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[Item 7 (Part 1 of 2)]

[00:00:08]

OKAY.

UH, THE TIME IS, UH, UH, THREE OH FOUR.

I AM RECONVENING THE CITY CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

YOU'RE ON JUNE 4TH, 2020.

THIS IS A ROADMAP MEETING.

I AM ALSO CONVENING CONCURRENTLY.

HE A CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CALLED MEETING THAT'S FOR THREE O'CLOCK, UH, ON THIS SAME, UH, SAME DAY.

WE HAVE A, UH, A QUORUM COUNCIL MEMBER FOR MADISON.

ARE YOU HERE? COUNCIL MEMBER MARIA IS HERE AT CAMPUS ORCA STARS HERE.

THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS HERE.

SO YOUR KITCHEN, UH, AIR COUNCILOR FLYING AGAIN, UH, IS COUNCILOR POOL IS HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS IS HERE A COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO IS HERE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

UH, SO WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED.

FAIR START.

BEFORE WE START WITH THE MAYOR, BEFORE YOU START, COULD YOU SAY THAT COUNCIL UNDER HYPER MADISON IS, OR IS NOT? I DO NOT SEE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON YET.

I WOULD ASK THAT WE WAIT TWO MINUTES OR THREE TO TEXT HER AND OKAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER MEDICINE.

ALRIGHT.

UM, BEFORE WE BEGAN, I NOTE THAT THE, UH, UM, MEMORIAL IN MINNEAPOLIS, UH, HAS JUST BEGUN OR, UH, FOR, FOR GEORGE LLOYD.

AND AS WE BEGIN OUR MEETING HERE, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT, UH, AS WE'RE ADDRESSING ISSUES RELATED, UH, RACIAL EQUITY, UH, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, GEORGE FORD IS BEING MEMORIALIZED TODAY NOW IN MINNEAPOLIS, IN THE CHAOS AND, UH, EMOTION OF LAST WEEK, UH, AND THE IMPORTANT WORK TO COME, UH, I'D LIKE US ALL TO JUST STOP FOR A BEAT AND REFLECT ON THIS MAN, UH, BEING THE FATHER WHO WAS LOST FOR YOU.

JUST TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

I, IN MEMORY OF HIS LIFE, THAT OUR WORK HERE CAN BE, UH, IN PART ATTRIBUTED TO HIM ALSO TO HAVE IN OUR THOUGHTS, THE FAMILIES OF MIKE RAMOS AND THE PEOPLE WHO RE-INJURED THIS WEEKEND.

JUST A MOMENT.

OKAY.

COLLEAGUES.

THANK YOU.

UM, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS IN FRONT OF US.

WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS SLATED FOR ACTION.

UM, DOES ANYBODY NEEDS TO DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN OR CAN WE PASS THAT STEP? GETTING GRANT FUNDING AND MOVE ON OR MOTION TO APPROVE THE GRANT FUNDING AND ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, COUNSELOR POOL MAKES THE MOTIONS FOR A SECOND.

THAT'S MY RIGHT TO REASSESS DISCUSSION.

FAIR QUESTION.

YES.

THERE ARE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.

WOULD WE BE HAVING AN ISSUE, NOT HEARING THOSE SPEAKERS BEFORE WE HOPE WE COULD.

I WAS MAKING PROPER, PERHAPS THE WRONG ASSUMPTION THAT PEOPLE WERE SIGNING UP THERE BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE OTHER ITEM.

UM, BUT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND HOLD OFF.

LET'S REMEMBER TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT ITEM BEFORE WE LEAVE TONIGHT SO THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION TOMORROW.

UH, SO IF YOU ALL WOULD HELP ME REMEMBER TO DO THAT, I WOULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

OKAY.

MAYOR.

YES.

UM, ALTHOUGH I THINK IT IS, UH, IT, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.

MINE IT'S ACCEPTING GRANT MONEY IS ACCEPTING GRANT MONEY.

UM, SO COULD STAFF EXPLAIN WHAT SEVEN IS MANAGERS? THERE'S SOMEONE HERE THAT COULD EXPLAIN THAT, OR NUMBER SEVEN ACM ARIANO CAN CHIME IN AS WELL, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS JUST ACCEPTING, UH, A GRANT FROM THE TEXAS MOTOR VEHICLE, CRIME PREVENTION, AUTHORITY.

UH, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST AND WE WOULD CONTINUE WITH THIS, BUT, UM, IT'S JUST THE ACCEPTANCE OF A GRANT.

YOU SEE MARIANNA, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? YOU MAY NOT BE ON?

[00:05:01]

OKAY.

WE GET A FURTHER EXPLANATION FROM THAT.

IF A RAY COMES BACK ON THE LINE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON IT NOW.

CAUSE I THINK THAT THE POINT'S WELL TAKEN, THAT THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP AND WE CAN'T BE SURE WHAT THEY WERE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ABOUT.

YES.

HI, THIS IS KAREN FITZGERALD WITH APD.

I'M THE GRANTS MANAGER.

DID YOU WANT ME TO GIVE A SUMMARY? THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

OKAY.

SO WE'RE REQUESTING A RESOLUTION.

THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW APD TO BUY FOR $430,685 AND CONTINUATION GRANT FUNDING FROM A STATE AGENCY, THE MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME PREVENTION AUTHORITY.

THE FOCUS OF THE GRANT IS MOTOR VEHICLE FOR CLERY, INCLUDING THEFT OF PARTS AND MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT IT'S CONTINUATION PROPOSAL.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY SUBMITTING THE EXACT SAME BUDGET AND NARRATIVE THAT WE DID IN 2019.

ALL FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED FOR FIVE POSITIONS, THREE SWORN TO CIVILIAN SPECIFICALLY THE GRANT WILL FUND 80% OF THE BASE SALARIES OF THREE DETECTIVE POSITIONS AND 100% OF THE BASE SALARIES AND FRINGE BENEFITS FOR AN ADMIN SPECIALIST.

WE'RE HIS LIAISON.

I HAVE THE GRANT APPLICATIONS DUE NEXT FRIDAY, JUNE 12TH.

AND THE REQUEST TO RESOLUTION HAS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE PROPOSAL FOR IT TO BE CONSIDERED VALID I'M UNFORTUNATELY I CHECKED THE GRAND TOUR DOES NOT PROVIDE EXTENSIONS ON THE APPLICATION DEADLINE.

SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS RESOLUTION, THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE TO APPLY A PERFORMANCE MEASURES WISE.

THE DETECTIVES, EACH DETECTIVE THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THE GRANT WORKS ABOUT 600 CASES ANNUALLY.

AND WE'VE HAD THIS GRANT SINCE I WANT TO SAY 1997 MAYOR.

YES, THIS IS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.

I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM USED TO BE CALLED THE AUTO THEFT PREVENTION ACT.

AND IT DID START BACK IN THE NINETIES.

I WAS WORKING AT TECH STOUT AT THE TIME I HAPPENED TO BE IN THE VEHICLE TITLING AND REGISTRATION DIVISION, AND THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM.

THE FUNDING COMING FROM THE STATE AT THE TIME THAT HELPED, UM, COMBAT, UM, UH, THE LOSS OF CARS, CARS WERE BEING STOLEN AND PARTS WERE BEING PILFERED AND STOLEN ON THE BLACK MARKET.

AND SO FOR THEM, THE PROPERTY OF FOLKS IN OUR STATE WHO OWNED CARS, THEY, UH, TECH START REALLY RELIED ON THIS PROGRAM TO, UM, BE ABLE TO COMBAT THE AUTO THEFT.

UH, I THINK IT'S MORPHED INTO WHAT IT IS NOW CALLED ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT PEOPLE TITLES AND REGISTRATION HAD MOVED OUT OF TEXTILE.

AND NOW IT'S AT SOUND STATE AGENCY.

THIS IS A LONG STANDING PROGRAM, PROBABLY 30 YEARS OLD.

AND, UM, FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER, UM, SINCE WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT VERY MUCH, IT IS DOING THE WORK THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO DO.

I WOULD URGE, UM, APPROVAL TO ALLOW OUR STAFF TO, UM, SUBMIT FOR THIS GRANT.

THANKS MAYOR .

AND THE REASON I'M SUPPORTING THIS IS THAT NOW MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST, UH, I BELIEVE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST AUTO THEFT GOING AROUND WHERE YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO AGE 35, AND PEOPLE MIGHT NOT WANT TO BELIEVE THIS, BUT THERE ARE GROUPS OF GANGS OUT THERE THAT THEIR WHOLE PURPOSE IS TO GO OUT AND STEAL VEHICLE AND SELL IT AND BREAK IT DOWN INTO PARTS AND SELL THEM OUT IN THE BLACK MARKET.

