PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING February 7, 2022 @ 4:00PM City Hall Chambers at City Hall 301 W 2nd Street, Austin Texas Some members of the PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live AGENDA Amanda Lewis Rocky Lane Michael Sierra-Arevalo Rebecca Bernhardt Cory Hall-Martin CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Rebecca Gonzales, Chair Nelly Paulina Ramirez, Vice Chair Rebecca Webber Kathleen Hausenfluck Queen Austin John T. Kiracofe CALL TO ORDER 4:00-4:05pm Public Communications 4:05-4:20pm (from speakers signed up to speak) Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register please call (512) 974-5747 before noon on February 6, 2022 or email Janet.jackson@austintexas.gov Items for Presentation, Discussion and Possible Action: 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Jan. 24, 2021 4:20pm-4:25pm 2. OLD BUSINESS a. TX SB69 from 87th Legislative Session -Vote on Recommendation for Council Action Sponsored by Commissioner Gonzales and Webber 4:25pm-4:35pm 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Public Safety Organizations Quarterly Report – Austin Police Department (sponsors: Commissioner Hausenfluck and Gonzales) 4:40pm-4:50pm Speaker(s): -Chief Henderson, Austin Police Department b. Discussion on 911 Call Center and Forensics Lab under Austin Police Department (sponsors: Commissioners Bernhardt and Ramirez) 4:50pm-5:20pm Speaker(s): - Lt. Kenneth Murphy, APD 911/Communications Center - Dana Kadavy, Director, APD Forensics Lab - Kathy Mitchell, Community Advocate, Just Liberty Organization -Jennifer Laurin, U.T. Law Professor c. Discussion on Processing Emergency & Non-Emergency Calls received by Austin 311 (sponsors: Commissioners Kiracofe and Ramirez) 5:20pm -5:50pm - Lt. Kenneth Murphy, Austin Police Department, 911/Communications Center -Representative from Austin 311 4. Future Agenda Items 5:50-6:00pm Adjourn @ 6pm The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Janet Jackson at Austin Police Department, at 512-974-5747, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Public Safety Commission, please contact Robin Henderson, Chief of Staff, Austin Police Department at 512-974-5030.
Forensic Services • The Austin Forensic Science Bureau is comprised of; • Five analytical sections accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (Certification # FT-0325) and the Texas Forensic Science Commission, including; • Crime Scene • Latent Prints • Firearms & Toolmarks • Toxicology • Seized Drugs • Five forensic support units including Quality Assurance, Case Management, Multi-Media, Polygraph, and Evidence Management/Control The Austin Forensic Science Bureau Laboratory Facility at 812 Springdale Road • In FY20, Forensics responded to more than 4,200 crime scene calls, processed nearly 12,000 forensic analysis requests, and managed over 1,000,000 items of forensic evidence and property • The FY22 $12.6million Forensic operating budget funds 86.75 highly-skilled, educated, and extensively trained forensic professional FTEs • Consistent with HB 1900, the FY22 Forensic operating budget remains under the Austin Police Department Forensic Services The Austin Forensic Science Bureau Laboratory Facility at 812 Springdale Road • City Council approved ordinance No. 20210204-032 which authorized the City Manager to create an independent Forensic department • Identified critical path steps necessary to transition the Forensic Science Bureau into an independent department • Established agreements to maintain information systems access: Management Control Agreement (MCA) to establish and enforce security control of CJIS under the authority of a Criminal Justice Agency (APD); CABIS (finger/palm print database) Interlocal Agreement; Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System Access Agreement; Public Safety Radio System MOU; and Electronic Data Access MOU • City Manager’s Office updated forensic director reporting structure to include reporting to the ACM of Public Safety (July 26th, 2021 MMAC) • The Forensic Science Bureau is ready to transition to an independent department as deemed appropriate in accordance with State law
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220207-02a February 7, 2022 Proposal that the Austin City Council work with Office of Police Oversight to hold Date: Subject: APD accountable for metrics required by new SB69 Motioned by: Rebecca Gonzales Seconded by: Rebecca Webber Recommendation: The Public Safety Commission recommends that the City Council work with the Office of Police Oversight to ensure the Austin Police Department institutes metrics to measure Austin Police Department’s accordance with State Bill 69. Description of Recommendation to Council: Whereas the current reporting requirement around use of force only impacts incidents where improper use of force occurs, the Public Safety Commission recommends that the Austin City Council move forward with the following policy recommendations: • Create a policy that require the reporting of all instances where use of force was prevented or took place. • This policy should be supported by a strong non-retaliation policy to ensure self- • reporting. In addition, this policy should also include a training plan for the officer that was stopped by the intervention. This training plan could include further instruction on de- escalation and proper procedure. Rationale: The Public Safety Commission believes that all interventions against improper use of force should be reported and measured regardless of the outcome of the intervention. Vote: For: 10 Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Absent: 1 (Commissioner Austin) Attest: [Staff or board member can sign] __________________________________
` PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES February 7, 2022 Rebecca Webber Michael Sierra-Arevalo John Kiracofe Rebecca Bernhardt The Public Safety Commission convened a hybrid in person and videoconferencing meeting Monday, February 7, 2022 at City Hall 301 W. 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Commissioner Rebecca Gonzalez called the Board Meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Kathleen Hausenfluck Nelly Ramirez Amanda Lewis Rocky Lane Cory Hall-Martin Board Members Absent: Queen Austin Staff in Attendance: Robin Henderson, Assistant Chief, Austin Police Department Teresa Gardner, Assistant Chief, Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services Rob Vires, Chief of Staff, Austin Fire Department Citizen Communications - Citizens signed up to speak: none 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – This will occur at the March meeting for both the January and February minutes. 2. OLD BUSINESS a. TX SB69 from 87th Legislative Session -Vote on Recommendation for Council Action Sponsored by Commissioner Gonzales and Webber 4:02pm-4:06pm In the recommendation, Chair Gonzales is asking APD to create a policy that requires the reporting of whether use of force was prevented and if it took place. They also asked for a non-retaliation policy to ensure self-reporting. Commissioner Sierra-Arevalo asked for clarity on what was up for a vote. Chair Gonzales explained three points: if there is intervention and use of force still happens, if there is intervention and use of force is prevented, and a training plan for the officer who was 1 impacted by the intervention, such as further de-escalation. No further questions. Recommendation passed on unanimous vote. 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Public Safety Organizations Quarterly Report – Austin Police Department (sponsors: Commissioner Hausenfluck and Gonzales) 4:07pm-4:50pm Speaker(s): -Chief Henderson, Austin Police Department Chief Henderson, joined by Dr. Jonathan Kringen, presented on the APD quarterly report. Dr. Kringen presented on Citywide Crimes Against Persons between 2020 and 2021. There was an overall negligent reduction in crime. Aggravated assault has had a meaningful increase. For Crimes Against Property, for the same time period, there has been a meaningful increase in theft of car parts. Overall, a small reduction in crimes. Crimes Against Society, for the same time period, shows a reduction in drug violations, possibly due to cite and arrest. However, weapons violations has significantly increased. He explained clearance rates are hard to capture, as an crime committed in one month may be carried forward to a different month. Or they may have cleared an …
