REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2026, 4:00 PM AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM, #1101 301 WEST 2ND STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 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 Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via 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 remotely, contact Christi Vitela at participation by christi.vitela@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2792. telephone. To to speak register CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Nelly Paulina Ramírez, Chair Rebecca Bernhardt Enrique Duran II Denise L Eger Daniel Godwin Timothy Ruttan, Vice Chair Kimberly Hidrogo David Holmes Yasmine Smith Michael Sierra-Arévalo AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 5 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Public Safety Commission regular meeting on February 2, 2026. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Public Safety Quarterly Report, Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Presentation by Wesley Hopkins, Chief of Staff, Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services. 3. 4. 5. Discussion regarding the mental health first response system with Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services and Integral Care. Discussion regarding APD 911 Emergency Communications Division budget and potential consolidation of the emergency 911 call center with input from Equity Action, United Workers of Integral Care, and VOCAL TX. Discussion regarding community feedback at the Public Safety Commission. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Christi Vitela at the Austin City Clerk’s Office, at 512-974-2792 or christi.vitela@austintexas.gov, to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Public Safety Commission, please contact Christi Vitela at the Austin City Clerk’s Office, at 512-974-2792 …
Public Safety Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, February 2, 2026 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Monday, February 2, 2026 The Public Safety Commission convened in a regular called meeting on Monday, February 2, 2026, at Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room, 301 W 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Ramírez called the Public Safety Commission Meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Nelly Paulina Ramírez, Chair Timothy Ruttan, Vice Chair Rebecca Bernhardt Enrique Duran II Denise Eger Daniel Godwin Michael Sierra-Arévalo Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Kimberly Hidrogo Yasmine Smith PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Public Safety Commission regular meeting on January 5, 2026. The motion to approve the minutes of the Public Safety Commission regular meeting on January 5, 2026, was approved on Commissioner Bernhardt’s motion, Commissioner Duran’s second, on an 8-0 vote. Commissioner Smith was off the dais. Commissioner Holmes was absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Public Safety Quarterly Report, Austin Fire. Presentation by Tom Vocke, Assistant Chief, Austin Fire. The presentation was made by Tom Vocke, Assistant Chief, Austin Fire. 1 Public Safety Commission Meeting Minutes Monday, February 2, 2026 5. 4. 3. Discussion of community concern around interactions between Austin Police with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Discussed. The presentation was made by Lisa Davis, Police Chief, Austin Police and Lee Rogers, Chief of Staff, Austin Police. from Homeless Strategy Office on Update initiatives. Presentation by David Gray, Director, Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations. The presentation was made by David Gray, Director, Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations and Janet Pichette, Austin Emergency Management. inclement weather response and new Presentation regarding the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget, including Public Safety Department allocations, 5-year forecast process, and the budget process. Presentation by Kerri Lang, Director, Austin Budget and Organizational Excellence. The presentation was made by Kerri Lang, Director, Austin Budget and Organizational Excellence. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. Approve a Recommendation to Council regarding inclement weather response and a decentralized intake model. The motion to approve a Recommendation to Council regarding inclement weather response and a decentralized intake model was made by Commissioner Bernhardt and seconded by Commissioner Sierra Arévalo. The motion to amend was made by Vice Chair Ruttan and seconded by Commissioner Duran. The amendment was to strike the first “Now Therefore Be It Resolved” paragraph leaving only the second with an addition of “and report back …
RESOLUTION NO. 20250813-018 WHEREAS, the City's emergency communication operations present many challenges, due in part to the extensive intergovernmental and interagency cooperation required to execute such functions in a city which spans multiple counties and criminal jurisdictions; and WHEREAS, the 2019 Dispatch Equity and Optimization Study, developed at the request of Council in the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 budget process, identified substantial inefficiencies, including challenges with collaboration across departments and outdated and needlessly segregated computer systems; and WHEREAS, the integration of emergency communications functions has been successful elsewhere in Texas, most notably in the North Texas Emergency Communications Center, an integrated emergency telecommunications center serving the cities of Addison, Carrollton, Coppell, and Farmers Branch; and WHEREAS, the City should explore all avenues to provide excellent service and response times for Austin residents while minimizing strain on public safety employees and City resources; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: The City Manager is directed to study the manner by which the City could establish a Joint Emergency Communications Department (JEC) combining the functions of 911 and emergency dispatch through the Austin Police Department (APD), Austin Fire Department (AFD), and Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Department (EMS). Page 1 of 2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: This integration shall maintain the independence of APD's, AFD's, and EMS' sworn personnel, operational command structures, and agency-specific operational standards while enabling all departments to operate collaboratively. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Manager is further directed to develop a strategic plan for integrating the listed emergency communications functions into a JEC by the end of fiscal year 2025-2026, including a technical and operational feasibility assessment, cost analysis, and an implementation timeline, with recommendations presented to Council. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Manager is further directed to consider the effectiveness of non- emergency crime reporting online and via phone and report to Council on the possibility of consolidating non-emergency crime reporting into the JEC. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Manager is further directed to consult with all relevant external stakeholders, including employee unions, intergovernmental partners, licensing agencies, and community groups, in developing the strategic plan for the JEC. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Manager is further directed to return to Council to present the JEC strategic plan at or before the Work Session on December 9,2025. ADOPTED: August 13 , 2025 ATTEST: 413#d/+ Erika Bra?y City Clerk …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Public Safety Commission Recommendation Number: 20260302- 006: Budget Recommendations for FY26–27 Budget Date of Approval: Recommendation: WHEREAS, the Public Safety Commission is tasked with reviewing public safety agency budgets and providing recommendations to the Austin City Council; WHEREAS, the Public Safety Commission has discussed topics with Austin Fire, Austin Police, Austin-Travis County EMS, additional city departments, and community organizations that coordinate with our public safety departments; WHEREAS, throughout the course of those discussions various departments have expressed programmatic and departmental needs; WHEREAS, the Budget and Organizational Excellence FY26–27 presentation provided updated FY26 amended baseline budgets and FY27 planned budgets for public safety departments; WHEREAS, several of the public safety departments’ identified unmet needs and programmatic priorities remain outstanding or require sustained funding to maintain operational performance; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Public Safety Commission recommends allocation of funds and use of all available means to incorporate the following public safety priorities into the FY26–27 Budget: • Extreme Weather Preparedness: Funding for decentralized intake, surge staffing, and coordinated emergency shelter operations to ensure shared situational awareness across Austin Emergency Management, Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations and other public safety agencies during cold weather and other climate-driven activations. • Emergency Communications: Fund 911, dispatch, and EMS communications staffing and technology modernization to improve reliability and response throughput, with performance metrics reported quarterly. • Sexual Assault Reporting & Coordinated Response (CSCRM): Ensure financial support for civilian staffing and civilian overtime, survivor navigation services, interagency data integration, and quarterly public reporting dashboards tracking case timelines and outcomes. • C4 Project (ATCEMS): Sustain funding to support continuous 24/7 staffing, technology infrastructure, data systems, and interagency coordination required to maintain service continuity. • Counsel at First Appearance: Stabilized funding to ensure uninterrupted operations and long-term sustainability. Funding should support 24 hour services as well as additional lawyers for full staffing. • Urban Wildfire Prevention: Funding for wildfire mitigation, prevention staffing, and equipment. Support Community Wildfire Protection Plan implementation, community outreach, equipment readiness, and evacuation planning and training with an emphasis on traditionally underserved areas and populations with civilian staffing where possible. • Trauma & Violence Reduction: Sustain and expand programs that address high-acuity violence, including victim services coordination, data-driven prevention, and public availability of readily accessible data. • Traffic Safety & Vision Zero: Support funding to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injury crashes and improvement in data collection and availability for …
FY26 Enhancements Report — NOT INCLUDED (Unfunded) Items for Public Safety & Related Departments1 Austin Emergency Management Department- Priority Title Brief Description Austin Emergency Management-02 Planned Events Budget Austin Emergency Management-04 Austin Emergency Management-05 Disaster Funding and Cost Recovery Program- Vendor Fees and Labor FTE for Community Engagement Specialist- Language Access Austin Emergency Management-06 GATRRS Planner FTE The Department is requesting an investment for responding to an increasing volume of planned special events due to growth in Austin. The current response budget is $19,270, but the annual cost to respond to planned events is $47,367, which are not eligible for federal reimbursement and have occurred consistently for the past five years. The Department is requesting an investment for managing disaster preparedness, response, and the FEMA Public Assistance program. HSEM does not have a budget for the labor or vendor costs to manage the cost recovery process with state and