SO, YOU KNOW, W WE'RE WE'RE CONSTANTLY ALWAYS GETTING REPORTS OF VEHICLES BEING OUT OF OUR, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HERE OUT OF OUR PROPERTY.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I HAVE SUPPORTED THIS GRANT.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, I'M LUCKY ENOUGH THAT NO ONE WANTS TO STEAL MY VEHICLE, BUT, UH, IF, IF I DID HAVE ONE, I'D BE VERY AFRAID AND WOULD ALWAYS TRY TO KEEP IT INSIDE.

YOU HAVE A LOCK BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE STEALING VEHICLES.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF AT THIS POINT? YES.

PAMPERED TIME.

UM, IS IT ALL GRANT MONEY OR ARE THERE MATCHING CITY DOLLARS IN THIS PROGRAM? THERE IS THE MATCH.

UM, IT'S ABOUT, I WANT TO SAY 28% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS AND WE MATCH USING EXISTING CITY PERSONNEL SALARIES.

OKAY.

I'LL JUST ADD, I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR OBVIOUSLY

[00:10:01]

FROM THE SPEAKERS, BUT MMM.

THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLY TOUGH DISCUSSION.

WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE, AND PART OF THAT IS CHANGING THE WAY WE'VE DONE THINGS IN THE PAST.

SO, UM, I'LL JUST, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

OKAY.

ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? WE'LL PICK THIS ITEM UP AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

YOU'RE MUTED.

UM, I'M KIND OF TEETERED WITH SEEING THE VIDEO AND THE, MMM.

MAYBE I'LL WALK AWAY.

OH, WE DON'T HEAR YOU.

AND I CAN'T HEAR YOU, TARA.

I WILL TEXT YOU.

OKAY.

OKAY.

CAN'T REMEMBER HARPER, MADISON JUST WANTED TO ECHO DAY HIS CONCERNS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CLARITY.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, OKAY.

GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL.

[Item 1 (Part 1 of 2)]

I'LL GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO TALK.

OKAY.

MINUTE OR TWO, UH, THEN WE'LL, UH, RECOGNIZE THE CHIEF TOPEN AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE SPEAKERS.

UM, SOMEONE ON COUNCIL WANT TO, UH, TO SPEAK IF NO ONE'S GOING TO SPEAK THEN.

OKAY.

LET'S REMEMBER PAUL YOU'RE MUTED.

I KNOW.

SORRY.

MY MOUSE WAS BACKWARDS.

OKAY.

UM, I'VE ALREADY MADE MY REMARKS OFFICIALLY AT WORK SESSION AND THE STATEMENT THAT I PUT OUT ON MONDAY.

SO I WANT TO USE, UM, MY BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME TO OFFER FOR THE RECORD COMMENTS FROM TWO DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENTS THAT I GOT, WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, AND THEN MAKE ONE LAST POINT BRIEFLY AT THE END.

SO THE FIRST, UM, WRITER WAS, UH, A YOUNG MAN WHO WALKED HIS LETTER TO MY DOOR ON SUNDAY.

UM, AND HE WROTE THIS, THIS IS A LITTLE EXCERPT FROM WHAT HE WROTE YESTERDAY.

I ATTENDED THE PROTEST AT THE CAPITOL BUILDING AND POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

THE EVENTS WERE SCARY AND CONFUSING.

IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WITH EXTREME VITRIOL DEMONSTRATED BY MANY OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED ON ALL SIDES OF THIS LARGER ISSUE OF POLICING AND CITIZENRY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND HEAR MY CITY OFFICIALS, PARTICULARLY NON LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS, DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO CALL THEM THIS DIRE SITUATION THAT IS ENGULFING OUR POPULACE.

AND THEN I GOT A EMAIL FROM OUR GOOD FRIEND, ROY WHALEY, WHO ISN'T TABLED TO COME SPEAK TO US TODAY.

AND SO THIS IS THE SECOND OF THE TWO THAT I WANTED TO READ FROM ROY WHALEY.

I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO SPEAK TOMORROW.

SO IT'S NOT TO TAKE TIME AWAY FROM OTHERS OF ALL THE THINGS I HAVE TO SAY.

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, NO MORE BEAN BAGS FIRED IN TO THE CROWDS.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT ANYONE HAS TO BE TOLD THIS DEAL WITH THE SITUATION, PLEASE, AND THEN GET TO THE REAL WORK NEEDED FOR SOCIAL AND RACIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FOR ALL, MAKE REAL CHANGE, SACRIFICE YOUR CAREERS FOR THIS.

DON'T JUST SAY A BUNCH OF WORDS AND FOLLOW UP WITH WINDOW DRESSING ACTIONS

[00:15:01]

TO DEAL WITH RACISM.

WE ALL MUST LOOK INSIDE OURSELVES TO SEE WHERE IT'S LURKING IN BEHIND OUR LIBERAL SELF PERCEPTIONS, NOT BIGOTRY.

I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF YOU ARE BIGOTS, NOR AM I JUST IMPERFECT.

IT'S INEVITABLE BECAUSE OF THE SOCIETY WE ARE RAISED IN AND LIVE IN.

NO MATTER HOW SOME OF US TRY THE BLIND SPOTS ARE STILL THERE.

I DO MY BEST AND PRAY FOR HELP.

WHEREVER IT MAY COME, PLEASE DO THE SAME WITH LOVE, OR AT LEAST AS MUCH AS I CAN MUSTER IN THESE TIMES RIGHT AWAY.

AND SO TO CLOSE, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE SOMETHING I SAID ON TUESDAY, PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING POLICED WHEN THEY SHOULD FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING PROTECTED.

AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS POINT.

THE POLICE ARE ONE VERY VISIBLE PART OF THE REFORM WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND WORK ON, BUT I'M COMMITTED TO ROOTING OUT THE INEQUITIES THAT ARE SYSTEM-WIDE.

AND IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE BUILD TRUST AND RESILIENCE IN AUSTIN.

IT'S HARD AND IT'S NECESSARY.

TUESDAY.

I FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY POLICING DONE, RIGHT? THAT APPROACH HELPS BUILD THE RESILIENCE THAT WE SO NEED, BUT WE MUST BUILD TRUST.

WE DO THAT THROUGH PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.

THAT'S THE BASIS FOR THE PIECE THAT WE ARE ALL SO DESPERATE FOR.

AND THAT'S THE AUSTIN WAY.

WE HAVE TO STOP THE MILITARIZATION IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THAT'S THE CULTURE CHANGE WE DESPERATELY NEED AND FOCUS FIERCELY ON BUILDING RESILIENCE.

THANKS.

THANK YOU.

AS A MILLIONAIRE.

YES, MARY, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP HERE IN AUSTIN, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IN THE SIXTIES, 50 SIXTIES AND OTHER RACIAL HATE WERE JUST OUT OPEN THERE.

WASN'T I MEAN, WE LIVED IN A SEGREGATED CITY AND IT WAS WRITTEN ALL OVER THE WALL.

OH, COLORS HERE, COLOR ONLY OVER HERE.

WHEN YOU COULDN'T SIT AT THE COUNTER, HE COULDN'T SIT AT THE FRONT OF THE BUS.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY I GREW UP HERE.

AND THEN IN THE SEVENTIES, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR BROWN COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY.

OUR EIGHT YEAR OLD CAN REMEMBER HIS EFFECT.

A, HE WENT TO THE LITTLE LOCAL GROCERY STORE RIGHT ACROSS, HE LIVED IN SANTA RITA EVERY RIGHT ACROSS WHERE ONE IN A MILLION IN SANTA RITA.

AND HE WENT INTO THE GROCERY STORE AND STILL ONE LOAF OF BREAD THAT HE WAS HUNGRY AND A POLICE OFFICER SAW HIM RUNNING AND KILLED HIM.

YEAH, THAT WAS A KIND OF, THAT WAS A TIME WHEN THAT WAS IT.

WE WOULD NOT GOING TO TOLERATE.

WE WENT TO THE STREET, WE DEMONSTRATED, WE HAD ANOTHER BOTHER THAT CALLED THE POLICE OFFICER AND HIS, HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH HIS SON AND HE IS ENDED UP GETTING SHOT BY THE POLICE OFFICER.

THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON YEAR AFTER YEAR.

YOU KNOW, I TRIED DOING COMMUNITY POLICING, YOU KNOW, IT WORKED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

I TRY TO PROMOTE IT ALL OVER THE CITY.

AND EVERY TIME WE THOUGHT WE GOTTEN, WHEN I GOT ELECTED, I TRIED TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY POLICING HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND EVERY TIME WE GOT CLOSE, IT WAS ALWAYS SOMEBODY THAT HAD TO MESS IT UP IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BY SHOOTING SOMEONE OR THROWING THEM OUT OF THE CAR.

