Item 1: CPRC Minutes 01162026 - Approval Pending — original pdf

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Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, January 16, 2026 COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION (CPRC) REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2026 The Community Police Review Commission convened for a regularly called meeting on Friday, January 16, 2026, at 3:00 PM at Austin City Hall, Council Chambers (1001), located at 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Laura Cortes Franco, Vice Chair, called the Community Police Review Commission meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Carlos Greaves, Chair Laura Cortes Franco, Vice Chair Ruben De La Paz Darrick Eugene Terry Flood Lauren Peña Lee Peterman Commissioners Absent: Bob Felton Christopher Harris Harold Powell Kathy Russell PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of the minutes of the Community Police Review Commission special called meeting of December 22, 2025. The motion to approve the minutes of the Community Police Review Commission special called meeting held on Monday, December 22, 2025, was made by Carlos Greaves, Chair, seconded by Lauren Peña, and passed with a 7-0 vote. The following commissioners were absent, Bob Felton, Christopher Harris, Harold Powell, and Kathy Russell. 1 Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, January 16, 2026 STAFF BRIEFING 2. Staff briefing regarding progress of work with the Police Technology Unit on an internal drive for the CPRC to access case files. Ryan Alvarez, with Austin Police Oversight and serving as CPRC staff liaison, provided an update on the development of a SharePoint internal drive to allow CPRC direct access to case files. Staff reported that initial storage limitations (30-40 GB) prevented all files from being uploaded. After coordination with the Police Technology Unit (PTU), storage was expanded to one terabyte, and all case files including body-worn camera footage were verified and uploaded. Commissioners asked questions regarding verification and completeness of files. Staff clarified that the files transferred from Internal Affairs to SharePoint represent the full case file, with only CJI information redacted. Commissioners noted the importance of having a process to verify that all files are present, and staff agreed to explore procedures to implement checks and balances. 3. Staff briefing regarding the Executive Liaison monthly update from Austin Police Oversight Director Gail McCant. Gail McCant, Director of Austin Police Oversight (APO), provided the monthly update. Legal counsel Neal Falgoust was unable to attend the meeting, he will address outstanding requests as soon as possible. Commissioners discussed the importance of ensuring backup coverage to avoid a single point of failure in legal support. Director McCant provided staffing and operational updates. New commissioners are in various stages of onboarding, with some completing state-required background checks. The APO Policy and Complaints divisions are in the process of filling vacant positions. APO continues monthly leadership meetings with APD. APD is reviewing the annual report, with a 90-day response period, and has updated its Use of Force policies. APO is preparing a public-facing Officer-Involved Shooting dashboard, which will provide data on incidents involving discharged firearms. Regarding community engagement, APO is continuing the “Know Your Rights” program, including surveys, focus groups, and media outreach. Complaint records through September 2025 are now live on the website, and staff aim to publish Q4 2025 complaints by January 31. APO has conducted targeted advertising, press releases, and interviews to promote these initiatives. Commissioners requested advance notice of community events to allow for calendar planning, and APO confirmed that all upcoming dates will be shared. McCant reminded commissioners of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) conference scheduled for November 8-12 in Louisville, Kentucky, and noted that professional development funding is available. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2 Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, January 16, 2026 4. 5. 6. Discussion of the Case Review Working Group (Commissioners Flood and Cortes Franco), including progress to date and initial observations or insights. Commissioners Flood and Vice Chair Cortes Franco provided an update on the Case Review Working Group, including progress to date and initial observations. Commissioner Flood noted that while some momentum was lost over the holidays, Deputy Director Masters and APO staff have been proactive in providing updated case information. Commissioner Flood and Vice Chair Cortes Franco are reviewing and triaging cases, coordinating with the Chair to assign them to working groups A, B, and C for review. APO staff have been effective in communicating which cases require immediate attention and following up on timelines, allowing individual teams to evaluate cases and move the process forward efficiently. Discussion of Commissioner Review Working Groups A, B, and C’s experience reviewing a case file, including initial observations, ease or difficulty accessing the case files, and suggestions on how to discuss, deliberate, present to the full CPRC, and summarize recommendations. Commissioners discussed their experiences reviewing case files in Working Groups A, B, and C. Commissioners Flood and Cortes Franco noted that while momentum was occasionally slowed by access issues or volunteer availability, the groups have generally been able to review cases and reach preliminary consensus. Commissioners emphasized confidentiality, following training, and the need to withhold sensitive information in public discussions. The workflow requires at least three commissioners per case to reach consensus before presenting recommendations to the full CPRC. Commissioner Pena shared that her group successfully reviewed cases using a structured template, found email communication effective, and highlighted the value of having a lead commissioner coordinate each group. Commissioners also noted challenges, including limited closed session availability, variability in members familiarity with templates, and the need to standardize documentation. Legal guidance is awaited regarding public disclosure of case information. Overall, the groups are iteratively refining the review process, balancing transparency with confidentiality, and establishing workflows to support efficient and accurate deliberations before presenting recommendations to the full commission. Discussion of drafting a “CPRC Year One” summary of accomplishments and challenges for potential communication to the City Council and City Manager. The Commission discussed creating a summary of its first-year accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned to share with the City Council and City Manager. Commissioner Harris had volunteered to draft a framework but was unavailable. Commissioners agreed to contribute individual observations to create a collaborative document. Input from newer Commissioners was encouraged to ensure a complete perspective. Contributions are to be submitted by January 23, 2026 with the final summary reviewed and approved by the Commission before release. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3 Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, January 16, 2026 7. Discussion of and approval of the Community Police Review Commission meeting schedule for the 2026 calendar year. The Commission reviewed the proposed 2026 meeting schedule. After discussing potential summer breaks and scheduling conflicts, Commissioners agreed to maintain all meetings to ensure continuity and quorum. Commissioner Flood made a motion to approve the schedule as presented, seconded by Commissioner Pena, which passed unanimously (7-0). FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Discussion of Working Group A presenting summary recommendations, with attention to limitations on closed sessions. • Consideration of a recurring agenda item to allow for executive/closed session presentations as needed. • Review of APD’s relationship with ICE, including potential presentation by a subject matter expert. ADJOURNMENT Laura Cortes Franco, Vice Chair, adjourned the meeting at 4:19 p.m. without objection. 4