Item 1: REVISED - CPRC Minutes 02272026 - Approval Pending — original pdf

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Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, February 27, 2026 COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW COMMISSION (CPRC) REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2026 The Community Police Review Commission convened for a regular-called meeting on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Austin City Hall, Council Chambers (1001), located at 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Carlos Greaves, Chair, called the Community Police Review Commission meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Carlos Greaves, Chair Ruben De La Paz Darrick Eugene Terry Flood Lee Peterman Kathy Russell Commissioners Absent: Laura Cortes Franco, Vice Chair Christopher Harris Lauren Peña PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Peter Hunt spoke about a January 5 incident in South Austin in which APD officers responding to a disturbance reportedly identified an ICE administrative warrant for a woman at the scene and referred her to ICE, after which she was taken into custody and deported. He suggested the CPRC consider conducting a community review of the interaction to determine whether proper procedures were followed and noted that a formal complaint may not be possible since the individual involved is no longer in the country. He also raised broader concerns about APD policies related to administrative warrants. Judy Bradford presented testimony on behalf of a community member identified as “MTL,” describing a racially motivated attack near her home that was not reported to police due to fear and distrust of law enforcement. Ms. Bradford stated that this fear may discourage residents from reporting crimes and asked the Commission to review claims that officers may not always distinguish between judicial and administrative warrants. Ian McAdams spoke about concerns regarding cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. He stated that local police do not have independent authority to 1 Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, February 27, 2026 detain individuals solely for civil immigration violations and raised concerns that such actions could present constitutional issues. Mr. McAdams encouraged greater transparency regarding any operational or financial impacts related to coordination between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies. Jim Crosby read testimony from a community member named “Donna” regarding a September 2024 traffic accident after which she was reportedly arrested, taken to jail, and later placed on an immigration hold. The testimony stated she remained detained for several months and experienced significant personal and family hardship, raising concerns about the arrest and detention process. Chanda Smith stated that some community members feel fearful interacting with law enforcement due to concerns about possible immigration enforcement involvement. She suggested increasing transparency by tracking and publicly reporting interactions involving ICE and recommended additional officer training regarding administrative warrants and individuals’ rights during encounters. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of the minutes of the Community Police Review Commission special called meeting of Friday, January 16, 2026. The motion to approve the minutes of the Community Police Review Commission regular- called meeting held on Friday, January 16, 2026, was made by Chair Carlos Greaves, seconded by Commissioner Darrick Eugene, and passed with a 6-0 vote. Vice Chair Laura Cortes Franco and Commissioners Christopher Harris and Lauren Peña were absent. 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. Gail McCant, Director of Austin Police Oversight, provided an update regarding the internal document repository used by the Community Police Review Commission to access case files. She explained that earlier concerns about missing files were due to insufficient storage capacity on the shared drive. APO staff worked with the Austin Police Department Police Technology Unit and the Communications and Technology Management Department (CTM) to increase storage, and the issue has since been resolved. Director McCant stated that CPRC working groups currently have access to the records necessary to conduct investigative reviews through a secure SharePoint repository, which contains the same records available to APO staff and APD Internal Affairs. She noted that Criminal Justice Information (CJI) remains housed in law-enforcement-restricted systems, and CPRC does not currently have direct access due to legal limitations previously discussed with the City Attorney. 2 Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, February 27, 2026 During comments, Carlos Greaves, Chair stated that he had not seen evidence of missing files but noted that questions remain regarding the Commission’s direct access to underlying systems and emphasized the importance of continuing the discussion about full access. 3. Staff briefing regarding updates related to Austin Police Oversight, including an overview and key highlights; administrative and operational updates; commission support and follow-up; community engagement; policy highlights; and upcoming items and priorities from Director Gail McCant. Gail McCant, Director of Austin Police Oversight, provided administrative and operational updates. APO worked with the City Budget Office to develop goals and performance measures for the FY27-FY28 work plan and submitted FY25 accomplishments to the City Manager’s Office. APO also held its monthly leadership meeting with the Austin Police Department Internal Affairs Division and discussed immigration-related policies currently under review. Director McCant reported that onboarding for new members of the Community Police Review Commission is ongoing. Two commissioners were removed for failing to complete the required state background check, and two alternates are currently in the onboarding pipeline. APO is considering reopening the application pool for additional alternates. Commissioners were also reminded that the FY25-26 Texas Cybersecurity Awareness Training must be completed by May 31, 2026. Additional updates included the hiring of a complaint division staff member, ongoing recruitment for a policy analyst position, and confirmation that requested case files were successfully uploaded to the shared digital repository. The Chief of Police has been invited to attend the Commission’s April meeting, and APO staff have begun compiling data for the 2025 Annual Report. Director McCant also reported that APO staff participated in multiple community engagement events and focus groups related to the “Know Your Rights” project. APO has begun serving as a non-voting member on APD’s Policy Review Committee and has provided feedback on draft immigration-related policies. A commissioner requested that the Commission receive APO’s policy feedback and have an opportunity to review or provide input. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Discussion of the Austin Police Department’s interaction with a community member, including the transfer to federal immigration authorities and questions about APD’s authority. The Commission discussed an incident involving the Austin Police Department’s interaction with a community member that resulted in a transfer to federal immigration authorities, raising questions about APD’s authority and procedures. Police Chief Lisa Davis explained that officers may encounter federal administrative warrants during lawful detentions and, under Texas Senate Bill 4, officers cannot be prohibited from contacting federal immigration authorities if they choose to do so. She stated that most officers do not call ICE, but if they do, the matter is elevated to a duty commander, who determines whether officers will 3 Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, February 27, 2026 remain on scene due to departmental priorities and staffing constraints. APD emphasized that it does not conduct joint immigration enforcement operations with ICE and does not inquire about immigration status when responding to victims. Commissioners expressed concerns about officer discretion, the order of contacting ICE versus supervisors, and the impact on community trust and willingness to report crimes. APD reported that all such interactions are documented and reported quarterly to City Council and that outreach efforts are underway to communicate policies and rebuild trust within affected communities. 5. Discussion of a potential recommendation to the Austin Police Department regarding General Orders 330 and its application to immigration-related interactions. The Commission discussed potential recommendations to APD concerning General Order 330 and its application to immigration-related interactions, particularly the handling of administrative warrants and status inquiries. APD representatives explained that officers are required to identify individuals during law enforcement encounters but generally do not focus on immigration status; requests for identification, including passports, are intended to confirm identity rather than immigration status. Community advocates and commissioners raised concerns that current policy does not clearly address administrative warrants, which are distinct from criminal detainers, and may leave too much discretion to individual officers. Suggestions included clarifying procedures within the General Order, especially regarding the sequence of actions when encountering an administrative warrant and the need for stronger guidance due to the recent increase in such warrants nationally. APD acknowledged that policy revisions are underway and noted that administrative warrants are a relatively new issue for local law enforcement. Commissioners emphasized the importance of clear policies to reduce confusion, ensure lawful compliance, and maintain public trust. 6. Discussion of the Case Review Working Group (Commissioners Flood and Cortes), including progress to date, insights, and potential process changes. The Commission received an update on the Case Review Working Group’s progress and processes. Commissioners reported that operations are expected to return to a regular schedule in March and that cases are triaged based on seriousness, timelines, and statutory deadlines. Written procedures and criteria will be shared with the full Commission. 7. Discussion of Commissioners’ Review Working Groups A, B, and C regarding their experience reviewing case files, including a brief description of the review process and whether the groups are ready to present the following cases to the full Commission: 19- 0792 (Deadly Use of Force), 24-1258 (Use of Force), 25-01308 (Bias-Based Policing), 2025-02113 (Improper Conduct), 2025-2341 (Use of Force), and 2025-2475 (Use of Force). The Commission heard updates from Working Groups A, B, and C on their review of assigned cases and readiness to present them to the full body. Groups described their review process, shared preliminary observations, and noted areas where additional information or briefings are needed before recommendations can be finalized. Some groups have begun review but are not yet prepared for formal presentation. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 8. Discussion and election of a CPRC spokesperson and media relations officer. 4 Community Police Review Commission – Meeting Minutes Friday, February 27, 2026 The Commission discussed designating a spokesperson to respond to media inquiries. A motion was made by Chair Carlos Greaves and seconded by Commissioner Kathy Russell to appoint Vice Chair Laura Franco Cortes to serve as CPRC spokesperson and media relations officer. Commissioners noted prior written consent from the Vice Chair to handle interviews. The motion passed unanimously (6-0). Vice Chair Laura Cortes Franco and Commissioners Christopher Harris and Lauren Peña were absent. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Presentation on disciplinary methods from Internal Affairs for policy clarification. • CPRC one-year summary of accomplishments and challenges, in compliance with Section 2-15-4(D)(7). • Review and possible amendments to CPRC Internal Operating Procedures. • Draft recommendation regarding access to case files under City Code. • Draft recommendation for an online message board for the Commission. • Discussion and amendments to the CPRC Bylaws, including input from the Bylaw Working Group. • Presentation of draft rules and procedures for review by the full Commission. • Discussion of the Public Safety Commission’s recent recommendations to Council regarding Austin Police Oversight compliance with the Austin Police Oversight Act. • Consideration of handling confidential versus public information, ensuring proper safeguards when interacting with the public. • Review of APD policy on officer-involved cases. • Recommendation for a Police Department dashboard to track ICE interactions for transparency to the public. • Coordination with the Austin Police Oversight on events, ensuring alignment with CPRC activities and budget considerations. ADJOURNMENT Chair Carlos Greaves motioned to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Darrick Eugene. The meeting concluded at 5:37 p.m. with a 6-0 vote. Vice Chair Laura Cortes Franco and Commissioners Christopher Harris and Lauren Peña were absent. 5