AND THEY GOT TO STOP.

I MEAN, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND IMMEDIATELY ADOPT THE EIGHT POLICIES THAT OBAMA WAS TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY.

YOU KNOW, THE POLICIES THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT HE ADVOCATED FOR.

AND I'M SURE MAYOR THAT YOU HEARD IT BECAUSE HE REACHED OUT TO ALL THE MAYORS OF ALL THE CITY.

YEAH.

CANNOT WAIT.

WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES.

YOU KNOW, BANDIT, CHUCK COLES, AND THE STRANGULATION HOLES REQUIRED THIS DEESCALATION, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE ONE.

AND BEFORE YOU SHOOT EXHAUST, OTHER MEANS BEFORE YOU SHOOT, YOU KNOW, INTERVENE, DO WE NEED TO INTERVENE, YOU KNOW, BAND SHOOTING AT MOVING VEHICLES.

I MEAN, WE ENDED UP LOSING MICHAEL RAMAT KNOW, AND HE WAS, HE GREW UP IN EAST AUSTIN AND HE WAS A BOXER WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER AND, YOU KNOW, HE BOX IT OR A GYM HERE AT THE SUMMIT.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE YOU.

SO, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ADOPT A POLICY IMMEDIATELY THAT SHOWED THAT, UH, THE, UH, CITIZENS OF BOSTON THAT WE REALLY ARE CONCERNED.

AND WE REALLY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ARE WE REALLY GOING TO CHANGE? AND IF WE IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES IMMEDIATELY, I MEAN THE NEXT DAY, AND THEN COME BACK AND WE'LL WORK ON THE TRAINING PROCESS THAT WAS GOING TO BE NEEDED.

THAT OUR COLLEAGUE, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, UM, NATASHA,

[00:20:02]

YOU KNOW, BROUGHT UP.

I MEAN, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO REALLY START DOING.

NOW.

WE CANNOT NOT WAIT.

YOU KNOW, I I'M SO FAT AND SICK AND TIRED OF, I DEMONSTRATE IT SO MANY TIMES ON OUR STREETS HERE IN AUSTIN, OVER THE POLICE BRUTALITY.

I MEAN, I'M OVER 50 YEARS OF ARCHING HERE.

HOW MANY, HOW MANY YEARS MORE DO I HAVE TO DO TO MARCH TO PROTEST? YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THIS STOP, WE NEED IT TO STOP AND STOP NOW.

OKAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS WEEKEND REVEAL THE SAD TRUTH.

ONE THAT MANY PEOPLE ALREADY KNEW AND OTHERS UNFORTUNATELY TREAT WITH DENIAL.

WE DISCOVER THAT AUSTIN IS BROKEN FOR YEARS.

THE DIVISIONS IN OUR SOCIETY HAVE GROWN INTO GIANT CANYONS OF DISTRUST AND DESPAIR.

AND WHAT WE WITNESSED THIS WEEKEND IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

WE SOMETIMES FORGET THAT STONEWALL WAS A RIOT AGAINST UNFAIR AND BRUTAL POLICING LED BY TRANS WOMEN OF COLOR AND COMMEMORATED IN JUNE AND CELEBRATED WITH FESTIVALS AND PARADES.

WE DON'T NEED PARADES RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED ANSWERS.

WE NEED JUSTICE.

WE NEED REFORM.

WE NEED IT.

NOW THAT INCLUDES CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP AND CHANGES IN THE BUDGET TONIGHT.

I LISTEN FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES AND FOR AS MANY MEETINGS AND HEARINGS I'LL LISTEN.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I COMMIT TO GETTING THIS WORK DONE WITHOUT DELAY WORK.

THAT INCLUDES DISMANTLING WHITE SUPREMACY AND ALL ITS FORMS. AND IN RESPECT FOR THE LONG LIST OF NAMES, WE MUST SAY LIKE GEORGE FLOYD, TONY MCDADE AND MIKE RAMOS BLACK LIVES MATTER, BUT I CAN'T BREATHE WITHOUT IT FOR THE REST OF MY TIME TO THE COMMUNITY BEING DIRECTLY AFFECTED.

THANK YOU.

WE ARE PRETENDING.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IN TWO MINUTES AND IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY HARD.

SO FORGIVE ME IF I READ IT.

UM, MOST OF MY COMMENTS AND THIS WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN IN A ROOM WITH OUR CHIEF, I'LL BE AT VIRTUAL RIGHT NOW AND EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN APD LEADERSHIP.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME I EXPRESSED TO GROUP THAT I'VE BEEN THAT I WAS AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF CHIEF MANLEY, BUT HAVE BECOME INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT FELT AND WHAT FEELS LIKE COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR THE REFORM EFFORTS IS COUNCIL HAS CONSISTENTLY TRIED TO IMPLEMENT.

AND IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EXPRESSED TO A GROUP THAT MY FAITH AND OUR POLICE LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN SHAKEN.

I KNOW THAT THESE ARE INCREDIBLY TOUGH TIMES FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR OFFICERS.

THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY ARE ALWAYS HARD AND POSSIBLY HARDER FOR ME BECAUSE OF MY PUBLIC SAFETY BACKGROUND.

AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT, THERE WERE MEMBERS OF MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES.

AS POLICE OFFICERS, MY FRIEND, MY FAMILY HAS FRIENDS WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO SERVE AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THOSE FRIENDS ARE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME AND SOME OF THEM ARE BORN AND RAISED.

HE STARTS TONIGHT.

I KNOW ALL THESE PEOPLE TO BE HONORABLE AND TO BE GREAT AT PUBLIC SERVANTS.

BUT I ALSO KNOW OUR POLICE OFFICERS BEHAVE AS THEY ARE TRAINED TO, AS THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BY THEIR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IN AN INCREDIBLY TOUGH POSITION.

IT'S SOMETHING WE UNDERSTAND WHEN WE TAKE THIS JOB, WE ARE RIGHTFULLY EXPECTED BY THE PEOPLE THAT PUTS US IN THESE SEATS TO RESPOND TO COSTS FOR CHANGE.

I TRULY BELIEVE THERE IS A SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO DEMAND POLICE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND POLICE REFORM WHILE UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT OUR COMMUNITY SO DESPERATELY NEEDS TO HEAR.

NOW MORE THAN THAT, OUR LEADERS ARE LISTENING.

THIS COUNCIL CAN PASS RESOLUTIONS ALL DAY EVERY DAY, BUT THEY MEAN NOTHING.

IF APD LEADERSHIP CONTINUALLY CHOOSES TO IGNORE THAT POLICY DIRECTION, WE MUST PASS IMMEDIATE REFORMS AND WORK ON LARGER INSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THESE CALLS FOR CHANGE ARE BEING ANSWERED

[00:25:01]

BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE MUST LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY DEMANDING CHANGE, AND I AM PREPARED TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO ENSURE THAT CHANGE.

THERE REALLY IS NO ALTERNATIVE.

THANK YOU, KIM.

THANK YOU.

SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO TALK.

THAT'S REMEMBER ALICE.

WE MAKE SURE I'M UN-MUTED I KNOW THIS IS A DIFFICULT DAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO THIS ISSUE, BUT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

UM, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THIS WEEKEND SHOULD NOT BE REFLECTIVE OF AUSTIN, BUT SADLY IT APPARENTLY IS.

IT IS ALSO A SIDE OF AUSTIN THAT IS EXPERIENCED DISPROPORTIONATELY BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF COLOR.

AND THAT MUST CHANGE.

THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS BEGUN WORK TO ADDRESS ALLEGATIONS OF RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA, AND A CULTURE OF OVER-POLICING IN CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WELL UNDER POLICING AND OTHERS, THE TACTICS REFERRED TO AS LESS LETHAL ARE CLEARLY NOT.

NON-LETHAL THREE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL WITH THEIR LIVES FOREVER CHANGED BY THE EVENTS OF THIS WEEKEND.

AND THE SO CALLED BEANBAGS ARE NOT THAT AT ALL, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A GAME WHO IS MAKING THESE CALLS.

WE CLEARLY HAVE SOME OFFICERS STANDING RESPECTFULLY AND OTHERS READY TO SHOOT, AND THEY'RE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

I STAND WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN ANGER AND DISBELIEF, AND I PROMISE TO BE AN ALLY AND TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND IT ABSOLUTELY BIKES MY HEART TO SEE THIS RIGHT HERE AT HOME.

I AM HERE TO LISTEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SEE TODAY AND WHO HAVE EMAILED AND WHO HAVE CALLED US OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS.