federal governments, although five percent of the vendor costs are reimbursable as part of Category administrative costs. The Department is requesting a Community Engagement Specialist-Language Access FTE to migrate a temporary position to a full-time permanent role. This position was developed from an audit and led the coordination and development of the Citywide Emergency Language Access Plan, fulfilling the ongoing process of its implementation. The Department is requesting an FTE to effectively manage and operationalize the Greater Austin-Travis County Regional Radio System (GATRRS). While the Radio Shop Handles the technical aspects, HSEM has been the primary lead for its operational implementation. Annualized Ongoing Funding One-Time Funding $47,637 $0 $1,888,295 $0 $123,367 $3,000 $114,745 $12,000 Austin Fire Departme nt Priority Title Brief Description Annualized Ongoing Funding One-Time Funding 1 https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/BOE/Budget/FY26_Enhancements_Report.pdf The Department is requesting investment in staffing for two aerial ladder trucks that currently lack crews, noting that the last such crew was added in 1995. The Department is requesting an investment to cover increased personnel costs from rising over time rates and unfunded personal holidays. The Department is requesting an investment to increase the personnel line for civilian overtime and temporary hires, noting no increase in civilian FTE funding for eight years. The Department is requesting an investment to implement an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system at the Public Safety Wellness Center to improve medical record tracking and security. The Department is requesting funding for professional development and Fire Ground Officer trainings to ensure safe, effective emergency scene management and skill …
Incident and Response Data Austin-Travis County EMS | FY26 Q1 Wesley Hopkins | Chief of Staff Incidents, Patient Contacts, Transports January 2021 – January 2026 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 1 2 - n a J 1 2 - b e F 1 2 - r a M 1 2 - r p A 1 2 - y a M 1 2 - n u J 1 2 - l u J 1 2 - g u A 1 2 - p e S 1 2 - t c O 1 2 - v o N 1 2 - c e D 2 2 - n a J 2 2 - b e F 2 2 - r a M 2 2 - r p A 2 2 - y a M 2 2 - n u J 2 2 - l u J 2 2 - g u A 2 2 - p e S 2 2 - t c O 2 2 - v o N 2 2 - c e D 3 2 - n a J 3 2 - b e F 3 2 - r a M 3 2 - r p A 3 2 - y a M 3 2 - n u J 3 2 - l u J 3 2 - g u A 3 2 - p e S 3 2 - t c O 3 2 - v o N 3 2 - c e D 4 2 - n a J 4 2 - b e F 4 2 - r a M 4 2 - r p A 4 2 - y a M 4 2 - n u J 4 2 - l u J 4 2 - g u A 4 2 - p e S 4 2 - t c O 4 2 - v o N 4 2 - c e D 5 2 - n a J 5 2 - b e F 5 2 - r a M 5 2 - r p A 5 2 - y a M 5 2 - n u J 5 2 - l u J 5 2 - g u A 5 2 - p e S 5 2 - t c O 5 2 - v o N 5 2 - c e D 6 2 - n a J Incidents …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Public Safety Commission Recommendation Number: 20260302- 006: Budget Recommendations for FY26–27 Budget Date of Approval: March 2, 2026 Recommendation: WHEREAS, the Public Safety Commission is tasked with reviewing public safety agency budgets and providing recommendations to the Austin City Council; WHEREAS, the Public Safety Commission has discussed topics with Austin Fire, Austin Police, Austin-Travis County EMS, additional city departments, and community organizations that coordinate with our public safety departments; WHEREAS, throughout the course of those discussions various departments have expressed programmatic and departmental needs; WHEREAS, the Budget and Organizational Excellence FY26–27 presentation provided updated FY26 amended baseline budgets and FY27 planned budgets for public safety departments; WHEREAS, several of the public safety departments’ identified unmet needs and programmatic priorities remain outstanding or require sustained funding to maintain operational performance; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Public Safety Commission recommends allocation of funds and use of all available means to incorporate the following public safety priorities into the FY26–27 Budget: • Extreme Weather Preparedness: Funding for decentralized intake, surge staffing, and coordinated emergency shelter operations to ensure shared situational awareness across Austin Emergency Management, Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations and other public safety agencies during cold weather and other climate-driven activations. • Emergency Communications: Fund 911, dispatch, and EMS communications staffing and technology modernization to improve reliability and response throughput, with performance metrics reported quarterly. • Sexual Assault Reporting & Coordinated Response (CSCRM): Ensure financial support for civilian staffing and civilian overtime, survivor navigation services, interagency data integration, and quarterly public reporting dashboards tracking case timelines and outcomes. • C4 Project (ATCEMS): Sustain funding to support continuous 24/7 staffing, technology infrastructure, data systems, and interagency coordination required to maintain service continuity. • Counsel at First Appearance: Stabilized funding to ensure uninterrupted operations and long-term sustainability. Funding should support 24 hour services as well as additional lawyers for full staffing. • Urban Wildfire Prevention: Funding for wildfire mitigation, prevention staffing, and equipment. Support Community Wildfire Protection Plan implementation, community outreach, equipment readiness, and evacuation planning and training with an emphasis on traditionally underserved areas and populations with civilian staffing where possible. • Trauma & Violence Reduction: Sustain and expand programs that address high-acuity violence, including victim services coordination, data-driven prevention, and public availability of readily accessible data. • Traffic Safety & Vision Zero: Support funding to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injury crashes and improvement in data collection …
