[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6462223,"mediaKeyId","5811812-c0cf3c0e0b987f69a2912fe00bec19f1","parentId",5811812,"title","Public Safety Committee approves minutes and recommends municipal‑court judge reappointments to full council","audioSeconds",4712,"startMs",46000,"endMs",4758000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811812-c0cf3c0e0b987f69a2912fe00bec19f1&start=46&end=4758","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811812-c0cf3c0e0b987f69a2912fe00bec19f1/thumbnail_46000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6462223/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Public-Safety-Committee-approves-minutes-and-recommends-municipalcourt-judge-reappointments-to-full-council","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462223-50c15aa896f1f870a512d15384eec522/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507073&Signature=S04EsDXQJ7kcTn4jyNNNwY4OWKtGqbjG8jZ3hWTQ4Zj2DK3j33HIGGVHUg7oczeN3zMNvTgv-sg6noMw8Yi~TUQKyEm0gGFeu7qyroXvppF-KUrw0j392X-hbkSqqv2pvL63BiUJvXXm2NylbFYkBRJq0ON4vTtqnifM1QLK59fPT9RIAoM8C1yY2qJ3Z18rp5WZ9Sr6~mv68r7X1J-KrAkX99AMCtqpCf8u~ObuZLhft-3y6Z4L4rRgqNGjvXTqj8I6EUWuo97Xr72I8TBYZePItwq8rcPWXfjlSBPiWCWgBdrlCUXkU2-lon9eI3T9sB6mhWTQ9w7Jt3KLiTnR-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-09-22T00:00:00Z","article","The Public Safety Committee took two formal actions during its Sept. 22 meeting: it approved the minutes from a special‑called public safety meeting on June 2, 2025, and it voted to recommend a slate of municipal‑court and Downtown Austin Community Court judge reappointments to the full City Council.

Minutes approved
The committee approved the June 2, 2025 special‑called public safety meeting minutes \"without objection.\" A motion to approve was made by Mayor Watson and seconded by Vice Chair Lane; the chair announced the minutes were approved without objection and later the committee recorded motions to show specific council members as voting in favor (motions to reflect Council Member Cadre and Council Member Duchan as voting in favor were made and seconded during the meeting record).

Judge reappointment recommendations
After a closed session for personnel matters, the committee recommended that the City Council reappoint the following judges (as presented to the committee): Presiding Judge Sherry Statman; Downtown Austin Community Court Judge Michael Coffey (with a recommendation that Judge Coffey also be reappointed as an associate judge of Austin Municipal Court); associate judges Brian J. Guerra, Barbara Garcia, Alfred Jenkins, Patrick McNelis, George Thomas and Steven Vigorito; and a slate of substitute judges (Kelly Evans; Christine Harris Schultz; Gordon Karchmer; Randy Ortega; Olga Seelig; Pamela Sigman; Stanley Kerr; Susanna Marangola; Ron Meyerson; Ryan Turner; Ken Vitucci). The recommendation to forward those appointments to the full council was moved by Mayor Watson, seconded by the vice chair, and approved \"without objection,\" the committee chair said.

What the committee recorded
The meeting transcript records the motions and seconds and states the committee approved both actions without objection. The committee's recommendation forwards the named judge slate to the full Austin City Council for final action; the committee did not itself make final judicial appointments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Public Safety Committee","oneSentenceSummary","At the Sept. 22 Public Safety Committee meeting the panel approved minutes from the June 2, 2025 special meeting without objection and recommended reappointment of municipal‑court and Downtown Austin Community Court judges to the full Austin City Council.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462229,"Expert review and APD propose consolidated use‑of‑force policy, emphasize supervisor role and de‑escalation training",1431,2666000,4097000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811812-c0cf3c0e0b987f69a2912fe00bec19f1&start=2666&end=4097","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811812-c0cf3c0e0b987f69a2912fe00bec19f1/thumbnail_2666000.jpg","/articles/6462229/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Expert-review-and-APD-propose-consolidated-useofforce-policy-emphasize-supervisor-role-and-deescalation-training","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462229-3f8f2297d55f398e078fe394157eeda7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507073&Signature=glNwcLwOLnj4NgJ9ardropLYqgNi8pjPlGDX5ciVuEuoc2TDRsP9BEI15k2Zup3zwhNKL4EmDv1XgiyE3JL2sqCnexmt~UUn39~~favKAR-dji6jHwqL3kNDC2HX6RQsB4eXjoqXLu1Ud5uHl24-0RiuKhbNf8Ap2xUc3Y1Qe7E6t7y8zDax83jy0yl9CYq0IdnrhaL5dN7AGQzO747~UkCEjqAX957D6N9DOGFW38Kjgg7aK72wL028FcdTJyPtfFFlmUA3D9L2bHqRFKi70UrGRs5~7hsMzJJlDP-4z9e-yW5tndC53R~6epJbd30IBcAtLTashmwI6l~NjDyNvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Safety Committee received an update Sept. 22 on efforts to revise Austin Police Department use‑of‑force policy, expand de‑escalation training and strengthen first‑line supervisory oversight. Robin Engel, a researcher who reviewed APD policy and data, presented draft policy changes and evidence on training effectiveness.