AND I ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESSES BEING FOLLOWED OR BROKEN WITHIN THE VERY SAME POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT ALL IN AUSTIN HAVE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT, RIGHT TO PEACEABLY ASSEMBLE.

WE MUST ENSURE THAT VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR CITIZENS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INJURED THIS WEEKEND AND THEIR FAMILIES, I KNEEL WITH YOU BECAUSE BLACK LIVES MATTER.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WANTED TO START BY THANKING ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY AT WHAT IS REALLY AN EMOTIONAL AND PIVOTAL TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY.

UM, MANY OF, MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THAT THROUGHOUT THIS LAST SEVERAL DAYS, WE'VE RECEIVED LOTS OF PHONE CALLS.

WE'VE RECEIVED MORE THAN 8,000 EMAILS AT THIS POINT.

AND TODAY WE HAVE MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN ANY OF THOSE WAYS IN THIS CONVERSATION.

I WANT TO THANK YOU.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH, UM, FOR SHARING YOUR, YOUR CONCERNS AND YOUR HOPES AND YOUR IDEAS FOR HOW TOGETHER WE CAN FORGE A MORE, JUST, JUST AN EQUITABLE AUSTIN.

MY HEART, UM, LIKE ALL OF YOURS IS WITH THE GRIEVING FAMILY OF GEORGE LLOYD AND THE FAR TOO MANY WOMEN AND MEN OF COLOR WHO HAVE SUFFERED THE GREATEST INJUSTICE OF A VIOLENT DEATH AT THE HANDS OF POLICE.

AND ALONG WITH, WITH YOU, I'M OUTRAGED AND DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH AND ALSO IN DEMANDING A FULL AND TRANSPARENT INVESTIGATION OF THE DEATH OF MIKE RAMOS HERE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVENTS THAT TRANSPIRED OVER THE LAST WEEKEND TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED HERE IN AUSTIN.

I APOLOGIZE.

I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU WERE INJURED WHEN YOU CAME DOWNTOWN TO BE PRESENT, TO RAISE YOUR VOICE, TO GIVE VOICE TO VALID CONCERNS.

AND I SEND MY DEEPEST WISHES AND MOST SINCERE WISHES FOR A FULL RECOVERY, YOU KNOW, WHILE OUR COMMUNITY IS EXPERIENCING THE SHOCK AND TRAUMA OVER WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THOSE ACROSS THE NATION.

THE REALITY IS SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SAID TODAY IS THAT THESE EVENTS HAVE REALLY ONLY JUST SHOWN A LIGHT ON WHAT WAS ALWAYS THERE IN AUSTIN, AS WELL AS IN EVERY COMMUNITY, A DEEP HISTORY OF SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT WE AS A SOCIETY AND I, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE, TO

[00:30:01]

DISMANTLE AND TO ERADICATE.

I SUPPORT MEANINGFUL POLICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM HERE IN AUSTIN, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING THOSE OFFICERS WHO ARE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY WITH FAIRNESS, COURAGE, AND DIGNITY.

I SUPPORT THE REFORMS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS CALLED FOR WITH REGARD TO POLICE TRAINING AND PROTOCOL.

AND I KNOW THAT SYSTEMIC RACISM AND INEQUITIES EXIST ACROSS ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS, THOSE SYSTEMS THAT ARE CREATING BARRIERS TO HOUSING, TO HEALTHCARE, TO EDUCATION AND JOBS AND MORE SO FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S MEETING, I COMMIT TO YOU TODAY.

AND FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES, I WILL BE PRESENT TO LISTEN AND TO LEARN FROM YOU AND FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND FROM THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN THIS WORK.

UM, AND AS IMPORTANTLY TO JOIN WITH YOU IN MULTIPLE ACTION MEMBER KITCHEN, UM, THANK YOU.

UM, I WANT TO, UM, I WANT TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES AND BE, BE VERY CLEAR TO I'M FREEZING.

YOU MAY NEED TO COME BACK.

COUNCIL MEMBER HATER.

DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK? YES.

THANK YOU.

SO I WANT TO START BY THANKING THE THOUSANDS OF EMAIL, MY OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO'VE CALLED TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES WITH US.

UM, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M LISTENING.

I'VE SEEN MANY OF THE VIDEOS AND PHOTOS FROM THE LAST WEEK, AND I HAVE A LOT OF SERIOUS QUESTIONS THAT DEMAND ANSWERS.

IT'S CLEAR THAT AS A CITY AND AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

I WANT TO BE HERE TODAY AND MOVING FORWARD TO LISTEN.

AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY OUR NEXT STEPS FOR ME, I'M APPROACHING THESE ISSUES, NOT ONLY AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, BUT ALSO AS A MOTHER.

I'M THINKING OF THE MOTHERS OF MY GRANDMAS AND GEORGE FLOYD AND THE MOTHERS WHO WORRY EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE TIME THEIR KID WALKS OUT THEIR DOOR IN OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR COUNTRY, NO PARENT OR CHILD SHOULD HAVE THIS PERVASIVE FEAR WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR HOME.

I BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE CHANGE.

WHEN WE HAVE HONEST CONVERSATIONS AND FOLLOW OUR WORDS WITH ACTION.

WE HAVE MANY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH DECISIONS AHEAD OF US IN THE COMING DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND CARE THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE PUT INTO THE THOUGHTS YOU'RE SHARING WITH US TODAY.

MY HOPE THAT AUSTIN CAN BE A LEADER IN MOVING US FORWARD AS A COUNTRY, WE ARE ALL HERE TO CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT IS FAIR AND JUST WHERE EVERY AUSTINITE CAN FEEL SAFE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY WITH US.

THAT'S, WE'RE CONCERNED THE LAST 24 HOURS, I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH BRENDA AND I'M MOST LIKE SMALL.

I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH EDWIN AYALA.

UH, BROTHER, UH, LEVI WHO'S IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW.

AND IN THE FIVE YEARS IN THIS JOB, I'LL TELL YOU THAT NEVER GET USED TO THOSE PHONE CALLS.

I'M GLAD THAT WE'LL BE HEARING FROM EDWIN TODAY.

I THANK GOD THAT LEVI IS ALIVE AND JUST IN HOWL IS ALIVE AND OTHERS, UM, HAVE, HAVE SURVIVED, BUT MANY HAVE SUFFERED REAL, REAL HARM.

MIKE RAMOS SHOULD BE ALIVE TOO.

THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE OUT PROTESTING.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE OUT PROTESTING IN A PANDEMIC IT'S THAT PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO SO THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND.

AND IT'S UP TO US NOW TO RESPOND.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE NOW NOT ONLY HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE POLICE KILLINGS.

WE ALSO HAVE TO RESPOND TO WHAT, HOW THE POLICE HANDLED THIS WEEKEND.

PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE IN THE HOSPITAL FOR ATTENDING A DEMONSTRATION IT'S UNEXPECTED.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT SPEAKERS WILL BE COMING TO SHARE THEIR STORIES TODAY.

I WISH THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO, BUT ONCE YOU'RE DONE TESTIFYING, THE BALL IS CLEARLY AN ARTICLE.

I SHARE THE DISAPPOINTMENTS OF LEADERSHIP SHARED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN POLICING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, FROM BUDGET TO POLICY TO PERSONNEL.

YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT POLICE ENFORCEMENTS CAN'T BE OUR PRIMARY TOOL FOR DEALING WITH SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN THIS CITY.

[00:35:01]

AND ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WE'VE GOT TO START MAKING A MEDIA CHANGE.

AND I'VE BEEN TALKING TO COLLEAGUES ABOUT SOME OF THAT BEING AS SOON AS OUR NEXT VOTING SESSION NEXT WEEK, THAT MEANS BANNING EXPLICITLY BANNING THE CHOKE HOLDS THAT KILLED GEORGE FLOYD AND ERIC GARNER.

IT MEANS NOT ALLOWING TEAR GAS AND USE IMPACT MUNITIONS TO BE USED AGAINST PEOPLE JUST EXPRESSING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

IT MEANS ADOPTING SOME OF THOSE AIDS KIDS WEIGHTS, AND ACTUALLY JUST GETTING THROUGH, GETTING ALL EIGHT OF THEM DONE AS COUNCIL MEMBER AT ENTITY.

I MENTIONED AS SOON AS OUR NEXT VOTING SESSION, THAT MEANS ALL OF US ON THE DICE HERE TRYING MEANS AUSTIN TRYING TRY THE BEST WE CAN TO BE WHO IT IS.

WE SAY WE ARE.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.

UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? IS THIS, IS THIS, UH, WELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY TO ADD MY VOICES, TO ADD MY VOICE, TO WHAT OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.

UM, FIRST OFF I, UM, I JUST WANT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT I AM, I I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE RIGHT WORDS, BUT I AM GREATLY DISTURBED.

