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Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Project Briefing Joint Inclusion Committee Austin Police | June 24, 2026 Project Background The Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) project was born in 2023 out of many challenges experienced by the Austin Police (APD) Sex Crimes Unit (SCU) in the last decade, including: ▪ 2016: Systemic issues in its DNA lab that ultimately led to its closure; ▪ 2017: The withdrawal of APD sworn from the Austin/Travis County Sexual Assault Response and Resource Team (A/TC SARRT); ▪ 2018: An investigative report that highlighted APD’s improper use of Exceptional Clearance in the closure of sexual assault cases; ▪ 2018 & 2020: Two class-action lawsuits filed against the City for the improper handling of sexual assault investigations (Smith v COA, Senko v COA); and ▪ 2022: Over 100 recommendations for change were reported by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) after a comprehensive and multi-year assessment of APD’s SCU. 2 Project Overview A formal project was needed due to… ▪ The deep history ▪ The lack of community trust and constrained relationships ▪ The need for formal communications and status updates ▪ The size, complexity, and importance of the work Project Scope (123 total items): ▪ PERF report recommendations – 103 items ▪ Survivor lawsuit settlement – 16 items ▪ Project scope addition – 4 item Workgroup Model: ▪ Each item of scope has been assigned to one of five Workgroups ▪ Each Workgroup is led by two co-chairs (1 APD Individual, 1 Non-APD Individual) 1. Project Management 2. Policy, Response, & Investigation 3. 4. Data & Metrics 5. Outreach & Partnerships Training Policy, Response, & Investigations Outreach & Partnerships Project Management Training Data & Metrics 3 Project Team Members Engagement with community advocates and partners is a priority. The project team includes 33 total members: ▪ APD Sworn (x8) ▪ APD Victim Services (x8) ▪ APD Civilian (x4) ▪ Community Advocates & Partners (x13) ▪ Asian Family Support Services of Austin (AFSSA) ▪ Austin/Travis County Sexual Assault Response and Resource Team (SARRT) ▪ Independent Subject Matter Experts (Ind.) ▪ SAFE Alliance (SAFE) ▪ Survivors ▪ Travis County Attorney’s Office (TCAO) ▪ Travis County District Attorney’s Office (TCDAO) ▪ Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) RACI Model: ▪ (R)esponsible = APD ▪ (A)ccountable = APD ▪ (C)onsulted = Project Members, Project Workgroups, Project Steering Committee ▪ (I)nformed = City Council, Commission for Women, Public Safety Commission, SARRT, Media, Community, Survivors *As of March 31, 2026 4 Project Objectives What do we want to achieve by the end of this project? ▪ Implementation of recommendations from audits and settlement requirements ▪ Improved services driven by the prioritization of survivor well-being and offender accountability ▪ A replicable, national best practice model and framework that can be utilized by other jurisdictions for the handling of sex crimes within law enforcement ▪ Holistic multi-disciplinary team approach that fosters collaborative relationships and increases trust and transparency ▪ Culture and system for continuous quality improvement and general accountability ▪ Services and processes which emphasize survivor-centered, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed work 5 Project Status Current Status ▪ Project is 66% complete ▪ 42 items remain: ▪ Q2 2026 = 11 Items ▪ Q3 2026 = 8 Items ▪ Q4 2026 = 2 Items ▪ Q3 2027 = 21 Items Timeline Considerations ▪ Progress tracked quarterly for each scope item ▪ Timelines may shift due to leadership changes, funding, project team capacity, or other constraints. We are Here % Complete: 9% 26% 57% 66% 75% 81% 83% 100% *As of March 31, 2026 6 Why We Are Here Today Sexual assault victims from vulnerable and marginalized populations face unique barriers to reporting, to services, and to trust in law enforcement. CSCRM has two specific scope items that address this reality and fulfilling them requires a partner with deep roots in these communities. Those items are: ▪ Scope Item 07.02: APD should place additional focus on partnerships with local social service groups, including community-based victim services organizations, to assist in APD's response to sexual assault cases that involve victims from vulnerable populations. ▪ Scope Item 12.02: APD should review current outreach programming for marginalized and vulnerable populations to ensure efforts to build trust in these communities continue. 7 The Ask ▪ APD requests a standing presence at Joint Inclusion Committee monthly meetings. Not to present, but primarily to listen. To hear concerns, build trust, and stay connected to the communities impacted by sexual assault. ▪ The focus would be sex crimes, but insights gained through this engagement would likely inform broader APD practice as well. ▪ To ensure this commitment endures, participation would be codified in APD’s SCU Standard Operating Procedures if the partnership is established, making ongoing JIC engagement a standing expectation and directly tied to the fulfillment of scope items 07.02 and 12.02. ▪ The issues we address together today will likely look different three years from now. That's exactly the point. This is not a one-time ask. It is a structure designed to keep pace with the community it serves. 8 Thank you! The Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) Project Team