Engel summarized a task force formed to examine APD use‑of‑force reporting, accountability, oversight and training after a data review showed inconsistencies. \"There were significant issues with the data reporting, the reliability and validity of that data,\" Engel said, and the task force — co‑chaired by city and department leaders — has worked through spring and summer to develop policy and training recommendations.

Policy consolidation and emphasis on de‑escalation
Engel said the department has consolidated several general orders related to response, restraint, firearms, control devices and reporting into a single use‑of‑force policy to recenter the suite of rules on non‑escalation and de‑escalation. The rewrite seeks to make de‑escalation expectations explicit and to realign accountability so first‑line supervisors have clearer oversight of lower‑severity reportable incidents rather than funneling the majority of cases straight to a centralized force review unit.

Training evidence and supervisory role
Engel reviewed research on ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment and Tactics), a de‑escalation curriculum developed by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). She presented results from randomized trial research in other U.S. cities showing measurable reductions in use of force and injuries after ICAT‑style implementation, and stressed that officers' receptivity to training strongly tracks with perceived front‑line supervisor support.

\"What predicts whether or not someone is receptive? ... if they believed their first line supervisor supported the training as well,\" Engel said, noting that supervisory reinforcement made officers more likely to report using de‑escalation tactics in the field. City and department leaders said they will require additional supervisor training: APD sergeants will return for a one‑week course meant to embed policy changes and reinforce expectations in the field.

Data, reporting and oversight
Presenters said APD's research and planning analyst (named in the briefing as Dr. Cena Kang) has worked to fix prior errors and recreate prior use‑of‑force analyses for 2024; the briefing noted that an automated annual reporting mechanism will deliver richer public information in 2025. Engel said the task force has circulated draft policy changes to stakeholders and planned next steps for training and implementation.

Questions and technology discussion
Council members asked about technology and its role in escalation. Engel and APD staff discussed TASER models and other technology, and noted national research and local experience indicating improved deployment of less‑lethal tools can reduce the need for close‑quarters force. Engel also described broader technology pilots under study — including agency drone programs intended to provide early situational awareness — that may affect officer safety and scene management.

Next steps
Engel said draft policy changes remain under review and will be followed by updated training and a phased rollout. The task force planned to continue meeting, and staff said they will brief the committee again with finalized policies, supervisory training schedules and the automated reporting product.","An external researcher and Austin Police Department staff briefed the Public Safety Committee on proposed consolidation of APD use‑of‑force policies, expanded ICAT de‑escalation training and renewed emphasis on first‑line supervisors; staff also reported work to clean and automate annual use‑of‑force reporting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462233,"Austin to pilot three‑person multidisciplinary response team for high‑acuity mental‑health calls",1188,63000,1251000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5811812-c0cf3c0e0b987f69a2912fe00bec19f1&start=63&end=1251","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5811812-c0cf3c0e0b987f69a2912fe00bec19f1/thumbnail_63000.jpg","/articles/6462233/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-to-pilot-threeperson-multidisciplinary-response-team-for-highacuity-mentalhealth-calls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462233-aa821cc7afc3bced378bf91972b8ed80/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507073&Signature=BGRI7JlIehuxAqEsJb5aaXUvseErRiwJ5RttiYsm3rLggFLM2kXYwVFIyHxPjFpm0sluqkAGO9xE-SrYDLeLtTs~680YqvZI5THHTTCGIDjzAKszN00UqMByVBXqqTfMGHnGnm41PPVfQMW2RX2v9FvyHYfqqSLojdCCPWuxGi3Lmu3jpFINDlkNBf4eMT1BWhRVBUScqNs7nCfCBjWAYz5eMG~Chjr8DgtXIdw88t~1LCAYu7tOSIA1crH96bvI3xwykm3OnOS7OtA1GJm1PARF4ROmVuiCy5Fg99DGPMMaiH85khhtt-9~K7DSTCwPKlxguTTmN3fVHODL3FnfaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Safety Committee for the Austin City Council heard a briefing Sept. 22 on \"Austin First,\" a six‑month pilot that will place a three‑person multidisciplinary team — a paramedic, a mental‑health clinician from Integral Care and an Austin Police Department officer — in a single vehicle to respond to high‑acuity mental‑health calls in a downtown cluster identified by city data.