I AM APPALLED AND VERY SAD.

AND WHAT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND IN AUSTIN? UM, AS I SAID, AS I SAID A FEW DAYS AGO, UM, IT IS, AND I THINK AS OTHERS MAY HAVE SAID IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE THAT PEOPLE ARE INJURED BY THE POLICE IN OUR CITY THAT CANNOT CONTINUE.

WE CANNOT HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THAT EVEN BECOMES A POSSIBILITY AND WE ALL ARE, DO ALL ARE, DO AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AND COMPLETE REVIEW OF THESE INCIDENTS.

AND WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I DO, UM, I DO RESPECT AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO SERVE OUR CITY HONORABLY.

I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE FAILED IN OUR SOCIETY BY, UM, OFTEN BY NOT INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE AND ENDING UP WITH SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS STOOL.

BUT, BUT IT IS NECESSARY.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND NOT UP FOR DEBATE THAT WE HOLD OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE LEADERSHIP AND OUR CHIEF ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

WE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

WE SUPPORT OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND WE SUPPORT THOSE WHO HONORABLY SERVE OUR CITY.

WHEN WE HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR MEETING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS.

I MEAN, THIS IS A CITY WE SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD BE THE BEST IN, IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT WE ARE FAR FROM IT AS WE CAN SEE WE, WE HOLD, WE, WE SUPPORT OUR OFFICERS WHEN WE HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR MEETING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT OF OUR CITY.

THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT OF OUR POLICE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY EXPECT OF THEIR DEPARTMENT.

AND SO, UM, I AM, I AM ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO LISTEN TODAY.

I KNOW, I KNOW IT MUST BE VERY, VERY HARD.

I KNOW IT IS VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND TALK WITH US ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM, WHAT THEY SAW HAPPEN.

UM, AND IT IS, IT IS, UM, VERY DIFFICULT AND I APPRECIATE SO MUCH YOU COMING, YOU CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT.

SO I AM ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO LISTENING TODAY.

AND THEN I WILL ALL OF MY HEART AND MY MIND AND IN COLLABORATION WITH YOU AND WITH MY COLLEAGUES FOR FUNDAMENTAL, IMMEDIATE CHANGE.

AND I APPRECIATE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASARA HAS MENTIONED.

AND OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THIS.

I MEAN, WE CAN DO THIS, WE HAVE TO DO THIS AND WE MUST IMMEDIATELY MAKE CHANGE.

AND SO, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING WITH US.

I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY.

THANK YOU.

AS ARE THE HARPER MADISON, DO YOU WANT TO GO BEFORE OR AFTER ME? YEAH, THE CHAIR.

I'LL LET YOU MAKE THE CALL AND I'M GOING TO GO FIRST AND LET YOU CLOSE.

IT'S

[00:40:01]

REALLY CLEAR THAT THIS IS THE MOMENT TO STAND AGAINST INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES.

WE HAVE TO RISE TO THIS OCCASION.

WE HAVE TO DELIVER ACCOUNTABILITY, WRONGS AND DISMANTLE THE DENIALS OF BASIC JUSTICE.

NO CHANGE IS UNCOMFORTABLE.

THAT'S OKAY.

IT MUST LEAN IN TO HAVE REAL ACTION.

I BELIEVE THAT WE CANNOT HAVE OUR PLACE SHOOTING INTO CROWDS OF PROTESTERS, RIGHT? TO PROTEST, AND TO DISRUPT, CANNOT BE FRAUGHT WITH HERE.

THAT ISSUE THAT LED ME TO JOIN WITH COLLEAGUES TO SET THIS DELIBERATION AND CONVERSATION TODAY, TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO DEMONSTRATIONS IN THIS CITY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OVER TIME.

WE DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ENCOURAGING EXPRESSION AND KEEPING EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, PROTECTED DEMONSTRATORS, POLICE OFFICERS, BUSINESS OWNERS.

WE HAVE TO START SEEING EACH OTHER AS PART OF ONE COMMUNITY RISE AND FALL TOGETHER.

WE SHOULD NOT FOLLOW ANY VOICES THAT SUGGEST OTHERWISE WE SHOULD NOT FOLLOW ANY VOICES THAT SUGGEST THAT QUESTIONS AND CRITICISMS OF POLICE, TACTICS AND PROTOCOLS ARE SOMEHOW INDICTMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICERS OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE HOPE THAT IN AUSTIN, WE CAN HAVE A POLICE FORCE.

WE CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY THAT LOOKS AND FEELS LIKE THE AUSTIN THAT WE ASPIRE TO BE THE PROTESTS THAT I PLAYED ON LOCALLY.

SINCE GEORGE FLOYD'S KILLING, I FOCUSED OUR ATTENTION ON MR. FLOYD'S SENSELESS, DEATH KILLING AND MIKE GRANDMA'S HERE IN AUSTIN AND OF OTHER BLACK PEOPLE WHOSE INTERACTIONS WITH POLICE TURNED FATAL WITH AN ALARMING REGULARITY, ANGUISH, BLACK MEN AND WOMEN.

ALL AGENTS HAVE BEEN JOINED BY NEIGHBORS OF ALL STRIPES AND BELIEFS TO DECLARE THAT THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE AIR DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND THIS COUNCIL HERE'S THAT I HEARD SOMEONE SAY RECENTLY THAT THEY WERE TIRED OF LIVING IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES, WHICH WAS A FUNNY WAY OF SAYING THAT IT'S HARD TO OVERSTATE.

HOW COMPLICATED A MOMENT LIKE THIS IS IN OUR HISTORY.

WE ARE FINALLY, IT SEEMS YOU NEED TO TAKE ON INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THAT THAT ENTAILS.

I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE FINALLY READY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DEMONSTRATIONS.

I AM THE, THE CHEERLEADER ON COVID AND THE VIRUS.

I AM ALARMED THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY OR OUR DAILY AVERAGE OF HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IS INCREASING.

AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT IMPACT ON POPULATIONS, HOLLER, AND ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS VIRUS.

I WANT AS MANY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE HERE TO EXPERIENCE THE MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BUILD TOGETHER.

THAT MAKES BEING SMART AND PREPARE FOR THE CHOICE TO GO OUT INTO THE CROWDS DURING THIS PANDEMIC, YOUR HEART CALLS YOU OUT TO PROTEST.

PLEASE SAY ASKED TO THE DEGREE THAT YOU CAN PLEASE MAINTAIN AS MUCH DISTANCE AS POSSIBLE.

I BELIEVE IN PROTEST.

I AGREE WITH MY FRIEND AND MENTOR OR THAT PIERCE PER THAT THE PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON TILLOTSON JUST SAID TO HER HOUSTON TILLOTSON COMMUNITY TO STAND SHOULDER, TO SHOULDER AS WARRIORS WARRIORS WHO MUST SMART AND STRATEGIC ANNOUNCING VIOLENCE WARRIORS, WHO RECOGNIZE THAT VIOLENCE IS NOT SMART AND IN NO WAY, STRATEGIC VIOLENCE, NEITHER ERADICATION OR DISMANTLES, ANYTHING BESIDES HARDWIRED HARD WON PROGRESS.

VIOLENCE IS NOT THE WAY.

I ALSO WANT TO CALL OUT THE MOMENTS OF GRACE THAT WE HAVE WITNESSED DURING THE PROTESTS OF THE AMONG PROTESTORS AND OUR POLICE.

THERE WERE PEOPLE PICKING UP TRASH IT 35 STRANGERS COMFORTED ONE ANOTHER AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND FLOWED FROM THE COMMUNITY TO HELP MAKE SMALL BUSINESSES ALL AGAIN, THROUGHOUT HISTORY, PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, INCLUDING MOHAMMAD GANDHI AND MARTIN LUTHER KING HAVE USED THEIR BODIES TO DISRUPT DAILY LIFE WHERE THEY COMFORT AND TO COMMAND THE ATTENTION OF THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

YES, PROTESTS ARE DISRUPTIVE.

THEY ARE MEANT

[00:45:01]

TO BE BY INTERRUPTING BUSINESSES.

USUAL PROTESTS ARE ALSO DISRUPT PATTERNS OF THOUGHT AND POLICY AND IMPORTANT WAYS.

MANY OF OUR BANDS IN OUR ARC TOWARD JUSTICE HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF PROTEST.

MY MESSAGE.

EVERY BLACK PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO IS ANGUISHED BY RECENT EVENTS, EVERY MOTHER WHO SEES HER OWN CHILD AND MIKE GRANDMAS AND GEORGE FLOYD IS THIS.

I WANT THESE PROTESTS TO REAL CHANGE, AND I WANT YOU TO SEE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON.

UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UM, AND THANK YOU TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR SHARING YOUR HEARTFELT WORDS.

UM, ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS BY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO CRY AGAIN, IF I NEED TO, UM, I WENT THROUGH A PRETTY GREAT DEAL OF EMBARRASSMENT ABOUT CRYING IN FRONT OF Y'ALL ON TUESDAY.

SO I'M GONNA TRY TO NOT DO THAT AGAIN TODAY.

UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT YOUR WORDS ARE, ARE INSPIRING.

AND I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HEARTFELT, BUT I WOULD FEEL LIKE WE'D BE REMISSED TO TAKE ONE MORE MINUTE OF THIS MEETING AND NOT HAVE OUR POLICE CHIEF NOT SHOW HIS FACE.

SHE'S MANLY.

I IMPLORE YOU WHEN THESE PEOPLE COME BEFORE YOU, IF YOU COULDN'T DO IT FOR MY COLLEAGUES, WHEN THESE CHIEF WILL COME BEFORE YOU TO SHARE THEIR PART WITH YOU, I WANT THEM TO LOOK AT YOU WHEN THEY DO IT.

AND I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THEM.

I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

UM, THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT RUMORS.

I'M HEARING ABOUT PROVOCATE TOURS.

WE HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF TAKING WHAT SHOULD BE A MOMENT FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, TOO RECOGNIZED.

THE LIVES LOST TOO SOON.

A VERY LONG LIST OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE TURNS OUT THERE'S THE WHITE PEOPLE ON THAT LIST TOO.

AND I'M NOT SURE DISREGARDING THEM FOR A MOMENT, BUT TODAY, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS HOW BLACK LIVES MATTER.

BLACK LIFE MATTERS.

IF THAT'S NOT WHY YOU WERE OUT HERE DEMONSTRATING.

IF YOU'RE A PERSON WHO WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH YOUR AGENDA.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT BLACK LIFE, THE DEB BLESS HAD SHAME ON YOU, BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO MAY FIND THEMSELVES ALONGSIDE THESE PEOPLE DO NOT LET THEM SWAY YOU OR CONFUSE YOUR MISSION.

IF YOUR GOAL WAS TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BLACK LIFE, DON'T LET PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THERE'S A PARTY WHO THINKS THIS IS LOLLAPALOOZA OUT HERE AND THEY'RE HAVING A BREAK TIME.

DON'T LET THOSE PEOPLE CONFUSE YOU AND DON'T LET THEM GET YOU IN TROUBLE OR GET YOU HURT.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT PERSON DON'T DEAL WITH THEM.

IF SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO HAND YOU SOMETHING AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SOMETHING YOU OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE WITHOUT THEM HANDING YOU THAT THING AND TELLING YOU TO THROW IT, I AM BEGGING YOU TO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE CONFUSE YOU AND THE MISSION RIGHT NOW, THEN I'LL GO ON TO SAY THIS, IF I MAY, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE BRIEF.

I ALREADY SAID IT THE TIME FOR US CONTINUING TO TALK.

AND, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A SLIGHT AGAINST ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES.

I'M JUST SAYING WE'RE TIRED OF TALKING AND I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE FEELING BAD.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S INTENDED TO SOUND LIKE THIS, BUT WHEN YOU SAY YOU MUST FEEL SO BAD RIGHT NOW, YOU MUST BE SO SAD RIGHT NOW, WE ALL SHOULD FEEL BAD AND FEEL SAD.

THIS IS NOT MINE OR THAT OF ANY OTHER BLACK OR BROWN OR OTHERWISE MARGINALIZED PERSON.

THIS IS ALL OF OURS.

[00:50:01]

WE ALL SHOULD FEEL SAD AND MAD AND DEMAND THAT WE STOP TALKING.

THE OUTCRY FOR JUSTICE IT'S BEEN PRESENT, BUT WE DIDN'T ANSWER IT.

SO WHEN THE PRISON OUTCRY WAS THEN ANSWERED HERE WE ARE RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, SINCE THE DAY, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY WAS FOUNDED.

EVERYTHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WAS INCLUDED RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW AT THIS MOMENT, IT JUST SO HAPPENS.

IT'S THE LOUDEST IT'S EVER BEEN, BUT IT'S NOT A NEW SOUND.

THERE ARE JUST SOME FOLKS WHO WERE ABLE TO IGNORE THE SOUND WHO WERE ABLE TO GAS, LIGHT PEOPLE AND TELL THEM THAT THEIR CONCERNS WEREN'T VALID.

WELL, TOM DIDN'T SHOW UP NO MORE TIME FOR TALKING NO MORE TIME FOR TALKING IN CIRCLES.

FOR SURE.

IT'S TIME TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.

I CAN'T WAIT TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE TO TELL US THEIR TRUTH, BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THEY'VE BEEN TELLING US THEIR TRUTH FOR GENERATIONS, HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF PEOPLE SAYING THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE.

AND IN THE MODERN DAY ERA OF BEING ABLE TO CLICK ON THE DRAMATIC ASS VIDEOS, BY THE WAY, PEOPLE BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SHARE, PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

THE CONTINUATION OF TRAUMA DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL ANY MORE COMPELLED TO SPEAK MY TRUTH.

I WAS ALREADY TELLING YOU ALL MY TRUTH, BE CAREFUL.

AND PLEASE BE GENTLE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH PRESENT TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

THERE'S NO POST IT'S RIGHT NOW.

IT'S EVERY DAY.

AND AS WE NAVIGATE THAT SPACE, I WANT FOLKS TO KNOW.

WE HEARD YOU, YOU SEE, YOU WERE ABOUT TO HEAR FROM MORE OF YOU.

AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US THE TRUTH AND WE NEED TO HEAR YOU.

WE NEED ACTION.

WE NEED JUSTICE AND WE NEED IT RIGHT NOW.

I, SOMEBODY REACHED OUT TO ME TO TELL ME THAT MY WORDS, AS OF LATE, MADE THEM FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE THAT THEY WERE TOO AGGRESSIVE, NOT LADYLIKE TO THINGS I NEVER TOLD Y'ALL.

I WAS A LADY AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT MAKING PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

WE NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER AND WE NEED TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.

AND WE HAVE TO DO IT AS A COMMUNITY BOUND BY THE RECOGNITION OF THE TRUTH.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I GOT TO BE HONEST WITH.

YOU IT'S TAKEN EVERYTHING.

I HAVE TO STAY IN MY CHAIR AND NOT CRY.

AND I JUST, I WILL CLOSE WITH THIS.

THANK YOU TO EVERY PERSON WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR TRUTH WITH US TODAY, I WILL KEEP MY CAMERA ON.

EVEN IF MY KIDS COME IN, EVEN IF MY DOG BARKS MY CAMERA'S ON.

CAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I SEE YOU AND I HEAR YOU.

AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO, FOR ONE MOMENT, NOT BELIEVED THAT WE SEE AND HEAR YOU, AND THAT YOUR WORDS, YOUR ACTIONS, YOU STANDING UP IT IS WHAT'S PUSHING US FORWARD TO DO THINGS THAT ARE EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT, BUT THE TIME HAS COME.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE.

THANK YOU.

CHEERS.

AS A REMEMBER, HARPER, MADISON.

THANK YOU.

THANK EVERYBODY FROM THE DIOCESE.

WE'RE NOT GONNA RECOGNIZE, UH, THE CHIEF, UH, HAND THE MANAGER, UH, IF THEY WANT TO, UH, UH, SAY SOMETHING AND THEN WE'LL GO TO SPEAKERS AFTER SPEAKERS REGARDING TO RECESS THE MEETING UNTIL TOMORROW AFTER SPEAKERS, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO VOTE ON ITEM SEVEN AND THEN WE'LL RECESS THE MEETING UNTIL TOMORROW.

UM, MANAGER.

DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? I WASN'T A MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY.

UH, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TODAY BECAUSE OVER THE LAST PAST WEEKS AND MONTHS, OUR CITY AND BROADLY, OUR NATION HAS AGAIN BEEN FORCED TO CONFRONT A TRAGIC LOSS OF HUMAN LIFE.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED A RANGE OF EMOTIONS AND MANY ARE JUSTIFIABLY,

[00:55:01]

OUTRAGED, SAD, ANXIOUS, AND FOR SOME EVEN FEARFUL FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AND WHILE WE ALL ARE RIGHTLY DISTURBED BY MUCH OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN, I'VE ALSO WITNESSED THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE ON THE PART OF OUR CITY TO FACE THESE ISSUES, HEAD ON AND CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO CONFRONT OUR DEEPLY TROUBLING HISTORY OF INEQUITY AND JUSTICE AND SYSTEMIC RACISM.

