDS AND THE OTHER, UM, DEVICES.
ONE OF THE ISSUES ABOUT THE BOLLARDS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE, UH, THEY HAVE TO BE BUILT INTO THE GROUND ABOUT HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS, I WOULD ASSUME IT WOULD BE PART OF A BOND PACKAGE RATHER THAN ANY OTHER METHOD OF FUNDING.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS THIS, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING FOR THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER AS THEY START PUTTING THE NEXT BOND PACKAGE TOGETHER THAT WE SEND THE BOND ADVISORY BOARD OR WHATEVER BUDDY HAS CONSTITUTED TO WORK ON THAT, SEND THEM OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY CONSIDER THAT THE INSTALLATION OF BOLLARDS THROUGH THE, DOWN THROUGH PARTS OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE NOT ONLY DO THAT, BUT THAT WE THINK HARD ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER AS A COMMISSION, A WHOLE, UH, SORT OF PUBLIC SAFETY PACKAGE FOR THE BOND COMMITTEE TO, TO, UH, LOOK AT.
I THOUGHT BET YOU WE COULD WORK WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION ON THAT AND I BET WE COULD.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
IT'S JUST LIKE, LIKE LIEUTENANT SAID, LIKE IF WE, IF THAT IS REALISTIC, IF WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP SIXTH STREET, WE HAVE TO DO IT SAFELY, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT WHAT HAPPENED YEARS AGO WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UM, TO HAPPEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOBODY SHOULD DIE BECAUSE OF OPENING UP A STREET.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS A DIFFERENT SCENARIO, BUT, UM, WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY, WE JUST, BARRICADES ARE GREAT, BUT, BUT THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE JUST BARRICADES, RIGHT? WE NEED SOMETHING MORE THAN, THAN A BARRICADE.
IF, IF THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, LIKE YOU SAID, WE NEED SIDE, WE NEED LARGER SIDEWALKS FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY WALK ON, RIGHT? WE HAVE SOME OF THE SMALLEST SIDEWALKS AROUND.
SO WE HAVE TO, WE, WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE STEPS, SAFETY STEPS FIRST BEFORE WE CONSIDER OPENING UP SIXTH STREET.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN OUR DECISION MAKING.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRIME CONCERN FOR THIS COMMISSION AND WE APPRECIATE YOU, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME DENIED, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU.
I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAD HER HER HAND UP.
OH, DID I MISS SOMEBODY? UH, SHE, SHE JUST RAISED IT.
HEY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY REALLY BRIEFLY, UM, SHARE WITH CHRISTINE MCGUIRE, EXECUTIVE LEAD LIAISON, JUST TO, TO ADDRESS