City health and safety officials said the pilot is intended to reduce adverse events, increase de‑escalation opportunities and connect people in crisis to follow‑up care. \"Our goal here is to develop a plan to deploy a team to minimize the risk of those adverse events across our community,\" said Dr. Mark Escoff, chief medical officer for the City of Austin, during the briefing.

The pilot team and rationale
City staff described the new unit as complementary to existing crisis services that have focused on low‑ and moderate‑acuity responses (for example, C3 dispatch clinicians, the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT), and community paramedics). Presenters said those programs have reduced arrests, emergency detentions and officer scene times since the Meadows Institute report in 2019 and subsequent changes. The new pilot targets a remaining gap: incidents where a person is in severe crisis and there is an elevated risk of harm or active agitation.

The team composition is a paramedic from Austin‑Travis County EMS (ATCEMS), a clinician from Integral Care (the local mental‑health authority) and an APD officer. Staff emphasized the team will not be the primary first‑responder in situations involving firearms; rather, the unit is designed for high‑acuity but non‑armored situations where a combined clinical/medical/peace‑officer response can reduce escalation.

Operations, timing and location
Officials said they plan to launch the pilot in mid‑October, operating one unit Monday through Thursday from roughly 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for an initial six‑month period. The team will be dispatched by call takers when appropriate, and may also self‑initiate when teams encounter individuals who meet the high‑acuity description while patrolling. City presenters identified a downtown cluster (referred to in the briefing as the George Sector) as the highest‑concentration area for the calls the pilot will target.

Training and oversight
Presenters said initial team training took place Sept. 4, 2025, with backups trained to cover absences; the Sept. 4 session included officers, ATCEMS personnel, Integral Care clinicians and supervisors. Training topics listed in the briefing included legal considerations (capacity and consent), updates from the recent legislative session on peace officer emergency detention (POED), agency policies for ATCEMS and APD, de‑escalation, trauma‑informed care, scene safety, sedation considerations and scenario‑based exercises. Additional training and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for dispatch decision‑making were scheduled through October.

Data collection and goals
City staff said the pilot will track response times, scene times, staffing requirements, repeat interactions, dispositions and outcomes (including diversion from arrest or emergency room visits), injuries to personnel, and any adverse events. The group said they will conduct continuous quality improvement and present pilot results to council and city management after the six‑month period. \"We will ... recommend a report back to council regarding recommendations for future expansion,\" Escoff said.

Community advisory group and follow up
The briefing said a community advisory group will advise strategy and transparency; named members of the advisory group included Downtown Austin Community Court, Downtown Austin Alliance, the Homeless Strategy Office, the Salvation Army (noted in the briefing as the \"Silvering Center\" — presenters said this group will include people with lived experience), and other community stakeholders. Presenters said data integration remains a challenge — data currently sit in separate systems (Integral Care, APD and ATCEMS) — and the city hopes the pilot and improved data processes will allow better disaggregation and analysis.

Questions from council
Committee members asked about typical day‑to‑day operations, how the team would identify high‑acuity calls, whether the pilot could be scaled to other areas or hours, and when consolidated outcome data would be available. Council members requested that the city continue to refine triage and dispatch procedures and to return with pilot results and improved data streams after the evaluation period. \"This is a pilot ... and as we evolve over the coming months, we will continue to refine the individual strengths of the different organizations and see where those true synergies are,\" an Austin police chief present said during Q&A.

Why this matters
Presenters framed the pilot as an attempt to close a gap in responses to mental‑health crises where clinical, medical and law‑enforcement perspectives are all needed at first contact. The city said the pilot is intended to reduce force and injuries, improve connections to outpatient care and reduce repeat emergency encounters.","City briefed the Public Safety Committee on \"Austin First,\" a six‑month pilot that will pair a paramedic, a mental‑health clinician from Integral Care and an APD officer in one vehicle to respond to high‑acuity mental‑health crises in the downtown (George) sector, starting mid‑October.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public Safety Committee approves minutes and recommends municipal‑court judge reappointments to full council

Expert review and APD propose consolidated use‑of‑force policy, emphasize supervisor role and de‑escalation training

Austin to pilot three‑person multidisciplinary response team for high‑acuity mental‑health calls