AND I PERSONALLY STRUGGLED WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS MOMENT AND REALIZE THAT OUR FEELINGS CAN'T, AND SHOULDN'T BE LIMITED TO ONE OR TWO CHOICES.

I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN CONDEMN THE DISGUSTING ABUSE OF POWER AUTHORITY AND TRUST BY SOME OFFICERS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THOSE WHO CHOOSE POLICING AS A CALLING AND TREAT OTHERS WITH THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT WE ALL DESERVE.

I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FOR FAR TOO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY LIVED EXPERIENCE HAS LEFT THEM FEELING HOPELESS, AFRAID, AND CONVINCED THAT NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE.

I WANT EVERYONE IN AUSTIN TO KNOW THAT I AM COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO HARD WORK, HAVING THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, TAKING THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS AND FINDING A WAY FORWARD THAT REBUILDS THAT LOSS OF TRUST WHILE IMPROVING OUR POLICE FORCE TO ENSURE THAT AS REFLECTIVE OF THE VALUES THAT AUSTIN HOLDS DEAR TODAY IS ABOUT LISTENING TOMORROW.

WE WILL HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TACTICS THAT WERE USED LAST WEEKEND.

UH, BUT WITH THIS I'LL PAUSE AND PASS IT OVER TO OUR POLICE CHIEF, THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL AND I TO TAKE THIS AS A VERY IMPORTANT AND MOMENTOUS TIME, A TIME WHERE WE NEED TO REFLECT ON WHAT BROUGHT US HERE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S, WHAT'S BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT SO MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND THAT IS THINGS INVOLVING POLICE, COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND AREA THAT WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH.

THE BOSTON AREA WE HAVE WORKED ON SO FAR.

I TOO STRUGGLED TO WATCH THAT VIDEO OF MINNEAPOLIS.

I, ALONG WITH MANY OF MY PEERS AS POLICE CHEATS AND MANY RANK AND FILE MEMBERS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY SPOKE OUT.

IT'S WHAT WE SAW BECAUSE THAT DOES NOT REFLECT, OKAY.

WE SING.

IT'S NOT PERFECT.

I GUESS OUR MEN AND WOMEN AGREE DYNAMIC SITUATIONS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

YOU TRAIN THEM TO THE REST OF OUR PRIORITIES.

WE GIVE THEM THE BEST OF OUR NERVE RELEASE, AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE WILL BE MISTAKES.

AND I THINK THE MOMENTUM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS TO LOOK AT POLICE AND TO LOOK AT OUR INTERACTIONS, WITH, TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE WE'VE HEARD OR SHOULD BE DOING BETTER OR DIFFERENTLY.

AND TO UNDERSTAND CHIEF, IT'S HARD TO HEAR YOU.

UM, AND YOU GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.

I'M SORRY, IS THIS BETTER? MUCH BETTER.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

DO I NEED TO START ALL OVER? NO, BUT I, I WILL, I WILL WRAP THEM.

I THINK I WILL WRAP WITH JUST SAYING THAT, UM, WE ARE COMMITTED THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, TO SERVE THEM RIGHTLY AND APPROPRIATELY, AND TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE COMMENTS AND TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES AGAIN, TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THOSE AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENTS, SPANKED, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, SORRY.

UM, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, AS A FOLLOW UP, THERE'S AN EVENT THAT'S TAKEN PLACE THIS WEEKEND AT HOUSTON TILLOTSON UNIVERSITY.

UM, IT'S GOING TO BE HOSTED BY AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACK AND BROWN VOICES TO LEAD THE CONVERSATION, UM, WHICH WHILE WE CAN APPRECIATE ALL THE VOICES OF ALL OF THE ALLIES, SOMETIMES IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU NEED TO TAKE UP SPACE AND WHEN YOU NEED TO LISTEN.

SO THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE TO TAKE UP SPACE AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO LISTEN.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EVENT THIS WEEKEND AS HOUSTON TILLOTSON UNIVERSITY.

I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS WHO OTHERWISE MIGHT GO OUT.

UM, THIS EVENING OR TOMORROW EVENING OR SATURDAY EVENING, THERE WILL BE A TIME AND A PLACE IN A SPACE THAT WE CAREFULLY CURATE IN A WAY THAT WE ARE BEING MINDFUL ABOUT THE MESSAGE, THE GOALS AND THE AGENDA.

AND IT WILL BE A PLACE IN HIS FACE FOR US TO LEAD THE CONVERSATION

[01:00:01]

AND OTHER PEOPLE TO LISTEN.

UM, IF FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY AND A PLACE AND A TIME, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY ON SUNDAY AT HT TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

UM, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE SPECIFICS IN TERMS OF TIME AND EVERYTHING, BUT I WILL PROMISE YOU THAT BEFORE THIS MEETING IS OVER, I WILL MAKE CERTAIN TO SHARE IT ON MY PAGE.

I'LL MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE CITY IS SHARING THE INFORMATION, BUT THERE WILL BE A PLACE AND A SPACE AND A TIME, UM, FOR US TO HAVE OUR VOICES BE HEARD AND FOR ANTI-RACIST ALLIES TO LISTEN.

UM, COULDN'T NOT SAY THAT AND I'LL BRING WHATEVER OTHER DETAILS I HAVE LATER.

UM, JUST PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND, FOLKS.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

AND WHEN WE WERE GOING TO TRY AND GET TO THE SPEAKERS COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, THIS IS ACTUALLY A PROCEDURAL I'M HEARING THAT SOME SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CUT OFF FROM THE SPEAKER LINE AND ARE HAVING TROUBLE CALLING BACK IN.

DOES THE STAFF HAVE ANY ADVICE ON FOLKS BEING ABLE TO REACCESS THE LINE? SO THEY WERE DISCONNECTED AND THEN THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE, UM, CALLING BACK IN OR WE SHOULD THEY CONTACT, CAN WE GET SOME GUIDANCE ON THAT? IF THEY HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED? UH, MANY OF THEM ARE EMAILING ME AND I'M GIVING THEM, GIVE ME GIVING THEM THE INFORMATION, BUT ALSO PROVIDE IT TO THREE, ONE, ONE.

OKAY.

DID YOU SAY IT OUT LOUD ONCE? WHAT DID, WOULD THE INFORMATION? UM, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE NUMBER OUT.

OKAY.

UM, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE EMAILING ME AND I'M PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION AND I WILL ALSO PROVIDE IT TO THREE, ONE, ONE.

OKAY.

AND FOR ANYONE LISTENING, UM, IF THEY ARE IN THE QUEUE, THEY NEED TO PRESS ZERO TO BE ADMITTED.

OKAY.

I THINK WE'RE PREPARED NOW FOR YOU TO, UH, UH, RECOGNIZE SPEAKERS AS WE DISCUSSED COLLEAGUES.

UH, UM, FIRST 20 SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO GET THREE MINUTES.

THERE'VE BEEN SOME INVITED TESTIMONY THAT WILL BE GIVEN SIMILAR TIME.

UH, AND THEREAFTER SPEAKERS WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE.

WE HAVE ABOUT 334 SPEAKERS THAT SIGNED UP YESTERDAY TO SPEAK.

SO I NOW TURN IT OVER TO, UH, THE CLARK AND THE OTHERS TO, UH, TAKE US THROUGH THE SPEAKERS.

OKAY.

MAYOR.

UM, WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE SPANISH SPEAKERS.

SO IF, UM, THE INTERPRETER CAN BE ADMITTED AND EACH COLOR WILL, WILL GET TWO MINUTES.

THE FIRST SPANISH SPEAKER IS GARDENA SANCHEZ.

SEE.

SEE THAT GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS KARINA AND I AM CALLING BECAUSE YEAH, YEAH.

AND YES, IT'S, , AND I'LL FOR 12 YEARS.

AND I'M CALLING TO GET SUPPORT FROM THE BOOK FOR THE RIDE, FOR THE RIDE COMMUNITY OF THE 70 MILLION THAT IS ON TODAY BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY FOUNDATION THAT'S HELPED US.

MMM UM, UM, UM, IT'S ARREST ME FOR THIS HELP.

THIS IS IT.

THIS IS THE HELP THAT WE NEED.

WE NEED HELP OR BE ABLE TO PAY OUR RENT AND TO PAY FOR OUR FOOD.

THAT'S IT? YES.

[01:05:06]

UM, ON THAT E PAINFUL, WELL, NINE YOU'LL BEGIN THE LOUSY IT'S OFTEN FOR I'VE BEEN LIVING IN AUSTIN FOR ONE YEAR.

UM, IT'S PLAYING A THING, YOUR MOTHER I'M ON THIS CALL TODAY TO ASK FOR THE CITY TO HELP AND SUPPORT US WHEN THE $70 MILLION FOR THE RIGHT TO DIRECTLY FOR THE THE INTRO.

CAUSE THEY'RE MOMENTS THAT WE COUNT AS A COMMUNITY AS WELL.

THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT HELPED US ALL, WHERE EVERYTHING HAS GOT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

OKAY.

WE, WE ASKED FOR YOU TO INVEST, IT SAID 70 MILLION IN THE FOUNDATION, RIGHT? OKAY.

SO LET ME CHECK IT OUT.

OKAY.

THAT WOULD BE IT.

THANK YOU.

SEAGATE MARIA LOPEZ.

WELL, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN AUSTIN 13.

UM, I'M CALLING TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE AS A FAVOR TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT NEED IT MORE THAN THE POLICE.

AND IF SOMEONE, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS BEEN HELPING MOST OF THE FAMILIES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO MOVE AHEAD.

THOSE FAMILIES AND THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY HELP.

OREGON, THEY STUDY, AND THAT'S WHY THEY STUDY.

AND THEY NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE JOBS.

, IT'S WHY I'M ASKING FOR THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITIES AND THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HELPING US AND TO GROW MORE AND MORE.

IT'S OUR ONLY WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.

GOD BLESS.

OKAY.

I SEE, YOU KNOW, , I'VE LIVED WITH OVER 12 YEARS HERE.

UH IT'S SO YUCKY, UH IN GOING TO SEE THAT I GO TO BOTH MIGRANTS THAT ARE LIVING IN, IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND I'M TRYING TO BE THE VOICE

[01:10:01]

THEY ALL SEE FOR ME THAT YOU'RE IN YOUR ESTIMATE, CITY OF AUSTIN FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

PLEASE PUT THE LEAST 70 MILLION IN THE RIGHTS FOUNDATION.

YEAH.

TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.

YEAH, NO, NO.

WHEN I DO THAT CORRECTLY, IT HELPS US A LOT.

YEAH.

THOSE ARE BILLS AND OUR INSURANCE AGAIN, FOR THEM TO TELL YOU THAT HELP OUR PARENTS THAT ARE FAR FROM HERE WITH SOME MONEY.

YEAH.

I CAN ALSO APPLY SOME OF THAT MATH.

IN FACT, WHAT IS THAT FUNDING? YEAH, BUT IT'S PINNED DIMMICK YEAH.

SEE IT AS A LEAD THERE.

WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

I'LL SEE WHERE THE HAS THE POWER.

I TREAT THEM BEING E IT'S AFFECTING SOME UNITS.

THE POLICE NEEDS THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS IT MORE IT'S NOT IN THE POLICE SAY THIS.

IT WAS A JOKE.

SO YEAH.

I KNOW.

YOU'RE HEARING MY VOICE YEAH.

IN THE RIGHT GOD BLESS AND TAKE CARE.

MA'AM WOULD IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE TRANSLATOR TO LET THE SPEAKERS KNOW THAT WE HAVE APPROVED THE 70 MAYOR? I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AND AT ALL.

E YEAH.

BIOMEDICAL AND YOU JUST GET ASKED YOU, ASK EACH OF YOU A LITTLE BIT, THE GUN BLAST.

OKAY.

WE CAN PROCEED.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE SPANISH SPEAKERS THERE.

OKAY.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT ONES ON THE LIST.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS EDWIN.

I GALA YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

UM, MY NAME IS EDWIN ON THE YESTERDAY, THE ONE WEEK, UH, MY LITTLE BROTHER'S 16TH BIRTHDAY.

UM, AND ON SATURDAY HE HAD JUST LEFT SATURDAY MORNING.

HE LEFT JERSEY MIKE'S JOB WORK, SAVE UP PITTSBURGH, HIS CARD AT WORK.

HE WILL DO A BROKEN EDIT TWICE TO THE BODY THAT NIGHT WE DID IT.

HE WOULD KNOW UNTIL HE GOT TRANSFERRED TO THOSE CHILDREN.

WHEN WE HEARD, WHEN MY MOM HEARD, WE DROVE TO THE HOSPITAL, I, I SEEN IT ON THE CAR, RIDE HOME ON THE CAR RIGHT THERE.

MY MOM GOT LOST.

COULDN'T EVEN FIND A PLACE CAUSE SHE WAS JUST SO IN SHOCK.

AND BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE HOSPITAL, THEY TOLD US,

[01:15:01]

THEY SAID THAT HE HAD A PUNCTURE IN HIS HEAD AND THE RISK OF INTERNAL BLEEDING WOULDN'T BE KNOWN UNTIL THEY GOT INTO THE SURGERY.

SO WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW.

WE STARTED THE SURGERY AT 11 AND WE DIDN'T KNOW, WE THOUGHT HE WAS IN THE DIE.

OKAY.

IT WAS THE HARDEST HER MOM.

WE PRAYED ALL DAY ON THE PHONE.

THE DOCTORS THOUGHT IT WAS A RUBBER BULLET.

THEY LEFT IT IN THERE FOR HOURS.

HE GOT SHOT AROUND SEVEN.

THEY LEFT IT.

THEY LEFT A RUB WITH THE QUOTE UNQUOTE RUBBER BULLETS.

UM, ONCE THEY GOT IN THERE, THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY A BEANBAG BACK, HAD A LARGER SURFACE AREA THAN THE RUBBER BULLET.

IT ACTUALLY CREATED A VERY LARGE WOUND, A VERY LARGE HOLE ESSENTIALLY ON HIS FOREHEAD.

NOT ONLY THAT IT HAD PENETRATED THE SKULL, IT HAD RUPTURED, FRACTURED IT THAT INVENTED INTO THE BRAIN AND LEFT THE LARGE CONCUSSION CONTUSION, WHICH IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN A CONCUSSION.

HIS PREFRONTAL CORTEX IS DAMAGED.

HE HAS PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW MANAGING HIS EMOTIONS BECAUSE THAT PART OF HIS BRAIN IS DAMAGED.

HIS COGNITIVE ABILITIES WILL HAVE TO BE ASSESSED WITHIN THE FEW MONTHS COMING.

WE HOPE FOR RECOVERY, BUT WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW.

HMM.

LET ME GIVE YOU MY BEAUTIFUL SHADOW.

YEP.

YEAH.

AND BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE QUOTE UNQUOTE BEANBAG, THE RISK OF INFECTION WAS SO LARGE.

HE WAS ON MULTIPLE ANTIBIOTICS.

HE STILL IS.

YES.

THE SURGERY WAS AROUND SEVEN HOURS DUE TO THE COMPLICATIONS.

THEY HAVE TO GET A PLASTIC SURGEON IS GOING TO HAVE A SCAR ON HIS FOREHEAD, THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

HEY, BUT THEY TOLD US THAT HOPEFULLY WE ARE HOPING FOR A GOOD RECOVERY.

THE FACT IS THE BEAN BAGS ARE NOT INNOCUOUS.

THEY ARE NOT LESS LETHAL.

IT'S THEIR SHOT AT THE HEAD, WHICH IS WHAT WE SUSPECT OF GOING ON BECAUSE IN THE VIDEO HE WAS ON A HILL AND THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN MISS SHOOTING AT THE HEAD.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE AIMING ABOVE HIS HEAD.

THE BULLET WOULD GO DOWN INTO IT.

IT HIT HIM RIGHT IN THE FOREHEAD AND TWICE IN THE BODY.

WE JUST WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH REGION, LARGE AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY, POLICE, NOTHING WRONG.

LISTEN NOW BECAUSE THE PART OF HIS BRAIN THAT CONTROLS MOTION DAMAGE.

SO WHENEVER HE FEELS EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF PAIN, HIS BRAIN GOES INTO OVERDRIVE AND IT MAKES YOU TENSE UP HIS BODY.

OKAY.

IT'S SO HARD.

UH, OKAY.

REALLY DO.

JUST WANT TO BE RELEASED.

AND I'M ASKING FOR ANYBODY THAT WAS THERE TO CONTACT US, TO PROVIDE US WITH THE FOOTAGE FROM THE POLICE AS WELL.

CAUSE WE WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

THEY KEPT USING BAGS, DANGEROUS INFECTION, THE PAIN, THE DOCTOR SAID IT WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER IF IT WAS A RUBBER

[01:20:01]

BULLET, BECAUSE THEN THE PUNCTURE WOUND WOULD HAVE BEEN SMALLER.

AND THE RISK OF INFECTION LOWER THE WOUND WOULD HAVE BEEN NOT AS SCARRED.

THE SURGERY WOULD HAVE BEEN SHORTER, NAKED WHIPLASH DAMAGE.

HIS NECK HURTS HIM MORE THAN HIS HEAD.

HE CAN'T EVEN EAT.

HE CAN'T COME IN WITHOUT HELP